Applied Maths, Accounting, or both?

straight_As

Hi Guys,

I'm in fourth year now and need your expert opinions.

Next week we have to pick our subjects for fifth year and I have a bit of a dilemma. I want to do medicine in university so I will need some pretty hefty points. I am going to choose:

English
Irish
Maths
French
Chemistry
Biology
Accounting/Applied Maths

I love maths and am wondering which is easier and more enjoyable Applied Maths or Accounting?

Would I be completely shutting the door on any commerce/buinesss career by ommitting Accounting?

I was thinking that I might give both shot (one outside school or go to the 'tute) if it were possible.

Any advice welcome.

Thanks.

tabouli

I'm in 6th year applied maths and imho there's not much crossover between HL maths and applied maths (only a little bit of trig, vectors and integration). The first thing we were told in applied maths is that it was named wrong and should really be called applied physics. I'm not saying that you shouldn't do it, but be aware that just because you are good at normal maths doesn't necessarily mean you'll find applied maths easy, especially if you're not doing physics aswell. Unfortunately, I can't speak for accounting.

meeka

I took both Applied Maths and Accounting in 5th last year. I absolutely hated Accounting. I was no good at it, and I just found it very boring in general... I suppose this could have been because of the teacher, but anyway.

Luckily since I was taking Applied Maths as an extra subject after school, I was able to drop Accounting at the start of this year. If you love maths, and problem-solving in general, I'd say that applied maths is definitely more enjoyable. However, it is a fair bit of work, and it might be fairly hard if you don't have physics as well.

DmanDmythDledge

straight_As wrote: »

I love maths and am wondering which is easier and more enjoyable Applied Maths or Accounting?

Would I be completely shutting the door on any commerce/buinesss career by ommitting Accounting?

I find accounting has very little to do with the maths course, it's mainly only addition that you do. If you did business for the junior cert and didn't mind the bookkeeping you should like it.

No, but if you end up doing a business degree in college accounting would be the most important of the three business subjects to have done.

Thomas_S_Hunterson

tabouli wrote: »

The first thing we were told in applied maths is that it was named wrong and should really be called applied physics.

You were told wrong tbh.

Applied Maths is the study of maths applied to other domains (e.g. physics), as opposed to pure maths which is abstract and without application.

Applied physics is a completely different subject entirely.

Further Reading:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Applied_mathematics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pure_mathematics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Applied_physics

ZorbaTehZ

tabouli wrote: »

The first thing we were told in applied maths is that it was named wrong and should really be called applied physics.

lol, that is so wrong.

PurpleFistMixer

If you were doing physics I'd say definitely do applied maths. 'Course I don't do Accounting, so I can't speak for that.

As far as I'm aware, Accounting isn't a required subject to get into business courses, but of course if you want to do something accounting-related it'd seem to make sense to do it for LC too.

timmywex

i had this exact same problem at the end of 3rd year. But i was doing physics and knew the teacher i would have from outside school and get on really well with him etc, and he is class!! i had been told who the accounting teacher was going to be and he wasnt that good so i went with the applied maths and i love it!! From what i have heard from the accounting class, a huge amount failed their xmas test and they dont seem to enjoy class

If you were doing physics, id say defo applied maths because it makes physics way easier!! But since you are not, i suggest talk to people taking the subjects under the different teachers in your school and think of what kind of a career you want and then make the decision.

L'prof

I loved Maths when I was in school and I did Accounting and Applied Maths for the LC! Loved Applied Maths and hated Accounting but, everyone's different I guess!

Prowetod

Id say accounting is easier, I am doing both atm. If you are capable of doing 8 subjects then do them both.

~Candy~

applied maths is pretty hard for me at the moment..may be that because i don't do physics? you don't actually need physics ...but it really helps ..

as for accounting , to be honest the only reason i do it is because of the points.. i heard it is really easy to get a good grade on it ...but it really is really really sickening theres so much stuff you gotta to take in to consideration ...some people found it extremely difficult ,others thinks it so easy:D i spoz it up to you , For me tho it really isn't that hard..once you understand wot is going on and becareful with the numbers and stuff you are pretty much there ...but i have to say i am not a big fun of accounting ...:cool:

you could do acc in school and do applied maths outside? then yo could drop one if one isn't going to well ?

JC 2K3

Just like to add that your subject choices for the LC generally will have no impact on your career. Essentially, you can't "shut the door" on anything by choosing the "wrong" LC subjects.(except in a few cases relating to science courses, but I haven't seen any business courses which require business subjects)

Agreed

I did the BComm in UCC, loads of my classmates had done no business subjects in LC

Davidius

I'm currently in fifth year and while Applied Maths has certainly helped with Physics, I haven't really come across anytime wherein it's been the other way around. It's a pretty handy subject in my opinion.

As for accounting, I wouldn't know. =/

straight_As

Thanks for the feedback guys.

I think I'll pick applied maths and give the other a shot elsewhere. Hopefully it works out.

Once again, thanks for the help.