The Points Race

catchthepigeon

Is it just me or is ''the points race'' the biggest b***h EVER!! Like how cr*p is it that your whole futre/life depends on the amount of points you get? Its so sh*t if your aiming for high points! And how cr*p is it when the course your planning on doing goes up? like the course i want to do went up by like 20points. I HATE THE LEAVING CERT!!!

ironictoaster

Yeah it sucks, especially if you need high points and you're doing a couple ordinary subjects

Piste

Ah calling it YOUR WHOLE LIFE is a bit dramatic, there are so many ways to get to where you want, it just might take a little longer.

callaway92

Piste wrote: »

Ah calling it YOUR WHOLE LIFE is a bit dramatic, there are so many ways to get to where you want, it just might take a little longer.

That might be the best bit of knowledge a person could get today...

However good or bad you get on in school..Theres always a chance you will get what you want in the future

hatrickpatrick

It's definetely NOT the end of the world if you don't get it, BUT
Yeah it's absolutely ****ed up. It's a really crappy system when you stop and think about it - someone could get in to Classics having got an A1 in History, English, Irish, and Geography - yet having failed Classical Studies.

Yet the guy who's studied and followed Classics his whole life, read all the books, and is genuinely fascinated and interested in it can get an A1 in Classical Studies but not get in because he got 10 points lower than he needed, because of a lower maths grade.

That's only for starters. There's so much wrong with the system it's not even funny. don't even get me started on how the status os Medicine has made it impossible for less academic people to get in regardless of whether those who actually get in have any interest or skill whatsoever. Having had one or two friends who wanted medicine that one in particular really grinds my geard :mad:

Piste

Well they're changing the entry requirements for Medicine in an attempt to level the playing field a bit.

I think a lot of blame lies with the colleges, not the leaving cert. Ok the colleges don't set the final entry points but they can decide on matriculation and I think it would be a good idea to have matriculation subjects relevant to the course (Histroy for history, classics for classics etc.)

KnifeWRENCH

catchthepigeon wrote: »

Is it just me or is ''the points race'' the biggest b***h EVER!! Like how cr*p is it that your whole futre/life depends on the amount of points you get? Its so sh*t if your aiming for high points!

:rolleyes: There are plenty of other ways to get where you want, other than the Leaving Cert. It is NOT the be all and end all.
Bitching about it isn't going to help - just get on with it ffs.

hatrickpatrick wrote:

That's only for starters. There's so much wrong with the system it's not even funny. don't even get me started on how the status os Medicine has made it impossible for less academic people to get in regardless of whether those who actually get in have any interest or skill whatsoever. Having had one or two friends who wanted medicine that one in particular really grinds my geard :mad:

ZOMFG!!! *SHOCK HORROR* The Leaving Cert is NOT perfect! :eek: Neither is any other education system.
You can moan all you like but the fact is we have a good education system in this country. Certainly better here than the UK and much more affordable than America.

The Leaving Cert is points based because, in general, the students with the highest number of points are those who have worked their butts off for it and/or have natural academic ability.The entry route to Medicine has already been amended to make it fairer.

If you, the OP or anyone else can think off a perfect education system I'm sure Batt O'Keeffe would be delighted to hear from you.
Otherwise, stop complaining.

Carsinian Thau

Piste wrote: »

Ah calling it YOUR WHOLE LIFE is a bit dramatic, there are so many ways to get to where you want, it just might take a little longer.

Although, at the time, it can certainly feel like the end of the world.

Piste

Yeah, like I know I'd feel devastated if I really wanted to do something and didn't get the course.

Gone West

catchthepigeon wrote: »

ILike how cr*p is it that your whole futre/life depends on the amount of points you get?

Hey dude, no it doesn't! Don't let it get you down.
There are side ways to get into almost anything.
The leaving cert doesn't mean squat!
(with much respect to the 10s of thousands who work their asses off)
If money is the issue, I know loads of people in their 20s earning 100k+, with their own businesses, IT contractors, and so on.

philologos

Piste wrote: »

Ah calling it YOUR WHOLE LIFE is a bit dramatic, there are so many ways to get to where you want, it just might take a little longer.

Quite a few courses accept 5 distinctions on a FETAC award so I hear.

K4t

Wow, some people take the LC wayyyyy too seriously! Just do your best and if you don't get what you want, try again or do something else.

The Leaving Cert my be a bitch, whore, bollix, bastard, any name you wish to call it of an exam, but it's the fairest. Good luck.

daffy-duck

i know its ****!
i wanting to do business and law in ucd and thats like 490 points. the leaving cert is sooooo not fair:mad:

K4t

daffy-duck wrote: »

i know its ****!
i wanting to do business and law in ucd and thats like 490 points. the leaving cert is sooooo not fair:mad:

I hear ya!

The Law with Economics or history or business or politics all look really interesting in UCD, but the points are crazy. 545 etc for most of them.

I desperately want to do Law and Politics at UCD but I know I won't get the points with the subjects I do.

Arts it will be I suppose.

miselemeas

Jakkass wrote: »

Quite a few courses accept 5 distinctions on a FETAC award so I hear.

8 Distinctions from FETAC Level 5 Courses = 400 Leaving Cert Points

ie each Distinction is the equivalent of 50 LC points, each Merit = 35 LC Points and each Pass = 20 points. Results from your best 8 subjects are calculated.