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Most Important Year of Degree??

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  • 11-12-2009 4:31am
    #1
    mruniverse2010
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8 ✭


    Hey everyone,
    Just joined boards as it seems to be the fountain of knowledge for all things UL related :D. Just want to ask in your own opinion which year in general is most important as in achieving first class honours degree, putting in the work etc



    Would very much appreciate some illustrative responses :pac::p


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    #2
    Mr. CooL ICE
    Registered Users Posts: 17,586 ✭✭✭✭Mr. CooL ICE


    It depends on your course, but they are all pretty important, being honest. Except first year, but mainly because that usually doesn't count towards your overall QCA.

    I'm not sure about other peoples courses, but the QCA in mine was weighted at a ratio of 1:1:2 for 2nd, 3rd and 4th year, so 4th year was the most important for mine


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    #3
    DJCR
    Registered Users Posts: 986 ✭✭✭DJCR


    Not to want to sound like I'm giving the normal boring answer but the yare al as important as each other (except 1st year)

    I mean I had an abysmal 2nd year and found my self trying to play catch up in 3rd year (1 semester as I was out on co-op for the second).

    This led to me going into 4th year with very bad grades and trying to make it up.... an added stress that would better avoided if I was doing it again. - Gave fourth year that added pressure.

    Looking back on it, its a bit silly having added pressure on the hardest year of college when, with a little extra study and time in the previous years would have set me up nicely.

    Just my 2 cents.... I would say 2nd year and 3rd year to give you the foundation to have a nice fouth year!!


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    #4
    ergonomics
    Registered Users Posts: 1,810 ✭✭✭ergonomics


    LordChessington wrote: »
    Except first year
    DJCR wrote: »
    except 1st year

    I wouldn't disregard 1st year so quickly. When you're going on Co-Op, or even just looking for part time work, employers will look at your grades from all years. The last thing you want is to find you can't get Co-Op because you did nothing in 1st year.


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    #5
    Afroninja
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12 ✭Afroninja


    ergonomics wrote: »
    I wouldn't disregard 1st year so quickly. When you're going on Co-Op, or even just looking for part time work, employers will look at your grades from all years. The last thing you want is to find you can't get Co-Op because you did nothing in 1st year.

    Yep, first year doesn't count towards your QCA but does go towards placement for Co-Op

    Crap results = much more difficult chance of gettin Co-Op, especially with this new recession thing they just invented


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    #6
    mruniverse2010
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8 ✭mruniverse2010


    Hey what is the story if you can't actually get a job for co-op.I mean physically impossible due to recession or whatever circumstances, what is the procedure then..McDonalds? :D:pac:


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    #7
    bazkennedy
    Registered Users Posts: 395 ✭✭bazkennedy


    mruniverse2010 wrote: »
    Hey what is the story if you can't actually get a job for co-op.I mean physically impossible due to recession or whatever circumstances, what is the procedure then..McDonalds? :D:pac:

    In most cases, they put you in modules that are completely unrelated to your course


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    #8
    breedie
    Registered Users Posts: 93 ✭✭breedie


    Don't want to be the odd one out but I'd say first year is pretty important. I know it doesn't go towards your final QCA but it usually provides a foundation in subjects you might be returning to in later years (which do go towards your QCA) Also it's the year where you should learn what suits you regarding study patterns (a little every day or a mad all-nighter at the end, perhaps a combination of both???), how the library system works, where the books for your subject are, where the best coffee is, what the jargon all means etc. I found that when I got that sorted in first year then two and three were a bit of a doss 'cos I didn't have to chase my tail looking for stuff and four was mostly concentrating on the FYP. It worked for me. Good luck with getting that 1.1


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    #9
    onedoubleo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 48 ✭onedoubleo


    Second year is by far the most important year imo, First year is generally leaving cert review for the first semester and introduction to procedure the next semester. Third and fourth year count for more towards your QCA but its in second year that most courses set the ground work for the tough stuff your going to actually study.

    In my course I could have sat most of my first year exams the day after the leaving cert and I would have gotten better results than I did. Then second year came along and BAM here is a load of stuff you never knew and we expect you to know it all and then some. It provides the basis for what you'll be specialising in and it really shows you what your course is going to be like


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