How to get high points?

PictureFrame

Hi all i'm a 5th year student at the minute and am looking for ways to get high points. My aim is 500. I'm doing 5 honours and LCVP. I worked out that to achieve these points I will have to achieve the following grades

1) English Higher B3
2) Music Higher B2
3) Business Higher A1
4) French Higher B3
5) Geography Higher A1
6) LCVP Distinction.

Just looking for tips of how I can achieve these grades. I have recieved 3 of my Christmas tests back and got 280 points out of a possible 300
Geography 98% A1, Business 97%, A1 French 77% B2

Any tips/revision books/study schedules will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

SDTimeout

You should be aiming for a higher grade in Music. If you are in anyway musical it is quite easy to get a very good grade in it. Would relive slight pressure on other subjects.

PictureFrame

Hi SDTimeout!. Thankss for the reply!. What grade do you think is possible in Music? I'm in Grade VII (7) Piano and have achieved mainly Distinctions in all my exams. I also recieved a "High Achievers Award" in 2008. I'm currently scoring an average of 82% (B1) in Higher Music.. I'm waiting for my christmas test result. Do you have any tips on how to achieve a higher grade in Music. Would an A2 be reachable?

theowen

You really can't rely on a distinction in LCVP. Nobody in my old school has got one in at least 2 years. And that's with 60+ taking it every year.

SDTimeout

The lowest standard you need for the leaving cert music is Grade 5. I stopped grade exams two years ago and that was heading towards my Grade 6 exam. It could have been grade 7 either i forget.

My music teacher told me however they look favorable on those playing modern pieces, or pieces they obviously are close to. You have to take into consideration do you want to play 4 highly skilled pieces. Or 4 pieces you will be able to play excellently at a lower grade.

I myself am doing one grade 5 piece just to show the examiner i can play the prescribed stuff. The rest are pieces i have chosen.

Harmony is easy once you can understand it. There is a boy in my class who finds Melody easier. He can hear it all in his head and often breaks the many textbook rules that are given for Melody writing. Yet his always sound much better. At the end of the day you are showing the examiner your creative side. Was your 82% inclusive of a practical ?

Musefan

2 of us out of about 60 got distinctions in LCVP, but it is acheivable if you put in the work, and stick very close to the requirements of the syllabus, imo. With regards to English, I find that coosing choices on the paper that you know others might not go for, really works. It is difficult but you can train yourself to answer novel questions, for example essay questions over time. I chose an essay question in the 2009 leaving, on the topic of science, which I was sure that not many would attempt. I think with regards to English, if you make it interesting for the examiner you cant go wrong. On the other hand, I may have taken a risk going for an essay I hadn't prepared for (I did get full marks in the essay section on paper 1), but really, if you aren't comfortable with that method, you can improve your grade by making sure your answers have a nice flow. Have a strong link between each point, and your answer will really stand out, regardless of what section of the paper it is.

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TheOwen: I know it's very hard to achieve a distinction, do you have any tips so I can achieve it?.

SDtimeout: No the 82% didn't include a practical.. The test comprised of two cadence questions two 8 bar melodies and A question on Tchaikovsky..

Musefan: Regarding English. I got an A in Junior Cert., however my teachers grading can be very varied. For example I wrote (in my opinion) sh*** essay at the start of the year and got an A2. I then wrote a good essay on the effects of bad communication in modern society and got a C1. She never tells you where you are going wrong and it always takes her weeks to correct essays.. We did our Christmas test on the 9th of December and there's no sign of it back yet.. Do you have any tips on how to achieve better results in English?

Musefan

Musefan: Regarding English. I got an A in Junior Cert., however my teachers grading can be very varied. For example I wrote (in my opinion) sh*** essay at the start of the year and got an A2. I then wrote a good essay on the effects of bad communication in modern society and got a C1. She never tells you where you are going wrong and it always takes her weeks to correct essays.. We did our Christmas test on the 9th of December and there's no sign of it back yet.. Do you have any tips on how to achieve better results in English?[/QUOTE]

I think the one thing that can knock people's confidence in English is the teacher they have. She should most definately tell you where you need to improve, and this is something you should really take action on, by staying back after class or something. It is vital that you start figuring out what she wants from you. On the other hand, remember it isn't what she wants, it is what the examiner wants, and at the end of the day, an answer that hits the points they need and shows a spark of critical insight, and flare, will get high marks. If I were you, I would go through the papers and do out some past questions, separate from the ones that your teacher sets. I would take them to a good grinds teacher, one that has great reviews, and get them to correct them. At least then you have a second opinion from someone who is obliged to tell you where you need to improve. I had my mam to do this, so I was lucky (She had given English grinds for years). Sometimes you just need to be confident despite what you are told, because if you feel you have made all the points you need to make in an essay, what more can you actually do, if you have no feedback.
I too got an A in junior cert English, from a teacher who was wonderfully encouraging. In leaving cert, I had a teacher who constantly made me feel like an idiot, for coming up with what she conceived as off the wall views on things, especially poetry. She marked me very inconsistantly, even though I put in a consistant level of work, ranging from C+ to A+. It was extremely confusing. In the end, I decided to keep going as I had been all year, and I made sure I backed up my points during the exam as best I could. It resulted in an A1. I did the same in college, and got an award from the National University of Ireland for English. The moral of the story, Picture Frame, and indeed everyone else, is that if you have conviction in your opinions, and can get back up from others when you think that your essays are of a high standard, then there is no reason why you shouldn't do well, providing you answer the question correctly. Don't go solely on what your English teacher says, because at the end of the day, I doubt they sit down and mark according to a marking scheme like an examiner does.

PictureFrame

Well for my last essay we were given a general theme on "Communication". So I decided to compose an essay regarding the "Lack of communication in modern society". I wrote about the different forms of communication (whether it be internet, face to face, telephone etc.). The result of the introduction of the internet to society and what results emerged. I wrote about the difference between rural and urban society and how the levels of communication vary between age groups (OAP'S teens etc.). I wrote about the lack of communication in communites due to money and material wealth and the difference between mediums of communication in 1st and 3rd world countries. Finally I wrote about the addition of "Text speech" and how the English language has changed from Victorian Times to Modern Day English. I backed it up and made a quote regarding The Breakdown of communication in society at the beginning and the end.

I genuinely though it was a good essay, I got a C1 with the comment "Good but construction poor in places" I asked her what this meant and she told me "It didn't matter and that she would tell me later..".

:? I really don't know what to do.. Any other tips MuseFan?.

theowen

No tips sorry, got a merit myself and then dumped it upon repeating :rolleyes: I only did two of your subjects actually! (bus and eng)

highlydebased

Firstly, do you need 500 points for your course?

I can tell you as regards business, an A1 is very difficult. You need to be impeccably concise with it. It is actually painful.

English, dont fall for the "Eavan Boland" of last year. Cost me an A.

Also it's highly unlikely you'd get a distinction in LCVP. If I were you concentrate on something else.

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To be blunt Neon-Circles yes, I truly do need it. For the last couple of years I have been interested in nothing but Psychology. I would love to study in NUIM, the points for the course there are 485. Due to the fact that you can recieve a small scholarship if you achieve 500 points, I really have to try and achieve these points so collegemay be somewhat less expensive.. I know it will be hard to achieve to achieve an A1 in Business, but I am investing a lot of time in it. So far we've covered The People @ work/consumer acts sections, Enterprise, Management and Communication. In my class tests i've scored 99, 94 & 97 each. Is there any way I can make it less difficult to achieve the A1?.

readystudypass

The chief examiners reports on www.examinations.ie can be a good place to pick up pointers

theowen

It's not that hard to get an A1 in business, you just have to know everything. Just be smart in how you study. Pick out key words from each sentence and rattle them off. So when the Q: Explain the advantages of...comes up you'll have 4/5 things you can rattle off.

Also many of the answers are the same for each question e.g. creates jobs can work for almost every give advantages question.

gfgfgf14

The test comprised of two cadence questions two 8 bar melodies and A question on Tchaikovsky..........we had way more on our test.....irish music,melody,bohemian rhaspody,backing chords and a stupid essay

mulner92

A lot of it has to do with common sense. Do your homework anyway, it mightn't seem that important but without noticing you'll have built up a decent bit of knowledge. Plan out a practical timetable and stick with it, start with your least favourite right up to your favourite. Flashcards work too very hany for definitions and study books i think key notes for english is a must, got an A2 with it and less stress more success is pretty good.

PictureFrame

gfgfgf14 wrote: »

The test comprised of two cadence questions two 8 bar melodies and A question on Tchaikovsky..........we had way more on our test.....irish music,melody,bohemian rhaspody,backing chords and a stupid essay

Woah that is a lot! Are you in 5th or 6th year may I ask?.

AtomicMess

Business is the hardest subject to get an A1 in
[sorry I can't remember whether I said this to you before]
If you're that class at piano you should be aiming for nothing but an A grade.
For English I suggest becoming 'acid tongued'
eg: In my compositions I am crude, vulgar, they're full of disgusting innuendo and I express opinions in a fickle way.
People like that are interesting, because I think examiners are beginning to tire of short stories about death and suicide and descriptions of how the blade kissed the girl's skin as Bleeding Love was playing like a funeral march in the background, stuff like that seems forced and boring.
Do Economics
[ again so disrespectful that I can't remember saying this, apologies ]

rebel girl 15

Do your homework well in fifth year - the teachers don't give it for the craic of it, they give it to you to reinforce the topic that you have done. Learn as you go! Flash cards are brilliant for things as well, to write down key points! If you learn more by listening, maybe start recording things onto your mp3 player to listen to

Come next year, get your hands on exam papers and more importantly a marking scheme. You need to know exactly where to get marks in every paper, does an exam have a specfic marking scheme e.g. business questions are answered in the format state, explain and example for allquestions, geography you need a certain number of SRP's per long question, English has a four letter one that I can't think of atm!

French - work on your oral and aural over the summer, not sure what percentage that is worth (think 25% together but could be wrong).

In sixth year, up to Christmas or your pres you should be learning and finishing off material (ideally) then progressing onto revision - you do not want to be in a position that during revision time, you are only learning stuff that you should have learned in fifth year!

If you've any more questions, drop me a PM, happy to help!

PictureFrame

AtomicMess wrote: »

Business is the hardest subject to get an A1 in
[sorry I can't remember whether I said this to you before]
If you're that class at piano you should be aiming for nothing but an A grade.
For English I suggest becoming 'acid tongued'
eg: In my compositions I am crude, vulgar, they're full of disgusting innuendo and I express opinions in a fickle way.
People like that are interesting, because I think examiners are beginning to tire of short stories about death and suicide and descriptions of how the blade kissed the girl's skin as Bleeding Love was playing like a funeral march in the background, stuff like that seems forced and boring.
Do Economics
[ again so disrespectful that I can't remember saying this, apologies ]

Hey thanks! Yeah defo doing Economics after Christmas looking for at least a B3 in Honours is this possible?. Yeah i am currently completing my Grade VII (7) Exams in Music! Have you any tips on how to make the melody writing and theory a little easier? Thanks

Ktryan

Hey I hope these are of some help to you!

Ok so the first thing to do is make yourself familiar with the "ins and outs" of the exam structure, you may think this is a really pointless thing to do but it will boost your confidence when you see the exam paper in June 2012 and when you sit your practical!

Performance exam

• Ok so from what i gather you will be doing purely piano for your practical, no music technology etc? This means you will have to prepare 6 pieces.
• Their are 3 important things to consider when choosing your music for the exam:
  • The pieces should vary in style, composer and era
  • The level of difficulty of each piece
  • Your ability to perform the piece as part of a programme
• My advice regarding preparation for the performance exam is to get the grunt work done in 5th year allowing time for embellishment in 6th year with the hope of having the pieces very nearly ready for christmas so you can have a proper run through at the mocks.
• Also if you are a nervous player, practice playing infront of people, this doesnt have to be getting someone to sit down and listen just start playing when people are around, this will really help you as the exam is called a performace exam not a practical!
• The second part of the performance exam consists of an unseen test. You can choose from various differnt options including, sight reading, aural memory, improv and sight clapping. I would advise choosing sightclapping, this is probably the easiest of the lot, but requires practice. Practice these past tests as a way of improving http://www.examinations.ie/index.php?l=en&mc=ex&sc=mc

Composition

• this is divided between a harmony question (60 marks) and a melody question (40 marks)
• Marks can be easily picked up on the harmony question. My advice for it is:
  • DO QUESTION 5!
  • Know your cadences
  • Know good chordal progressions
  • Ensure you know how to use inversions
  • Practice Practice Practice
• The melody is tougher to do well in, the examiners mark it harder, my advice?
  • DO QUESTION 1
  • Practice both minor and major melodies, ensuring you can use the melodic and harmonic minor where needed
  • Make sure you are comfortable with an upbeat (anacrusis)
  • Know the format to follow, this is your best friend! (eg A, A1, B, A2)
  • Know instruments ranges as you will loose marks if you write a melody for an instrument who cant play the melody, clarinet and flute are the safest options usually.

Listening

• Q1 (25 marks) This is a detailed question in 3 parts from one of your works
• Q2 (10 marks) set work
• Q3 (10 marks) set work
• Q4 (10 Marks) set work
• Q5 Irish Music, divided into 2 parts, Listening (15 marks) and essay (10 marks, note this is just as many marks as a listening question!)
  • Listening: 3 extracts- know your dance types, their time sig, an example of a bar of rythm from one, be able to identify them. Know singing styles, sean nos regional style (be able to identify them, muster donegal etc) also make sure you can identify fusion betwen trad and something else, so you should know characteristics of irish music.
  • Essay: Only needs to be an A4. Go through the papers, and write an essay on every one that has come up, you will notice a serious pattern! its easy to presict, i suggest you just learn the essays off, if you know a handful you will be fine as you can guess which are comign up fairly easily.
• Aural Skills (20 marks) Just work on it, practice the ones in the papers and correct them using the marking scheme on examinations.ie to get used to the language needed

I hope some of this is helpful, leaving cert music is all about perseverence, just keep practicing questions. This is really helpful for all elements of your exam, practicing listening questions for set works will really help you get a grasp of the style of language the examiner wants you to use.

Good luck in the exam, if youve any questions dont hesitate!

Bbbbolger

Fantastic post KtRyan. Just one thing though. For the Harmony question you said do question 5. Sometimes question 6 can be a better option. It all depends on what's already been given to you in terms of key and time signiatures and the opening itself.

squishykins

I would agree with KTRyan on doing question 1 and 5. I think it's easier to learn just one from each section, you can devote so much more time to them then.

I think most of the tips for you have been covered wrt the subjects you're taking. One last thing I would say is if you're having trouble with any of them, don't be afraid to ask for grinds, even just for a few weeks if funds are low. I know I was struggling really badly in English, I thought I'd have to drop to ordinary, but I begged my parents for grinds and even though times are tough, they knew I needed the help and pulled together. In the end I got a b2(HL), was so delighted

Ktryan

I would be pretty set on doing questions 1 and 5 in the music exam, purely because these are the most common questions answered and is probably the one you are doing in school. From my experience as amyputz said being able to dedicate your time to one is better. With regards to the harmony question so long as you know your key signatures and relative minors you should ahve no problem whatsover doing this question. They even give you a chord box so you dont really have to identify the key at all!

Ktryan

Hey just some advice on the areas to study for your french oral exam. I would reccomend taking a topic a week, writing up a resumé on it and learning it, that way you will have a lot of work done, taking the pressure off your irish oral and music practical exams. Also if you don't already have it i would reccomend getting "bien dit" it has loads of different phrases that are useful for the exam.

French Oral Topics to be covered

• Moi-meme
• Ma famille
• Ma maison
• Ma chambre
• Mon quatier
• Ma ville, la ville et la campagne
• L'école
• Le weekend au present
• Le weekend au passé
• Le weekend au futur
• Les passetemps/les loisirs
• Les vacances au present
• Les vacances au passé
• Les vacances au futur
• Un échange/un séjour linguistique
• Mon petit boulot/l'argent de poche
• l'anné prochaine
• La télévision
• Le cinema/ma film préfére
• La musique
• Halloween
• Noel
• Paques
• La mode
• Le tabagisme
• L'alcool
• Le drogue
• La santé
• Le SIDA
• Le racisme
• Les maladies alimentaires
• Les peronne agées
• La junk food/ L'obésité
• Les familles monoparentales
• Le vandalisme
• La violence
• La terrorisme
• LA guerre (nucléaire)
• L'année transition

If you know something small on each of these your sorted. Try put the conditional tense into your answers as they love to hear it, if you don't use it the examiner will ask you a question in this tense if you are doing well. Also make sure you can talk about anything you are wearing (prefect badge etc) Aside from this stock up on some filler phrases like "because i am in 6th year i don't have the time to do that" etc

PictureFrame

I've heard if you wear in like a "Gaisce" badge they will ask a question about it and you can steer the conversation towards what you did to prepare for it, your interests etc. Is there anything you could wear in that the examiner might notice and ask a few questions about it?. I have a Pioneer badge (PTAA) so if I wore that I could prepare in advance answers about the troubles of adolescents and how drinking and drugs cause a huge problem in peoples lifes?

Ktryan

I have a friend who wore a sling in, she plays sport so she just learnt off a long piece about how she broke her arm playing hockey and how she trains all the time and her trip to the hospital etc, she used up like 3 mins was great. In my school the prefects wear sashes so i had learnt off apiece about mine and it used up time. If you dont have to wear your uniform for the oral you could wear a sports hoodie or something and they might as you about that.

Also i presume you will do a document?

Ktryan

my friend didnt actually break her arm tough lol

Chris Martin

PictureFrame wrote: »

Hi all i'm a 5th year student at the minute and am looking for ways to get high points. My aim is 500. I'm doing 5 honours and LCVP. I worked out that to achieve these points I will have to achieve the following grades

1) English Higher B3
2) Music Higher B2
3) Business Higher A1
4) French Higher B3
5) Geography Higher A1
6) LCVP Distinction.

Just looking for tips of how I can achieve these grades. I have recieved 3 of my Christmas tests back and got 280 points out of a possible 300
Geography 98% A1, Business 97%, A1 French 77% B2

Any tips/revision books/study schedules will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Try moving to HL in Business and Geog,
No massive difference,
Put in the effort and you'll get decent points out of them.
Remember a C3 in HL is same points as an A1 OL...

Deedeecupcake

gfgfgf14 wrote: »

The test comprised of two cadence questions two 8 bar melodies and A question on Tchaikovsky..........we had way more on our test.....irish music,melody,bohemian rhaspody,backing chords and a stupid essay

Jesus, im a sixth year and thats more than we've done yet :eek:
Essays are a pain in the hole, but they're easy enough to memorise... The works are icky icky icky, but the way i see it, nearly everything else is worth more marks than them, so they deserve less attention! Just wait till you start barry

PictureFrame

Chris Martin wrote: »

Try moving to HL in Business and Geog,
No massive difference,
Put in the effort and you'll get decent points out of them.
Remember a C3 in HL is same points as an A1 OL...

Hey! I am doing Higher Level Business and Geography btw.. I got A1's in both in Higher Level :L