Questions from a third year

Mr. Rager

Hey I'll be doing the JC in a few weeks and I am currently making my subject choices.
I have a few questions:
1. Is their a lot of books of first ledger in Accounting? I know my T+P+L+A Acc. and balance sheet perfectly, but books of first ledger are putting me off this subject.
And..
2. I am sh1te at science (my worst subject - 45% in the mocks but that's without any study) and I need one science subject to do something with computers or technology after LC. Do you think I could manage biology? I don't really like science, but if I got good in it I might begin to like it. Should I bother doing it in 5th year, or should I go with my original choice (all the mandatory subjects, French, geography, dcg and either business or accounting)?
Thanks in advance

Chuchoter

Are you good at maths? If so do physics if you can, most of its maths. I actually think science is easier at LC because its more understanding than learning random facts with no explanations
Biology is easy as long as you are able to learn off by heart reams of information.

LilMissCiara

crayolastereo wrote: »

If so do physics if you can, most of its maths.

You must be doing a different Leaving Cert Physics course than I am. Yes there is some maths, albeit simple equations, but the majority of it is theory and understanding physical properties.

Chuchoter

In comparison to the other two sciences I do, physics is about 40% maths in my opinion, then there are experiments which involve a lot of graphing. Its not hard maths for the most part, but theres a large enough volume of it. Obviously then theres a fair bit of theory and learning off.

Sunny!!

fjsanchez wrote: »

Hey I'll be doing the JC in a few weeks and I am currently making my subject choices.
I have a few questions:
1. Is their a lot of books of first ledger in Accounting? I know my T+P+L+A Acc. and balance sheet perfectly, but books of first ledger are putting me off this subject.
And..
2. I am sh1te at science (my worst subject - 45% in the mocks but that's without any study) and I need one science subject to do something with computers or technology after LC. Do you think I could manage biology? I don't really like science, but if I got good in it I might begin to like it. Should I bother doing it in 5th year, or should I go with my original choice (all the mandatory subjects, French, geography, dcg and either business or accounting)?
Thanks in advance

Theres not much of that at lc tbh reval is all i can think of, its not too bad. Theres an awful lot of stuff with balance sheets which is lovely, incomplete records, service, club, thats off the top of my head, theres one part of the course called management accounting its actually lovely and worth 20%, id recommend accounting, yes there some difficult sections, but you get that in every subject:D

wayhey

Give us a bit more about what you're like and maybe we can suggest subjects? What do you do now? What are you good at? I'll list my subjects and how I find them.

English/Irish/Maths. I'm assuming you'll have to do those. Know nothing about the new course either cos we're the last year All those notes to waste.

Geography- I did Geography for my Junior Cert. and I remember liking it. There's probably a bit of a step up but I don't think Geography is as hard as other Leaving Cert. subjects. It's broken down into Physical, Regional, Elective and Core. It isn't all mountains/volcanoes/earthquakes. You spend quite a bit of time learning about regions, why they develop where they do and their strengths and weaknesses (having said that any subject gets boring after reading it for the millionth time... but I like it). Also has a project worth 20% to be handed up in May. Someone said to me before Geography can be taken as a Science subject by some colleges. I've never seen that when looking at courses though so check that out if someone mentions it to you! I don't think it can be..

The rest of my subjects are sciences so maybe that'll be some help You say you don't like them or aren't good at them.. are there any particular areas you don't like/find difficult?

Biology is NOT like Junior Cert. Biology. I'm not trying to intimidate you, you seem intelligent so I think you'd be able for it. But there were people in my Biology class last year because they liked Biology for Junior Cert. and quite a few dropped to Pass. Like any subject there's a bit of a step-up. I really like Biology and personally I don't think it's too difficult. crayolastereo is right, it is rote-learning for the most part but I think the best students actually understand it and when you're interested by it that's so much easier. Plant Biology is generally the thing that people hate the most and it is quite a significant part of the course... I'd recommend grabbing a book and sitting down with an older friend/relative. Don't let any books put you off if they seem hard but try to get impressions off people you know and trust. Pretty sure Biology is the most popular science in the country..

Chemistry is, in my opinion, completely different to Biology. It's MUCH more "sciencey" in that it's important you learn definitions word-for-word from the book/marking schemes and the answer is right or wrong. Some of it can be boring but I know people who find some of the stuff I don't like on it fascinating. I neglected it last year and I've worked really hard at it this year and actually started to like it a lot more. There's some Maths in it but really it's not a lot and I do Pass and I don't find it too difficult. Having said that I really think a good teacher is important because it's a lot harder to teach yourself Chemistry than Biology. It's a satisfying subject but if you don't like Science maybe you won't. Some people in our class say Physics is easier than Chemistry- I don't do it and I'm sure opinions will be different on here but I'm just throwing that out there.

Ag Science: If you come from a farming background and will do Biology/Geography then this is a good subject to do (provided you'll work, like any other!) But the project is worth 25% maximum of your grade and it is quite interesting learning about animals and diseases. I'm a bit of a nerd for stuff like that though I suppose and learning crop calendars is probably the worst of it...

Just my personal opinion! Good luck with your choices, if you work at the sciences and have a good teacher in your school don't be discouraged. I like having the skill to speak languages- but you can can't guarantee a high grade in them as much as you could with a science... answer is either right or wrong!

EuropeanSon

fjsanchez wrote: »

Hey I'll be doing the JC in a few weeks and I am currently making my subject choices.
I have a few questions:
1. Is their a lot of books of first ledger in Accounting? I know my T+P+L+A Acc. and balance sheet perfectly, but books of first ledger are putting me off this subject.
And..
2. I am sh1te at science (my worst subject - 45% in the mocks but that's without any study) and I need one science subject to do something with computers or technology after LC. Do you think I could manage biology? I don't really like science, but if I got good in it I might begin to like it. Should I bother doing it in 5th year, or should I go with my original choice (all the mandatory subjects, French, geography, dcg and either business or accounting)?
Thanks in advance

Those books, in accounting, will be second nature after two weeks. They aren't difficult, and once you grasp them and TPLs you are more or less guaranteed a B as a minimum.

Exothermic

Personally I don't do Accounting but I do study Chemistry and Biology.

I'd say Biology is the easiest of the sciences to pick up. It's really not that bad I actually quite like it and I've never even noticed the rote learning. It can be quite interesting.
As for Chemistry, it's easily my favourite subject but I find that it's a subject where you have to have an interest in it to do well. So as a person who is a bit put off by Science I wouldn't recommend it really, nor Physics. I've heard from friends doing it that you need to be good with numbers. Out of the sciences, Physics contains the most Maths, then Chem, and finally Biology where there isn't any.

I have friends who do accounting. They all seen to get quite good grades but I've never really thought they enjoyed it much. The work load seems roughly the same as Bio, if not more, but that may be down to different teachers giving different amounts of homework.
Overall, I think Biology is a nice subject to have. I'd recommend it There are some really interesting chapters. I did Business for the JC and was considering Accounting as a subject choice. Glad I didn't now to be honest I would have gotten bored of all the accounts very quickly. Anyway, that's just my opinion. :P

NotExactly

crayolastereo wrote: »

Are you good at maths? If so do physics if you can, most of its maths..

crayolastereo wrote: »

physics is about 40% maths in my opinion

:rolleyes:

ApeLove

Can't really comment on what you've asked about accounting, but I had to put my two cents in about Biology: a lot of people in my year, including me, took it under the impression that it was the "easy" science subject but I believe it's actually the heaviest in terms of learning, so unless you have a decent interest in it, I'd advise against it. Or, of course, if you're the sort of person who's good at just looking at a page and learning off reams of information, it could be ok for you.
I don't take chem but have heard it's very difficult, personally I wish I had taken physics. It seems very interesting, and the people taking it all seem to be working well, not having trouble understanding anything etc.
At the end of the day, I'd decide your science subject based on:
(1) which one you genuinely have an interest in (or if that's none, then physics)
(2) the teacher you'll have. It's my opinion that a good teacher goes a long way for science subjects.
Hope this helps!

LilMissCiara

NotExactly wrote: »

:rolleyes:

Obviously you're doing the same physics course as me and the rest of the country!

ride-the-spiral

Physics isn't really 40% maths. There's a good bit of calculations, but the only aspect of maths that's really dealt with is algebra; substituting into formulae, rearranging formulae. It's not very hard at all. When you do applied maths it becomes obvious how much the physics course is constructed to not alienate those who are bad at maths. Physics is mostly learning and understanding concepts, and tbh the LC and JC physics courses are nothing alike. I despised JC physics and now I want to do physics in college because the LC course is much more interesting.

Mr. Rager

Ok I'll tell ye what I like and my mock results.
My favorite subject is English. I have been told I have a good flow of English and that I can write very well. I could see myself in either technology/computers or in journalism when I am older. Journalism because I have been reading newspapers since I was young and since I can write well, I think this would suit me. I got 30 marks out of 30 for my functional writing in the mocks which was a newspaper article. I am good at subjects where a lot of English is used (and where you can waffle on and on ), ie economic geography (where you hardly need to study, just use my common sense and English skills), CSPE, parts of history etc.
If I am to be honest, I am the biggest procrastinater alive in my mocks, for every test, i just studied a night or two before each test. Whenever I get a project to hand in in two weeks, you can be sure I'll start the Sunday night before its due :rolleyes:
My mock results:
CSPE: 94% :P
Tech graphics: 85%
Geography: 79%
Business: 78%
English: 77% (would have been higher if I had studied)
History: 71%
Gaeilge: 70%
French: 66%
Maths: 65%
Science: 45% (without any study whatsoever, wasn't bothered because it was the last test of my mocks)
Thoughts?

Chuchoter

My physics teacher is also my maths teacher, so we spend a lot of our time just doing the calculations. Maybe your class isn't like that, but mine is.

Just Like Heaven

When I came out of third year I reckoned English was my thing and i wanted to be a writer or something, I went to a newspaper for my work experience in TY and despised everything about it!

But yes my point is I was also rubbish at JC science i think i got a C and a D in the mocks and i didn't like it very much at all, I think it was due to my uninterested teacher who just wanted to retire, for the leaving cert i'm now taking Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Ag Science (+ 2 others) and I love all of them.

So, i would say if you are sure your not gonna like any of the sciences go for Biology or Ag science as they are considerably less time consuming. But Physics and Chemistry are the ones I find (and the majority of people in my class) way more interesting and rewarding. Like I would happily sit down and study chemistry for 4 hours, whereas geography..... ugh

Fireball07

fjsanchez wrote: »

Hey I'll be doing the JC in a few weeks and I am currently making my subject choices.
I have a few questions:
1. Is their a lot of books of first ledger in Accounting? I know my T+P+L+A Acc. and balance sheet perfectly, but books of first ledger are putting me off this subject.
And..
2. I am sh1te at science (my worst subject - 45% in the mocks but that's without any study) and I need one science subject to do something with computers or technology after LC. Do you think I could manage biology? I don't really like science, but if I got good in it I might begin to like it. Should I bother doing it in 5th year, or should I go with my original choice (all the mandatory subjects, French, geography, dcg and either business or accounting)?
Thanks in advance

There is basically no books of first entry in accounting. They play a very small part and the chances are you won't have to do them at all. Most of the questions are based on T, P&L & BS. So if you know them, you are sorted. It really is quite easy, learn your theory and you should have an A.

Student2

Well I got 53% or 55% in the JC science mocks with no study and then an A in science in the JC
I'm doing Physics and Biology..
Physics: I find it is my easiest subject, but that's just me. The maths aren't too hard.. it's just putting numbers into equations and pressing a few buttons on the auld calculator! It's more about understanding than anything else.
Biology: It's pretty straight forward.. It's not difficult to understand but there is alot of it. So if you're good at learning lots of definitions then biology should be simple for you
Good Luck!

brian93

Using common sense, college requirements and what you said I think that you should go along the lines of:

Irish
English
Maths
Biology
French
Geography
History/GDC (whichever you think you'll be better at)

irish_man

crayolastereo wrote: »

physics is about 40% maths in my opinion

You're right and wrong.

I saw a few of you debating it so i decided to look at the 2010 paper to see the maximum amount of maths you could do and the minimum. I saw that you could get a maximum of around 39% of the paper on maths if you chose the "mathsy" questions.

However if you tried to avoid the maths based questions and go for the theory based one you could get away with only 21.25% of marks coming from maths based questions.

So the option is yours really. Its the way it comes up really. the maths is noting more that algebra though really and nothing that will keep you awake at night.

p.s i didn't count drawing the graphs as maths questions