Choosing Leaving Cert Subjects

LovingKangaroo

I need help choosing leaving cert subjects. Can anybody with experience give me a few Do's and Don'ts when it comes to deciding subjects. Thanks

angela1711

Never pick a subject just because your friends wants it.
Going into 5th year you should be mature enough to decide by yourself.
If you know what you want to do in college than pick a subject than will be best for your course. If you don't know at all what course you want than pick at least one science subject, one business type subject, language and than one that you might like.
I don't know what year you are in and i don't know what subjects you were doing for the JC so it is hard to give any specific advice. If you can than keep higher level english, irish and maths because some courses require HL in those subjects you have to check it on the college website. Remember that if you would like to study e.g German in college than you would more than likely have to score certain grade in this subject at certain level probably higher.

Chuchoter

Never choose subjects that are all really similar ie all 3 businesses or sciences. It becomes incredibly monotonous to study and means you have no experience of subjects outside that field.

Keep in mind the workloads. If you choose accounting, art, and history you have 2 massive essay subjects and another that has questions that take an hour to do.

Always have a language.

angela1711

Chuchoter wrote: »

Never choose subjects that are all really similar ie all 3 businesses or sciences. It becomes incredibly monotonous to study and means you have no experience of subjects outside that field.

Keep in mind the workloads. If you choose accounting, art, and history you have 2 massive essay subjects and another that has questions that take an hour to do.

Always have a language.

I think that choosing subjects in the same areas is not bad idea because all of them would be connected therefore easier to study. I'm doing accounting and business and I find that combo really good. By the way I will advice accounting. In 5th year I thought it is not so easy but as we started exam papers I'm like OMG how it could be so easy ? And there is no theory well a tiny tiny bit. And there is only one question that will take you an hour to do :P and if you don't want to do it you have different options

Chuchoter

Doing two of the same isn't as bad as 3. I'm doing all three sciences and a language, so every evening I'm stuck with studying maths, physics, chem or biology and none of them help eachother to any large degree its just really monotonous.

Also I've never done accountancy, just all my friends seem to spend night and day doing it! :P

Sarah?

Do choose a language and a science unless you really hate either/both of them. (If you don't you're ruling out a lot of your options very early on.)

Do go for your strengths, and find out a little about what's on the course for subjects you're interested in, if possible.

Do go for whatever subjects you enjoy, that way you'll be more likely to want to work hard in them.

Don't pick subjects based on how easy you think they'll be.


From my own experience, I really think it's wise to do a science. I'm repeating now and I have to take one up to have the science requirement. When I was picking my subjects I thought - 'I never want to do anything to do with science!' but now I'm doing a science that I like to see if it's something I'd like a career in.

angela1711

Chuchoter wrote: »

Doing two of the same isn't as bad as 3. I'm doing all three sciences and a language, so every evening I'm stuck with studying maths, physics, chem or biology and none of them help eachother to any large degree its just really monotonous.

Also I've never done accountancy, just all my friends seem to spend night and day doing it! :P

You are right because acc homework take ages to get done. However if you practice the question that used to take you 2 hours to complete will take you 30 min only

godspal

^the advice above is on the button. Someone I know picked subjects not because he wanted to do them, because he thought it would make him more interesting, and have more sex.
-French
-Art
-History

And now he's going back to college at 26 doing computer science.

spurious

godspal wrote: »

^the advice above is on the button. Someone I know picked subjects not because he wanted to do them, because he thought it would make him more interesting, and have more sex.
-French
-Art
-History

And now he's going back to college at 26 doing computer science.

He'd be pretty good in conversation though, which many would consider the sign of someone with a good education.

I bet he had more sex too.

maughantourig

Don't do 8 higher level subjects or more, it's unnecessary.

Copy and paste the following into Google:

careers portal leaving cert subjects

for subject advice.

angela1711

Yeah only do more than 7 subjects if you are doing 2 OL or more

irish_man

Do 6 honours subjects, no more.

Do subjects that will maximise your points total. Its all well and good if you love (lets say science) but its going to be hard to achieve an A1 in every single science subject. So choose at least one "learn the book" subject. It shouldn't be this way but with the leaving cert being the way it is an A1 in Latin is worth the same as an A1 in Chemistry, if you want to pursue a science based career. Hopefully weighted subjects will come in soon.

Do a language so you can go to most of the universities.

wayhey

Do:

• Pick subjects that you have an interest in
• Speak to older friends/students/brothers/sisters/teachers etc. to learn more about their subject
• Realise that some subjects do overlap, eg. Ag Science, Biology and Geography.
• Try to imagine studying these subjects. Sitting in class, studying at home... will you really like it?
• Try to keep your options open
• Take a modern European language such as French or German. It's a requirment of NUI colleges, and your severely limiting your options if you decide not to take one. The Leaving's not the be-all and end-all, but you shouldn't close doors so suddenly at this stage
• Research any courses you have an interest in now. When I found out my course needed 2 sciences, I realised that I really didn't want to rule it out. Best decision I ever made, because I'm now studying something I love so far
• Ignore friends' decisions and be independent. If you are friends, you'll survive the separation during the day :roll: There's no way I could've done the same subjects as my best friends and done well in them. I would've been too bored and lost interest.
• Consider that some subjects have practical work like projects, e.g. Engineering or Geography. This can make the time around orals/projects a little stressful if you do a lot of practical subjects. Having said that, the bonus of a few early percent in a subject is pretty sweet. Try to get that balance right.
• Consider the teachers you could have for your subject. Our education system is not perfect and a teacher with a very poor performance record could cripple your result in a subject. Don't let it be a deciding factor for you, there are ways around everything (e.g. notes, tutorials online). Just keep it in mind.

Don't

• Pick subjects because everyone says they are "easy".
• Choose a subject purely because a mate is doing it
• Pick a subject because of a really sound/sexy [insert as applicable] teacher
• Rule out Honours subjects straight away. Give them a go first for a few months!
• Think that points are everything - there are lots of ways into college

ChristinaIndigo

DO - play to your strengths. I've always been a great essay writer, and so, ended up choosing all essays based subjects: History, Geography & Art (for the art history). My language was then Spanish, so, I found that a nice break from the hardcore essay based subjects.

Having said that though, I found myself with on average 7-9 essays to do every weekend, and, completely wore myself out. With English and Irish on top of my optional subjects, it was a nightmare.
Some weekends I was able for it, and flew through them... on others though, I just couldn't cope with them and ended up being sick or struggling through school for the next week.

So, my advice to you would be to pin-point what your strengths are (whether it be essay writing or more practical, BUT, create a balance for yourself.

Looking back, I'd swap History for Business. Even though business is still a lot of work and would still have had me busy at the weekends, I believe I wouldn't have found it as hardcore as history.
With history, you HAVE to be passionate about it or you'll end up loathing it..... (the research project for that this year saved my behind big time! That exam was an absolute nightmare :rolleyes:)

Good luck!
Mail me if you need any info on the subjects I chose