Realistically, how much study is needed every night?

if832uspx4eogt

Teacher's are saying 4 hours on top of homework (:eek:) but I have a feeling they are exergerting. I'm in 5th year and I'm doing study in school from 4-6.15 4 days a week. Do you think 1 hour - 1.30 hour be enough every night?

Afroshack

Joziah Sticky Roofing wrote: »

Teacher's are saying 4 hours on top of homework (:eek:) but I have a feeling they are exergerting. I'm in 5th year and I'm doing study in school from 4-6.15 4 days a week. Do you think 1 hour - 1.30 hour be enough every night?

It depends on what you hope to achieve in the LC. Any idea of the points you are aiming for?

if832uspx4eogt

I'm looking at International Arts in UCC, which is 430 points. I'm not sure yet, but I know I'm not looking for anything over 500 - I don't want to be a doctor, or a vet or a psychologist.

Afroshack

Joziah Sticky Roofing wrote: »

I'm looking at International Arts in UCC, which is 430 points. I'm not sure yet, but I know I'm not looking for anything over 500 - I don't want to be a doctor, or a vet or a psychologist.

Ah you'll be fine! Personally I think four hours a night in 5th year is a bit unrealistic. When I was in 5th year I just learnt off all my homework as I went along and did a bit of revision come Christmas/summer.

However, if there is a particular subject you struggle with, I would take extra care to study it every night in 5th year. I was crap at maths and left it to the last minute to study for the LC, which was a nightmare. I really wished I had gotten to grips with it sooner, makes it a lot less stressful come 6th year.

if832uspx4eogt

Thanks. This year abroad is really encouraging me to do well in the LC!

shruikan2553

I aimed for 400 points and did no studying until after the mocks. I would say your fine as you are and see about increasing it after christmas.

if832uspx4eogt

I think I will do extra in Economics especially, since I didn't do JC business. English & Irish seem really hard at Higher Level, so I'll be doing of work in them.

MmmPancakes

Joziah Sticky Roofing wrote: »

Thanks. This year abroad is really encouraging me to do well in the LC!

Year abroad?

if832uspx4eogt

For Year 3, you study in a university abroad. Thats why I prefer it to the other arts courses.

thegreatescape

That's definitely far too much study for 5th year. The only study I did properly in 5th year was for class tests, which I suppose you have a lot of, but I definitely didn't give myself a certain number of hours to complete or anything. Just do your homework well, study what you're learning in class, and keep on top of all class tests and any study you're assigned.

Afroshack

Joziah Sticky Roofing wrote: »

I think I will do extra in Economics especially, since I didn't do JC business. English & Irish seem really hard at Higher Level, so I'll be doing of work in them.

Have a wee look at Evelyn O' Connor's blog.

www.leavingcertenglish.net

Also, there's plenty of lovely teachers on boards

Best of luck!

Tweej

In boarding school I was forced to study 2 hours a day during weekdays, and did no work weekends. Got 615, owe it entirely to that. 4 hours a night is unrealistic and would leave you entirely exhausted.

Exo

In certain colleges/schools, they have great study/tuition balance so you're not completely stuck in class, listening to teachers babble on to the masses with little to no study done throughout the day. As Tweej said, studying for a few hours during weekdays (either in school or at home, depending on your situation) is important, after lessons especially which maximizes information retention - which leaves you with virtually no work during the weekends, to relax your mind. Unfortunately it's the complete opposite in the majority of schools these days. Students do no work during the week, and cram for Monday morning exams/due homework on Sunday evenings just so the work is counted as complete.

I myself am a repeat student for 2014, and have learned so much from my mistakes that it will take a lot of persuasion to counter-steer my drive to do the best I can this year. It will be tough, but one year can make a huge difference to ones life in twenty or thirty years time.

AllCaps

Joziah Sticky Roofing wrote: »

For Year 3, you study in a university abroad. Thats why I prefer it to the other arts courses.

Isn't this the case with most Arts degrees? I know it definitely is with Arts in NUIG (GY101). I suppose you'll be looking into these things in more detail later, so don't worry too much about it now.

Anyway... 4 hours a night is an unrealistic expectation. Just keep doing the after-school study and study more in the months leading up to the mocks and the real thing.
Study methods are more important than how long you spend studying. 15 minutes of proper study beats 4 hours of staring at a page without concentrating.

positivealf

I'm aiming for around 500 how long should i study for effectively? Also how do i improve my English aside from reading.

Exo

positivealf wrote: »

I'm aiming for around 500 how long should i study for effectively? Also how do i improve my English aside from reading.

If you plan on getting 500, aim for more. Limiting yourself from the beginning can have negative affects. To improve English, you need to practice from past examination papers. You can read all you want and can get you nowhere without actually getting pen to paper, answering questions.

The best thing to do is go section, by section - answering questions until you feel confident that you can answer anything that's thrown your way (with good results). Paper one is predominantly practicing writing styles and using your imagination. Paper two requires a lot of background research and investigation of various poets (their poems), Shakespeare etc. and answering exactly what's being asked.

positivealf

Exo wrote: »

If you plan on getting 500, aim for more. Limiting yourself from the beginning can have negative affects. To improve English, you need to practice from past examination papers. You can read all you want and can get you nowhere without actually getting pen to paper, answering questions.

The best thing to do is go section, by section - answering questions until you feel confident that you can answer anything that's thrown your way (with good results). Paper one is predominantly practicing writing styles and using your imagination. Paper two requires a lot of background research and investigation of various poets (their poems), Shakespeare etc. and answering exactly what's being asked.

Hhaha Yeh thanks, i''m actually aiming for the full 625 points, I only said '500' because i didn't want a reply with "625? good luck with that". Thanks for the help, should there be a time limit to how long i study? Usually I can only study for 1hr and 30 minute straight.

Exo

positivealf wrote: »

Hhaha Yeh thanks, i''m actually aiming for the full 625 points, I only said '500' because i didn't want a reply with "625? good luck with that". Thanks for the help, should there be a time limit to how long i study? Usually I can only study for 1hr and 30 minute straight.

That's good, high ambitions are always beneficial to have. If you can study an hour & a half straight, then that's more than enough - if you're consistent with study. Monday to Friday. September to May. As long as you begin correctly, you'll be perfectly fine with that time frame. As for limitations, study as long as you can - and come out of it, knowing that you've learned something new or significantly remembered what you have studied. An hour and a half every weekday is much, much better than three, or four hours near the end.. near the Leaving Cert.

Afroshack

positivealf wrote: »

I'm aiming for around 500 how long should i study for effectively? Also how do i improve my English aside from reading.

I kept a little notebook and listed new vocabulary in it, and lists of words that I could use instead of using bland verbs like hot/cold, nice/good/bad etc. Even try learn 3 or 4 new words a week - sophisticated vocabulary can make your essays stand out (so long as the essay still makes sense and you aren't just throwing around massive words for the sake of it!)

I also took down maybe 5 important quotes and put them in my purse/in my phone/next to the bath/on the fridge and left them there for two weeks, and some on the bedroom walls. You will learn and absorb them without even realising.

Watch the film version of any texts or novels - it helps scenery and characters come more alive.

Maybe practise writing some short stories/poems yourself?

Claire1456

Just thought I would introduce this to people. It's helpful for example the inside of your folders, or to keep track of the topiary that need to be revised throughout the year. I'm finding it helpful. http://www.skoool.ie/skoool/examcentre_sc.asp?id=2105

Exo

Claire1456 wrote: »

Just thought I would introduce this to people. It's helpful for example the inside of your folders, or to keep track of the topiary that need to be revised throughout the year. I'm finding it helpful. http://www.skoool.ie/skoool/examcentre_sc.asp?id=2105

It's unfortunately far too outdated to use for some subjects as revision. Such as the Maths section, it's from 2007.

if832uspx4eogt

Re: the arts courses I'm not really sure. I haven't looked into it that much.

ahmdoda

i didnt really set up a time for study instead i set up goals to archive and i spend what ever time doing them until i finish sometimes you can go up to 6 hours of study when you get to 6th year days before the exams we get people waking up at 7 and studying tell 12

Daniel L

The key is to study productively for 2 hours after your homework every night and leave it at that because its not good to get overloaded with info.. and study for 4 hours on a sat and 3 on a sun that's what I did and I got very good results this year.. also have a plan on what your gnna do aswell.. don't just study on subject for hours on end .. mix and match and have a timetable of what subjects your gnna do....

positivealf

positivealf wrote: »

Also how do i improve my English aside from reading.

Practice makes perfect really.
You really need to take your essay assignments seriously. I would complete my essays and hand them up and get C3s etc. But I was determined to do well so I adopted an approach for every essay.
1. Make a detailed plan for the essay (literary, personal, short story, whatever) and write the introduction
2. Hand it up to my teacher and see what his thoughts were on it so far
3. Complete the essay and hand it in by the deadline (taking his comments from step 2 on board)
4. Once I get the corrected essay back, write it again with the aim of improving it.
5. Hand it in for correction.

By step 5, your essay will most likely be of your highest standard. From then on, you have a model to write other essays. Obviously if you get 2 Macbeth essays in a row, you wouldn't have to do the whole 5 steps again. This is more for your first time doing a certain style. I had a week to complete my essays by the way. If you have a shorter time, you may not be able to do it as detailed as I did :P

amen

Usually I can only study for 1hr and 30 minute straight.

You would be better of studying for about 45 mins, take a 10-15 minute break, have a walk, go outside etc then study for another 45 mins etc.

aimzLc2

amen wrote: »

You would be better of studying for about 45 mins, take a 10-15 minute break, have a walk, go outside etc then study for another 45 mins etc.

I disagree , if you are focused for 1h.30 then that is the pattern of study that suits you , no point taking a break just to take one if you don't need it , you might not be able to get back into it again. I know i could study for a few hours and then take a longer break /its not advised but that suited me! get to know your own pattern of study

stephenjmcd

Honestly I did nothing outside of hw untill the week before the lc , got 370

Exo

That's pretty much expected if you wait till the week before. Decent amount. But course points have risen these past few years which really sucks.

Gareth Bale

Pointless saying you'll do 3/4/5 hours.
Set your self daily goals or weekly goals.
Eg ill study male reproduction in biology until I know it then female reproduction and learn each topic In the chaper.

yournerd

2 hours every week day and double on days that end in ay