Is it too late.?

romanita

Hi, I've dossed for the past 2 years, aside from the week before the mocks. I'm worried that I've left it too late and I'll run out of time before I can revise/relearn everything...

My subjects are:
English HL
Maths HL
Irish OL
French HL
Accounting HL
Biology HL
Physics HL

My mock results:
English : I got 80% in paper 1 and 43% in paper 2, bringing my grade to 62%. I'm not worried about paper 1 at all, paper 2 is my main concern. I looked over Macbeth the night before paper two and that was it really. I'm really worried about poetry (in the exam I completely freaked out and couldn't write - I don't know how to address this issue.)

Maths: 43% in paper 1 (which included material we hadn't covered) and 71% in paper 2. I studied for paper 2 but not much. I'm really worried that I won't pass the leaving, I find practising exam papers so hard.. Our teacher isn't very exam paper orientated..

Irish: The written was fine, overall I got 81% with no study. It's my only pass subject so I'm not counting it. But my oral brought me down to 68%, I got 48% in that. If anyone has any advice on improving the oral I'd like to improve there.

French: 59% with no oral. My oral is very bad, I tend to go blank and forget everything I know.. I didn't study for the written at all, I'm not worried about my comprehension or listening it's just the written reaction pieces, letters etc.. My teacher doesn't correct homework in an exam style so I don't know if what I'm doing is earning me a lot of marks or what.

Accounting: 67%, I prepared a lot for the Q1 and I did okay in that, what I'm worried about is the Q8 and Q9s, if anyone has any advice there or even predictions. I'd really like to hear back.

Biology: I haven't got it back yet but it won't be good, I won't get higher than 50% for sure. I didn't study at all, I'm really worried about exam technique, definitions and experiments. I have a terrible teacher and I don't know how much emphasis to put on different parts (defns or exps) because I have very little experience with exam paper practice. I've started, but I really don't know what I'm doing in terms of correcting my own work..

Physics: A disaster, 51%. I learnt my definitions well and got all of them right but my section B is really worrying me. The maths is hard for me. I really don't know how to approach studying physics.

Basically, I've started revising by doing exam questions in recent weeks and correcting them myself or (for English) handing my work up to my teacher. I don't know if what I'm doing is right or if there's a better way to go about things. I've been trying to practice exam questions without looking at notes and then correcting, I don't know if I should use my notes or not.? If anyone has any advice then please share, I'd be so grateful. I'm aiming for roughly 500 points. My course is around 400 but I want to do my best and get as high as I can. That's why I'm aiming for around 500.

Thanks for reading. All advice/thoughts welcome..

Nicole.

Hi, first of all it is not too late to start improving your grades so don't panic.

Your grade in Paper 1 in English suggests that you have a good command of the English language so that's a really good place to start. Honestly though, you need to start studying for paper 2, you need to know your texts really well. You will do very well once you have learnt what you need to know for paper 2. This could actually be a subject that could be very good for you in regard to points.

There are loads of sites online which have exam paper solutions etc, try Student Xpress. I used this one myself as I really struggled with maths. I never went immediately to the solutions unless I was really stuck but it helped improve my confidence.

For Irish I would recommend you start listening to some programmes which are in Irish on TG4 and listen to the Irish language radio station, this is one of the only ways to improve your spoken Irish. Otherwise find someone who would also like to practice Irish and meet up for a few minutes each day or whatever works and just speak Irish. It worked well at the school I went to.

You seem to be worried about the actual exam papers themselves but there is no need to really. Go to Examinations.ie, the exam papers are in a link in that and the marking scheme.

Biology, you need to know both definitions AND experiments. Sometimes they'll ask you a definition in part 1 and then ask the experiments. If you know the definitions you should know the principle behind them and learning the experiments should be easy enough.

The main thing is that you know where you need to be putting the extra effort in rather than putting your head into the sand and ignoring it. You need to put a lot of effort in to get 500 points but it is achievable.

Windorah

Hey,
I definitely don't think it's too late. Just make a plan and stick to it. Not just a vague "study biology on tuesday" but organize exact chapters/topics to be covered each week and stick to it.

For the orals in college we used to pair up and tape ourselves conversing. Listening back over it you will hear where you have stuttered/sound unsure or whether grammar is correct etc.

Maths it's really just a matter if practice, doing past exam papers etc.

The other subjects have probably changed since I did my Leaving Cert so I won't try and advise..

Best of luck

shedu

romanita wrote: »

Maths: 43% in paper 1 (which included material we hadn't covered) and 71% in paper 2. I studied for paper 2 but not much. I'm really worried that I won't pass the leaving, I find practising exam papers so hard.. Our teacher isn't very exam paper orientated..

There are many honours degree courses that do not require a pass in maths in the leaving cert. What course do you want to do? Check the entrance requirements and take the pressure off by knowing that you may not need a pass in maths.

romanita

Thank you for all your advice; Windorah, especially with the recording myself talk with friends.. I never thought of that, thanks.! Thanks Nicole, I've put a load of podcasts on my iPod so that should help
Shedu, I'm not worried about getting into my course as it only requires around 400 points. I'm more concerned with doing my best and having no regrets.. I want to do Psychology in WIT..

shedu

Yep. Give it everything between now and June and there'll be no regrets. Best of luck.