Blog About the LC

CorkonianAnon

I have started a blog and my first post is about the Leaving Cert.
I would love it if people could comment on the blog and maybe voice their opinions.
Please check it out:

AnonymousCorkonianRebel .blogspot.ie (without the space before the .)

. . . So what do you think?

Mr Pseudonym

I think potential solutions would take longer to explore than a single paragraph. The A Level model of 3 subjects is rare internationally: from the German Abitur and French Bacc, to the International Bacc, most do a spectrum of subjects.

CorkonianAnon

Thanks - I'll look to expanding on it. Although studying only a few subjects is rare I still think it would be more beneficial to take a more specific/ focused set of subjects.

Red Hare

Here is the direct link to the blog; http://anonymouscorkonianrebel.blogspot.ie/

Mr Pseudonym

CorkonianAnon wrote: »

Thanks - I'll look to expanding on it. Although studying only a few subjects is rare I still think it would be more beneficial to take a more specific/ focused set of subjects.

Of what benefit do you think it would be? There are some A Level students in my university course, and we'd advanced beyond their initial level within a term. So, it's not valid to say that the extra specialisation at second level is of much benefit at third level.

CorkonianAnon

Mr Pseudonym wrote: »

Of what benefit do you think it would be? There are some A Level students in my university course, and we'd advanced beyond their initial level within a term. So, it's not valid to say that the extra specialisation at second level is of much benefit at third level.

It's not the further studies in the area that I think would be most beneficial it is the fact that you do not have to continue studying subjects you may not have any interest. It would also make it easier for someone to get their preferred course if say they were very good at the required subjects for example if you wanted to study engineering in college and the requirement was to have Maths, Physics, Engineering and another subject of your choice then a student who may not have gotten enough points with the 6 subject system because they are weak/ not interested in languages would find it easier to get in if they just had to do the subjects that are required for the course.

Mr Pseudonym

CorkonianAnon wrote: »

It's not the further studies in the area that I think would be most beneficial it is the fact that you do not have to continue studying subjects you may not have any interest. It would also make it easier for someone to get their preferred course if say they were very good at the required subjects for example if you wanted to study engineering in college and the requirement was to have Maths, Physics, Engineering and another subject of your choice then a student who may not have gotten enough points with the 6 subject system because they are weak/ not interested in languages would find it easier to get in if they just had to do the subjects that are required for the course.

So, it's not that it actually benefits people, but just that it's less inconvenient? From my perspective, I loved the variety of my subjects - Acc, English, History, App Maths, etc.

I think we can agree that the CAO system is deeply flawed. Every time I tell an English friend that one can get into, say, Medicine on the basis of performance in Home Ec or Business, they're incredulous. The new admissions processes should allow for weightings to be given to certain subjects.

CorkonianAnon

Mr Pseudonym wrote: »

So, it's not that it actually benefits people, but just that it's less inconvenient? From my perspective, I loved the variety of my subjects - Acc, English, History, App Maths, etc.

I think we can agree that the CAO system is deeply flawed. Every time I tell an English friend that one can get into, say, Medicine on the basis of performance in Home Ec or Business, they're incredulous. The new admissions processes should allow for weightings to be given to certain subjects.

"The new admissions processes should allow for weightings to be given to certain subjects." This would be a very welcome change because (as you did) a lot of people like to have a bit of variation but it just doesn't seem right that someone who is very good at what is required for a course might lose a spot to someone who is more of an all rounder but perhaps not as good at the actual subject.

Mr Pseudonym

CorkonianAnon wrote: »

"The new admissions processes should allow for weightings to be given to certain subjects." This would be a very welcome change because (as you did) a lot of people like to have a bit of variation but it just doesn't seem right that someone who is very good at what is required for a course might lose a spot to someone who is more of an all rounder but perhaps not as good at the actual subject.

In theory, I entirely agree! For a maths course, it will almost always be the case that the person who gets an A1 in LC Maths will be more capable than one who gets an A2. But, what about for Law - should English or History have a greater weighting? For Physics - success in Biology is hardly a good indicator of potential, yet, given that it's a science, should it have a greater weighting than, say, English?

Then there's the question of just how adequately LC subjects reflect third level. Economics is completely different! Only half of LC English is literature, and one could rote-learn their way to an A in P2. So...do you take the 500-pointer with an A1 in English, or the 600-pointer with an A2 in English?

Someone I know got an A-Level offer to Cambridge: an A* in the subject they were applying for, and A's in the other two. That seems sensible.