Honestly, How hard is the Leaving Cert?

Inhalerguy

I'm in 5th and certain teachers have turned into drill sergeants, they reiterate on a by-minutely basis how hard the leaving cert.
Granted it's no cake walk and you have to put in work, how hard is the Leaving Cert?

What study is needed (subjective to the person but a rough estimate) our school journals say 3 1/2 hours per day for 5th years including homework.
What should we be covering when we study? Surely we are not expected to read chapter to chapter.

I'm aiming for mid 500s and honesty I am willing to give up a large amount of my time to attempt to achieve high marks.

I'm trying to view the Leaving Cert as a 'points race' more so then another exam year so my goal is simply to get the highest results I can possibly get..

So how hard is this Leaving Cert malarkey?

Tonyandthewhale

Not very.

spurious

A great deal depends on how good you have become over the years at listening properly. people like to say the JC counts for nothing, but good habits developed during it can make things a lot easier.

In terms of points, it's arguable that certain strategies pay off. If you understand and like Maths for example, then Applied Maths and Physics may come easier to you and allow you get more points than, say, Home Economics and Geography.
Similarly, there are courses which are shorter than others.

A native speaker of an EU language should of course take it at LC, though A1s there don't come as easy as people think.

It's not possible in most schools to pick subjects from every single one available, as a school could not afford to keep, for example, an Ancient Greek teacher on payroll, just on the off chance someone might want to do it.

A great deal depends on your own organisation and ability to read questions properly. The number one reason why people do not do well is failing to answer the question asked. Personally, I nelieve the learning off of 'sample' essays is to blame for that, but people keep doing it.

Reading chapter to chapter isn't studying.


tl;dr; Smart subject choice can make it easier for some people, but a lot depends on your own history.

randylonghorn

spurious wrote: »

A great deal depends on your own organisation and ability to read questions properly. The number one reason why people do not do well is failing to answer the question asked. Personally, I believe the learning off of 'sample' essays is to blame for that, but people keep doing it.

+1000

Acciaccatura

Your perception on how hard the Leaving Cert is would also depend on what you're aiming for, and your academic abilities. For example, I knew a girl who was a diligent student, intelligent, but not bookish, and did a fair few ordinary level subjects. She knew she would struggle to get her goal of 400 points for nursing, and yet there was another girl who was looking for medicine/pharmacy/physio, book-smart, a good crammer, who got 485 in the mocks after studying most of her subjects the night before each exam. I reckon both had it equally hard, despite differences in goal and academic ability.

Also, I have a theory that if you plot a graph with effort (measured in whatever units, as the x-axis) vs. CAO points as the y-axis, representing the entire population of LC students, that it'll come out as an ogive curve. What I mean is that I reckon it's easier to jump from 300-350 points than it is to jump from 550-590. But I'll save it for another thread

jaymcg91

I'm finishing my degree this year, and the most stressful time in education I think back to is my LC. Not because it was academically the hardest, but because of the pressure I felt not to fail. Also because I didn't have a choice in the subjects i did, so I was stuck with a bunch of crap subjects I was god awful at.

I still have nightmares about it .

randylonghorn

Acciaccatura wrote: »

What I mean is that I reckon it's easier to jump from 300-350 points than it is to jump from 550-590.

You can take that as given tbh.

Acciaccatura

randylonghorn wrote: »

You can take that as given tbh.

Ah yeah, I guess so, I just wanted to account for any outliers, like any good statistician :P



Plot twist: I'm not a statistician :pac:

randylonghorn

Acciaccatura wrote: »

Ah yeah, I guess so, I just wanted to account for any outliers, like any good statistician :P



Plot twist: I'm not a statistician :pac:

If you start muttering about medians and modes, you're soooo outta here! :P :pac:

Acciaccatura

randylonghorn wrote: »

If you start muttering about medians and modes, you're soooo outta here! :P :pac:

*Calculates the probablity of you booting me out if I do start* :P

randylonghorn

Acciaccatura

randylonghorn wrote: »

The odds of you booting me out have definitely shortened, and I am 98.74% certain, with a 2% margin of error, that this thread has gone completely off-topic.

BobbyPropane

Imo it's difficult to get 560+ but its relatively easy to get anywhere between 420 and 560

PseudoFamous

fact of the matter is that it isn't really that difficult, assuming you put in the work. I managed 420 points myself, and even from first year of college (Engineering) it was clear that it really wasn't a hard set of exams relative to 3rd level. I think now, had I really bothered about it, I could have done much better overall. I didn't though, and it doesn't really even matter now, but the advice I give to anyone who wants it is really just that you have to put in the work.

Anyway, best you get in the habit of studying and studying hard, because if you choose a particularly intensive course (from my perspective: architecture, medicine, engineering), you may find yourself stumbling at more hurdles than necessary from lack of discipline. Nearly finished at this point, so I suppose its easy to see with the retrospectacles on.

mastodonj

I got 460 points from not studying, at all, not even once. I paid attention in class, did most of my homework, and just generally had a good grasp of what I was dealing with. I'm not sure if studying would have helped me either...

IsMiseMyself

I remember thinking it was fairly handy. I got around 450 points but tbf, I was guaranteed an A1 in English and History just for showing up. I had a natural aptitude for both. I never did homework, was constantly on detention, barely even ever had an actual schoolbook in my bag, studied for two weeks beforehand and breezed through the exams. Paying attention in class helped though. I remember one poor girl bursting into tears before the Physics exam and I was just standing there, befuddled.

The stress levels depend on your aptitude for learning, your interest, your personality type, and how many points you need.

blackbird 49

I think getting ready for the leaving cert starts in 5th year even though most people thinks it's a doss year, listening in class, doing your homework and understanding the subjects you are doing, people might tell you they are not studying but they are. I know of someone who would tell you they did no studying,but I knew they were, she was a clever enough person who maybe didn't have to put as much work in as others had to

shruikan2553

I found it more difficult that many college exams but that was mostly due to 12 weeks worth of material vs 2 years. If you put in the effort it wouldnt be too bad, I remember only studying for physics the night before.

DublinArnie

I'm aiming for mid 500s as well, in fifth year like you.

EoghanIRL

It isn't .
College is much worse.
"The leaving cert is the hardest exam of your life / it gets easier" - all lies, don't believe any of it .

Anonymagician

EoghanIRL wrote: »

It isn't .
College is much worse.
"The leaving cert is the hardest exam of your life / it gets easier" - all lies, don't believe any of it .

Thanks for the uplifting words...

Magnate

It's a subjective question I think. It all relative to how many points you're aiming for and your abilities. Sub 500 and you might find it easy enough but for someone aiming for 625 it may just be the hardest exam of their life

thelad95

Is the Leaving Cert hard? No.

Is it hard to score highly? Yes but only because of bell-curves and strict marking schemes.

spurious

Magnate wrote: »

It's a subjective question I think. It all relative to how many points you're aiming for and your abilities. Sub 500 and you might find it easy enough but for someone aiming for 625 it may just be the hardest exam of their life

Or for some people getting 350 would be a major achievement. Everyone is different.

Magnate

spurious wrote: »

Or for some people getting 350 would be a major achievement. Everyone is different.

Yep, definitely relative to the individual's abilities and aptitude as mentioned.

Troxck

It is difficult in the sense that you're examined on two years of material from 7+ subjects in a space of three weeks. It is also difficult as many people have to study subjects they really have no interest in or ability for due to them being either mandatory or for matriculation purposes.

sponge151

is it hard to get around 200-250 points i have been studying but i still find some subjects hard ?

Digital Solitude

sponge151 wrote: »

is it hard to get around 200-250 points i have been studying but i still find some subjects hard ?

4 HL and 2 OL with C2s in every subject, which is 60-65% is 290, so when you look at it that way, no not really. Of course it comes down to you, I find maths hard but I'd be A standard if I bothered at it, I find chemistry as difficult, if not easier, and I'd be lucky to get a B with hard work

sponge151

i suppose i never really taught of it that way and i do have 4HL subjects i really just hope i get around 200 points at least i would be delighted with 250 !! maths is really my week point and im doing ord level

Bubbaclaus

What's the average (or median) points score in the leaving cert these days? Going by what my class would've got when we did it, and the bonus points now available, I'd guess around 430ish?

Digital Solitude

400 last year anyways. I'd say its 400 most, if not every year