Choosing Subjects For 5th Year

JC 2K3

Hi, I'm a 4th year student who now faces the task of choosing subjects for the Leaving Cert.

Apart from Irish, English and Maths you can choose 4 other subjects for the Leaving in school. Since the end of Second year I pretty much had my mind made up that I'd do French, History, Chemistry and Physics. But now i'm facing a problem, it seems that the school my provide an Applied Maths class if there is enough interest. I'm very good at and enjoy maths so i'm sure I could handle it and I've heard it's a fairly easy LC subject when you understand it. But it would mean not doing History....

I'm thinking that History would put me under pressure because of the amount of facts I'd have to memorise etc. I got an A in my JC and I do enjoy History but I've heard for the LC it's all about modern political history which appeals to me less.

So can I have a few opinions from people who have done/are doing History for the LC and people that have done Applied Maths....

Thanks,
-JC

Hi. I had the exact same problem. I wanted to do Applied Maths but if I did it meant that I would have to drop Physics, which was not something I wanted to do.

In the end, I got grinds for Applied Maths from a UCD student. I only started the grinds in October and I finished the course 2 months ago. So just remember, Applied maths is very short and simple. So just because you don't don't pick it in your choices, it doesn't mean that you can't do it for the LC. If you can just find someone to give you private lessons for about 3 months, you should do fine.

I hope that helps.

JC 2K3

Deleted User wrote:

Hi. I had the exact same problem. I wanted to do Applied Maths but if I did it meant that I would have to drop Physics, which was not something I wanted to do.

In the end, I got grinds for Applied Maths from a UCD student. I only started the grinds in October and I finished the course 2 months ago. So just remember, Applied maths is very short and simple. So just because you don't don't pick it in your choices, it doesn't mean that you can't do it for the LC. If you can just find someone to give you private lessons for about 3 months, you should do fine.

I hope that helps.

I was kinda thinking of doing it outside school, it's just I could have the oppertunity to do it as a school subject now.

I didn't know however, that you could complete the course in such a short space of time... this has given me a new perspective, thanks.

randomfella

Its hard for most to comment on history since the course has changed. Looking into the layout of exams is important. Its something i should have done. See which ones play to your strengths and which ones don't but at the end of the day its ones u will like best that u should pick.

Gone West

If you got the A for the JC in history, and are decent at english and a fast writer, you will get your A in LC, probably

Alkers

I do Applied Maths and it's not bad at all. Once you can learn the formulae you've basically got a B3 at least if you're 1/2 decent at maths. I'm doing the L.C. this year and if I could do it again and re-pick my subjects I'd go: App. math, Physics, Business, Acc, Biology and your language. Then English, maths and Irish slot in to your own taste. I do all the above bar Geography and they're by far the easiest points-wise. Used to take Geography but I found it a bit of a nightmare so dropped it 1/2 way through 5th year. It was a ninth subject anyway.

JC 2K3

FuzzyLogic wrote:

If you got the A for the JC in history, and are decent at english and a fast writer, you will get your A in LC, probably

lol, I'm in an all Irish school

I got an A in maths and science too, I got Bs in Irish(shame on me, being in the school that I am in, but even the teachers said there wass a bad correcter), English, French, German and Geography.

But isn't the History course for LC a lot more focused on modern(19th/20th Century Politics) history? That means no Ancient Romans, Egyptions or Greeks, no Celts, no Monks, no Battle of Hastings, no Middle Ages, no French or American Revolution........

Right now I'm thinking of doing History in school and App Maths outside school.

If I was to get a grind/class in it for a few months should I do it in 5th year and study on my own for it in 6th or closer to the exams in 6th year?

JC 2K3

JC 2K3 wrote:

If I was to get a grind/class in it for a few months should I do it in 5th year and study on my own for it in 6th or closer to the exams in 6th year?

Definitely in 6th year, perhaps even after Christmas.

*Angel*

App Maths is a great subject to study for the leaving, i dont even have time to study it anymore cos I've gotta concentrate on my worse subjects, but I'm still looking for an A1, quite a easy subject.

Finch*

the LC course for history is totally different than the JC course (which i found more like classical studies- great subject!!) it was quite a shock when i found out it was more political history, and tbh i wish i had chosen something else now, but if u are good at learning essays and can write about 3-6 A4 pages in 40 minutes then its an instant A1. u need to put in a fair amount of work tho =]

chickens

I do the applied Maths, I find it nice subject. For me what I have done so far doesn't link over with the maths we do in school, but maybe I not notice. I say decide if you want to do history. if yes do the applied maths outside of school, if no do applied math. History you need teacher, Applied math I do on my own (with little help from father) so once you decide history applied math follow.

Then again, if you not like history syllabus don't do it, I do honours Engligh, I hate syllabus, I am useless at it. I do irish even though i don't have to, I like syllabus, so I pass it.

Good luck with you choice.

randomfella

chickens wrote:

History you need teacher

Wouldn't fully agree. I think they aid your motivation more than anything else. Also correcting your essays is always gonna help but apart from that, theres really not much they do that u can't do yourself. Business has to be the easiest subject in terms of teaching yourself. Once you see a sample answer paper and know how to answer the question, its easy to study alone. Having said that, a teacher any subject is better*.

*unless u get a really **** teacher who can't maintain discipline in the class. Has happened to me with the odd subject.

4Xcut

History:no understanding needed, mindless learning of facts

Applied maths:the finest example of thinking in the secondry education system, very little learning much more understanding

*Angel*

4Xcut wrote:

Applied maths:the finest example of thinking in the secondry education system, very little learning much more understanding

Well said, and that's what we need. That's why I get a bored with languages...understanding is much more beneficial.

rainbow kirby

If you're good at maths, then do applied maths. It's wonderful. It's also a very short course, and the same type of questions come up pretty much every year, also there's lots of choice on the paper (do 6 out of 10 questions). It's also very helpful if you plan on doing physics, it pretty much hands you the mechanics question.

History, from anyone I know who did it (I was mostly a science nerd, I did physics, chemistry, applied maths and *urgh*accounting), requires an incredible amount of work to get a good grade. The course is entirely on the last 150 years, so if the stuff about the Greeks and Romans is what you're interested in then do classical studies instead. You've also got to pretty much develop speed writing skills to get through the exam.

Of course at the end of the day, it's up to you. Do what interests you.

RagShagBill

History:no understanding needed, mindless learning of facts

But if you have a fundamental understanding of the political spectrum, you will have a great advantage to write "good waffle" if a you can't remember a specific. You could just waffle about political implications and reactions for a while.

Attractive Nun

I do both History and Applied Maths. They are my two favourite subjects, so I'd recommend picking both of them! With history, the new course is pretty much all modern history and more political than the Junior Cert. There are 12 topics (you study 4) - some of which i'm sure are older history - but at the moment they've only printed books for 4 of them, all of which are modern history. Ask the history teacher what topics you will be doing to be sure, but I doubt you'll be able to do the older stuff. I'm more interested in the political stuff, lucky for me, so I enjoy the course. But even I notice that it can get very dry at times, so if you really don't like learning about Parnell's politics or the Soviet Union, then you might be best off to avoid the subject.

Applied Maths is another good subject. If you are good at maths, it should be simple for you. There are 10 chapters (you have to asnwer 6 in the LC) and in each there are maybe 2 or 3 different types of questions that you just have know how to do and you'll probably get an A. A bit of understanding is good too for the strange questions they can throw at you. It's a very easy course to complete and it leaves a lot of time for studying other subjects if points are an issue.

I'd probably recommend Applied Maths out of the two.

Funkstard

I started App. Maths at the start of 5th year but never gave it enough attention and gave it up at Christmas, something which I regret doing now.

My sister picked it up in 6th year and did really well in it, so I might pick it back up again, especially if DIT do this weighted points thing (I want to do architecture)

*Angel*

Funkstard wrote:

weighted points thing (I want to do architecture)

Since when? Do any other colleges do it? My friend wants to do architecture there too, just wondering have you got an offer of an interview yet?

p~b

if i were you i'd do business, economics, geography, link and french.

stay away from all the science subjects as there a killer.

grimloch

p~b wrote:

if i were you i'd do business, economics, geography, link and french.

stay away from all the science subjects as there a killer.

not necessarily true

science subjects are not a killer at all, a good bit of memory work granted but i find biology and chemistry to be alot more interesting than business which i regret doing

dont think this was really on topic

*Angel*

p~b wrote:

if i were you i'd do business, economics, geography, link and french.

stay away from all the science subjects as there a killer.

That's so not true! It really depends on the person, for instance I would suck at business or economics, and I'm crap at French. I do Physics and find it relatively easy but maybe that's because I'm good at maths aswell. It all depends on the person, and since JC 2K3 said he/she is good at maths and enjoys it you can't really say that science subjects would be a bad option.

p~b

i was good at maths and science for the jc, but i think the combination of a bad teacher and just the sheer amount of learning work was just too much.

rainbow kirby

I don't think I would have been able to put up with the essay-writing load if I'd done lots of business or humanities subjects...

p~b

i think business subjects are easy enough, its really all common sence about the EU and sale of goods etc.

p~b

p~b wrote:

i think business subjects are easy enough, its really all common sence about the EU and sale of goods etc.

This guy clearly has an interest in Maths, so Applied Maths would be good for him. Don't you agree?

tinkerbell

My subjects for the LC were:

English, Irish, Maths, German, Accounting, Chemistry, Music, Physics & Applied Maths

That's nine subjects, so I had a lot to play around with if I didn't like one or two subjects.

I did Applied Maths all through 5th year, but the physics side of it just didn't appeal to me and so I lost interest The physics teacher was a right demon so I dropped the subject at Christmas in 6th year and went back down to the normal seven subjects.

Just because you love maths or are good at maths, does not mean that you will like Applied Maths or be good at it. I loved maths and did really well, but didn't like App. Maths at all. I'm studying actuary now in uni so I obviously do like maths & am good at it (otherwise I wouldn't be doing an intense maths degree) - so it just goes to show that it's not necessarily the case that you'll like it.

captainplanet

the new history course is very interesting (or at least i think it is) but it is really hard to write the amount needed in the time provided. in 40minutes, you can be expected to write 3 pages minimum. as everyone is saying, it is harder than the jc.
applied maths is a lot better, and if you'r understanding maths/physics, then theres no reason not to go for it.
however home ec is the biz. if you like learning off endless amounts of RDA's and the composition of meat, not to mention, all food being destroyed then its the place you should be. i love it.

Scarinae

It's easy to get high marks in the essay-style subjects, but if you have the head for science then it is far easier to get very high marks in those subjects. Personally, I find it far easier to work at Biology and Chemistry than at Classical Studies - but that's just the way I work. Choose subjects that you find interesting AND that you think you could get good marks in, it's important to find that balance, especially if you're going for high points