The key to choosing Leaving Cert subjects

Advice for the Class of 2021

One of my main focuses at the moment is to prepare my Transition Year students for making their Leaving Certificate subject choices. The process has been a little different this year given remote learning, but the goal is the same.

It is essential that we choose wisely; carefully considered choices will ensure candidates take any essential subjects they may require in the future. Perhaps more importantly, the right combination of subjects will make success more likely and the road to Leaving Cert a little smoother.

The two most important factors to consider is what a student likes and what the student is good at. Often students get caught up with college requirements but this should be given less attention than one might expect.

Leaving Cert requires a huge amount of independent learning as well a number of hours of homework each week. It is much more challenging to drag yourself to the desk to study subjects with which you struggle or don’t enjoy. Many students find themselves in this situation because someone told them these subjects are useful.

Also, subjects that you both enjoy and are good at are probably linked to the career area you wish to pursue.

It is highly unlikely that a student who hated science all the way through Junior

Cert, would be perfectly matched to a science-based course at third level.

It is important to consider why you like a certain subject and why you are good at it — ‘Do I like this subject because I like the teacher?’ ‘What skills do I use in this subject?’ The skills involved in one subject may be related to many senior cycle subjects.

Students must also consider what they may need in the future, especially if they intend on applying to third level. However, third level requirements are less complicated than many presume.

One of the most challenging decisions is whether or not to continue to study a language. Many students do not enjoy languages, but having a language can be important for college entry. This is because the four NUI universities and a number of their associated colleges require applicants to present English, Irish and another language for entry to most courses.

If an applicant has been exempted from the study of Irish due to a learning difficulty they may also be exempt from the requirement to present a language to these institutions. For everyone else, however, failure to choose a language many exclude them from a number of courses.

Students who prefer not to study a language may still attend Trinity College Dublin, the University of Limerick, Dublin City University, all institutes of technology and technical universities where the matriculation requirements are ‘pass’ English and another language or ‘pass’ Maths.

Entry requirements for all courses are available at careersportal.ie.