How to Do a 3 Year Leaving Cert

Doing a 3 year Leaving Cert makes life so much easier. I did this in my school and it’s like a life hack — made such a difference to my points!

So what is a 3 year Leaving Cert?

The Junior Cert takes place from 1st to 3rd year of secondary school, yet students only begin studying for the Leaving Cert in 5th and 6th year. Students are expected to cram what should be 3 years worth of content into 2 years. This is why I always suggest students begin their Leaving Cert in Transition Year and give themselves 3 full years to prepare. This is why our grinds for TY treat students as if they are preparing for the LC, not recapping the JC.

Before you roll your eyes or stop reading this post, I’m not suggesting that students should spend the majority of their 4th year with their faces stuck in their textbooks! I’m actually a big supporter of TY for non-academic reasons like the personal growth, developing skills, and getting work experience.

However, I’m also fully aware that the pressure students face in 5th and 6th year is monumental and they have the ability to reduce some of this pressure in advance during TY (even if it’s just for 1 subject). The LC curriculum is simply too difficult and too long to complete in just 2 years.

What do I advise?

I encourage my students in TY to begin grinds for the LC curriculum and be prepared for your 5th year classes before they even start. Nothing crazy – maybe try to learn the fundamentals of trigonometry or co-ordinate geometry as students struggle the most with these. Once you have a good grasp on them, write out your notes on those topics and you’ll save yourself time in the future.

I’ve also made a video on this before:

What are the benefits of a 3 year Leaving Cert?

Apart from reducing the pressure you will face in 5th and 6th year, beginning your study in TY will give you a better chance at doing higher level. Some students have a habit of panicking just before the mocks or the June exam and dropping down to ordinary level especially for maths. But, if you’re already familiar with a few topics since TY, you will feel more confident and able to take on a higher level paper.

Passing your higher level maths exam means 25 extra points for your CAO… it just requires 25% extra effort too. So, don’t leave that till the last second – begin in TY.

Is it necessary to do a 3 year Leaving Cert?

At the end of the day, you don’t need to do this, you could be an absolute whizz and ace your exams with minimal study. But, I’ve seen this work in so many schools already just in Cork alone! You’d be surprised how many students I have seen failing/struggling with their JC maths exam and they ask how to avoid that same stress reoccurring for their LC. So, I tell them to study in TY and their stress levels aren’t as high as they would have been otherwise.

I didn’t do this for my own LC back in 2012 and I regret it so much. I did terrible in the mocks and spent the following months cramming hours upon hours of study into my daily routine…it was torture. As important as studying is, it’s essential to take a break – but I felt like I didn’t have time for a social life, a break, extracurricular hobbies, anything! Which is what happens to students time and time again.

So, if you’re going into TY soon, please take my advice and get going with the LC curriculum. I promise you will not regret it.

If you want to read more about what I would recommend studying, check out my Ultimate 5th Year Guide or watch this video I made about how to study in TY.