Subject Selection Help. (1 Viewer)

[norez]

So, currently I am first in History, Science and Advanced Science in Year 10. My ideal subject choices are as follows.

English Advanced
Ext 1 Maths
Biology
Chemistry
1 unit SOR
French Beginners

Total- 12

Now, my issue is that I want to be a doctor. So I have fairly high hopes. I wanted to do Modern History as an additional subject. My mother said that choosing Modern would take up too much of my time, possibly limiting the time spent on more important subjects; and she also said that wouldn't contribute to a path in Medicine.

So I ask for your advice, should I choose Modern or other subjects. If you have any ideas on other subjects that may interest me, it would be much appreciated if you could contribute. Alternatives include:

Visual Arts
Geography
Economics
SOR 2U

Thank you very much for viewing.

 

[mirakon]

Well, as you are coming first in History, I see no reason why you shouldn't take Modern History, as you have the potential to do extremely well in it. Also, you're good at science as is evident from your post, so are you considering physics as well?

Is studies of religion compulsory in your school, or is that your own choice? It's up to you, but I personally would not take it.

Hope I helped.

 

[Amogh]

From your current subject choice, I think it is quite possible to attain a high ATAR.
Why French Beginners?
Imo, you should replace it with Modern/Phy/Eco

Isn't it a bit too late to contemplate about this?

 

[evilevoevil]

From your current subject choice, I think it is quite possible to attain a high ATAR.
Why French Beginners?
Imo, you should replace it with Eco.

Isn't it a bit too late to contemplate about this?

It is possible to attain a high atar by doing a wide range of subjects.. lol

 

[annabackwards]

If you're first in modern, swap french beginners with modern. Modern scaling > French beginners scaling as well. On that note, you could also swap French beginners with eco BUT eco has crappier scaling in the band 6 region compared to modern and has a lot of content.

I do modern history and no it doesn't take much of my time at all. With 12 units, the workload shouldn't be too much no matter what subjects you pick

It is possible to attain a high atar by doing a wide range of subjects.. lol

Of course, you can get a high ATAR with any subject combination. But that also depends on what you define "high" to be

 

[Fortify]

Do the Asian Combo:
-4U Maths
-Advanced English
-Chemistry
-Physics

 

[Omnipotence]

You should consider maybe switching either French beginners or SOR1 for modern history or physics, since you show a high level of competency in history and science.

 

[Aquawhite]

If you're first in modern, swap french beginners with modern. Modern scaling > French beginners scaling as well. On that note, you could also swap French beginners with eco BUT eco has crappier scaling in the band 6 region compared to modern and has a lot of content.

I do modern history and no it doesn't take much of my time at all. With 12 units, the workload shouldn't be too much no matter what subjects you pick

This is what I was going to say - but it's nicely done for me ^_^.

Don't bother with more than 12/13 units in the preliminary (there's no real point?). Swapping Beginners french with modern would be wise because of your rank in history already.

 

[occer]

English Advanced
Ext 1 Maths
Biology
Chemistry
1 unit SOR
French Beginners

Total- 12

I like French but I probably wouldn't start learning it in Year 10, replace with Modern. Drop SOR if you can and replace Bio with Physics if you're apt.

 

[norez]

Well, as you are coming first in History, I see no reason why you shouldn't take Modern History, as you have the potential to do extremely well in it. Also, you're good at science as is evident from your post, so are you considering physics as well?

Is studies of religion compulsory in your school, or is that your own choice? It's up to you, but I personally would not take it.

Hope I helped.

Thank you. I don't think that I'd like physics, there's something about it, something that just irks me. Maybe it's that I don't get it, or maybe it's just some stigma I enforce upon it. My older brother told me that it's just maths, so that might be a good idea. Thanks

And yeah, I go to a catholic school, SOR is compulsory. But it can be dropped for Catholic Studies and that does not count to the ATAR. Thanks for that.

From your current subject choice, I think it is quite possible to attain a high ATAR.
Why French Beginners?
Imo, you should replace it with Modern/Phy/Eco

Isn't it a bit too late to contemplate about this?

Yeah, my mother had also encouraged me to do French. Thanks for allowing me to contemplate that now. I think I've always had a place in my heart for Modern :3.

And no, we only quite recently received a list of subjects for expression of interest. Subject lines are being formulated now. Thanks so much for your help.

If you're first in modern, swap french beginners with modern. Modern scaling > French beginners scaling as well. On that note, you could also swap French beginners with eco BUT eco has crappier scaling in the band 6 region compared to modern and has a lot of content.

I do modern history and no it doesn't take much of my time at all. With 12 units, the workload shouldn't be too much no matter what subjects you pick

Aha, thanks for clarifying the scaling issue. I understand that now. With modern, I am a tad concerned that I would be competing with the literary prodigies whose subjects consist of only english and history. Oh well, I guess that all that is left to do is just toughen up and strike prelim with all I've got. Thank you very much for clearing things up.

You should consider maybe switching either French beginners or SOR1 for modern history or physics, since you show a high level of competency in history and science.

Thanks for that. I appreciate your help.

 

[norez]

Do the Asian Combo:
-4U Maths
-Advanced English
-Chemistry
-Physics

Hahaha, hell yeah. Recipe for success

 

[Hayzazz]

Yeah, my mother had also encouraged me to do French. Thanks for allowing me to contemplate that now. I think I've always had a place in my heart for Modern :3.

Wasn't there a guideline to picking subjects that stated that your subject choices should not be influenced by your parents in any way? o_____O

 

[annabackwards]

Thank you. I don't think that I'd like physics, there's something about it, something that just irks me. Maybe it's that I don't get it, or maybe it's just some stigma I enforce upon it. My older brother told me that it's just maths, so that might be a good idea. Thanks

Aha, thanks for clarifying the scaling issue. I understand that now. With modern, I am a tad concerned that I would be competing with the literary prodigies whose subjects consist of only english and history. Oh well, I guess that all that is left to do is just toughen up and strike prelim with all I've got. Thank you very much for clearing things up.

I don't know how old your brother is, but there's hardly any maths in physics now at all. They took out so much maths, that if you're a person who can substitute and rearrange equations you'll be fine and they even give you a formula sheet XD
But if physics is not your thing, don't do it because you'll probably end up hating the subject and unmotivated to study for it etc etc

You don't have to be an english person to write essays in modern. I hate english and i'm doing very well in modern because instead of BS you talk about facts (postmodernists would disagree here lol) so as long you know there should be an intro, body and conclusion you'll be fine ^^

 

[occer]

You don't have to be an english person to write essays in modern. I hate english and i'm doing very well in modern because instead of BS you talk about facts (postmodernists would disagree here lol) so as long you know there should be an intro, body and conclusion you'll be fine ^^

Agreed.

 

[MissGiggles]

i definately think history is worth your time if you're good at it, but don't switch one of those sciences to fit it in. they will definately help you for medicine. and religion both scales well and is a complete bludge. you said you're in a catholic school so you should already know the basics.

i am worried about you choosing french beginners because i have been told it is very difficult to learn a new language once you hit the teenage years and the connections in your brain are already formed. they are saying schools should start it early or not at all.

my original plan before i failed some of my exams was medicine so i got on the uni sites and chose subjects they wanted that i was also good at and interested in: ext. english (all they want is english), chem, bio, ext. maths and 2U SOR (also in a catholic school). i had to drop maths, i'm now down from ext. to general (yeah, pathetic right?), so i droped half my SOR and did drama and i am very happy for that hour.

you need one subject that can be your break: something you are genuinely interested in and good at so you won't feel stressed for that time. history sounds good for your down time while also helping your ATAR.

i hope this essay helps they are solid choices

 

[mirakon]

With modern, I am a tad concerned that I would be competing with the literary prodigies whose subjects consist of only english and history.

In history, unlike English, you cannot spout BS with big, complicated words and hope to get marks solely based on that. History is not about how you write actually, but focuses more on how you interpret sources successfully and interpret historical events from multiple perspectives as well as analysis of the source, is it useful and to what extent it is reliable. In many ways, you have to be 'street-smart' and more 'cynical' (In want for better words) for history.