Are these subjects good for year 11? (1 Viewer)

[CaptainPrice]

Hello everyone, I just joined boredofstudies and also just chose my subjects for year 11. I'm going to St Mary's Senior High (luckily I made it in!), and today we had to go through through the enrolment process which also included choosing next year's subjects.

Here they are:
Advanced English 2U
Mathematics 2U
Extension Mathematics 1 1U
Biology 2U
Physics 2U
Chemistry 2U
Visual Arts 2U

Is this a good selection for an ATAR in terms of scaling? Is 13 units or 7 subjects too hard to handle? These aren't locked in however, and I still have a chance to change them on the first day of school. The only subject I'm not sure about is Physics (my dad stated that 3 sciences would be too much or Physics in general is a stressful subject, he advised me to pick a something in computing or humanities). I have an interest in Studies of Religion and Computing as well, but not a lot in Physics.

So should I change later or let them be? This question has been bugging the hell out of me, and I'm actually scared that I'll probably fail.

PS. After highschool I want to make it in Medical School so that's where my goal is.

PPS. Any tips for studying so I can bask in your wisdom and glory?

 

[Hoskiies]

VA? You really want to do that cause if you're just picking that for the extra unit need you might as well pick SLR.

3 Science is fine, but I recommend 2 Physic+Chem cause in year 12, they cross into each other abit.

 

[CaptainPrice]

Well I love to draw, and people do comment that they're good (not bragging or anything). The SMSHS staff also forced us to go to every faculty and develop an understanding of it.

PE is really not my thing, but I'm going to try to out for Soccer or Cricket anyway

Thanks for your reply

 

[slyhunter]

Pick subjects you enjoy, if you don't like Physics, chances are you're gonna drop it anyway during the year. If you have an interest in SLR or Computing, do them.

As for the workload, I did 13 units during my Prelim year and it was not a lot, as long you know how to stay on top of things (which isn't hard, just do your homework as you ger them), it's easy

 

[durden]

I can't answer your question but I'm going there next year as well.
Did you get into 2U easily? Which math teacher did you talk to?
There was a teacher who told all of my friends that we weren't capable of 2U math despite not knowing our grades and our current performance and I didn't even get his approval for 2U.

 

[shravan_872]

I can't answer your question but I'm going there next year as well.
Did you get into 2U easily? Which math teacher did you talk to?
There was a teacher who told all of my friends that we weren't capable of 2U math despite not knowing our grades and our current performance and I didn't even get his approval for 2U.

self belief is important! He's probably a crap teacher, what are ur grades?

 

[nifkeh]

Well I love to draw, and people do comment that they're good (not bragging or anything). The SMSHS staff also forced us to go to every faculty and develop an understanding of it. PE is really not my thing, but I'm going to try to out for Soccer or Cricket anyway Thanks for your reply

IMO VA is easier than SOR - I mean they can't give you a 80 for a 'bad' work of art, it's always 85+ for an artwork only other thing is art theory - which is easy to BS if you know your stuff. Personally I think that is more easier than remembering stuff about religions and making an essay on them

 

[nifkeh]

Yes - they are 'good' subjects for a high ATAR, but you need to do well in them of course in order to get one. There's no point doing Chem for 'scaling' to get a 80 when you can do a 'bad scaling' subject such as IPT or ancient history and get 90 in them - the subjects don't do the work for you, you need to work for them. No subject is crappy or 'bad scaling', despite some people saying otherwise in another thread... if that was to happen I should be getting an 80 ATAR just for not doing economics and Maths ext 2 etc etc lol and doing 'bad' subjects such as Ancient history and IPT instead

I'd say just flick through the prelim textbook for physics, we do space, moving about, world communicates and the electricity in the home - physics has the most calculations out of all sciences but lots of rote learning stuff (theory). The math's isn't that hard to scare you forever, I'm doing worse in legit maths on its own than physics' maths which is just using formulas which is simple. (the cusp of 2U maths)

chem has theory but little maths, I do better in this because I'm better at regurgitating theory in general, and occasionally I get calculations wrong - maths is pretty straightforward

biology - pure theory - I haven't actually done it, but I guess this is better than doing a history subject because you don't need to write an essay for a question like you do in history. lol (just short answers) if you are good at theory/remembering I'd definitely recommend it because there's like 0 calculations and it should be almost like a breeze for you


maths - I treat it more as one subject than opposed to two, there are some new topics not in year 10/9 but it isn't such a huge leap, just that the topics go by really fast, you need to practice a lot in order to understand quickly (or you see your ranks wafting away...). If you are already a maths brain it shouldn;t be too hard - but one important thing to remember - you can't cram for maths, or rote learn formulas. people who ace maths aren't naturally 'smart' - they practice a lot. natural smartness isn't going to get you far if you don't have a will to practice. 2U maths is a good chance to redeem yourself if you got lost in year 9/10 maths (happened to me as my year 9/10 maths teacher was so crap I failed it, looking back at it now, that maths isn't as hard as now)


Advanced English is a pain, I wish I could drop english entirely, but to lose less marks for an ATAR, your choice is pretty much Adv English. This subject isn't easy - Year 9 and 10 english doesn't compare in the amount of work you need to memorise/learn and of course HSC English - standards are much higher. I find this subject daunting at times, especially with the time limit and having to cram/memorise essays/quotes & find related texts etc and do homework and write essays. Such a pain, but if you work well with yourself and the teacher, it is worth to get a Band 6 (90+) instead of slacking at it to get a Band 5. You need to do well in English, the other 'high' scaling subjects won't save you if you get a 80. Because, 2 units of English counts to your ATAR anyway, whether you like it or not and thus you need to work for it to bring up your ATAR,

anyway physics isn't too demanding, I find it quite chill/not as intensive as English. English is probably the most demanding thing, apart from maths and maybe learning stuff/memorising in general. but if you don't like physics, pick up a computing subject (it's bound to be almost fully theory anyway). Just don't worry too much now, and just relax for the last term of year 10 - nothing compared to year 11 lol

 

[nifkeh]

Also for humanities in general - they require essays. so you kind of need to prepare them beforehand, but the questions won't be like in english (like troll essay questions) so they are straightforward. There's multiple choice and short answers, but essays are the most marks. But if you ;prepare well, know what you are saying (and not just rambling) then you will do well. At least in humanities you can prepare for stuff beforehand as the essay questions aren't going to troll you, they are straightforward and simple - unlike in English (you will get maximum a 14/20 for an obvious planned response that has nothing to do with the question). Planned responses are made for humanities in a way, also if you like remembering stuff/good at it it is hard to miss doing this and get a bad mark (I got 87 for ancient yearly after a day of cramming before the exam , not that I recommend it lol).

There's Legal Studies (law and court cases, issues), Economics (about the economy and work force), Modern History (stuff from 18th century onwards, like Russia, Germany, French Revolution) and Ancient History (before 400 AD, stuff like Egypt, Rome, Greece). I personally find Ancient History to be the easiest and the other subjects to be more daunting (my own opinion). But then again, you do need to put work in any subject, humanities aren't the 'easy way out' - you need to remember stuff about the topics to write in any exam, otherwise you are bound to fail. I definitely find history more relaxing in English, because it's not like you delve for techniques and related texts and other stuff lol

 

[nifkeh]

And of course, the subjects you choose need to be those of your own interests, not like teacher's saying to do them, or your friends or your parents saying what to do. If you don't like history, then you probably will not be expecting to get a 90+ because you don't like learning the content. Same with any other subject. Some subjects you will find to be more time consuming than others, but there is no such thing as a 'low maintenance subject', they all require work for marks. Scaling should not be the main factor for your subject choices either, it's more of your own interests and how well you do in them. Doing something just for scaling, or avoiding those because of its 'bad scaling' are silly reasons. As I said, I'm not going to get an instant 80 ATAR just on my 'bad' subjects alone or be disadvantaged just on the fact I'm not doing stuff like Latin or economics. There's no point doing something if you're struggling with it because people told you 'it scales well' - it actually makes you more stressed. In that case I would drop it and focus more on the stuff I like instead. My mum used to tell me 'girls don't do physics, are you sure you want to do it'? I did it because I do need it after school and that science is okay for me, I'm not bad at it. Don't let other intimidate you about your subjects or let people say to you 'don't do humanities, it's bad scaling, do Maths Ext 2 instead'. Not everyone is built for 'high scaling subjects', just like not everyone is good at art or english or languages. Plus if you are bad in 'good scaling subjects', you're basically wasting your time, your mark isn't too brilliant anyway, and it's the same as doing well in a 'bad' subject.

I don't understand why some people say 'you get a bad ATAR because you deserve it for doing 'crappy subjects', that's your fault'. Flawed logic, if you state rank or get a Band 6 in them, you're not going to get a capped ATAR of around 90, it can be higher. Just do your best, and you will get what you deserve, you are rewarded for your marks instead of just your subjects

 

[CaptainPrice]

Thanks so much!
I'm gonna replace my laptop with a book and try to get fast at writing, maybe do some practice essays and check out physics like you said.
Normally I get As in English so I hope won't fail in that, and maths I'm 'ok' in.
For subjects I'll keep it the same unless I hate physics (then ill replace with computing or studies of religion).
Thanks everyone!

 

[Lucas_]

Drop physics
Obtain SOR II

 

[CaptainPrice]

You're going there as well?!

Maybe we'll bump into each other, anyways I talked a maths teacher (forgot to ask his name), but he all said was to decide whether you want to do maths extension after the test we're supposed to do.

So yeah, apparently there's a maths test to see if we can take on maths extension (or 2U maths) so you and your friends don't need his approval, but just be prepared for the test!

What day was your enrolment process on? It took me and my dad ages to decide on subjects! =D

 

[ismeta]

And of course, the subjects you choose need to be those of your own interests, not like teacher's saying to do them, or your friends or your parents saying what to do...I don't understand why some people say 'you get a bad ATAR because you deserve it for doing 'crappy subjects', that's your fault'. Flawed logic, if you state rank or get a Band 6 in them, you're not going to get a capped ATAR of around 90, it can be higher. Just do your best, and you will get what you deserve, you are rewarded for your marks instead of just your subjects

Is true. I accelerated IPT and finished it last year. While its content wasn't entirely to my liking, I was certainly interested in multiple areas of the subject and so I could study it pretty easily. Ended doing really well because of my dedication to the subject, which wouldn't have happened if I found it dry and terribad.

edit: My IPT mark is good enough for a ~99 ATAR. Assuming I don't mess up my other subjects. >.>

 

[CaptainPrice]

Is true. I accelerated IPT and finished it last year. While its content wasn't entirely to my liking, I was certainly interested in multiple areas of the subject and so I could study it pretty easily. Ended doing really well because of my dedication to the subject, which wouldn't have happened if I found it dry and terribad.

edit: My IPT mark is good enough for a ~99 ATAR. Assuming I don't mess up my other subjects. >.>

What's accelerating? Can you do it in year 11?

 

[slyhunter]

Acceleration is being able to complete a HSC course before you reach year 12. Usually this is offered by schools to capable/talented students.

 

[Boonyak]

There really isnt a good or bad subject. It all depends on what you want to do at uni and what you like.

For e.g you may pick math and 3 sciences and English advanced and what not but have no interest in them and go and get band 3 and 4 in each subject.

Or if you pick subjects that dont scale as well but you like them and therefore achieve band 5 and 6 in all off them your better of.

Dont make the mistake everyone does and pick some subjects you dont like only pick what you like so you can go well in it.