Help with subject selection! (1 Viewer)

[terushi]

Hi there, I'm having a bit of grief over the last subject to pick for prelims.

I've already chosen, but I'm seriously considering changing one of my subjects. I've picked 3U Math, 3U English, Physics, Chem, SOR II and Music 1. These past few weeks I've been thinking I shouldn't have picked Music.

Some background: I'm currently doing Commerce and Music as electives. Last year, I was 1st in Commerce and around 2nd in Music (which could be put down to a late submission). I also recieved an A in both Commerce and Music this semester.

I don't like Commerce at the moment, nor do I like Music. I'm thinking I'd like to do a dual degree in the future with Commerce, but right now I don't like it (my teacher, mainly) even though I am first in my class. I'm also doing very well in Music. However, my teacher is leaving and she was the only reason why I'm even bearing Music now.

Weighing out the pros and cons of each subject, the pros of doing Music would be that I'm already good at the subject and that it provides a 'space' or 'break' between my really heavy subjects. The cons – I have a strength in writing rather than performing, I don't like working in groups as much (especially group performances) and while my best instrument is piano, there are much better piano players than me in the class and I really don't want to get lessons right now. I currently play by ear and cannot read sheet music.

With Economics, the pros would be that my strength in writing and knowledge of business has allowed me to be first in Commerce now. I'll be able to handle the Maths and the subject may pave my interest into a degree in Commerce later on. The cons – definitely not a break between my heavy subjects, I have a 1 in 3 chance of getting a teacher I like, and the subject gets boring after a while. However, this is the same as Music: I don't know who my teacher is and I usually get sick of the subject fast.

With SOR II, I go to a Catholic school and need to pick a religion subject. My Music teacher, though she is leaving, really wants me to do Music. She says that it is easy marks for me. Everyone in the class last year achieved a Band 6. We also had an encore nomination. However, I was first in Commerce. It's becoming a bit competitive now, however, and everyone in my class generally does well (hopefully the aligning is good as well).

If not Economics or Music, it's either Biology or Legal Studies. I'm hoping, in Year 12, to drop Eco/Music and pick up a further extension (either Maths or Science). If not that, I'll keep the 14 units or just drop the Eco/Music. In the event that I keep all 14, I'd like to know that my last preferred subject (other than SOR II) is one that will benefit me regardless of whether it is counted or not.

Any advice? What should I do? The subjects project a similar lack of interest from me, but because of two completely different reasons. I 100% know I can't base subjects off their teachers, but if I had my old Commerce teacher as an Eco teacher (which is a possibility) I would pick Economics. Music is just annoying me now, and Commerce is getting barely bearable because of my teacher. However, I can't really imagine myself not doing something related to Business in the next couple of years. It's become a routine now, haha. Thanks immensely for the help!

 

[boredofstudiesuser1]

Hey!

I know exactly how you feel! I am currently doing Music at the moment, and although I am doing Music 2, I can give some advice on what Music 1 is like.

You said that your strength is more writing and there are other better piano players. Well, good news! If you decide to do so, you can probably do one or two performances max in year 12 and just choose all viva voces as your electives. Additionally, Music 1 isn't about how GOOD you are but rather how you play at your level. So you could be doing a grade 3 level piece or pop or whatever, and as long as you do it well, with expression etc. you can score a band 6.

Now, considering you're doing both sciences, I'd say you definitely need a relax subject as your last units. SOR II is pretty chill so that's a good choice, and gives more flexibility in comparison to SOR I (which considering you HAVE to do a religion subject, SORII will be better).

I'd say that doing Economics would be too much. Sure, everyone's gonna tell you to do what you want to do, but it's quite a struggle to do so many content-heavy subjects, especially considering you want to do all those extensions. My opinion is that from your options, you should choose Music or alternatively Legal Studies. It's really not that heavy content and basically just relies on common sense, watching the news, and finding cases of interest. I currently do Legal, Physics and Music (with Adv English and prospectively 4U maths) and I can say that it's a great combo. Unfortunately, I'm not too sure what it'd be like with Chem, but I'm sure it'd still be enjoyable.

All the best and hope this helps

 

[blackbird_14]

If one of your main aspirations for picking economics is so you can do a dual degree (I'm guessing science/commerce), I'd think about it. Commerce/economics at uni doesn't require you to have done year 11/12 Eco/business studies, although the first year courses are definetly easier if you've learnt about it already. Physics and chemistry will take up time, I was never good at physics myself, hence I didn't do it, but chemistry will be annoying if you don't get concepts rather quickly. And don't underestimate 3U maths, it takes up as much time as 2U maths if your not good at it (cough me)

I did music 2, but music 1 is a vastly different course. If you can't read music, it's probably a good course for you as it doesn't require too much knowledge of score reading, the HSC written paper for music 1 is a listening test or something, where you have to listen to excerpts and answer questions on them, no scores at all (I think, again I didn't do this course). There's only one compulsory performance, and you get 2/3 electives, so it might be good for you. Music was my stress relief subject from my sciencey based subjects, as it was a different type of thinking, more creative than analytical.

 

[The1984Proletariat]

From my experience, economics really does require a lot of energy and effort. Coming from a similar position, in which I was 1st in Commerce, I naturally picked eco thinking it would be easy and I would excel. I quickly discovered it is an extremely time consuming subject, and takes up a lot of the time I need to be devoting to other subjects, since most of mine are all heavy content based. Especially when taking into consideration the level of effort required for one extension subject, let alone two, (I only do 3U English so props to you for doing 3U Math as well), you need to think about the level of stress you might be putting yourself through unnecessarily. So unless you're super interested in eco I'd advise you to really consider the workload you're placing on yourself.

At the same time, you don't seem to be too interested in Music 1 either. But if you're most likely going to drop it as you said and pick up another extension in Year 12, then I would say just pick Music. It'll definitely be a nice break between your other subjects for you Prelim Year and you really don't want to burn yourself out before you even start the HSC course, which might just happen if you take eco.

From my personal opinion and experience I'd say pick whatever you are most interested in, because if you're interested, the workload never really seems too intense or stressful. That for me meant picking Eco, but I'm really trying to reinforce the fact that it does take up a LOT of extra time that might be better spent on other subjects, especially 3U Math

Good luck with your selections!