help with subject selection (1 Viewer)

[libestraumno3]

im starting y11 next year so in retrospect ive been looking into the subjects i want to do next year
i have a few options:

1.
3u eng
3u math
eco
legal
modern
= 12 units

my teacher heavily encouraged me to take 3u maths but idk if ill be motivated enough to keep it in y12,, i still dont like the idea of having all humanities

2.
3u eng
2u math
eco
legal
modern
chem
=13 units

this is assuming that i will definitely drop ext1math in y12 and will keep the rest or pick a diff ext (maybe hist)
i like how i have a science as a back up cs i feel like having all humanities will be very draining and heavy

advice is appreciated

 

[axyx]

I would suggest picking the subjects that you like/are interested in the most as you'll be motivated to do well in them unless you need specific subjects that are pre-requisites for the degree you want. Don't think too much about whether a certain combination of subjects will be draining/too much workload unless your daily schedule is already restricted (e.g a job, sports, etc.) as you'll ease into the subject as you go. I'd recommend not having more than 12 units, but one of my friends is doing 13 and is handling it just fine.

As a reference, my chosen yr 11 subjects were:
adv eng
3u math
physics
modern
ancient
engineering studies

I picked up history extension and 4u math and dropped engineering (I suck at drawing) and physics (I hate science + was not engaged in class)
I enjoy all the subjects I have right now (maybe not adv eng, I hate TS Eliot) and haven't felt overwhelmed with 11 units, but that is also partly because I've been only focusing on school since year 11 (no job, etc).

Overall I'd say if you dislike math or are bored by it, you should do 2u math. If you are doing good at maths, don't mind the subject and also possibly morning/afternoon classes, consider giving it a try. I don't know what goes on in science. I'd say the only downside to having all humanities are the essays which can be very intimidating when you realise you have to do 2 or more 25 markers for every humanities subject in the hsc, but that's a bit far away right now; just know that essay writing gets easier with practice. In terms of content, writing summary notes as you go along the topics or after finishing one is the way to go, it definitely helps in solidifying the information.

 

[libestraumno3]

thank you for the advice!!

in terms of enjoyment, i really am interested in legal, modern, and eco since i plan on pursuing a career in law. that being said, science hasn't been appealing as of late, so i'd definitely give my first option a try. i'd work harder for subjects i enjoy naturally. i don't mind essays either, and the worst case scenario is i switch one of my subjects out during the first 'trial' weeks.

is hist ext worth picking up? i'm considering taking it and there isn't much info about it on the forums. i'm intrigued by the concepts and i want to know what the major work component is like.

btw good luck with your HSC this year!! you'll do great.

 

[axyx]

History extension is definitely worth picking up if you enjoy history. It focuses on the evolution of history and touches on the philosophical side of history with concepts such as historiography and different views on history and how it should be written. You learn concepts that will change the way you interpret any sort of information you're given and challenge your views on society. Hist ext has somewhat of a light workload as it has 2 topics and much of the subject will involve reading and discussion. That being said, there is a lot of reading.

I would describe the major work component as a challenge in terms of time management. You will be given more than enough time to finish and edit it, but it all depends on how productive you are throughout your time given. We started the project around week 7 term 1 and is due around week 5 term 3, so plenty of time for drafts. You will also have to deal with your other subjects. You get to pick what your history project will be about, so as long as you are invested in your chosen project you should do fine with your research. Your first assessment will be a proposal for your project to your teacher who will approve it if it is feasible. Your second assessment is the project itself and a process log. The third assessment will be your trials, so a lot of your internal marks will depend on the project. You'll also have to do practice essays along the way as your hsc examination will be composed of just 2 25 mark essays.

edit: forgot to mention that the project is answering a question you propose in a 2500 word essay through research and with proper referencing.

btw good luck with your HSC this year!! you'll do great.

Thank you!