How do my subject selections scale comparatively? (1 Viewer)

[BecaW]

Hey everyone,

I'm having trouble deciding subject selections for year 11. Can someone tell me how well these subjects scale to each other?
3 unit english
3 unit maths
Chemistry
Legal Studies
Economics
Music 2

Thanks so much!!

 

[kawaiipotato]

I'd say:
3 unit maths > 3 unit english > Chemistry > Economics > Legal > Music 2

 

[RecklessRick]

The above is untrue.

It actually is

3 unit maths > 3u English > Music 2 > Economics > Chem > Legal

Although all of the subjects aforementioned, with the exception of legal, scale well.

It depends on how good OP is actually. At the 90th you're incorrect, it goes

mx1 > music 2 > ee1 > chem > eco > legal

however at the 75th it goes

mx1 > ee1 > music 2 > eco > chem > legal

This shouldn't even be that relevant anyway given how hard this is splitting hairs. At the 90th chem scales 0.3/50 ahead of eco, at the 75th eco scales 0.1/50 ahead of chem. With the exception of legal, these subjects all scale very well and OP has nothing to worry about, especially if she has a passion for legal and will do better as a result regardless. It's a bit of a waste of time to say "at the 90th these will all be this, etc" since OP won't get the same percentile in every subject. Then again the question is specifically scaling, to which the answer is don't worry about it with those subs.

 

[BecaW]

It depends on how good OP is actually. At the 90th you're incorrect, it goes

mx1 > music 2 > ee1 > chem > eco > legal

This sounds right, so do I take it that ATAR calculators are inaccurate? When I used one and put these subjects all at 90 for HSC mark, it scaled Legal the same as Eco and Chem and Music 2 the lowest.

 

[Renko]

According to last year it would go:
maths ext1 > english ext1 > eco ≈ chem > legal

Although last year the average scaled mark for eco was slightly higher than chem, if you were in the top 25% of chem your marks scaled higher than those who were in the top 25% of eco.

 

[Renko]

This sounds right, so do I take it that ATAR calculators are inaccurate? When I used one and put these subjects all at 90 for HSC mark, it scaled Legal the same as Eco and Chem and Music 2 the lowest.

ATAR calculators seem quite accurate but those stats you mentioned are dodgy, which one did you use?

EDIT: The scaling seemed off for music 2 until I checked the uac report. Actually, a hsc mark of 90 in music scales the worst than a 90 in those other aforementioned subjects. However the people who did music 2 generally scored higher marks.

 

[BecaW]

ATAR calculators seem quite accurate but those stats you mentioned are dodgy, which one did you use?

http://www.atarcalculator.com.au/
I have no experience with these, are there more accurate sites around?

 

[blackbird_14]

If you don't do well in a subject, then the good scaling won't benefit you at all. Likewise, if you do great in a generally low scaling subject, then the scaling won't affect it.

Music 2 tends to be scaled down whlist chemistry and maths ext. tends to be scaled up- but scaling changes each year so yeah.

 

[WrittenLoveLetters]

I actually had a discussion with my boyfriend on this. He picked "low scaling" subjects such as Biology, but he excels at it. And I picked "high scaling" subjects such as 3U Maths, 3U English, Physics and Economics with a "low scaling" Business Studies.

And we have come to this conclusion:

1. Throw out the concepts of scaling first (do not even think about it yet)
2. Identify what subjects you enjoy, and what you feel confident and strong in (based on Year 10)
3. Now bring back scaling in. With your subjects, all of your subjects are "high scaling" except Legal Studies

Now be realistic. How well do you think will you do in Year 11? Do you think you can manage all subjects and get high marks and rankings?
Because the jump from Year 10 to Year 11 is very different. Especially the difference in English Advanced and English Extension 1. Additionally, will you cope? Because the jump from Year 11 to Year 12 is even more intense than Year 10 to Year 11.

Now you might look at my Step #1 and be like "Wow, what dumbass would forget the concept of scaling?". Me. Even though I have "high scaling" subjects, I still want to achieve the highest marks and avoid complacency by believing that my "high scaling" subjects will improve my shitty marks if I get lazy in Year 12 because I believe scaling will bring me places.

Whilst having a long-term scope is good, you are in Year 10 and the first step you need to look at is your own personal strengths in subjects, reflective in Year 9/10. I personally do not think you need to look into scaling until way after.

TLDR; PICK THE SUBJECTS YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN AND YOU KNOW YOU HAVE STRENGTHS IN. NO POINT HAVING SHIT MARKS AND SHIT RANKINGS WITH A HIGH SCALING SUBJECT.