Is 10 units too risky? (1 Viewer)

[ltnnnn23]

Hi, I’m currently studying 12 units and need some advice on my subjects

My courses are:
- 3u maths
- 3u english
- chemistry
- biology
- PDHPE

Having done the accelerated maths course, I have completed 3u maths with the class of 2022 so technically I am doing 9 units at the moment

I was looking to drop a subject, either PDHPE or Biology so that I can dedicate even more time to my other subjects. But i’ve heard from some people that dropping down to 10 units is risky especially if I get a curveball question during the HSC.

My poorest subject is Biology (averaging 60-70%) but PDHPE scaling is horrible and my school only gets around 2 band sixes each year for the subject.

Let me know if you have any advice on what I should do. Drop PDHPE or Bio? Or just keep all of my subjects to have that flexibility of 12 units. Thanks!

 

[synthesisFR]

You should keep bio if you're going to be motivated to improve and if you like the content, which you have the chance to explore during this break.
I don't do PDHPE so I can't comment on that, and while scaling does matter, it depends on your strengths on the subject. If you are doing exceptional in PDHPE then you shouldn't consider dropping it over bio.
At the same time you should also consider the impacts of dropping one over the other, you will save hundreds of hours by not studying an extra two units (which probably won't even contribute to your atar) Instead you can use to improve in your other units. Also you only need to complete 7 units this year as you finished maths, which gives you a lot of time to improve what you're weak at.
Personally I would drop one, so I can excel in my other units.

 

[synthesisFR]

Imo, biology is quite fun and all modules are connected very clearly, while most of my friends say that PDHPE is just a bunch of unrelated topics that you need to remember. If you struggled in the mod 5 skills questions e.g. pedigrees, punnet squares, and all the genetic stuff, it just takes time to practice. Once you get the hang of it and know what to do, theres absolutely no question that can stump you.

For biology, while you should revise the content throughout the year to understand content, the best thing to do is just answer questions. The only way to be ready for curveballs is to do past papers, which I made the mistake of by not consistently doing throughout the year, and instead during school holidays prior to term 4 up to the HSC, (because I was too focused on prelims...). Even then, those 4-5 weeks of mainly doing questions was probably the time period in which I improved the most.