Picking up 4U Maths? (1 Viewer)

[unclestevesboomerang]

Hi, I've just started Year 12 HSC year and I was wondering if I should pick up 4U maths which starts next week for my school.There's around 30 students who are picking it up. In my year 11 half yearlies I got 90% in 2U and 95% in 3U, however those marks dropped to 85% and 70% in the prelim yearlies, but I feel that is still fine as the teachers purposely made the tests harder and I still got well above average.

I'm slightly put off from picking it up as I've heard its an insane workload to balance with all my other subjects (eco, physics, modern), as well as all my peers being ahead of me due to 4U tutoring which I dont go to. What would you do in my position? I'd appreciate any advice

 

[TheOnePheeph]

With your marks I'd say give it a go, especially if the teacher suggests you do, and if you find the workload too much you can always drop. Also tutoring is not essential to do well in 4u, even if your peers do it, you should still be able to keep up.

 

[fan96]

You'll never know if you don't try. Go for it, and if things really get awful you can just drop it and you'll end up with improved skills for 2U and 3U.

I'm slightly put off from picking it up as I've heard its an insane workload to balance with all my other subjects (eco, physics, modern),

If you enjoy the content then the 4U workload will seem way less compared to a subject you don't like as much.

as well as all my peers being ahead of me due to 4U tutoring which I dont go to. What would you do in my position? I'd appreciate any advice

Tutoring only reinforces the course content. Don't let it influence your decision.
By the time trials roll around, nobody will be ahead of anyone else and the only differentiator will be skill.

My prelim yearly mark was under 40% and practically my entire class (excluding me) was seeing tutors.
I still did well in 4U because I enjoyed it and was willing to put the effort in.
And to me, the combined workload of 3U + 4U was still a breeze compared to English - I would've gladly traded English for another four units (or more) of Math.

 

[unclestevesboomerang]

With your marks I'd say give it a go, especially if the teacher suggests you do, and if you find the workload too much you can always drop. Also tutoring is not essential to do well in 4u, even if your peers do it, you should still be able to keep up.

Thanks! That's probably what I'll end up doing then.

 

[unclestevesboomerang]

You'll never know if you don't try. Go for it, and if things really get awful you can just drop it and you'll end up with improved skills for 2U and 3U.

If you enjoy the content then the 4U workload will seem way less compared to a subject you don't like as much.

Tutoring only reinforces the course content. Don't let it influence your decision.
By the time trials roll around, nobody will be ahead of anyone else and the only differentiator will be skill.

My prelim yearly mark was under 40% and practically my entire class (excluding me) was seeing tutors.
I still did well in 4U because I enjoyed it and was willing to put the effort in.
And to me, the combined workload of 3U + 4U was still a breeze compared to English - I would've gladly traded English for another four units (or more) of Math.

Thank you that helps a bunch! May I ask how many hours you spent a week studying 3U and 4U math? I'm not sure of how much of my study i should focus on purely maths.

 

[fan96]

Thank you that helps a bunch! May I ask how many hours you spent a week studying 3U and 4U math? I'm not sure of how much of my study i should focus on purely maths.

Study as much as you need to understand the content.
There’s no “right” amount, everyone learns differently.
Personally, my only study was doing problem exercises and past papers.

 

[lolzdj]

fan, how far on the 4u difficulty spectrum was your school? did you get assessed on **difficult** content like those at a top selective, or was it to a moderate level (think a rank 100~ school).

 

[fan96]

fan, how far on the 4u difficulty spectrum was your school? did you get assessed on **difficult** content like those at a top selective, or was it to a moderate level (think a rank 100~ school).

My school was in the top 10.

 

[TheOnePheeph]

fan, how far on the 4u difficulty spectrum was your school? did you get assessed on **difficult** content like those at a top selective, or was it to a moderate level (think a rank 100~ school).

Do top selective schools really get assessed on harder content? Baulko and ruse's trials for example are really easy.