Some helpful advice needed pls! (1 Viewer)

[mishprish]

Hey Guys,

I am currently in yr 11 and have 13 units as follows:

Legal Studies
Business Studies
Advanced English
Biology
Chemistry
2Unit Math
Math Ext 1

I am in a dilemna as to whether or not to drop Ext 1 Maths. I generally do not enjoy math and it is currently my weakest subject. I want to do Medicine in uni which why i have chosen those certain subjects but am unsure whether dropping would effect my ATAR and getting into medicine.

 

[Hagaren]

http://www.smh.com.au/national/educ...with-lower-marks-in-atar-20150519-gh45ox.html

 

[BLIT2014]

Ranks in respective subjects? School rank?

 

[mishprish]

Every respective subject of mine i am in the top 5 for ranking except math which is around average, as for school ranking its 156

 

[BLIT2014]

Also size of cohort in respective subjects?

 

[mishprish]

Size of cohorts:

legal studies - 40
business studies -65
biology- 60
chemistry- 40
Math 2Unit -71
Math Ext1- 48
Advanced English- 64

 

[Ahahahaman]

If you are doing 13 units and don't plan to pick up Extension two, there's actually not a reason why you should keep it in year 12. It only accounts for one extra unit therefore worth only half of another subject, assuming it does end up in your top 10 units, but also requires the same effort as another subject. I think it's better to use the time you would be doing extension 1, to study for other subjects.
The benefit to keeping it however is that it will make 2U maths look like a bike with training wheels, since part of the 3U course is learning harder 2U content.

 

[07lyam]

Since you do have 13 units I suggest you drop ext maths purely because your rankings are very good in all your other subjects and it will give you time to focus on your other 12 units.

 

[mishprish]

Thank you so much, and yes i do not plan on picking up Ext 2 at all and i completely understand your point so you all reckon i should drop ext1 then? By me dropping that extra unit will it effect my end result or limit my chances getting into medicine? I do understand math is not a prerequisite but you know most students that get accepted into the good uni's e.g. UNSW have done Ext1 math in their HSC. But i also do feel like that if i drop Ext 1, i can focus on 2 unit math and my other subjects really well and get a great atar!

 

[Ahahahaman]

I don't know where you heard that you need to do Ext math to get into a "good" university, but I know for a fact it is dead wrong. Only if the course has a prerequisite (not even recommended subjects), then it is required to get in, but you can still get into any university doing any subjects. Heck, you could do studies of religion, aboriginal studies, visual arts and geography and still get into medicine.
The key to getting into Med is actually not your subjects, but a combination of ATAR (duh), UMAT and the interview, the latter 2 actually being more important. Since it is possible to get a good Atar with any combination of courses, you needn't worry about limiting your career choices by dropping Ext I. So just make sure you do good in all your subjects (try getting top 3 for everything), nail UMAT and make the interviewers want to have your babies.

 

[strawberrye]

If you generally do not enjoy maths, then there is little point in keeping extension one maths unless you have the confidence you can do well in it despite not enjoying it.