Subject Selection Urgent Help (1 Viewer)

[sluGzxxX]

hey guys, my subject selection is due very soon and I'm still undecided.

Right now I'm definitely doing Extension 1 maths, english advanced, chemistry, biology, and modern history.
I have one more space to fill. I don't know whether to do economics, music 2, or physics. Do you have any experience with these subjects? Were they difficult to manage?
I also want to study medicine in uni.

Thanks for the help.

 

[jimmysmith560]

You should choose the last subject based on your personal interests in addition to your performance potential, which are aspects that may be linked given that enjoying a particular subject could increase your chances of performing favourably in that subject. Favourable performance is also an essential consideration since you wish to study medicine, an admission requirement of which is to achieve a high ATAR. Because of this, you should ask yourself the following questions:

• Which of Economics, Music 2 or Physics are you most interested in taking?
• Which of Economics, Music 2 or Physics do you believe you can perform well in?

My understanding is that taking Chemistry and Biology is recommended for the purpose of studying medicine, so it is good that they are already part of your subject selection. An important thing to consider if you wish to take Physics is the fact that you will be taking three Science subjects, which may impose a significant workload. Depending on your ability to manage an increasing workload, this may be problematic. Unless you are interested in Physics and/or strongly believe you can perform well in this subject, I personally don't see a reason to take it, especially when you are already taking Chemistry and Biology, which in your case are more important.

This leaves you with Economics and Music 2. Here, you can recall your experience of taking Commerce and/or Music up to year 10 (if applicable) and determine whether you found any of them interesting and whether favourable results were achievable. I believe that Economics has the advantage of superior scaling, which is a secondary consideration that is relevant to a student who needs to achieve a high ATAR. However, Economics may be a slightly more difficult subject, although several students have definitely enjoyed it.

On the other hand, I think that the decision to take Music 2 would suggest that you are more interested in Music 2 (for example, you may be passionate about music) than Economics and that you are more likely to perform well in this subject compared to Economics, which in turn negates the potentially inferior scaling.

I hope this helps!

 

[sluGzxxX]

You should choose the last subject based on your personal interests in addition to your performance potential, which are aspects that may be linked given that enjoying a particular subject could increase your chances of performing favourably in that subject. Favourable performance is also an essential consideration since you wish to study medicine, an admission requirement of which is to achieve a high ATAR. Because of this, you should ask yourself the following questions:

• Which of Economics, Music 2 or Physics are you most interested in taking?
• Which of Economics, Music 2 or Physics do you believe you can perform well in?

My understanding is that taking Chemistry and Biology is recommended for the purpose of studying medicine, so it is good that they are already part of your subject selection. An important thing to consider if you wish to take Physics is the fact that you will be taking three Science subjects, which may impose a significant workload. Depending on your ability to manage an increasing workload, this may be problematic. Unless you are interested in Physics and/or strongly believe you can perform well in this subject, I personally don't see a reason to take it, especially when you are already taking Chemistry and Biology, which in your case are more important.

This leaves you with Economics and Music 2. Here, you can recall your experience of taking Commerce and/or Music up to year 10 (if applicable) and determine whether you found any of them interesting and whether favourable results were achievable. I believe that Economics has the advantage of superior scaling, which is a secondary consideration that is relevant to a student who needs to achieve a high ATAR. However, Economics may be a slightly more difficult subject, although several students have definitely enjoyed it.

On the other hand, I think that the decision to take Music 2 would suggest that you are more interested in Music 2 (for example, you may be passionate about music) than Economics and that you are more likely to perform well in this subject compared to Economics, which in turn negates the potentially inferior scaling.

I hope this helps!

Thanks, do you think my subjects plus economics would be a good balance?

 

[jimmysmith560]

Thanks, do you think my subjects plus economics would be a good balance?

No worries.

Yes, if you add Economics to your subject selection, I think you will end up with a rather balanced combination, especially since you would be taking:

• 2 Maths subjects
• 2 HSIE subjects
• 2 Science subjects

If by the end of year 11 you feel that a subject(s) is not for you, perhaps due to unfavourable performance, lack of interest and/or unreasonable workload, you can drop up to 3 units worth of subjects. By that time, you will have gained a good experience in each of your subjects and would be able to make an informed decision regarding the best subject combination to have as you start year 12.

 

[sluGzxxX]

No worries.

Yes, if you add Economics to your subject selection, I think you will end up with a rather balanced combination, especially since you would be taking:

• 2 Maths subjects
• 2 HSIE subjects
• 2 Science subjects

If by the end of year 11 you feel that a subject(s) is not for you, perhaps due to unfavourable performance, lack of interest and/or unreasonable workload, you can drop up to 3 units worth of subjects. By that time, you will have gained a good experience in each of your subjects and would be able to make an informed decision regarding the best subject combination to have as you start year 12.

Should this combination scale well?

 

[jimmysmith560]

Should this combination scale well?

Yes, all of those subjects scale relatively well. Of course, you still need to perform at a sufficiently high level, just as you would with any subject, because superior scaling on its own does not guarantee favourable results.

If things go well for you in Mathematics Extension 1, you may be able to take Mathematics Extension 2 in year 12, which is also a high-scaling subject.

 

[kyp]

Yes, all of those subjects scale relatively well. Of course, you still need to perform at a sufficiently high level, just as you would with any subject, because superior scaling on its own does not guarantee favourable results.

If things go well for you in Mathematics Extension 1, you may be able to take Mathematics Extension 2 in year 12, which is also a high-scaling subject.

how many units are you required to take in yr11?
from OP: Ex1 math 3U, chemistry 2U, adv English 2U, biology 2U, history 2U, he has already got 11u, why doesn't he have to choose anything else?

 

[kyp]

btw can you choose Ex2 Math in yr11?

 

[jimmysmith560]

how many units are you required to take in yr11?
from OP: Ex1 math 3U, chemistry 2U, adv English 2U, biology 2U, history 2U, he has already got 11u, why doesn't he have to choose anything else?

It is required that you take at least 12 units worth of subjects in year 11, of which a minimum of 2 units must be an English subject. In year 12, the minimum required becomes 10 units including the minimum 2 English units, which gives a student a chance to reduce their units if this would be appropriate to their particular circumstances (for instance, in the event of unbearable workload, unfavourable performance and/or lack of interest).

The OP's initial subject selection comprised 11 units, meaning that she still needed at least one additional unit to meet this minimum requirement for year 11, hence the post.

btw can you choose Ex2 Math in yr11?

Unless you are an accelerant, Mathematics Extension 2 is meant to be taken in year 12. In year 11, you would take both Mathematics Advanced and Mathematics Extension 1. Once you finish year 11, you may be offered the choice of taking Mathematics Extension 2 in year 12. If you do, you will not have to sit the Mathematics Advanced HSC exam.

 

[nathanzhou1234]

hey guys, my subject selection is due very soon and I'm still undecided.

Right now I'm definitely doing Extension 1 maths, english advanced, chemistry, biology, and modern history.
I have one more space to fill. I don't know whether to do economics, music 2, or physics. Do you have any experience with these subjects? Were they difficult to manage?
I also want to study medicine in uni.

Thanks for the help.

Typically if u want to do med in uni I think physics is the most helpful but u have chem and bio already. I would just personally choose the subject that you’re the most confident in as the scaling of them are roughly equal.

edit: oops i didnt see the OP was from 6 months ago

 

[kyp]

No worries.

Yes, if you add Economics to your subject selection, I think you will end up with a rather balanced combination, especially since you would be taking:

• 2 Maths subjects
• 2 HSIE subjects
• 2 Science subjects

If by the end of year 11 you feel that a subject(s) is not for you, perhaps due to unfavourable performance, lack of interest and/or unreasonable workload, you can drop up to 3 units worth of subjects. By that time, you will have gained a good experience in each of your subjects and would be able to make an informed decision regarding the best subject combination to have as you start year 12.

Thank you. Well explained.