• Congratulations to the Class of 2024 on your results!
    Let us know how you went here
    Got a question about your uni preferences? Ask us here

What is the hardest HSC subject? (1 Viewer)

Joined
Aug 13, 2011
Messages
320
Gender
Female
HSC
2012
Uni Grad
2016
Coming from someone who doesn't do maths, Extension 2. But from all of my subjects, Japanese. Mainly because I do it via correspondence and it's slightly raping me because I am slightly struggling at it, not as much as Modern History where I have no passion for it (hence why I am dropping the subject). Also I guess Latin or Classical Greek as well as any Extension language.
 

Absolutezero

real human bean
Joined
Nov 17, 2007
Messages
15,077
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
http://www.uac.edu.au/documents/atar/2010_HSC_Table A1.pdf

this is a fantastic link for people who are concerned about their subject choices. It tells you the highest atar achieved by someone doing a particular subject.
Someone got 99.90 with drama.
Someone got 99.85 with business.
Someone got 99.80 with standard.
Someone got 99.60 with general.

go figure hahaha.
Additionally, as I said before, 2008 100 UAI with Drama
 
M

MichelleV

Guest
A few years back, a girl at my school got a very high 90's UAI with Drama, Dance, Art, S&C and Advanced English..


I think that there isn't a 'hardest subject' because it varies for everybody. Personally, i'd die having to try and do 4 unit maths or physics, or even music or drama for that matter. But then I love history, where my friends who do all maths and science subjects would find it a nightmare D:
 

krnofdrg

Mq Law Student :)
Joined
Mar 8, 2010
Messages
1,672
Location
Strathfield
Gender
Male
HSC
2012
Uni Grad
2017
But for me i'd say 2unit maths is the hardest... I should've never chose it since i lack the passion/motivation for it so therefore worsening my results/performance. But yeah i love my other subjects alot XDDDD

Eg. alot of people do the 4unit maths+chem+physics combo in my school since they are all 'high' tier subjects and think they will end up with high atars because of it despite they perform poorly.. you need passion and effort for those hard subjects which they lack :(.. (so not good results)
 

FTW

Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2009
Messages
327
Location
good question.
Gender
Male
HSC
2011
Apart from all the rah rah rah it varies for all individuals (the it's all relative argument), you should consider if you hadn't learnt anything about the course.
For example if you were to sit a general maths exam, chances are you'd get at least some marks, no matter who you were purely because of basic mathematical understanding. But then subjects with multi choice bring up another issue. These subjects are much easier to score marks in even if you don't know it, so they COULD be considered easier (even if for subjects like physics they are difficult) purely because you have a 1 in 4 chance of getting it right. That being said, subjects such as art would definitely be possible under the claim that your major work was abstract or something.

However languages for instance you would stand no chance. Apart from knowing maybe a word or two in some languages (assuming of course that it isn't your native tongue, and remembering we are just going on general knowledge), there is no way more than half of us would be able to sit ANY language exam, not to mention the fact that there is speaking, listening and writing parts to the exam.

But some subjects such as CAFS on the other hand, can use general knowledge or basic intellect to at least attempt most if not all of the marks, compared to someone without a basic understanding of integration attempting to sit the MX2 exam.

To sum: All languages, MX2, then anything without multi choice that doesn't rely on logic.
 

krnofdrg

Mq Law Student :)
Joined
Mar 8, 2010
Messages
1,672
Location
Strathfield
Gender
Male
HSC
2012
Uni Grad
2017
Apart from all the rah rah rah it varies for all individuals (the it's all relative argument), you should consider if you hadn't learnt anything about the course.
For example if you were to sit a general maths exam, chances are you'd get at least some marks, no matter who you were purely because of basic mathematical understanding. But then subjects with multi choice bring up another issue. These subjects are much easier to score marks in even if you don't know it, so they COULD be considered easier (even if for subjects like physics they are difficult) purely because you have a 1 in 4 chance of getting it right. That being said, subjects such as art would definitely be possible under the claim that your major work was abstract or something.

However languages for instance you would stand no chance. Apart from knowing maybe a word or two in some languages (assuming of course that it isn't your native tongue, and remembering we are just going on general knowledge), there is no way more than half of us would be able to sit ANY language exam, not to mention the fact that there is speaking, listening and writing parts to the exam.

But some subjects such as CAFS on the other hand, can use general knowledge or basic intellect to at least attempt most if not all of the marks, compared to someone without a basic understanding of integration attempting to sit the MX2 exam.

To sum: All languages, MX2, then anything without multi choice that doesn't rely on logic.
CAFS is very generic and basic knowledge.. However the subject should not be too underestimated.. But yes i agree with you that you can make some type of attempt (You could probably end up with 30-40% if you walked in the HSC with descent common knowledge) since you learn about things in Society like organisations, social groups and etc...

Source: Both my sisters sitting the HSC do CAFS... (All my sister does it read her school notes and one day cramming which is enough to get her 85+ for trials)
 

Drongoski

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2009
Messages
4,255
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
definatly NOT Maths Extension 2, actually.

In 1966-1980 the 4 unit course was a 2 year course (called Level 1 from 1966-1974).

In 1981 it was dummed down to be a 1 year course (now called Extension 2).

So my answer is Level 1 maths.
I had no idea what you were talking about. Having seen some of the questions in 1967 - 1969 - I must say they are far more advanced than our current MX2. Wonder how many were good enough to handle it each year? Many of the questions are 1st year University maths.
 

ninetypercent

ninety ninety ninety
Joined
May 23, 2009
Messages
2,148
Location
Sydney
Gender
Female
HSC
2010
it depends on the person. mx2 is overrated. if it were up to me, the hardest subject would be one of the Englishes.
 

Shadowdude

Cult of Personality
Joined
Sep 19, 2009
Messages
12,145
Gender
Male
HSC
2010
4u english would be the hardest.
Uhh, you're very misinformed then.


It's obviously Maths Extension 2 - from the general subjects most people take, not factoring into account niche languages and the like. For all intents and purposes, it's Maths Extension 2.
 

Shadowdude

Cult of Personality
Joined
Sep 19, 2009
Messages
12,145
Gender
Male
HSC
2010
I saw him today, he walked past me on his way to a lecture... I COULD HAVE DIED. I think his hand is bigger than my face. =(
 

tywebb

dangerman
Joined
Dec 7, 2003
Messages
2,203
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
It's obviously Maths Extension 2.
Well I think we need to consider this in context.

Preceding the HSC was of course the Leaving Certificate from 1916-1966 but nothing comparable to Extension 2 because before 1967 there was no year 12 equivalent. Year 12 only began in 1967 as a result of the Wyndham scheme. Nevertheless, for comparison here is the first leaving certificate examination, the highest level of which was Mathematics Honours:

http://4unitmaths.com/1916.pdf

The LC was introduced because it was deemed superior to the university entrance exams used previously since 1858.

Then as a result of a change from LC to HSC in 1966 we have the following sequence of syllabuses and examinations:

Original Level 1 syllabus (1965):

http://www.angelfire.com/ab7/fourunit/level1syllabus.pdf

Exams: http://4unitmaths.com/hsc1967-1974.pdf

First 4 unit course (1973):

http://www.angelfire.com/ab7/fourunit/4usyllabus1.pdf

Exams: http://4unitmaths.com/hsc1975-1980.pdf

Second 4 unit course (1980):

http://www.angelfire.com/ab7/fourunit/4usyllabus2.pdf

Exams: http://4unitmaths.com/hsc1981-1989.pdf

Current syllabus (Third 4 unit and Extension 2 courses) (1989):

http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/maths4u_syl.pdf

Exams: http://4unitmaths.com/4u_1990-1994.pdf and for 1995 onwards: http://boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/hsc_exams/

Proposed syllabuses for the future:

Draft Syllabus (2008):

http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.a...pdf_doc/mathematics-extension-2-st6-draft.pdf

Draft National Curriculum (2010):

http://www.angelfire.com/ab7/fourunit/specialist.pdf

An updated version of the national curriculum is to be released in 2012 at http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au and I have seen a preliminary version of the 2012 one which has not yet been published because it is still a work in progress.

Considering all the above I still say the answer is Level 1.
 
Last edited:

Deep Blue

Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2010
Messages
150
Gender
Male
HSC
2012
Well I think we need to consider this in context.

Preceding the HSC was of course the Leaving Certificate from 1916-1966 but nothing comparable to Extension 2 because before 1967 there was no year 12 equivalent. Year 12 only began in 1967 as a result of the Wyndham scheme. Nevertheless, for comparison here is the first leaving certificate examination, the highest level of which was Mathematics Honours:

http://4unitmaths.com/1916.pdf

The LC was introduced because it was deemed superior to the university entrance exams used previously since 1858.

Then as a result of a change from LC to HSC in 1966 we have the following sequence of syllabuses and examinations:

Original Level 1 syllabus (1965):

http://www.angelfire.com/ab7/fourunit/level1syllabus.pdf

Exams: http://4unitmaths.com/hsc1967-1974.pdf

First 4 unit course (1973):

http://www.angelfire.com/ab7/fourunit/4usyllabus1.pdf

Exams: http://4unitmaths.com/hsc1975-1980.pdf

Second 4 unit course (1980):

http://www.angelfire.com/ab7/fourunit/4usyllabus2.pdf

Exams: http://4unitmaths.com/hsc1981-1989.pdf

Current syllabus (Third 4 unit and Extension 2 courses) (1989):

http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/maths4u_syl.pdf

Exams: http://4unitmaths.com/4u_1990-1994.pdf and for 1995 onwards: http://boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/hsc_exams/

Proposed syllabuses for the future:

Draft Syllabus (2008):

http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.a...pdf_doc/mathematics-extension-2-st6-draft.pdf

Draft National Curriculum (2010):

http://www.angelfire.com/ab7/fourunit/specialist.pdf

An updated version of the national curriculum is to be released in 2012 at http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au and I have seen a preliminary version of the 2012 one which has not yet been published because it is still a work in progress.

Considering all the above I still say the answer is Level 1.
A well considered response.
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top