Senior Science or Chemistry? (1 Viewer)

[ScienceGuy99]

Hey guys!

I've been pondering whether senior science would be better for me during year 12 as opposed to chemistry. I enjoy chemistry, but I really suck at it (50% average this year) and it really frustrates and stresses me out.

I believe if I did senior science I could get my desired results of a band 6 in physics, maths and biology for a good ATAR for uni (either a bachelor of genetics, biomedical science, engineering, or double degree in maths and physics). By the way, my subjects for year 12 would be 3U maths, biology, physics, chemistry (at the moment), standard english.

Would the work load be easier to handle in senior science compared to chemistry?

All thoughts welcome

 

[ScienceGuy99]

Also, does anyone know if class ranks in year 11 are the same when you start year 12? So if I was 4th in biology, it wouldn't reset next term?

 

[Simorgh]

Also, does anyone know if class ranks in year 11 are the same when you start year 12? So if I was 4th in biology, it wouldn't reset next term?

Obviously.

 

[eyeseeyou]

TBH chemistry is really about whether or not you've learnt your basics or not. If you intend to do it in HSC, I'd suggest you revise thoroughly in the school holidays coming up because HSC is really the application of prelim concepts

IDK about senior science, but I looked into that stuff and they cover a bit of each topic in prelim phys, chem and bio. IMO it's boring because it's just bland theory

You should really look at the senior science syllabus and see whether or not this type of course is for you

Best of luck

 

[DatAtarLyfe]

Stick with chem and just work harder. Anything is possible if you commit to the cause

 

[eyeseeyou]

Stick with chem and just work harder. Anything is possible if you commit to the cause

+1

Chem scales higher and senior science scales crap. If you do intend to do senior science though, you need to do very well in it to compensate for the scaling

Also how come you're not doing 4U?

 

[ScienceGuy99]

+1

Chem scales higher and senior science scales crap. If you do intend to do senior science though, you need to do very well in it to compensate for the scaling

Also how come you're not doing 4U?

I think I could easily perform exceptionally well in senior science. I looked at the HSC exam and could probably do 50% of it now hahaha

I'm not getting good enough marks in extension, so the school won't make a class for me to do it

 

[ScienceGuy99]

TBH chemistry is really about whether or not you've learnt your basics or not. If you intend to do it in HSC, I'd suggest you revise thoroughly in the school holidays coming up because HSC is really the application of prelim concepts

IDK about senior science, but I looked into that stuff and they cover a bit of each topic in prelim phys, chem and bio. IMO it's boring because it's just bland theory

You should really look at the senior science syllabus and see whether or not this type of course is for you

Best of luck

All the teachers have said to really take a proper break these holidays going into year 12, so I don't want to spend it doing chemistry
I looked at the syllabus and think it might be alright... Pretty basic, but I love theory stuff so it'd be nice I think, I don't know. Haha

 

[eyeseeyou]

I think I could easily perform exceptionally well in senior science. I looked at the HSC exam and could probably do 50% of it now hahaha

I'm not getting good enough marks in extension, so the school won't make a class for me to do it

Oh okay. I suggest you pick up senior science next term while doing chem and see how you're going from there. If chem is still hard, then yeah drop it

Oh so you're results aren't as good as expected? Or are they not making a 4u class at your school?

 

[eyeseeyou]

All the teachers have said to really take a proper break these holidays going into year 12, so I don't want to spend it doing chemistry
I looked at the syllabus and think it might be alright... Pretty basic, but I love theory stuff so it'd be nice I think, I don't know. Haha

Well I suggest do take a break and revise and/or study ahead if possible

Oh alright, if you love/like it then do it. I don't think there's much maths though

 

[ScienceGuy99]

Oh okay. I suggest you pick up senior science next term while doing chem and see how you're going from there. If chem is still hard, then yeah drop it

Oh so you're results aren't as good as expected? Or are they not making a 4u class at your school?

I can't do that unfortunately because I'm already doing 6 units of science and that's the max.

No one else in my year wants to do 4U, so seeing as I'm the only one and not getting good enough results, they're not making the class which sucks.

 

[ScienceGuy99]

Well I suggest do take a break and revise and/or study ahead if possible

Oh alright, if you love/like it then do it. I don't think there's much maths though

The lack of maths would be unfortunate hahaha ;P

 

[eyeseeyou]

I can't do that unfortunately because I'm already doing 6 units of science and that's the max.

No one else in my year wants to do 4U, so seeing as I'm the only one and not getting good enough results, they're not making the class which sucks.

Damm, that feels bad that they're not making a 4U maths class. Try doing it out of school (if possible)

Again that's bad that you can't do 4 sciences. You know what, look at the HSC chem content and compare it to the senior science content and see which one you think feels better. Since you're not intending to do a chem degree of some sort (??? is this true) then I don't think doing chem would matter at all (but in this case, beast senior science and try getting 95+ )

YEah like you said, lack of maths in senior science is bad, so if you want to do a mathematical science like physics or chem then I don't think you're in much luck atm sorry man

 

[eyeseeyou]

BTW scienceguy99 DON'T DROP TO ENGLISH STANDARD

Reason: It scales worse and it's harder to get a band 6. Only 1% of the state can get a band 6.

Also Advanced isn't that much more difficult than standard nor is the workload that much different

Here: http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/ebos/static/BDHSC_2015_12_15130.html

 

[pikachu975]

BTW scienceguy99 DON'T DROP TO ENGLISH STANDARD

Reason: It scales worse and it's harder to get a band 6. Only 1% of the state can get a band 6.

Also Advanced isn't that much more difficult than standard nor is the workload that much different

Here: http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/ebos/static/BDHSC_2015_12_15130.html

You can't compare the 1% in standard because most of the smart people do advanced, that's why it has a higher percentage, so forget that. The main reason you wouldn't drop is the class.

 

[Flop21]

You can't compare the 1% in standard because most of the smart people do advanced, that's why it has a higher percentage, so forget that. The main reason you wouldn't drop is the class.

Everyone I know regrets dropping to standard. Because they realise it's pretty much the same crap.

 

[eyeseeyou]

You can't compare the 1% in standard because most of the smart people do advanced, that's why it has a higher percentage, so forget that. The main reason you wouldn't drop is the class.

Okay, think of it like this: there are 20,000 kids in the state who do standard english, only 200 can get band 6-the top 200 students in NSW. There are approximately 600 schools that offer english standard (not including schools where advanced is compulsory). To get a band 6, you'll probably have to be ranked 1-3 in your school which IMO is harder than advanced because assuming there's 20,000 kids in NSW who do advanced, with a 10% band 6 success rate, 2000 kids can get a band 6. It's similar difficulty to advanced in that sense. TBH to get a band 6 at your school, you'll probably have to be ranked top 5-10% in your cohort IMO (depending on school rank)

Everyone I know regrets dropping to standard. Because they realise it's pretty much the same crap.

Exactly, only difference is that in Advanced, they do shakespeare and Advanced scales much higher than Standard

Also Standard does pretty boring texts

 

[pikachu975]

Okay, think of it like this: there are 20,000 kids in the state who do standard english, only 200 can get band 6-the top 200 students in NSW. There are approximately 600 schools that offer english standard (not including schools where advanced is compulsory). To get a band 6, you'll probably have to be ranked 1-3 in your school which IMO is harder than advanced because assuming there's 20,000 kids in NSW who do advanced, with a 10% band 6 success rate, 2000 kids can get a band 6. It's similar difficulty to advanced in that sense. TBH to get a band 6 at your school, you'll probably have to be ranked top 5-10% in your cohort IMO (depending on school rank)

Exactly, only difference is that in Advanced, they do shakespeare and Advanced scales much higher than Standard

Also Standard does pretty boring texts

lol every english text is boring xD

 

[Drongoski]

Hey guys!

I've been pondering whether senior science would be better for me during year 12 as opposed to chemistry. I enjoy chemistry, but I really suck at it (50% average this year) and it really frustrates and stresses me out.

All thoughts welcome

It is not a very good idea to switch subject midstream; you need to learn new stuff, much of which you'd have missed out first 3 terms. You should explore how you can improve your Chemistry.

Have you analysed why you are having problems with your Chemistry. Does your Chem teacher suck? (if many of your Chem cohort have no problems with it, then this is unlikely the case). Do you have a mind for subjects like Physics? Why have you not been performing in Chemistry? What part of the subject so far do you find difficult? Are you learning it "the right way" (whatever that may mean). Have you sought help from your teacher? Have you sought help from a tutor (if you can afford one)? Before replacing it with Senior Science, have another think over. Like many here, I don't know what so-called Senior Science is (may well be Junior Science)?


Edit
Had a quick look at the Senior Science syllabus. Looks to me more like a science appreciation course.

 

[eyeseeyou]

lol every english text is boring xD

IMO I liked Shakespeare

But standard do all these poems and Short Stories like Henry Lawson, like there's doesn't seem to be much literal and contextual meaning to it like how there is for Shakespeare