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Subjects- 'What not to pick...' (1 Viewer)

Jago

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the hsc physics course is really interesting imo, albeit quite difficult.
 

melsc

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Again I will rant again

. Subject selection is really important for you guys to make sure you end up doing the right courses that is:
1. The ones you are good at
2. The ones that you enjoy/have an interest it
3. The subjects that you are capable of

Myth: You need to do High Scalling subjects to get a good UAI
Fact: Any combination of subjects can achieve any uai its how well YOU do and you wont do well if you HATE the subject or pick something out of ur depth.

Now many people will tell you that you should pick "High Scalling Subjects" the worst thing about this is, UNLESS you do well the so called "high scalling" will effect you negatively.

Myth: I need to do certain subjects so I can get into a uni course (e.g. Legal Studies for Law)
Fact: This is not often the case, many courses no longer have pre-requisites, but if you are not sure either ask your careers advisor of check out the uni websites and handbooks, they will tell you what subjects are required or recommended. Also never fear many uni's offer bridging courses incase you miss out.

Pointers on finding out the subjects that best suit you:
YOU need to do a lil investigation. Find out what these subjects consist of by asking the teachers who teach it, ask to take a look at a textbook and see what the workload and content is.

Make an informed choice and listen to your teachers and people who know you and ur interests. I have seen too many ppl in my year ignore the teachers advice (as to the capability to handle the subject). That's not to say you should do IPT, but if you have an interest in computers etc, find out what its about and see if it suits you.

Another good way to check out if u'll like a subject is to go into the HSC forums and check them out, people will have posted their assignments etc and you can have a look.
 

rnitya_25

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ok one major thing i HAVE to say is that if you do advanced english, don't stop there, do extension 1 or maybe even extension 2. im being serious, don't regret not doing it, its really really easy, easier than advanced english, literally. don't miss out on extra good points in uai if you're quite good at english, as in getting above 70s now. do extension.
 

Sparcod

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drewgcn said:
My advice to all year 11s, is not to take anyones advice except your own, and maybe your teachers.
But especially not this thread - you'll probably end up loving what someone else hates, and vice-versa.
Agreed!!
I started this thread with the intention to hear people's thoughts, regrets and opinions on different subjects and if they love it or hate it.

Before choosing subjects, look at your strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes and whatever career pathway you'd wish to take up.
 

kami

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rnitya_25 said:
ok one major thing i HAVE to say is that if you do advanced english, don't stop there, do extension 1 or maybe even extension 2. im being serious, don't regret not doing it, its really really easy, easier than advanced english, literally. don't miss out on extra good points in uai if you're quite good at english, as in getting above 70s now. do extension.
No. No. And just no.
Its less cramming than Advanced and less idiotic but it *is* more work. Most of the people who do Advanced shouldn't really be doing it - they don't like Shakespeare and they don't want to follow up on anything related at uni or TAFE, but they do it because of the way the two courses are linked they'd be putting a barrier in the path of them getting good marks.
Furthermore, most students couldn't give a fig about reading extra texts - some barely read the prescribeds. Have you seen how often there are complaints about reading texts? Or people trying to wing it with summaries? That complacency has no place in Extension 1 where you *must* undertake independent investigation and wider reading, heck some schools make their students read or watch another text every week *just* for Extension 1. And unlike in Mathematics, you can't compare the Extensions and the common courses with marks and go "yep, s/he should do Ext", it revolves around *interest* as much as marks and skills. So just because someone gets above 70s doesn't mean they should do Ext 1. And its even worse to apply that sort of logic to Ext 2 which is so completely personal and individual that marks in Advanced mean *nothing*, its your passion to do a Major Work that should get you to do this course - which is I admit, one of the most enjoyable courses around, but also a hell of a lot of work as it is no way "easy".
And last of all, doing these courses *just because* they provide a UAI boost is the worst choice you can make. Choose these courses because you enjoy what English is *really* about rather than what happens in Advanced.
 

insert-username

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Extension English = more work, more texts to read, more time spent doing English.

Doing Advanced English is no basis for also doing Ext. You do Extension because you LIKE English and you'll put the effort in. You don't do it for brownie points because it's simply too much extra work to bother. Do it if you like it, don't if you hate it.


I_F
 

Cat_Orange

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Our school was actually pretty good with subject lines, and most people got what they wanted. The only problem was that you couldn't do both Extension Maths and Extension English, you had to do one or the other which pissed off some people.
 

Ghost1788

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Never take Business Studies, its boring and the benefits/workload ratio is crap
IF you have an understanding Software Design and Development but similarly it has a low benefits/workload ratio especially if you dont pick up the relatively large syllabus

Physics is great if you are able to quickly grasp the concepts

Chemistry like physics but it seems more technical to me at least(ie more math)

2U maths is good but 3U maths is even better...i suggest if you are unsure about your ability in 3u to give it a try if its not you then u can always drop down....note it can take alot of work to conquer 3u if you arent naturally talented in mathematics...

And unless you love your history DO NOT DO any form of studies of religion..Catholic Studies is ok but it doesnt count to your UAI and from what i've heard its a bludge...

In the end you wanna make the most of your time..so in the words of techers who have given me their iadvice i will pass it on ....

Choose subjects you have an interest in and will challenge you ie. you will have to try to get high marks...not cruise and get high marks....


there is no point in doing general mathematics, if you got 70%+ for maths in the School Cert...its way below your level... it will bore you...
 

xx__savannah

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Coming into Year 11, we were encouraged to pick subjects that would help us prepare for a future, so that's probably something to keep in mind.
Also, interest, obviously. But as noted in the thread posted above, choices are somtimes limited.
I mainly wanted Legal or Business and IPT. None of those classes ran, until I whinged about it to the co-ord, who was teaching me accel. Chem, so I got IPT.

So now I have
- IPT: good, a bit bludgy sometimes, but that's gonna kill me in the HSC next year -- the year above me is dreading it. Team assignments are crap tho. Sometimes, it's a bit basic in my class, so if you're prepared to work by yourself and can go above, it's good. I haven't got that mentality yet...
- On-Line Economics: it's a good subject, but being on-line, it's hard to focus, and to know exactly what to do and where to be up to. Also, assignments sneak up on you with no verbal or written notice until they're overdue. On-line subjects are only for those who work well by themselves, under pressure, and can keep to a schedule.
- Accel. Chem: no choice. I like it, even though I suck at it. Year 11 was so boring, but Yr 12 you learn some relevant things, and it's way more interesting.
- Gen Maths: I sorta regret doing it some days because it's basically 7-10 level, but I've never been one to do more than I have to, and how much maths does a sport journo need?
- Adv Eng: love it. Great teachers make subjects better. I've somewhat vicariously done Standard HSC, and it's easy. Do it if you have the choice.
- Ext Eng: sounded great. Didn't live up to it tho. To me anyway. Good texts by themselves, bad to put together and compare. Bad topic -- Challenging Society is too vague. Bad teacher, bad bad. Overall, ask about the course, ask past students, the eng co-ord and Ext teacher. And then compare your options.
 

^CoSMic DoRiS^^

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Ghost1788 said:
there is no point in doing general mathematics, if you got 70%+ for maths in the School Cert...its way below your level... it will bore you...
lol :eek: i don't know about that...i got 83 in my SC, did advanced, and now im changing to general because contrary to what i thought (i pretty much thought exactly the same as you on this) i sucked majorly at advanced. as in, i would study my butt off for exams and end up failing them. not that what u said isnt true, but i dont reckon your mark in the school certificate is a hugely reliable indicator...one of my friends got about 60 in his sc maths exam and now he's in mathematics and nearly topping it, the lucky guy.
 

xx__savannah

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At some schools there aren't alot of options for anything besides Maths. At mine it was some form of Maths, Community and Family, or an online/ TAFE course.

Gen Maths is easy. If it's too easy, don't do it, move up, or don't complain :p
 

xx__savannah

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Yeah, pretty much. It's basic trig, wages, all stuff that's more relivant to real life, but what I'd done a year or two prior. It gets very frustrating when people don't know how to work out GST and how to find original price, given inclusive of GST.
I prefered being in the dumb (it was ungraded, but it happened that way, bar myself and another Yr10Adv Math person) class, because the teacher didn't make the whole class stop work to try and explain things that should have been learnt in Year 9.

But like I said, I chose it because I didn't wanna do maths for the sake of it. I don't handle pressure and stress at all, and why bother if I don't care/wanna?
 
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everybody, keep SDD and love it very much

the computing head teacher at my school bribed me to say this
 
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software design and development yep ...
to speak out of all seriousness (I know your reading this teachers :D)
- Its a long long long course, miss one thing and nothing makes sense
- Study ahead, so when you learn it again, its drilled in better
- The more resources you can grab the better
- I was told (teacher) that some guy from james ruse that went near or did top the state in SDD had done all past papers by the time term 1 year 12 (term 4, you know what i mean, what you guys are currently faced with) was over, so if thats any indiciation of what dedication you'll need to go well, then good luck :p
- Start your major as soon as you get it, and don't loose 6 marks because of dodgy diagrammatic representation like me and cost you not getting 90s >_<
 

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