Choosing Subjects for Year 11 & 12 (1 Viewer)

Drongoski

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When you are in year 10, I suspect many of you are still too young to know what course you will be doing at university. Even if you have a course in mind, you may change your mind when you have finished your HSC.

My particular concern is for those who may wish to pursue Engineering. Then let me suggest to you that you should do at least Maths Ext 1. I believe Engineering require a strong background in maths. If you do no maths or only General, then you are extremely unlikely to be able to handle Engineering. You should also have chosen Physic. If doing Petroleum or Chemical Engg, it would be most useful to have Chemistry as well.

Over the years, I've observed many cases of students wanting to do Engineering with just a background of General Maths. Some would offer encouragement by suggesting something like: 'Don't worry. You can do bridging course. You have not done Physics? Don't worry - you will find your HSC physics irrelevant, because Uni physics is very different'. In my view, such advice provide false hope. Bridging courses can only provide so much - and give you only inadequate foundation.

Just think - if you choose, or drop to General - why? Is it not because you are unable to handle higher maths? Or if you choose General, instead of 2U, because you think it is easier and you can ace it, then you are asking for it. If you cannot handle 2U maths, do you think a short bridging course in 2U or 3U maths, can be achieved in a few weeks, what you cannot handle over 2 years?

So if you may ever have a need to do Engineering make sure you have at least 3U Maths and Physics. Do not choose subjects because just you love them (a prevailing way of thinking here), but because you may need them.

If you have only General Maths, you can forget Engineering and any other courses that require a strong background in maths.


Edit
Those who have just completed year 10 - please take note.
 
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hawkrider

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Do you think doing 3U maths will help me with psychology?

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iJimmy

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I know people that have done UNSW eng with 2u, it is just that they have problems with difficult calculus, conics. etc.
 

rumbleroar

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I agree with doing at least extension 1 maths for engineering. Doing extension 2 will benefit even more. However, I think it depends on the type of engineering you do that determines whether or not you need physics.

I know each individual case is different, but I've wanted to do civil/arch for a long while and I did drop physics, not because I couldn't handle it, but I hated how my school taught it (tbh or didn't teach it) and dropped it in favour of MX2, which, IMO, is more relevant for engineering than physics.
 

Drongoski

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2U is assumed knowledge for my degree I wanna get into, but I think 3U will assist me regardless.
Psychology uses a lot of statistics. If course just teaches you how to use the various statistical software(without your understanding the underlying theory of the various statistical tests, experimental design, factor analysis etc), maybe you can get by with 2U maths. But if you are required to, or it is helpful in the understanding of, understand the underlying theory, then 3U Maths is going to be more helful than 2U Maths. In any case a background in 3U Maths is going to be more beneficial than a background in SOR or Modern History, for this.
 

hawkrider

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Psychology uses a lot of statistics. If course just teaches you how to use the various statistical software(without your understanding the underlying theory of the various statistical tests, experimental design, factor analysis etc), maybe you can get by with 2U maths. But if you are required to, or it is helpful in the understanding of, understand the underlying theory, then 3U Maths is going to be more helful than 2U Maths. In any case a background in 3U Maths is going to be more beneficial than a background in SOR or Modern History, for this.
I have a dilemma though. I can drop SOR and add 3U maths which leaves 13 units which might be tricky. On the other hand, if I drop Modern History and keep SOR and add 3U maths, I'll have 12 units which is manageable. I don't know which one to pick...
 

rumbleroar

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I have a dilemma though. I can drop SOR and add 3U maths which leaves 13 units which might be tricky. On the other hand, if I drop Modern History and keep SOR and add 3U maths, I'll have 12 units which is manageable. I don't know which one to pick...
13 units isn't that bad. tbh, it's overhyped when people say 13u is unmanagable. It just means you probably don't get frees.
 

hawkrider

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13 units isn't that bad. tbh, it's overhyped when people say 13u is unmanagable. It just means you probably don't get frees.
:O No frees? Seriously, I was looking forward to them! WHY??!!
 
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Drongoski

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(sigh - yes 1st time I've ever used this expression publicly).

But as they say, it is your call. A lot of people here don't share my philosophy. But I've seen so many cases of students pursuing what they love and then discovering belatedly that they lack this foundational subject or that foundational subject.
 

hawkrider

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(sigh - yes 1st time I've ever used this expression publicly).

But as they say, it is your call. A lot of people here don't share my philosophy. But I've seen so many cases of students pursuing what they love and then discovering belatedly that they lack this foundational subject or that foundational subject.
It doesn't surprise me anyway. My school wants us to pick subjects that we love rather than ones which scale well and such. But I was one of those people who didn't conform anyway. If I did, I would've chosen Standard English, 2U maths, Legal Studies, Society and Culture, Ancient and Modern History instead. Thankfully I didn't.
 

rumbleroar

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:O No frees? Seriously, I was looking forward to them! WHY??!!
It might be different at other schools, but at my school, people doing 13units generally had no frees.

It doesn't surprise me anyway. My school wants us to pick subjects that we love rather than ones which scale well and such. But I was one of those people who didn't conform anyway. If I did, I would've chosen Standard English, 2U maths, Legal Studies, Society and Culture, Ancient and Modern History instead. Thankfully I didn't.
How are you thankful for not choosing the subjects you like? You haven't even started year 11 yet hahah :p but the teachers say pick the subjects you like because you can will enjoy school a lot more and end up doing a lot better if you picked subjects you didn't like.

I know people who chose subjects they thought they were good at (and didn't have a true passion for it as well) and want to drop it because they were actually doing poorly in it and lacked interest in the subject, but can't because they would be stuck on 9 units, and you're obviously not eligible for an ATAR if you're on 9 units.
 

rumbleroar

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(sigh - yes 1st time I've ever used this expression publicly).

But as they say, it is your call. A lot of people here don't share my philosophy. But I've seen so many cases of students pursuing what they love and then discovering belatedly that they lack this foundational subject or that foundational subject.
tbh, they should probably be pursuing subjects within the field of their passion, instead of doing subjects which are completely unrelated to the stuff they like...so :/
 

hawkrider

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It might be different at other schools, but at my school, people doing 13units generally had no frees.



How are you thankful for not choosing the subjects you like? You haven't even started year 11 yet hahah :p but the teachers say pick the subjects you like because you can will enjoy school a lot more and end up doing a lot better if you picked subjects you didn't like.

I know people who chose subjects they thought they were good at (and didn't have a true passion for it as well) and want to drop it because they were actually doing poorly in it and lacked interest in the subject, but can't because they would be stuck on 9 units, and you're obviously not eligible for an ATAR if you're on 9 units.
But the subjects I have right now are the ones I like, particularly Maths, Chemistry, Biology, Economics, and Modern History. English is meh.

I know people who have been in that situation before.
 
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IcyRain

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I hope I don't regret picking General Maths > 2U Maths. I was in 5.2 for yr 9 and 10 maths, and although I ranked first both years I am not confident with 2U Maths :(.
I wish I could drop SOR II and pick up something like chem, but it is compulsory at our school :chainsaw:
 

hawkrider

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I hope I don't regret picking General Maths > 2U Maths. I was in 5.2 for yr 9 and 10 maths, and although I ranked first both years I am not confident with 2U Maths :(.
I wish I could drop SOR II and pick up something like chem, but it is compulsory at our school :chainsaw:
I was in your situation and I picked 2U and 3U maths. Change to 2U Maths. I can guarantee if you work hard, you'll be rewarded.
 

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