Should I drop economics or biology or keep then drop in the future? (1 Viewer)

[HeroicPandas]

I got 60% for bio. 51% for eco

For bio i crammed in the end, eco i studied hard for half yearly, and crammed in the end

I crammed more in bio than eco - by rote learning

Which should i drop, which is harder in HSC, can i get through bio and get band 5/6 by rote learning?

I am willing to go hardout considering my infinite motivation as I taught myself self-discipline during the holidays

​thanks

 

[jnney]

Questions for biology:

-Is the only reason why you attained that result for biology was because you crammed and rote learned?

-Was year 11 biology just shitty and boring?

 

[HeroicPandas]

Questions for biology:

-Is the only reason why you attained that result for biology was because you crammed and rote learned?

-Was year 11 biology just shitty and boring?

Yes jnney, it was boring

I didn't study consistently and constantly, forgot everything so i rote learned

 

[jnney]

Tell me about it. Year 11 biology was the biggest bs for me. I think I stopped giving a f. after the second module - I crammed the 4 modules three or four days before the finals and attained ..maybe 74% or something, lol. I hated biology.

The year 12 course is much more different though - it's definitely more interesting - well, depending on what you like.

You'll learn about:

-The human body (different functions, processes), diseases - in which you will go into more depth if you study communications/genetics/biotech as your options
-And the inevitable, a bit about plants in the first module
-Human evolution

There's much more, so I suggest flicking through a textbook. For me, HSC biology is about 1000 times better than preliminary.

If you are planning to rote learn biology - un-plan that plan. You could do it, but you won't be successful at it, because there is just so much content that it's not possible. Also, the questions in biology exams isn't really a memorise-regurgitate process, so rote learning will fail you. The concepts in biology require you to understand them - they are interesting, and the do take time to learn. I don't know what it's like to have tutoring for biology, but I've learnt the course myself, and there will be times when you will want to tear your hair apart because things don't make sense. But if you keep coming and coming back at it - it will, eventually. It's more painful to rote learn biology than it is to learn it - once you understand the concept, you'll remember it forever and even if you don't, a quick re-read will refresh you.

I rote-learned the first module of biology, and it was just so bad. You just end up forgetting what you have memorised. It's a lot worse than preliminary because content is more complex.

I don't think rote-learning will get you a band 6, but probably a 5 or 4.

If you do end up picking biology, or economics - and this applies to all of your other courses as well, learn and understand for the sake of it. Use the time in high school wisely, make something of it. It's just so wasteful, I think, to rote-learn. At least make some attempts.

It will benefit you in the end to not rote learn, because you will be under so much stress from your other subjects that you make not have the motivation from time to time to just keep re-memorising and re-memorising - even your infinite motivation will be stripped from you.

 

[theind1996]

But a subject like Chemistry, for PoM (sections 1-3) are majorly rote learning - cracking, ethanol's potential as a fuel, biomass, biopol etc.

You really can't avoid it imo.

And OP, Economics is a shitload of content, but I've found it interesting so far - it's economics in a global/applied context as opposed to the theoretical prelim course.

 

[jnney]

But a subject like Chemistry, for PoM (sections 1-3) are majorly rote learning - cracking, ethanol's potential as a fuel, biomass, biopol etc.

You really can't avoid it imo.

And OP, Economics is a shitload of content, but I've found it interesting so far - it's economics in a global/applied context as opposed to the theoretical prelim course.

@theind, yeah this is what i don't like about chemistry. it's much much much easier than biology in that respect, but it makes chem so dry lol. Although, same applies in hsc exams, it's about application of knowledge.

 

[Riproot]

I rote learned and got a band 6. Lol

(and I didn't study for bio after trials)

It's completely possible if you just rote learn before every assessment.

 

[barbernator]

I rote learned and got a band 6. Lol

(and I didn't study for bio after trials)

It's completely possible if you just rote learn before every assessment.

good on you, very impressive.

 

[theind1996]

@theind, yeah this is what i don't like about chemistry. it's much much much easier than biology in that respect, but it makes chem so dry lol. Although, same applies in hsc exams, it's about application of knowledge.

Yeah, like they don't even ask you how cracking works/why you do it - it's just here you go, have some information about 2 types of cracking, memorise and vomit.

But I guess it isn't too difficult to apply it in an exam question.

 

[jnney]

Yeah, like they don't even ask you how cracking works/why you do it - it's just here you go, have some information about 2 types of cracking, memorise and vomit.

But I guess it isn't too difficult to apply it in an exam question.

@theind, it defs gets much better after production of materials

-Also, rote learning is like taking the easy way out. You don't gain anything from it. But by forcing yourself in trying to learn something, and then actually understanding it (and it will definitely take much longer when you start), you develop that mind-set of persistence over the year, which, you can transfer to university and other aspects of life, work, etc.

 

[jnney]

Here is what I suggest:

Look through both HSC ecnonomics and biology textbook. If there's one that you definitely prefer of the other, scrap the other one. If you are unsure, keep both of them until you decide to make another decision throughout the year. Also, it may help to ask some HSC/graduates about both courses.

 

[HeroicPandas]

Here is what I suggest:

Look through both HSC ecnonomics and biology textbook. If there's one that you definitely prefer of the other, scrap the other one. If you are unsure, keep both of them until you decide to make another decision throughout the year. Also, it may help to ask some HSC/graduates about both courses.

Ok my issues:
Economics there is a lot of content + understanding is needed
Bio, high in content and not much understanding

 

[sakura4li]

Ok my issues:
Economics there is a lot of content + understanding is needed
Bio, high in content and not much understanding

I found it the other way around....
Eco: lot of content but...if you understand the root of it, it's pretty much logic
Bio: it's high in content, you have to memorise experiments, you have to memorise the 'equations' and scientific terms to boost your marks. It's logic as well (well, some of them) Yr 11 bio is BS. Most boring thing I ever learnt. But yr 12 is much interesting, but it's up to you.

Bear in mind though, Eco scales higher.
I know people says 'Don't choose subjects that scales higher. Choose the subjects you like'
For me, that's another BS. I chose bio because it's interesting, man, depending on your luck, your teacher makes it the most boring class ever.

 

[Riproot]

good on you, very impressive.

Not really.

 

[HeroicPandas]

I found it the other way around....
Eco: lot of content but...if you understand the root of it, it's pretty much logic
Bio: it's high in content, you have to memorise experiments, you have to memorise the 'equations' and scientific terms to boost your marks. It's logic as well (well, some of them) Yr 11 bio is BS. Most boring thing I ever learnt. But yr 12 is much interesting, but it's up to you.

Bear in mind though, Eco scales higher.
I know people says 'Don't choose subjects that scales higher. Choose the subjects you like'
For me, that's another BS. I chose bio because it's interesting, man, depending on your luck, your teacher makes it the most boring class ever.

Hey, i thank u a lot. I will keep bio + eco and see what happens, BUT i have to drop at least 1 of them after the half yearly next year (my school only allows the dropping of a subject after half yearly lol)

 

[LoveHateSchool]

I find bio is an easier subject if you have a good memory due to the large rote component. Economics is more conceptually based, but I can bouch that both Eco and Bio courses Year 12 are far superior to their Year 11 compatriots.

 

[someth1ng]

From what I've heard from majority of Biology students, it's a heavy rote learning subject...