Subject Selection (1 Viewer)

Malu

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I'll be doing the following for my HSC, Math Extension 1, Math Extension 2, Physics, Chemistry, and English Advanced. I need a good subject that is scaled well, but I am confused about which one to choose from the following: engineering studies, design and technology, food technology, geography, and science extension. I hear so many different stories on each of these subjects, that I am very confused about which one to choose. Can someone be of help?
 

jimmysmith560

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As far as I am aware, the highest scaling subject from the subjects that you are contemplating is Science Extension. The other three subjects are not considered to be high-scaling. However, scaling should not be a primary consideration when selecting subjects. Instead, you should consider a subject that you are interested in (or the subject that you find least uninteresting of the five subjects that you have listed) as well as the one in which you believe you can perform at the highest standard. In doing so, it may be helpful to recall your performance in some of your Stage 5 subjects (for instance, Science and Geography).

With that being said, it is important to note, if you are not already aware, that Science Extension is meant to be taken in year 12 and has a value of 1 unit, in addition to the fact that you will need to keep at least one of Physics or Chemistry to be eligible to take Science Extension.

Additionally, it would also be a good idea to consider the degree(s) that you intend to study after you finish your HSC. From your current subject combination, you seem to be interested in a degree relevant to engineering, science or medicine. If that is the case, you would essentially be taking all subjects that would be needed for a comfortable start in such degrees, except Biology, which you may wish to consider taking if it is relevant to what you wish to study beyond the HSC (Biology is treated as assumed knowledge for medicine). Otherwise, you are free to choose any subject that you feel interested in and believe you can perform well in.

I hope this helps! :D
 
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I'll be doing the following for my HSC, Math Extension 1, Math Extension 2, Physics, Chemistry, and English Advanced. I need a good subject that is scaled well, but I am confused about which one to choose from the following: engineering studies, design and technology, food technology, geography, and science extension. I hear so many different stories on each of these subjects, that I am very confused about which one to choose. Can someone be of help?
None of those have brilliant scaling, but if you're dead set on having the 99.95 combination of 10 units only when you are in Year 12 you don't need to put too much thought about scaling with the remaining other subjects you've listed, since you'll be dropping them anyway. Though you seem like a STEM person, so if you're open to engineering and not just medicine (which I believe you've picked those subjects for) you could consider doing Engineering Studies for Year 11.

But if you're able to pick subjects not in that list you've provided... if you want another high-scaling subject for Year 11, you could always pick Economics. Or you could do triple sciences and do Biology and end up dropping it, like many in my school doing your combination of subjects did. However, if you're interested in the medicine-related parts of the Biology course, that's all part of the HSC Course, not Year 11, and the Biology Preliminary course was... arguably very boring compared to the Year 12 one.
 

synthesisFR

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since ur doing the asian five,
just pick something that scales low and drop it in y12 so that u just keep those 10 units
then u have more time to be a tryhard adn can try to get into med
 

Malu

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since ur doing the asian five,
just pick something that scales low and drop it in y12 so that u just keep those 10 units
then u have more time to be a tryhard adn can try to get into med
I am confused about dropping a subject in Year 12,
Does this mean you do well in year 11 and get a good score and get preapproval for university, and then drop the extra subject in year 12?
I am mainly interested in doing Civil engineering / Architecture at Uni. not medicine at all.
 

Malu

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since ur doing the asian five,
just pick something that scales low and drop it in y12 so that u just keep those 10 units
then u have more time to be a tryhard and can try to get into med
I am confused about dropping a subject in Year 12, Can you pls explain ...
Does this mean you do well in year 11 and get a good score and get preapproval for university, and then drop the extra subject in year 12?
I am mainly interested in doing Civil engineering / Architecture at Uni. not medicine at all.
 

Malu

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As far as I am aware, the highest scaling subject from the subjects that you are contemplating is Science Extension. The other three subjects are not considered to be high-scaling. However, scaling should not be a primary consideration when selecting subjects. Instead, you should consider a subject that you are interested in (or the subject that you find least uninteresting of the five subjects that you have listed) as well as the one in which you believe you can perform at the highest standard. In doing so, it may be helpful to recall your performance in some of your Stage 5 subjects (for instance, Science and Geography).

With that being said, it is important to note, if you are not already aware, that Science Extension is meant to be taken in year 12 and has a value of 1 unit, in addition to the fact that you will need to keep at least one of Physics or Chemistry to be eligible to take Science Extension.

Additionally, it would also be a good idea to consider the degree(s) that you intend to study after you finish your HSC. From your current subject combination, you seem to be interested in a degree relevant to engineering, science or medicine. If that is the case, you would essentially be taking all subjects that would be needed for a comfortable start in such degrees, except Biology, which you may wish to consider taking if it is relevant to what you wish to study beyond the HSC (Biology is treated as assumed knowledge for medicine). Otherwise, you are free to choose any subject that you feel interested in and believe you can perform well in.

I hope this helps! :D
Thank you very much
 

aulinia

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I am confused about dropping a subject in Year 12, Can you pls explain ...
Does this mean you do well in year 11 and get a good score and get preapproval for university, and then drop the extra subject in year 12?
I am mainly interested in doing Civil engineering / Architecture at Uni. not medicine at all.
The minimum units to be eligible for HSC for Year 11 is 12 units, but in Year 12 the minimum is 10. That means you CAN drop a subject, some people don’t, some people do. It really depends on you. University doesn’t really matter (unless your course has assumed knowledge/prerequisites that require specific subjects), people drop a subject in Year 12 for all types of reasons, mostly because they want to focus on their other 10 units. It all comes down to personal reference at the end of the day. You don’t need to be approved by a university or anything to drop a subject, at my school you have a meeting with the head of learning to discuss why but that’s about it.
 

MissKrabappel

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I'll be doing the following for my HSC, Math Extension 1, Math Extension 2, Physics, Chemistry, and English Advanced. I need a good subject that is scaled well, but I am confused about which one to choose from the following: engineering studies, design and technology, food technology, geography, and science extension. I hear so many different stories on each of these subjects, that I am very confused about which one to choose. Can someone be of help?
Hello Malu, I’m confused with your post as you’re saying for your hsc you’ll do Chem, physics, 4U math and advanced English but then you proceed to say your other subjects. I’ll give me advice for both, for your first selection of subjects I’ve typically seen a trend where year 10 students pick “high scaling subjects” in hopes for them to receive a high Atar. High scaling is a accurate ONLY if you do reasonably well in those subjects, say you get a 86 in chemistry, that will scale highly but if you get a 28 that will be negative on your Atar. Scaling is confusing as they’re are many factors such as internals, externals, rankings, etc. the scaling of a subject shouldn’t be your motivator to select it but rather subjects you find interesting and you feel you’ll do well in. If you’re interested in your second selection of subjects I suggest you choose them if you‘re interested in it. Students who have received 99.95 atars have a diverse range of subjects, my cousin got 99.45 and did 4 unit and advanced English, modern, history ext, biology. As I have mentioned previously, choose the subjects that affix into your interests.

:D
 

SmolBrain

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I'll be doing the following for my HSC, Math Extension 1, Math Extension 2, Physics, Chemistry, and English Advanced. I need a good subject that is scaled well, but I am confused about which one to choose from the following: engineering studies, design and technology, food technology, geography, and science extension. I hear so many different stories on each of these subjects, that I am very confused about which one to choose. Can someone be of help?
wait dont u need 2 more subjects actually cause you cant take math ext 2 until y12 so you only have 9 units
 

moonsuyoung

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I'll be doing the following for my HSC, Math Extension 1, Math Extension 2, Physics, Chemistry, and English Advanced. I need a good subject that is scaled well, but I am confused about which one to choose from the following: engineering studies, design and technology, food technology, geography, and science extension. I hear so many different stories on each of these subjects, that I am very confused about which one to choose. Can someone be of help?
Hi!
In Year 11, you need a minimum of 12 units while in Year 12 you need a minimum of 10 units. So that means you need two more subjects since Maths Extension 1 [1], advanced maths [2], physics [2], chemistry [2] and English Advanced [2] are worth 9 units. :D

Also for subject selections, make sure you do the subjects you enjoy and not because it "scales well." I've seen people do subjects that don't scale as well as others, such as maths standard and visual arts but because they like it and achieve a high atar. I've also seen people do three sciences but not the best results, due to the misconception of "scaling" and the "glory." For the last two subjects, I would choose something that isn't as content-heavy as Physics and Chemistry so you'll be able to survive, as you will need to drop units anyways in Year 12 (if you want to).
 

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