Chemistry or Senior Science? (1 Viewer)

[makemearedcape]

So today...
I get called up by my careers advisor to discuss my future in chemistry.

I feel quite confident this year, that although Year 11 was a pure and utter disgrace, I can do much better in Year 12...it's all in the attitude!

But um yes, the story continues...

I had accepted that I have to do Chemistry this year (my school does not allow us to only undertake 10 units) as I also do Biology and could therefore, not drop into Senior Science...

My careers adviser then tells me today, that she believes I can do Biology alongside Senior Science in my HSC year and that she has made an enquiry at the Board Of Studies for official instruction. She should know by Tuesday if this is true or not...

Now, hypothetically speaking, if this is deemed to be true...she "strongly advises" that I do Senior Science.

:|

I really am very confused at the moment about what to do. I feel like dropping out of Chem would be like a failure for me. I was really prepared to give it a go this year, give my all and not just the half of me that was not intimidated by the subject like in Year 11. But then again...wouldn't taking up Senior Science be much easier? There would be less of a struggle at least...

Anyways, I'm asking for your help...

Opinions?

 

[davidbarnes]

If you think you can do it, go for it.

 

[Armenikum]

So today...
I get called up by my careers advisor to discuss my future in chemistry.

I feel quite confident this year, that although Year 11 was a pure and utter disgrace, I can do much better in Year 12...it's all in the attitude!

But um yes, the story continues...

I had accepted that I have to do Chemistry this year (my school does not allow us to only undertake 10 units) as I also do Biology and could therefore, not drop into Senior Science...

My careers adviser then tells me today, that she believes I can do Biology alongside Senior Science in my HSC year and that she has made an enquiry at the Board Of Studies for official instruction. She should know by Tuesday if this is true or not...

Now, hypothetically speaking, if this is deemed to be true...she "strongly advises" that I do Senior Science.

:|

I really am very confused at the moment about what to do. I feel like dropping out of Chem would be like a failure for me. I was really prepared to give it a go this year, give my all and not just the half of me that was not intimidated by the subject like in Year 11. But then again...wouldn't taking up Senior Science be much easier? There would be less of a struggle at least...

Anyways, I'm asking for your help...

Opinions?

Look really, if you have the attitude to work it out, then go fr chemistry --- in my experience, the HSC course was SO much more interesting than the yr 11 course - although there are quite important basics you must learn.

My advice is to get a really good tutor for chemistry - because if you do well in chemistry in your HSC, your UAI looks REALLLLLY good, lol.

 

[wrxsti]

Chemistry in year 11 is WAY HARDER THAN CHEMISTRY IN YEAR 12.
im being serious here.

In year 11 i was getting mid to high 80's
for year 12 chemistry i was gettting mid-high 90's (except one STUPID practical).

I highly recommend you do chemistry.

 

[Season]

Can I ask why you didn't do well in chemistry? I'm going to be honest here but everyone says its all about attitude, and it is, but your current attitude will be based on the one you had in the past. Is the reason why you screwed it up gone? If it is, go for it, but if its not you may be setting yourself up to fail.

 

[makemearedcape]

Thanks for the replies so far!

Honestly, looking back on my year in Preliminary Chemistry, the reason why I didn't do so well was for a culmination of reasons. After a few weeks of understanding and actually enjoying the subject it got increasingly harder to understand. I didn't get to learn a lot of things properly, and when faced with having to know the entire course for the Prelim exams, I was overwhelmed. Definitely, the attitude you have towards a subject matters so much, and the attitude I had developed for this subject was not very good at all.

I *feel* better this year, but I'm really worried that a few months into this and I will give up again. I know I will have to put in a lot of work though...not only to understand the work to come, but to revisit my preliminary books and get a grasp of the skills we learned there. I think the reason why people say Chem in Year 12 is easier is because a lot of the skills you've covered before in Year 11.

If anyone was wondering my rank...it was 21/23 :|.

 

[chrisbro1990]

Go Senior scient. You'll ace it

 

[Liqqeh]

Go Senior scient. You'll ace it

Maybe so, but if OP has the potential to do just as well in chemistry if they put some effort in, then it'll be much more rewarding. Either option seems good though.

 

[Mr-X]

If you feel that you will study hard and do all you can to understand chemistry then go for it.

My chemistry teacher was absolutely terrible. Couldn't teach, couldn't organise work and lessons and utterly useless and a waste of oxygen. Due to this incompetent teacher and my laziness, I was unmotivated and know jack all about chemistry. Seriously, there are some very smart people in my chemistry class and work very hard in chem but because of the said teacher they haven't been able to achieve to the best of their ability. We complained the the head teacher, we were ignored. Parents complained to the head teacher and once again, it was ignored. I chose chemistry over legal studies to diversify my subjects. What a big mistake that was.

I had very little understanding of the preliminary course, but I did find that the content in the HSC course was easier to understand. I think as long as you know how to work out the equations and stuff, you'll be fine with the HSC course. But trust me, if you don't study, work hard and try your best to understand you'll end up like me with a course mark of something between 50-60/100 (though I am ranked 9/15) and an exam mark which will be under 50.

 

[Armenikum]

If you feel that you will study hard and do all you can to understand chemistry then go for it.

My chemistry teacher was absolutely terrible. Couldn't teach, couldn't organise work and lessons and utterly useless and a waste of oxygen. Due to this incompetent teacher and my laziness, I was unmotivated and know jack all about chemistry. Seriously, there are some very smart people in my chemistry class and work very hard in chem but because of the said teacher they haven't been able to achieve to the best of their ability. We complained the the head teacher, we were ignored. Parents complained to the head teacher and once again, it was ignored. I chose chemistry over legal studies to diversify my subjects. What a big mistake that was.

I had very little understanding of the preliminary course, but I did find that the content in the HSC course was easier to understand. I think as long as you know how to work out the equations and stuff, you'll be fine with the HSC course. But trust me, if you don't study, work hard and try your best to understand you'll end up like me with a course mark of something between 50-60/100 (though I am ranked 9/15) and an exam mark which will be under 50.

I swear, there is something about incompetency and chemistry teachers that just go together.

 

[Armenikum]

Go Senior scient. You'll ace it

From your subject line, it seems you dont even do Senior Science. I dont think your advice is fair in this case.

 

[Season]

Honestly if you found year 11 hard I wouldn't go near year 12.

Firstly everyone will be working harder, like you will be astounded at how hard some people will work.

I know when I went into year 12 what happened was all the people who got the worse marks had dropped it, and I was left competing with all these insanely smart 95+ people all wanting to ace Chemistry. Now it may be my school but I know there is nothing worse for motivation then doing badly continuously. However if you do well it acts as an added boost.

But then your school may not be as insane as mine was.

 

[ajdlinux]

I thought you can't enter the HSC course for a two-unit subject without having first done the Prelim course...

 

[Dr.Dan]

So today...
I get called up by my careers advisor to discuss my future in chemistry.

I feel quite confident this year, that although Year 11 was a pure and utter disgrace, I can do much better in Year 12...it's all in the attitude!

But um yes, the story continues...

I had accepted that I have to do Chemistry this year (my school does not allow us to only undertake 10 units) as I also do Biology and could therefore, not drop into Senior Science...

My careers adviser then tells me today, that she believes I can do Biology alongside Senior Science in my HSC year and that she has made an enquiry at the Board Of Studies for official instruction. She should know by Tuesday if this is true or not...

Now, hypothetically speaking, if this is deemed to be true...she "strongly advises" that I do Senior Science.

:|

I really am very confused at the moment about what to do. I feel like dropping out of Chem would be like a failure for me. I was really prepared to give it a go this year, give my all and not just the half of me that was not intimidated by the subject like in Year 11. But then again...wouldn't taking up Senior Science be much easier? There would be less of a struggle at least...

Anyways, I'm asking for your help...

Opinions?

ok . if u get like 65 in chem , thats equivalent to a high band 5 in senior science.. the weightings are very distant...

Btw makemearedcape, your Avatar Rocks...

 

[xclusv2bhung]

Honestly, looking back on my year in Preliminary Chemistry, the reason why I didn't do so well was for a culmination of reasons. After a few weeks of understanding and actually enjoying the subject it got increasingly harder to understand.

yeah i agree lol. we had a shit teacher too , so basically , all the stuff we were supposed to learn in year 11 in order to do year 12 , wasnt taught.
so yeah , thats why i screwed up year 12 chem quite a bit - but still. even with my marks of 70-ish , i`d still pick chem over senior.

seniors alright , but if you go the hard yards in chem , you`ll reap the rewards - good luck !

 

[Jachie]

From your subject line, it seems you dont even do Senior Science. I dont think your advice is fair in this case.

Since when did you have to be informed to give advice?

It's never stopped me

 

[makemearedcape]

I know when I went into year 12 what happened was all the people who got the worse marks had dropped it, and I was left competing with all these insanely smart 95+ people all wanting to ace Chemistry. Now it may be my school but I know there is nothing worse for motivation then doing badly continuously. However if you do well it acts as an added boost.

But then your school may not be as insane as mine was.

I don't think my class is *that* insane (yet) but there's definitely very fierce competition around the top at least...As far as I know, no one is dropping the subject aside from the bottom 2 who basically got told it'd be better if they left...I am the third from the bottom and got told as well...but my situation is a little more complicated seeing as I do Bio... And you're right, doing badly continuously makes you lose SO MUCH motivation.

Btw makemearedcape, your Avatar Rocks...

Thanks! =]

I thought you can't enter the HSC course for a two-unit subject without having first done the Prelim course...

Senior Science is an exception...you can enter HSC Senior Science if you've completed the Preliminary course for Physics, Earth and Environmental, Chemistry or Biology.

--

Anyways, my fate awaits me on Tuesday I think...careers advisor said she would know by then if entering Senior Science is allowed alongside another science...I'm still very much confused about where I stand though. It makes it harder because I don't actually know if Senior Science is an option.
Grr at school messing with my head...

 

[Mind-Revolution]

I swear, there is something about incompetency and chemistry teachers that just go together.

Much like every Physics teacher I've met / had before... save one.

 

[Jachie]

Much like every Physics teacher I've met / had before... save one.

The Physics teacher at my school is a champion. Hell, I voluntarily sit in on Physics lessons because I kind of love him.

 

[Mind-Revolution]

The Physics teacher at my school is a champion. Hell, I voluntarily sit in on Physics lessons because I kind of love him.

What makes him so special? The way he teaches or looks?