My school does not let us choose our own subjects! (2 Viewers)

jadenmaccas

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My school (Parramatta marist High School) does not let us choose our own subjects and (apparently) doesn't give higher-scaled subjects to us unless we are within a specific rank.

- Firstly our Mathematics department is in poor shape. We get around 50-55 people who are not allowed to do maths. There will be 37 kids doing Maths Extension 1 in Yr 11 2012, 25 kids do Maths 2 unit and the rest General Math (50 kids). Our coordinator is so selfish that people are not given the chance to do the math they want. They can drop it as well in Yr 12, right?

- Our Science department is in terrible form. This year (2011), there are 60 students in the physics and chemistry classes. Next year (2012), there are 25 students in the Physics and Chemistry classes!!! All of a sudden, we have to be the top 25 to get physics or chemistry! For biology it was the top 60, which was still not worth it! The problem that exists with me, is that I have an interest in physics and want to do engineering in uni, but the school won't give me physics!!! I know the subject is difficult but I actually performed magnificently in physics in year 10.

Please can you tell me about your school and subject selection?

The subject selection process is nearly over :( What should I do so I get physics? I feel like moving schools now :'(
Our school is currently ranked 63rd in NSW.
 

jadenmaccas

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Because I couldn't find a school to travel a decent distance, the small availability of higher academically-ranked schools. My dad doesn't want me to move because he said it wasn't worth staying here for 4 years just to leave now.
 

Omnipotence

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In that case, talk to the teachers or get your parents to.
 

anne1010

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similar thing at our school. they look at your year 10 half yearly report. they dont allow certain people to do certain levels of a subject. for example if your in 9.2 maths, you cant choose ext 1 maths. if you really really want a subject though you can appeal it and they make a decision based on your sc results. maybe do that with your school?
 
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My school (Parramatta marist High School) does not let us choose our own subjects and (apparently) doesn't give higher-scaled subjects to us unless we are within a specific rank.

- Firstly our Mathematics department is in poor shape. We get around 50-55 people who are not allowed to do maths. There will be 37 kids doing Maths Extension 1 in Yr 11 2012, 25 kids do Maths 2 unit and the rest General Math (50 kids). Our coordinator is so selfish that people are not given the chance to do the math they want. They can drop it as well in Yr 12, right?

- Our Science department is in terrible form. This year (2011), there are 60 students in the physics and chemistry classes. Next year (2012), there are 25 students in the Physics and Chemistry classes!!! All of a sudden, we have to be the top 25 to get physics or chemistry! For biology it was the top 60, which was still not worth it! The problem that exists with me, is that I have an interest in physics and want to do engineering in uni, but the school won't give me physics!!! I know the subject is difficult but I actually performed magnificently in physics in year 10.

Please can you tell me about your school and subject selection?

The subject selection process is nearly over :( What should I do so I get physics? I feel like moving schools now :'(
Our school is currently ranked 63rd in NSW.
That's really stupid! I'm in year 10 as well and maths was really the only subject where u had to be a certain rank to do a certain maths level at my school. They showed us a table that had the top 25 in ex 1, next 25 or so in 2 unit, idk how many in general and all the people they "suggested" don't do maths but they said to use it as a guide, not you're not good enough so u deffs can't do it full stop.

For science I know one guy in my year who wasn't allowed to do physics cause his maths isn't good enough but they let anyone select chem or physics and pretty much said they'd figure it out later. They're putting more emphasis on being good at maths rather than science. So far he's the only one I know who's not getting to do it but I know he's challenging it and he told me a while back so maybe he did get in idk. But how does it work that only the top 25 can do physics and chem? There won't get a very big class that way particularly if a few of the top 25 don't do physics or chem (I'm top 25 at my school and I'm dropping science completely). As some others have mentioned get your parents to speak with your teachers about it.

So pretty much at my school we can do anything we want to do regardless of our marks (except for maths and physics like I said above). I chose Advanced English, English extension 1 (well, that was top 25-30 ish only but it's extension not just a normal 2 unit subject), Drama, Mathematics 2 unit, Modern History, PDHPE, SLR & studies of religion: I. At my school if you're not that smart you're still allowed to do high scaling subjects but we just got told they're hard and high scaling for a reason. Btw my school is St Patrick's Marist College (it's in parra as well).

If you really want to do physics that much than maybe changing schools is a good idea but it's up to you.

Goodluck!
 

Alkanes

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Maybe your school is saying this to make you study harder?? Cos it sounds bullshit to me.
 

jadenmaccas

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Guys I'm not struggling at math. I'm coming 1st in Year 10 (96%) and 2nd in Year 11 2 unit Accelerated (97%). I already got Ext 1 Maths and planning to do Ext 2 Maths in year 12. Maths is not my problem, physics is... My dad requested a meeting with the Science coordinator shortly.. hopefully everything goes well and I get into the course... otherwise, what should I do?
 
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Guys I'm not struggling at math. I'm coming 1st in Year 10 (96%) and 2nd in Year 11 2 unit Accelerated (97%). I already got Ext 1 Maths and planning to do Ext 2 Maths in year 12. Maths is not my problem, physics is... My dad requested a meeting with the Science coordinator shortly.. hopefully everything goes well and I get into the course... otherwise, what should I do?
Seriously what is your schools problem?! you're coming 2nd in accelerated maths and you're not allowed to do physics, that's ridiculous! Good luck with the meeting and well if it doesn't work out maybe change schools....
 

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My school is ranked Top 10, and there were restrictions on number of students doing certain subjects. Only a certain number of students could do 4U Maths, only a certain number of students could do 3U English, only a certain number of students could do Extension History. And when it came to classes that were full....you just couldn't fit in, if you changed your subjects late.

At Sefton (not sure about rank, but 20s-30s), limited number of students allowed to do English Advanced, Chemistry and Physics. As well as 3U and 4U Maths.

It's just the way it is.
 

jadenmaccas

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Biology Assessment 1: 92%
Biology Assessment 2: 88%
Half Yearly Exam: 66% (That is where I know I really... screwed up)
Chemistry Assessment: 95%
Electricity Assessment: 93%

The Biology assessments and Half Yearly Exam are the only assessments and exam counted towards our ranks for Year 10. Obviously, one attrocious mark could not even give me a chance to redeem my position, considering the coordinator intentionally heavily base the exam onto the Half Yearly :(
 

anne1010

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Biology Assessment 1: 92%
Biology Assessment 2: 88%
Half Yearly Exam: 66% (That is where I know I really... screwed up)
Chemistry Assessment: 95%
Electricity Assessment: 93%

The Biology assessments and Half Yearly Exam are the only assessments and exam counted towards our ranks for Year 10. Obviously, one attrocious mark could not even give me a chance to redeem my position, considering the coordinator intentionally heavily base the exam onto the Half Yearly :(
you should be able to appeal it quite easily and given physics as a subject. theyll take a closer look at your marks if brought to their attention - your dad talking to the science co-ordinator.
dont stress too much! you should be fine :)
 

Aykay

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Yeah, schools are allowed to restrict entry to subjects, based on staff available. Eg. My school only allows the top 90 to do MX2, the rest aren't allowed because they only appoint a certain amount of staff to teach it.
 
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My school allows you to do whatever subjects you want. The teachers only can suggest the students at my school to choose a particular course or not to do it. But most students know that they can't do a subject. For example, pretty much failing Year 10 Maths and wanting to EE2 Maths in Year 12. It ain't happening.
 

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