To drop or not to drop??? (1 Viewer)

[vshaf22]

Hey, I'm Vanessa. I'm in year 11
Right now I'm doing English Extension, Modern History, Society and Culture, Biology, Economics and Maths (2 Unit).

So...I'm doing 13 units now and I want to drop either Maths or Bio for year 12....ok so in Maths, I'm failing..and although I do try and put in effort, I still find it really difficult and time consuming.

Biology...well I'm not fantastic at it but I'm not failing it and when I do put in the effort, I can get pretty good marks..but the thing is I'm not a very "logical" and "scientific" thinker. I'm bad at making the links with biology when there are hard scientific questions..also whenever chemistry is involved (not very much) I have a lot of difficulty.

I can drop both of them If I pick up extension english 2 or history extension, though I've heard history extension is for those who absolutely love history and are really good at it, well I'm quite good at it but I'm not sure If I'd be able to handle history extension...:S

Then, there's English Extension 2....it could be really fun and I'm prepared to put in the work...but I haven't exactly thought of a major work yet... I can't work a video recorder, lol well i can but not very well..and I'm not brilliant at story writing....is there anything else I could do?????

So....If I dropped Maths and Bio...I'd be doing 4 Unit English, Modern History, Society and Culture and Economics!!! Looks pretty good What do you guys think??? Or should I keep Biology and pick up English Extension 2 , see what the HSC course is like...so I'm not "trapped" with 10 units???

So....my problem is that I'm not sure what I want to do when I finish school...university is a must..though I'm not sure what course...my ATAR aim is roughly over 93 I don't know what I want to do, but i know I don't want to do anything mathematical i.e. accounting etc. and I wouldn't want to do anything extremely biological, perhaps, just a little bit...if there's some job which only has a little of bio but no chem or physics

( P.S. I've noticed there are heaps of courses with Assumed Knowledge for Mathematics!!!!! Are bridging courses optional or compulsory?)

Thanks so much for reading my several paragraphs!!! Please leave a comment as obviously, I need some help!!!!!!!!

 

[astroe]

I'm in agreement with the maths dropping, no point in keeping it if you hate it/don't get it. I found out too late, but I learned my ways

4U and Ext History are a good combo, because they're similar in some respects. You need to do the external major work for 4U, which is similar to the internal historical project major work - with respects to keeping a log/meeting with the teacher about it, research, etc.

Perhaps you should just keep Biology just incase, you can always drop it at a later point if things worsen, or if your other two subjects worsen (hopefully not).
Ideally, in my mind, you should know what you want to take to the HSC by your trials and should go to 10 units by then.

 

[annabackwards]

I'm in agreement with the maths dropping, no point in keeping it if you hate it/don't get it. I found out too late, but I learned my ways

4U and Ext History are a good combo, because they're similar in some respects. You need to do the external major work for 4U, which is similar to the internal historical project major work - with respects to keeping a log/meeting with the teacher about it, research, etc.

Perhaps you should just keep Biology just incase, you can always drop it at a later point if things worsen, or if your other two subjects worsen (hopefully not).
Ideally, in my mind, you should know what you want to take to the HSC by your trials and should go to 10 units by then.

I agree with this, except if you're unsure of what subjects you'll do best in doing 12 units isn't hard. That's exactly what i'm doing

 

[vshaf22]

Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it

 

[daniieee]

Keep extension maths! Drop biology next year.

Although, I'm only saying that because I dropped extension and regretted it big time. =O

 

[annabackwards]

Keep extension maths! Drop biology next year.

Although, I'm only saying that because I dropped extension and regretted it big time. =O

Despite being also biased towards maths, i have heard that the bio yr 12 content is much more interesting and the OP is only doing 2U maths, not 3U extension XD

 

[daniieee]

Despite being also biased towards maths, i have heard that the bio yr 12 content is much more interesting and the OP is only doing 2U maths, not 3U extension XD

I.. knew that. =]

 

[duckcowhybrid]

I probably wouldn't drop Maths, it's fairly useful for uni. Honestly in Maths, don't try understanding it, it doesnt work. Instead take every formula you learn as granted, memorize how to prove it and memorize all the formulas. THen do a few past papers so you know where to apply them. And that's basically it. I don't think there's a single 2U topic where this doesn't apply. And soon enough Maths will become easy and fun. This time last year I was considering 2U Maths. Now I'm going to do 4U next year.

 

[vshaf22]

Just wondering how maths is useful for uni?
Even if I don't want to do anything maths related?

 

[astroe]

Maths is in a prerequisite for a lot of the courses, I agree, I held onto it for this reason.
The thing is, I'm happy that I have SOME familiarity with it, but I dropped it because the marks were shithouse.

Theres no point in thinking about what course to get into if my marks won't even get me there. I took it one step at a time, and in an effort to maximise my ATAR in the end, I dropped it.
You can do bridging courses anyway, which I'm happy to do should I choose a course with a maths prerequisite.



TBH, I felt pretty shit dropping maths. I was denied entry into 3U at the start of Year 11 which really made me cut, and dropping it in Term 2 was like "Argh, I'm a failure, an Asian not doing maths?!"
I got over it quickly and I'm happier in the end of it. And I did try to work on maths. Tutor, everything. I worked my ass to no avail.

Although you need to look at the big picture, take one step at a time.

 

[annabackwards]

Maths is in a prerequisite for a lot of the courses, I agree, I held onto it for this reason.
The thing is, I'm happy that I have SOME familiarity with it, but I dropped it because the marks were shithouse.

Theres no point in thinking about what course to get into if my marks won't even get me there. I took it one step at a time, and in an effort to maximise my ATAR in the end, I dropped it.
You can do bridging courses anyway, which I'm happy to do should I choose a course with a maths prerequisite.



TBH, I felt pretty shit dropping maths. I was denied entry into 3U at the start of Year 11 which really made me cut, and dropping it in Term 2 was like "Argh, I'm a failure, an Asian not doing maths?!"
I got over it quickly and I'm happier in the end of it. And I did try to work on maths. Tutor, everything. I worked my ass to no avail.

Although you need to look at the big picture, take one step at a time.

Bahahahaha XD

 

[alcalder]

Hey Vanessa. Well, I agree that it is probably wise to make sure you are doing 12 Units going into Year 12. Then a whole subject will count for nothing in the ATAR (I assume they still calculate it on your best 10 units).

But I would go with the dropping maths options, keeping bio and picking up 4U English.

No point continuing with a course that you are already failing. Maths builds on itself and if you can't pass the course content that is the basis for the Year 12 content, then you will struggle much much more to keep up.

Bio is pretty much more of the same. It's familiar and everyday stuff that you live with (we all have a body and see the world around us) so I would stick with that. If you did do a bio type course at Uni, though, you would need Chemistry, because the two DO go hand in hand at Uni.

In terms of answering those linking type questions - since you are good at English, then you should be able to work on that because that is not a numerical skill. To help you with that: when you study, mind map and make the links as you go.

It's only Year 11 and you have a lot of time to think about your Ext 2 English project, so start thinking now. Take that course and you can always drop back to 11 Units, if you need to. There are various options for major works, so it may be worth a conversation with the Ext 2 English teacher about where your strengths lie.

If you end up needing maths as a pre-requisite, do the bridging course. You will only be doing one course, you can concentrate on it better and you will probably find you will understand it better without the extra stress of everything else going on in your life with the HSC.

But in the end, you have to make the decision, feel comfortable with it and enjoy your last year at school. That's the most important thing. Don't focus on the number at the end. Be pleasantly surprised by the outcome and just do your best. No one can or should expect anything more of you.

Hope that helps.

 

[Deer]

Hmm,
I actually recommend 10 units, but that's just me.

I am also dropping maths next year, because I'm the same. I do try very very hard but I'm just not mathematically minded so I only end up with mediocre marks when my studying should result in much more... Therefore I dont enjoy it... Therefore I am dropping!! Seriously I couldnt take it for another year!

I do bio now and I'm doing it next year. I think it gets much better next year so I'd stick with it (well this is just what I'd do),

Aaaaand pick up Ex2 English!! Like me! XD Or maybe ex2+historyext and if you can handle both then drop one,,, .. hmm,
goodluck XD

 

[fuzzy09]

Hey, I'm Vanessa. I'm in year 11
Right now I'm doing English Extension, Modern History, Society and Culture, Biology, Economics and Maths (2 Unit).

So...I'm doing 13 units now and I want to drop either Maths or Bio for year 12....ok so in Maths, I'm failing..and although I do try and put in effort, I still find it really difficult and time consuming.

Biology...well I'm not fantastic at it but I'm not failing it and when I do put in the effort, I can get pretty good marks..but the thing is I'm not a very "logical" and "scientific" thinker. I'm bad at making the links with biology when there are hard scientific questions..also whenever chemistry is involved (not very much) I have a lot of difficulty.

I can drop both of them If I pick up extension english 2 or history extension, though I've heard history extension is for those who absolutely love history and are really good at it, well I'm quite good at it but I'm not sure If I'd be able to handle history extension...:S

Then, there's English Extension 2....it could be really fun and I'm prepared to put in the work...but I haven't exactly thought of a major work yet... I can't work a video recorder, lol well i can but not very well..and I'm not brilliant at story writing....is there anything else I could do?????

So....If I dropped Maths and Bio...I'd be doing 4 Unit English, Modern History, Society and Culture and Economics!!! Looks pretty good What do you guys think??? Or should I keep Biology and pick up English Extension 2 , see what the HSC course is like...so I'm not "trapped" with 10 units???

So....my problem is that I'm not sure what I want to do when I finish school...university is a must..though I'm not sure what course...my ATAR aim is roughly over 93 I don't know what I want to do, but i know I don't want to do anything mathematical i.e. accounting etc. and I wouldn't want to do anything extremely biological, perhaps, just a little bit...if there's some job which only has a little of bio but no chem or physics

( P.S. I've noticed there are heaps of courses with Assumed Knowledge for Mathematics!!!!! Are bridging courses optional or compulsory?)

Thanks so much for reading my several paragraphs!!! Please leave a comment as obviously, I need some help!!!!!!!!

mate i strongly suggest you only do 10 units
when you get to the end like me, you realise the extra units are fuking useless because you already know what subjects you are good/shit at
you might as well drop the shit subjects and keep your good ones

my biggest regret is putting too much on my plate, caz in the end it aint worth it, just those 10 units... thats it

if you know what subjects you are good at and they make up 10 units altogether drop the ones you are bad at or unsure of because when your nearing the hsc like me, you can focus on only 5 subject and totally ace it

 

[vshaf22]

Thanks for the advice everyone!:blah: