Dedicating your life to VCE...a good idea?

[Greggler]

Exactly.
As andrew pretty much said. My approach to Yr 12 is that it will be one year of sacrifice to enable me to get where i want to go in the future.
I of course wont be spending every minute of my life pouring over my textbooks, but 'no pain no gain' hehehehee

[appianway]

In response to your question, no. Absolutely no.

I'm in the same year as you, and although I need to get 99+ to get into my course (and I'd like to get higher to have a chance at a decent scholarship), I'm not going to solely focus on my grades. You need a balance; you need to maintain your mental and physical health. Your ENTER really isn't everything, and it's largely determined by how you go on the day of your exams. I'd hate to devote a year to study and then make some careless mistakes on my exams...

Next year, I plan on being really involved in my school's extracurricular program, seeing as it's the last chance I'll get. I'll be involved in the school leadership team (which is actually really large, and my position's not exceptionally major, but it's important to me), I'll be co-president of a leadership group, I'll hopefully be concertmaster of my school orchestra again (provided it doesn't clash with UMEP physics), I'll lead our senior strings and quartet, I'll be in science club, I'll complete the Olympiad Physics work before the Final Selection Exam, I'll probably enter a few competitions, I might take up a competitive sport, maybe I'll finally sit my LMus, I'll (hopefully) be in the MYO, I might conduct my house's chorals, I'll probably end up doing quite a few concerts, I'll try and organise some fundraisers for indigenous literacy foundations and I might do debating again. This is probably somewhat excessive, and some of my friends have expressed concern that I'm taking on too much. But you know what? I really don't care. I think that it's important to be a person beyond your scholastic pursuits, and I'd like to get in touch with people out there, make new friends and learn... from the myriad of opportunities that present themselves to us in our last year of school.

[ninwa]

If you could relive your life knowing what you know now would you dedicate your life to VCE or learning at the very least?

I see VCE and learning as separate things. You don't need VCE to learn, and you don't necessarily learn in VCE. I don't remember most of the stuff I learned in VCE (um... I know the first 10 chemical elements, how to spell chlorophyll, and the author of 1984...) My fondest memories are of my extra-curricular activities, of friendships formed, life lessons learned, things that made me grow as a person.

Plus in about a year after your VCE, your ENTER won't matter shit to you. I keep forgetting my ENTER and study scores because I don't care anymore, and that's the case with almost every person I know now. So no thank you, I would not waste 2 or 3 years of my life on 4 numbers which lose all meaning half a year later. Not even if you paid me.

[EvangelionZeta]

I'd like to triply emphasise what appianway and ninwa have both alluded to.  I similarly need 99+ for my desired course (and higher for a scholarship), but I've also accepted several senior positions in the school next year, including several captaincies which I am now tied down and committed to.  Not only that, but I plan on continuing participation in all of my beloved performing arts, in spite of their obscene time commitments. 

I'm also going to, more than ever before, acknowledge my friends and cherish the last moments of high school.  I'm going to try and get the know everyone who I haven't known over the years, and I plan on having a great time socially.

Why?

Because life is too short to waste over just studying for two years.  I shudder to think of how doing that would kill my humanity, too.

Be human.  Don't kill yourself over VCE.  (:

[Greggler]

I like the "no pain no gain" !
But that's what it's about.

pretty much just saying that in my mind i think i've got to put in the hard yards now for something that i really want.
But that by no means, as i mentioned before, destroying my social life in order to do so

[appianway]

Life is too short to waste over just studying for two years.  I shudder to think of how doing that would kill my humanity, too.

Be human.  Don't kill yourself over VCE.  (:

Completely, completely agree.

And you know what? If I don't manage to get into my desired course with a scholarship (PhB Science at ANU), it's not going to be the end of the world. I'd much rather relish my final moments of high school and make a tangible contribution to my community.

Some things are, quite simply, just so much more important than grades.

[kenhung123]

If you could relive your life knowing what you know now would you dedicate your life to VCE or learning at the very least?

I see VCE and learning as separate things. You don't need VCE to learn, and you don't necessarily learn in VCE. I don't remember most of the stuff I learned in VCE (um... I know the first 10 chemical elements, how to spell chlorophyll, and the author of 1984...) My fondest memories are of my extra-curricular activities, of friendships formed, life lessons learned, things that made me grow as a person.

Plus in about a year after your VCE, your ENTER won't matter shit to you. I keep forgetting my ENTER and study scores because I don't care anymore, and that's the case with almost every person I know now. So no thank you, I would not waste 2 or 3 years of my life on 4 numbers which lose all meaning half a year later. Not even if you paid me.

Is it possible to transfer after doing a related course for 1 semester when obtaining good scores?

[ninwa]

Yes. Generally a distinction average is sufficient.

Some courses I think require you to have done a year, though.

[kenhung123]

Depends if you have much a social life in the first place. Some people don't and just studying fills in their gaps.

[Glockmeister]

Here's the thing ladies and gentleman... when it comes time to get a job (a real one, not working at Safeway job), the amount of line that you would dedicate to your VCE results would probably total to one line.

As for not being pushed... you're not kids any more. Presumately, you should be wanting to do the VCE and that in itself should be enough to motivate you (in a global sense, there's obviously going to be days where you feel down and out).

[periwinkle]

I recall (yet again) this post from a girl at another online community

"On finishing …

For all those about to embark on the path that is year 12, I offer my advice. It is only to say that there are many ways to seemingly succeed in life. There are hundreds of emotions that may drive you to work this year. Jealousy, fear, passion, competition…all can drive us to push our limits, to become more than we once were. Some may believe that a high ENTER is in itself an achievement. But we must ask ourselves: what is success? It is simply the attainment of our goals. What fuels our goals? Are we simply led to seek excellence in VCE by a fear of failure, a desire to triumph against our foes or something else?

If our dreams are not founded on true passion, then success can only be hollow. The relief in realising one’s parents’ dreams can never compare to the thrill of realising our own desires. The relief in becoming the best does not bring happiness.

As you embark on year 12, I ask you to no longer think of what you want to achieve this year, but why you want to achieve it. A high ENTER is in itself but a small tool in the journey of life.

This year, do not waste hours procrastinating over homework, avoiding obligations. Spend these hours finding your passion. Let it drive you to work, to realise your own dream. Let the VCE become but a stepping stone to your dream, and not a dream in itself. Excellent results can and will unlock doors. Do you want these doors unlocked? Where do you want to go in life? It is very easy to aim for a number, but following a dream takes true courage.

Do not be afraid of failure in the eyes of others. Real failure is a life wasted in fear, in missed opportunities, in regret.

Think of where you wish to be in 10 months time. What do you want? Don’t waste this year. Don’t waste your opportunity to prepare for a great future. Don’t waste your opportunity to live.

Remember that this year is but one year. The key to making it amazing is balance. How does each activity you do contribute to who you what to be? How does every hour you spend make you into the person you dream of being?

A part time job will look great on a resume, but don’t forget that employers like tertiary education. Studying may seem important now, but it is your friends that you will remember, and not how to write a text essay. Don’t forget your own health, both physical and emotional, in the quest for a ranking.

Someone once said that we should all dance through life. Dancing is fun, but not always easy. If you want a high ENTER there is but one very simple path. Hard work. Study consistently and you will succeed. But don’t lose sight of the bigger picture; find your passion, your dream. Otherwise the hard work will be futile, for no number can bring lasting joy. Happiness is found in friendships, in relationships, in realising our dreams. That is true success. Work hard and let the VCE help you achieve your dream career. Yet always remember that the true measure of a successful life is found, not in a ranking or a salary, but in your heart. You will find your success only in realising goals based on your own true dreams.

Find your passion and never let anyone dissuade you from realising it. The biggest challenge one faces in high school is in determining your true path and goals, not in their realisation. The only thing you should fear as you embark on the VCE is the fear of being yourselves. Be true. Grab life with both hands and live it, and let the VCE be but one of your successes in a wonderful 10 months."

[vexx]

^ wow... well said. thanks for posting that periwinkle

[TrueLight]

great post periwinkle

but those people who want the teachers to push you harder...oh just wait until you are in university
if you need teachers to push you im afraid you will not succeed if u go on to uni or anywhere else for that matter

[TrueLight]

at uni they give u the outline

they give u all the info you need to do the assessment and study for exam

but actually enforcing them, they don't ... they will tell u next week this assignment is due and thats it

[QuantumJG]

I recall (yet again) this post from a girl at another online community

"On finishing …

For all those about to embark on the path that is year 12, I offer my advice. It is only to say that there are many ways to seemingly succeed in life. There are hundreds of emotions that may drive you to work this year. Jealousy, fear, passion, competition…all can drive us to push our limits, to become more than we once were. Some may believe that a high ENTER is in itself an achievement. But we must ask ourselves: what is success? It is simply the attainment of our goals. What fuels our goals? Are we simply led to seek excellence in VCE by a fear of failure, a desire to triumph against our foes or something else?

If our dreams are not founded on true passion, then success can only be hollow. The relief in realising one’s parents’ dreams can never compare to the thrill of realising our own desires. The relief in becoming the best does not bring happiness.

As you embark on year 12, I ask you to no longer think of what you want to achieve this year, but why you want to achieve it. A high ENTER is in itself but a small tool in the journey of life.

This year, do not waste hours procrastinating over homework, avoiding obligations. Spend these hours finding your passion. Let it drive you to work, to realise your own dream. Let the VCE become but a stepping stone to your dream, and not a dream in itself. Excellent results can and will unlock doors. Do you want these doors unlocked? Where do you want to go in life? It is very easy to aim for a number, but following a dream takes true courage.

Do not be afraid of failure in the eyes of others. Real failure is a life wasted in fear, in missed opportunities, in regret.

Think of where you wish to be in 10 months time. What do you want? Don’t waste this year. Don’t waste your opportunity to prepare for a great future. Don’t waste your opportunity to live.

Remember that this year is but one year. The key to making it amazing is balance. How does each activity you do contribute to who you what to be? How does every hour you spend make you into the person you dream of being?

A part time job will look great on a resume, but don’t forget that employers like tertiary education. Studying may seem important now, but it is your friends that you will remember, and not how to write a text essay. Don’t forget your own health, both physical and emotional, in the quest for a ranking.

Someone once said that we should all dance through life. Dancing is fun, but not always easy. If you want a high ENTER there is but one very simple path. Hard work. Study consistently and you will succeed. But don’t lose sight of the bigger picture; find your passion, your dream. Otherwise the hard work will be futile, for no number can bring lasting joy. Happiness is found in friendships, in relationships, in realising our dreams. That is true success. Work hard and let the VCE help you achieve your dream career. Yet always remember that the true measure of a successful life is found, not in a ranking or a salary, but in your heart. You will find your success only in realising goals based on your own true dreams.

Find your passion and never let anyone dissuade you from realising it. The biggest challenge one faces in high school is in determining your true path and goals, not in their realisation. The only thing you should fear as you embark on the VCE is the fear of being yourselves. Be true. Grab life with both hands and live it, and let the VCE be but one of your successes in a wonderful 10 months."

This is really good. Every student starting year 12 should read this.