My year 12 subject selection dilemma.

[Hutchoo]

I have course counselling tomorrow at school and I'm still confused as to whether or not I should drop physics.

So, right now I'm doing:

• English Language
• Chemistry
• GMA
• Methods
• Physics
• Economics [3/4]

I plan to continue with all of these subjects... but I don't know if I should drop physics and pick up a uni enhancement subject (maths) next year.

I like maths, but I don't know if doing a UMEP/MUEP (assuming I'll be accepted) will put me at a huge disadvantage. Due to next years changes, getting a 5.0 will be a lot harder and I'm not entirely sure if I should take up a subject like UMEP/MUEP maths. I know uni maths will be a tough slog, but I'm really interested in mathematics and love almost everything about it (excluding everything in  further maths  *shivers*). Physics is a different story. I find it boring and I have no intentions of doing a course that involves physics (engineering etc) at university. My class has already finished most of motion/energy/Newtons laws this semester, and I'm not finding any of it engaging. 

What are your thoughts?


P.S.
If you're wondering about my scores for methods/GMA, they're okay, mostly A+
As for uni courses, I'm looking towards something with commerce/mathematics (actuarial/commerce+sci).

Thank you!

[Lasercookie]

Physics is a different story. I find it boring and I have no intentions of doing a course that involves physics (engineering etc) at university. My class has already finished most of motion/energy/Newtons laws this semester, and I'm not finding any of it engaging. 

The general rule I follow is that I only pick subjects I enjoy and am willing to put in the effort.

I can really only talk for physics, but you'll probably hate Unit 3 if you don't enjoy motion already. Relativity was good fun, best part of the physics course, but most schools pick S&M for the detailed study, so that's more motion-type stuff. Electronics & Photonics was extremely lightweight area of study.

I'm assuming you'll be doing spesh, as you're doing GMA this year? Specialist will probably give you a more enjoyable experience with motion - as the problems are a bit more complex than the lame VCE physics stuff. Unit 3 motion does go a bit beyond Unit 2 (projectile, circular, gravitational motion), but still pretty toned down stuff. I do think that it's the VCE physics course making it boring, keeping the mathematics simple, having to revise thoroughly to ace the exam. I find motion a lot more interesting when I'm not bound by what we have to do in the classroom - in the middle of year 12 you'd probably not have as much time to waste on stuff like that (or seeing as you said you don't find the subject interesting, you might not bother with it).

Unit 4 I find more interesting (especially the light and matter stuff), I don't know if you will though. Most people seem to hate it.

Physics does require a bit of effort and if you're not willing to put that in, you might not get as much out of it. Uni maths seems 100x more interesting though. I would think more interesting is really what matters. If you find a subject more interesting and enjoyable, you'll put more effort in which would (hopefully) result in better grades.

It wouldn't be worth doing physics if your only reason was to get a high score. The same thing would go for uni maths.

I guess that Mark Twain quote would be appropriate: "I never let my schooling interfere with my education"

[Eriny]

It seems to me that you should do the subject you find most interesting of the two, which to me sounds like uni maths. Sure, getting a 5.0 would be harder, but you probably have a better chance of doing well in a subject you like than one that bores you.

[pi]

Drop physics if you find it boring, because it doesn't get much better imo.

Personally, I WISH I had done uni maths instead of physics, even if I couldn't manage a 5.0, at least I would be interested.

[Hutchoo]

I really appreciate all of your of your comments, it actually helped a lot

Hmm, I would love to do uni maths, but I don't know if I'm actually ABLE (report wise) to get in? Both uni subjects (MUEP/UMEP) require you to have an A+/A average for methods/GMA and B+ across all other subjects. I have the B+ average across all subjects, but I don't have that A/A+ average for methods/GMA. My maths teachers are the ones to do the almighty "C/C/C/C/C/C/C" on your report.. even the guy who got 100% on the exam got all C's. This totally RUINS my average. What can I do :/?

[EvangelionZeta]

Write a note explaining your teacher perhaps, but you'll definitely get into at least Monash.  Monash's acceptance rate is...very flexible, to say the least. 

[Hutchoo]

I'd be over the moon if I can get accepted .

Also, I'll PM you about the MUEP Philosophy questions! Sorry for forgetting :/ I've been bombarded with Economics SACs.

[funkyducky]

I chose to drop physics in favour of uni maths,
Best decision ever. It is now my favourite subject, I have less of a workload to worry about and it is just all-round awesome.

[VikaJigulina03]

What did you get on your methods mid year exam?

[Hutchoo]

What did you get on your methods mid year exam?

There's actually a long story behind this :/

When I sat down to do my methods exam, the papers were already on the desks face down. We are given strict instructions where to sit  during our exams (to make it as 3/4ish as possible?). Once everyone was asked to take a seat, reading time began; this wasn't a problem except for me =/  This was due to the fact that I had no exam on my desk :@ 

Long story short, I was given the CAS enabled exam after waiting about 15mins.. but that was then taken off me (even though I already started) as I wasn't supposed to be doing that one first.. meaning I had to wait another 5 or so minutes before I actually received the proper exam T_T.
This caused me to just pass the exam.. 

I received ~60% on the one that was given to me late (nonCAS) and ~80% on the CAS enabled exam.
AND YES, of course I asked a supervising teacher to get me a paper BEFORE reading time began, but that didn't work out as fast as I expected it to be.


Lol, (really average) government schools + organisation = fail. I told my methods teacher what happened and he just chuckled and said "Don't worry about it"  which made me want to Hulk smash some stuff.