not allowed to do further :S

[charmanderp]

Slightly off-topic but there isn't really a 'dux of the state' title when it comes to VCE, at least not to my knowledge. The closest you could get is an ATAR of 99.95, 6 Premier's awards and an All Round Achiever award, and even then no one would give a shit. The fact that you have to do spesh or a language to get 99.95 means that in most cases getting a 99.90 or 99.85 is equally impressive, and sometimes even more so.

And yeah, you need to flat out tell your parents that your say about your own life is final. Getting 99.95, while impressive, is a superficial achievement, what you do in the few years after VCE will define who you are, and you need to set a precedent for individuality now.

[pi]

I think "Dux of state" refers to the dude with the highest aggregate (not an official title as you said), so it was a MGS student this year

[thushan]

Slightly off-topic but there isn't really a 'dux of the state' title when it comes to VCE, at least not to my knowledge. The closest you could get is an ATAR of 99.95, 6 Premier's awards and an All Round Achiever award and even then no one would give a shit. The fact that you have to do spesh or a language to get 99.95 means that in most cases getting a 99.90 or 99.85 is equally impressive and sometimes even more so.

And yeah, you need to flat out tell your parents that your say about your own life is final. Getting 99.95 while impressive is a superficial achievement, what you do in the few years after VCE will define who you are, and you need to set a precedent for individuality now.

Good point, but I have to say, flat out telling his parents that would be suicide. Seriously.

[KevinooBz]

Slightly off-topic but there isn't really a 'dux of the state' title when it comes to VCE, at least not to my knowledge. The closest you could get is an ATAR of 99.95, 6 Premier's awards and an All Round Achiever award and even then no one would give a shit. The fact that you have to do spesh or a language to get 99.95 means that in most cases getting a 99.90 or 99.85 is equally impressive and sometimes even more so.

And yeah, you need to flat out tell your parents that your say about your own life is final. Getting 99.95 while impressive is a superficial achievement, what you do in the few years after VCE will define who you are, and you need to set a precedent for individuality now.

Good point, but I have to say, flat out telling his parents that would be suicide. Seriously.

Vietnamese parents, he probably just wants to keep his parents happy.

[charmanderp]

I think "Dux of state" refers to the dude with the highest aggregate (not an official title as you said), so it was a MGS student this year

I don't think he got a 50, from memory, haha. Damn that scaling!

[charmanderp]

Slightly off-topic but there isn't really a 'dux of the state' title when it comes to VCE, at least not to my knowledge. The closest you could get is an ATAR of 99.95, 6 Premier's awards and an All Round Achiever award and even then no one would give a shit. The fact that you have to do spesh or a language to get 99.95 means that in most cases getting a 99.90 or 99.85 is equally impressive and sometimes even more so.

And yeah, you need to flat out tell your parents that your say about your own life is final. Getting 99.95 while impressive is a superficial achievement, what you do in the few years after VCE will define who you are, and you need to set a precedent for individuality now.

Good point, but I have to say, flat out telling his parents that would be suicide. Seriously.

Whilst that may be the case, the alternative would be not living your life at all. But I agree, going through a careers/guidance councilor or someone else that your parents respect would be the best method. Your brother needs to get his act together too.

[pi]

I think getting your brother involved on your behalf might help you, he doesn't seem to have you parents' strictness and maybe he could tone it down for them?

[pubsquash]

Good point, but I have to say, flat out telling his parents that would be suicide. Seriously.

I second that. Telling Asian parents ANYTHING that they don't want to hear is suicidal.

On a side note, a score of 42 is REALLY good cause from what I've seen, Vietnamese seems to be really competitive! There were quite a few Vietnamese students at my school who were BORN in Vietnam and had only lived in Australia for about a year and none of them got in the 40s! I guess you could say they had bad preparation but if I had the option, I would definitely choose ESL over mainstream English.

[nisha]

i've been in a similar situation to you except mine did not reflect subjects, but a particular relationship that I am not allowed to have. Everything you have described, mate, i've been there. Had that done to me. But in the end, I REALISED THAT IT WAS MY LIFE. I do the subjects that I like, and I like studying for. I do whatever I do, because I like it. And in the end, it brings not happiness, but self-satisfation. in myself. I have stood up to them, (my parents are extreme curry) and told them what I want, and that i dont give a shit, what they want for me, because it does not affect my decision. In the end, i put the results in. I was sick of the constant "taunting" as you said, and that I will fail VCE if I dont study for every second of the day. I'm so over it. I'm doing what I'm doing because I want it. In the end, if you stuff up, you did, you cant blame anyone else

[Special At Specialist]

It's hard because when you sign the form to change subjects, it requires parental permission and student permission. So unless you forge their signature (which I don't think you should do because it will only exacerbate things) then your only way out of this is to either:
1. Convince your parents yourself.
2. Get someone (such as a teacher) to convince your parents for you.

I would personally choose option 2 because it probably has the highest chance of success, but it is up to you. They are both good options.

If you want to convince your parents yourself, then here is my advice:
Start by only talking to one parent. Pick whoever seems the least harsh (eg. if your dad is the most strict and the most intent on making you do spec, then speak to your mum first).
Tell them that specialist maths is a very difficult subject and that you would do better in further. Talk about how scoring say a 40 in further maths is better than scoring a 20 in specialist. Then talk about how specialist maths isn't a prerequisite for anything (you can just do a bridging course for 6 months or so and you wouldn't have missed out on anything).
You can always resort to comparing your future job to their current job and showing them how hypocritical they are.

In the end, just remember: once you become an adult and leave the house, then your life is in your hands. You are the one with the ultimate decision of what you do with your life. You may have little control over everything that happens in your childhood, but once you move out, you will be able to go back and pursue whatever interests you.

Good luck

[nacho]

That sounds like a nightmare, thank god my parents are not like that.
Try this if all else fails... or first, whatever!

You: "Parents, I have decided to be the mature one out of both of us, and discontinue with further, on ONE condition!''
Parents: "Go on.''
You: "You must watch this entire movie*, and by the end of it, if you still do not want me to do Further, I will obey your orders.''

* = 3 idiots --> great movie, you'll need subtitles for it which i can hook you up with, and it's all about close minded parents (who mean well) just like yours (no offence).
You should watch the movie with them, so that when you and your parents are both crying you bond emotionally. can hook you up with movie too.

But also man, it's not the end of the world even if you cant do further and they force you to do spesh.
You wont always be in control of things (such as now or car crashes or VCAA stuffing up a template in the Accounting exam) but give it a few years and your life is your own. As for now, just play the game as well as you can. what was that quote.. 'if you have a problem, and can solve it, there's no point in worrying. if you cant solve it, there's no use in worrying.'

Have u explained to them that:
- you don't need a 99.95 to get into med, and hence dont need to do spesh to get into med.
- if you find spesh overly difficult, compared to Further which is a breeze for you and you enjoy it, you will have to spend loads of time studying for it, which may take away time for other important subs like english leading to a lower ATAR result.
At which point they'll tell you to study harder, and you'll tell them that there's too much on your plate and you have to study for the UMAT too, which will make things literally impossible and then tell them to be realistic.

goodluck, if all else fails, remember its just a few more years, and you may even find yourself to enjoy spesh.
Personally not at all great at maths, and yet i still love it! (Doing a spesh bridging course in uni)

edit:
In regards to this:

Good point, but I have to say, flat out telling his parents that would be suicide. Seriously.

I second that. Telling Asian parents ANYTHING that they don't want to hear is suicidal.

I know where it's coming from, but i disagree.
Telling them at worst would be murder (them murdering you) but not saying anything will just not get you anywhere and is closer to suicide.

Lose(slight win)/Lose situation
I'd go with the Lose(slight win) any day

[pi]

"3 Idiots" is actually an amazing film (the related book is very good too, forgot the name though) Quite fitting actually!

[nacho]

just read this:

and teewreck, i could rebel, but at the end of the day, i need to come back home and i cant sway from what they say. even if i choose further against their wishes, they would taunt me saying 'youve flushed away your potential' and i would stuff up further as a result. and once ive gotten my atar, they'll say its cause i didnt do spech, not realising that it was their taunting that killed me, not my subject selection.

isn't that just great though? Do further against their wishes. As you go on you'll stop caring what they/other people think and as they'll eventually grow tired of pestering you.
Seriously no parent is going to bring up 'so... how's further going mr.no doctor?' every day. also you won't have flushed away your potential since you dont need a 99.95 to get into med.
But really, it's good you've identified the worst immediate consequence is only them pestering you. The whole 'im gonna fail further cause they annoyed me bla bla' won't even happen

good luck mann

[turtles1]

hey guys thanks for the input. I really appreciate it. Yeah ive watched 3 idiots before. my mums indian, so i noe hindi also. yeah i think ill wait till the end of this year, and try working on an epic speech (with tonnes of arguments and rebuttal points) ill try getting them to let me do spech. i think if i ball my eyes out and threaten to hurt myself (i would never do that, so dont worry) and try getting them to agree. or maybe a better way is to be mature, and let them noe that ive made a conscious and active decision to pick up further, and prove to them im smart enough to make decisions for myself.

Good point, but I have to say, flat out telling his parents that would be suicide. Seriously.

I second that. Telling Asian parents ANYTHING that they don't want to hear is suicidal.

On a side note, a score of 42 is REALLY good cause from what I've seen, Vietnamese seems to be really competitive! There were quite a few Vietnamese students at my school who were BORN in Vietnam and had only lived in Australia for about a year and none of them got in the 40s! I guess you could say they had bad preparation but if I had the option, I would definitely choose ESL over mainstream English.

not in their eyes. they expected 48-50. u couldve imagined the disappointment and the scoulding.

i've been in a similar situation to you except mine did not reflect subjects, but a particular relationship that I am not allowed to have. Everything you have described, mate, i've been there. Had that done to me. But in the end, I REALISED THAT IT WAS MY LIFE. I do the subjects that I like, and I like studying for. I do whatever I do, because I like it. And in the end, it brings not happiness, but self-satisfation. in myself. I have stood up to them, (my parents are extreme curry) and told them what I want, and that i dont give a shit, what they want for me, because it does not affect my decision. In the end, i put the results in. I was sick of the constant "taunting" as you said, and that I will fail VCE if I dont study for every second of the day. I'm so over it. I'm doing what I'm doing because I want it. In the end, if you stuff up, you did, you cant blame anyone else

ive had that as well...

just read this:

and teewreck, i could rebel, but at the end of the day, i need to come back home and i cant sway from what they say. even if i choose further against their wishes, they would taunt me saying 'youve flushed away your potential' and i would stuff up further as a result. and once ive gotten my atar, they'll say its cause i didnt do spech, not realising that it was their taunting that killed me, not my subject selection.

isn't that just great though? Do further against their wishes. As you go on you'll stop caring what they/other people think and as they'll eventually grow tired of pestering you.
Seriously no parent is going to bring up 'so... how's further going mr.no doctor?' every day. also you won't have flushed away your potential since you dont need a 99.95 to get into med.
But really, it's good you've identified the worst immediate consequence is only them pestering you. The whole 'im gonna fail further cause they annoyed me bla bla' won't even happen

good luck mann

thanks a heap man. really appreciate it. hey my brother always says stuff like that. he said that i dont DESERVE to do med, even if i get in, with anything less than a 99.5... i think his scores gotten to his head a little. He would never have done, as he calls them, 'retard subjects' like legal and further... and strongly disapproves of 95+ students doing them, which i think is utter nonsense considering a number of colleagues killed those subjects (48+)....
 and about the umat, im gonna flunk it on purpose so that i dont get med. i dont want to do it AT ALL!

[thushan]

woah man, i do not like your brother's attitude at all. so demeaning and judgemental of him.