Hopeless in my 5th subject

[aydee]

Hey guys kinda new to this forum, been looking around but I haven't seen anyone with the same problem as I have...
I'm currently in Year 12 doing 5 VCE subjects Units 3-4

I'm hopeless at my 5th subject, I don't know the basics, completely slacked off in units 1 and 2. Thought I would be able to catch up on the basics during the summer holidays realized it was to time consuming and I had no idea what I was doing.
At this time in point time I just left my 5th subject hanging at the back of my head and never put any studies to it.

My subject are:
English Language
Maths Further
Maths Methods
Accounting
Chemistry

As you can see my 5th subject is Chemistry, I know that the ATAR is calculated by your top 4 subjects and 10% of your 5th or 6th subject but my question is: What would happen if I fail my 5th subject would it have a major effect on my ATAR, for example doing horrible in your SACS and Exams and pulling off a study score of 10-15 study score...

Also I want to archive a ATAR of 85+, so I'm guessing if I want to pull off a score like that I need to study really hard with my top 4 subjects?

Sometimes I question myself before I sleep "What am I doing with my life"(not trying to sound dramatic) to put myself in this situation.

Thanks

[michak]

Hey I had kinda the same problem as you, except my subject was methods. Hated it, have no idea why I continued it into year 12.
Basically I did no work for teh subject whats so ever, except going to class.
Managed to get 25 which too me is pretty good considering I didn't do one of the exams. Btw I got a 25 with 3 D's.

My reasoning to myself was that I know I have no chance in this subject, so I neglected it and worked on my other subjects instead, which I knew I had a better chance of increasing my study score.
Also it did help that a did a 3/4 in year 11.
Did you do a 3/4 in year 11?

It is hard just knowing you are neglecting a subject but for me it was a calculated decision.

No matter how many subjects you do you are going to have to work hard. Just do the work, get help from your teachers as soon as can when you don't understand something and ask questions here on AN.
everyone here is very helpful and want to help others achieve to the best of their ability.

[aydee]

I didn't do a units 3 & 4 in year 11 which puts me in a disadvantage.  So I'm guessing I should just study my top 4 subjects because if I do try study chemistry I'm to behind in school work and also the basic knowledge and it would take up to much time to study for my other subjects. Therefore my end result will be just made up of the top 4 marks.

What would happen if I do fail the subject like get a N? Would there be any penalties towards my ATAR?

[michak]

I didn't do a units 3 & 4 in year 11 which puts me in a disadvantage.  So I'm guessing I should just study my top 4 subjects because if I do try study chemistry I'm to behind in school work and also the basic knowledge and it would take up to much time to study for my other subjects. Therefore my end result will be just made up of the top 4 marks.

What would happen if I do fail the subject like get a N? Would there be any penalties towards my ATAR?

Yeah thats the decision you need to make, sucks that you dont have the back uo of already having a subject finished.

I am not 100% sure in turns of failing a subject, but I don't think you can fail per say, you just get a low study score.
Dont quote me on this though, not entirely sure.

IMO if you think study for chem is a waste of time and just inhibiting you from doing better in the subjects you know you can do well in, persoanlly i would do the bare min for chem.

[brenden]

If you failed a SAC and any redemption task you were given, you'd receive an N on your certificate of VCE and technically fail the subject. There would be no penalty. If you passed all SACs and got 1 mark on the exam, you've passed the subject and you'll get a horribly shitty study score. Let's say you work really hard and get above 36 scaled for your top 4... If you got a 3.5 scaled for Chem, you get 3.5 onto your aggregate. But if you get 15 scaled for Chem? 1.5 onto your aggregate. So we see here, that twenty points of effort gives you an extra two points than what would have been. In your situation I would ask to be unenrolled in Chemistry for Unit 4, so you would be credited an S for U3, and there will be no N on your record. Then take the free periods and study in them. Lets take our above hypothetical and instead of getting 36 scaled in everything, move it to 37. That's .5 onto your aggregate than would have been anyway.
NB: only do this if you won't fuck up and you'll use your time efficiently. Also has the advantage of more concentrated exam revision.

[pi]

If you failed a SAC and any redemption task you were given, you'd receive an N on your certificate of VCE and technically fail the subject.

Just out of curiosity, does this happen much? Because I know a couple of guys in my English class failed a SAC (for reasons I won't go into) but they still got study scores (they got a straight 0 for that SAC for undisclosed reasons)?

[Professor Polonsky]

How does one even fail a SAC, other than by the school's own initiative? I'm not aware of any minimum mark requirements by VCAA (which would obviously be unfair as the difficulty of SACs vary)

[brenden]

Just out of curiosity, does this happen much? Because I know a couple of guys in my English class failed a SAC (for reasons I won't go into) but they still got study scores (they got a straight 0 for that SAC for undisclosed reasons)?

Not unless you went to a sadistic school. As Polonius says, you could technically receive a satisfactory and get zero marks on a SAC assessment task. I never received an 'N' for Psychology in 2011, it just never appeared on my certificate because my coordinator told VCAA I was never in the class. It would be utilised more as a punishment than as a reflection of your effort etc.

[Dayman]

get tutor for chem.

[BoredSatan]

im pretty sure if you attend the sac then you will still get an S. You only get an N if you don't go to the SAC and have no reason as to why you didn't show up.

[spectroscopy]

does this mean that for my methods sac on wednesday if i get 10% and fail the redemption too ill get an S? or does this stuff only apply to unit 3&4

[Professor Polonsky]

That depends on internal school policy, I think. It can set its own standards for Units 1/2 and the results it reports to VCAA. And the school could still let you enroll in the 3/4 even if you didn't do so well in the 1/2 - I didn't do Unit 2 Methods or Hebrew at all.

[lala1911]

It will hardly have an effect on your study score. Scoring for example 20 study score for chemistry may improve your ATAR by like 1 or 2 marks, which isn't all that much, so don't worry about it although if you actually think about it, it may come in handy since your ATAR goal is 85 it is quite easy to fall 2 points off your goal. I also have a 5th subject which I have no intentions on studying hard for.

Also what Brendinkles said above, you can just drop the subject and make good use of the (3-4) spare sessions you have which can come in handy.

In my opinion, I'd just stay in the class for the bonus one or two ATAR points. It's not like you're putting in any time and effort into it really, just do the bare minimum, try score 20-30% or so and accept a study score of 20.