school forcing me to drop a subject

[strawberries]

Hi guys,

I'm in Year 12 and I did 2 Unit 3/4 subjects last year, and this year I am doing 5 Unit 3/4 subjects. Our co-ordinator just told me that I must drop one of my subjects this year due to the fact that I did two 3/4 subjects last year - hence, I'm only allowed to do 6 VCE subjects in total as it's a school rule that we cannot do 7+ VCE subjects.

First of all, it's Term 2 already. I've been attending classes, doing SACs and studying/working on each of my subjects. And to tell me what you can't enrol me in an extra subject???

All the 'higher authority' teachers at my school have strictly enforced this rule onto me and all have told me. So I can't really speak to any other teacher who would make a difference. I feel that this is just unfair because I have 'wasted' my effort on doing a subject which I'm not even allowed to sit an exam for??
It's not against VCAA rules anyway. I know many people from other schools do 7/8 subjects???

I really don't know what I should do

Thanks in advance

PS. My parents are not supportive of me doing 5 subjects this year, they only wish I did 4 but they bought my textbooks and everything and such. So they'd be reluctant to complain

[wunderkind52]

Hi guys,

I'm in Year 12 and I did 2 Unit 3/4 subjects last year, and this year I am doing 5 Unit 3/4 subjects. Our co-ordinator just told me that I must drop one of my subjects this year due to the fact that I've did two 3/4 subjects last year - hence, I'm only allowed to do 6 VCE subjects in total as it's a school rule that we cannot do 7+ VCE subjects.

First of all, it's Term 2 already. I've been attending classes, doing SACs and studying/working on each of my subjects. And to tell me what you can't enrol me in an extra subject???

All the 'higher authority' teachers at my school have strictly enforced this rule onto me and all have told me. So I can't really speak to any other teacher who would make a difference. I feel that this is just unfair because I have 'wasted' my effort on doing a subject which I'm not even allowed to sit an exam for??
It's not against VCAA rules anyway. I know many people from other schools do 7/8 subjects???

I really don't know what I should do

Thanks in advance

PS. My parents are not supportive of me doing 5 subjects this year, they only wish I did 4 but they bought my textbooks and everything and such. So they'd be reluctant to complain

That's preposterous in my opinion. As you said, we just started Term 2. Is there any reason why they did not tell you before?

[strawberries]

That's preposterous in my opinion. As you said, we just started Term 2. Is there any reason why they did not tell you before?

There's a completely different teacher who's in charge of making the timetables, allocating classes and such. That teacher doesn't really get a say in what subjects students can do as they do not know our back story.

I'm not too sure but I think sometime this term our VCE co-ordinators enrol us in our subjects??

[TheAspiringDoc]

Agreed. Preposterous.
However - If they are going to actively prevent you from doing the extra subject, it might be worth conceding. It will give you more time to focus on your other four and will keep your relationship with your teachers more positive.
In the end of the day, it's your decision and my main piece of advice would be to see the light side of the situation - however hard that may be to find.
P.S. what subjects are you doing?

[Orb]

Hi guys,

I'm in Year 12 and I did 2 Unit 3/4 subjects last year, and this year I am doing 5 Unit 3/4 subjects. Our co-ordinator just told me that I must drop one of my subjects this year due to the fact that I did two 3/4 subjects last year - hence, I'm only allowed to do 6 VCE subjects in total as it's a school rule that we cannot do 7+ VCE subjects.

First of all, it's Term 2 already. I've been attending classes, doing SACs and studying/working on each of my subjects. And to tell me what you can't enrol me in an extra subject???

All the 'higher authority' teachers at my school have strictly enforced this rule onto me and all have told me. So I can't really speak to any other teacher who would make a difference. I feel that this is just unfair because I have 'wasted' my effort on doing a subject which I'm not even allowed to sit an exam for??
It's not against VCAA rules anyway. I know many people from other schools do 7/8 subjects???

I really don't know what I should do

Thanks in advance

PS. My parents are not supportive of me doing 5 subjects this year, they only wish I did 4 but they bought my textbooks and everything and such. So they'd be reluctant to complain

It seems to me all your school wants to do is make students maximise ATAR and reduce workloads. So many schools (mine included) take the opposite approach, encouraging all of us not to slack off and pursue a variety of different subjects (i'm the laziest one in the system).

Bad luck
(you gotta say that the system works though) :/

[sjayne]

That's ridiculous. They should have told you at the start of the year. You could always get your parents in to complain?? (not ideal but it might work)

I had the opposite problem, wasn't allowed to drop to 4 subjects. But yes. They can do that.

[strawberries]

Agreed. Preposterous.
However - If they are going to actively prevent you from doing the extra subject, it might be worth conceding. It will give you more time to focus on your other four and will keep your relationship with your teachers more positive.
In the end of the day, it's your decision and my main piece of advice would be to see the light side of the situation - however hard that may be to find.
P.S. what subjects are you doing?

I feel like I've wasted effort already studying for a subject if I'm not gonna sit it on the exam

It seems to me all your school wants to do is make students maximise ATAR and reduce workloads. So many schools (mine included) take the opposite approach, encouraging all of us not to slack off and pursue a variety of different subjects (i'm the laziest one in the system).

Bad luck
(you gotta say that the system works though) :/

I know right! Seems like my school is the only one who does this
It should be up to the students in what they wanna do

That's ridiculous. They should have told you at the start of the year. You could always get your parents in to complain?? (not ideal but it might work)

I had the opposite problem, wasn't allowed to drop to 4 subjects. But yes. They can do that.

Yeah parents won't support me though haha I don't even know who they'd complain to.
And plus, I mentioned above that it was a different teacher organizing the subject/class/timetable allocation so yeah that teacher has no say in it and just puts kids in wherever.

The people who did one 3/4 subject last year are allowed to do 5 this year though...

Why do you say they can do that though? Because of some stupid rule which they invented?

[Aaron]

They can since they administer the VCE on behalf of VCAA. I do agree however that it should've been made clear (or it should be) in writing.

You can also argue that since it's already Term 2 (and considering they have not made you aware of this earlier - they have had essentially the entire term to notify you about this but haven't), you should be allowed to continue. In some sense it's their stuffup that they allowed you to enrol in 7 overall in the first place.

[grannysmith]

In some sense it's their stuffup that they allowed you to enrol in 7 overall in the first place.

[strawberries]

Yeah, I guess I'm just mainly saying it's kinda a stupid rule not to allow students to do more subjects

[MagicGecko]

Well if its the school rules then I guess you can't do anything about it :/
Well, I guess its not that bad since you already did two 3/4 subejcts last year. At my highschool students were only permitted to study 5 subjects only and the option of a 6th subject (psychology) was only offered to the elite which is total garbage in my opinion. But yeah, can't really do much. I guess now you can direct more strength to your remaining 4 subjects. Good luck 

[meganrobyn]

If you *really* want you could look into external enrolment and continue by yourself - perhaps the teacher will be okay with you unofficially sitting in on the class. I know the 27 April is an important deadline date for VCAA enrolment - not sure on the details, though. Could be relevant.

Providing it doesn't disadvantage your other subjects, of course - but being busier doesn't disadvantage everyone.

[strawberries]

If you *really* want you could look into external enrolment and continue by yourself - perhaps the teacher will be okay with you unofficially sitting in on the class. I know the 27 April is an important deadline date for VCAA enrolment - not sure on the details, though. Could be relevant.

Providing it doesn't disadvantage your other subjects, of course - but being busier doesn't disadvantage everyone.

one of mine IS already taken externally and that's the problem. And they are forcing me to drop the external one.

My peers who did zero/one 3/4 subject last year are allowed to do 5 and that's totally unfair.

[M_BONG]

Wait wth they can't make you drop an external unit that you are doing outside your current school (assuming that's what you mean). That's plain unfair because your school only has control over the units you do within that school - not the units you do outside o_O Correct me if I am wrong anyone?

[keltingmeith]

Wait wth they can't make you drop an external unit that you are doing outside your current school (assuming that's what you mean). That's plain unfair because your school only has control over the units you do within that school - not the units you do outside o_O Correct me if I am wrong anyone?

I have been in this situation, and they can actively make things difficult for you by applying social pressures.