Methods or further ?

[NK_13]

Hi Everyone
I’m currently in year 11 doing methods 1&2 and I’m not sure if I should drop to further maths next year. Most of my tests scores have been failed or around the 50% mark, however I am at a school which usually has difficult tests so I’m not sure how I am compared to the rest of the state. I have been told by my teacher that I‘m in the grey area for methods and need to push my mark up to do well in 3&4.

The only reason I’m doing methods is that it is a pre req for most courses in the health field and to keep my options open, but I am really disliking the subject and worried that I will find it difficult to balance with the rest of my subjects next year (English, chemistry, French, HHD), especially since I will be going in without a solid foundation.

Is it worth keeping methods or should I drop to further ? Thanks in advance

[Lear]

To be brutally honest with you, not doing methods severely limits you in terms of courses that you can apply for. Especially considering you want to keep your options open, in your position I would keep Methods. Even if you need to devote extra effort towards it for meeting course prerequisites next year it will ultimately likely be worth it.

[Aaron]

But at the same time... if you're already struggling with Methods.... I know there's time to sort it out but not doing Methods is not the end of the world - you can do bridging courses and subjects at uni.. perhaps for you, that might be all it takes.. completing the methods equivalent outside of the pressurised school environment.

You're going to get significantly skewed opinions here due to the vast majority having completed methods and favour it over Further. Obviously i'm not saying give up and ditch Methods, i'm just saying if you should feel that you can't continue.. it would only be a bump in the road to your future success.

Personally it took me until I left school to get my act together and focus - the adult environment may surprise you once you get there. I only did Further and sure it wasn't ideal, I was able to do the methods equivalent part-way through my course and had the option to transfer into my desired course (I opted to stay).

I would be having a chat with your family, teachers and career counsellor at your school - they are best informed to provide you with the advice you need based on your future career objectives, rather than a bunch of strangers who have zero context as to you, your objectives and current performance. Of course, if your future pathway requires methods as a uni prereq, then you'll have to weigh up whether you are OK with doing an extra subject (or additional time) at uni to cover the requirement as a bridging course/subject or whether you want to stay with methods.

If you dislike the subject and aren't doing well because of it - then I think you're already 50% there towards your decision.

[vceme]

Hey!
In my opinion, I think you should keep methods. Most courses require a minimum study score of 25, and I think that is achievable if you're in the 'grey area' for methods. I would suggest that you prioritise your other subjects, and do the minimum (including paying attention in class and doing all class work to the best of your ability) to achieve a study score that is enough to get through the course you want! Methods should therefore be your bottoms subject so it won't have that much of an affect on your ATAR