Should I repeat VCE Biology 3/4?

[Jinju-san]

Hi everyone!
So I was in year 11 this year and completed bio 3/4 and further. I just received my biology study score this morning and I honestly thought it was okay (high 30s) but I know myself and I think I am capable of doing better.
I think I was more of an average student when it came to biology this year (GA 1: A, GA2: A+, GA3: A).
I haven’t even asked my parents or any of my older sisters about this yet, but I was considering repeating biology again next year so that I could potentially perform better..
I know it comes with a LOT of drawbacks. The study design obviously isn’t the same as this years cuz some topics were cut off. I would also be juggling spec, chemistry, English, and methods along with this and it might be challenging..

I have been thinking about this a lot since exams finished… I know I should be really proud of my result, and I am.. its just that I don’t think its fair on me to do a subject like this that I really enjoy and have a passion for and only perform subpar…

I also know that when it comes to learning new things, I tend to be a bit slow at picking things up.. sometimes it just takes me a little longer to understand and apply certain topics as well as others can.. That’s also why I think that having another go might be good for me..

I really want to ask my siblings and my parents if I can do bio again next year but I’m terrified that they’ll say no or that I did fine and should just leave it (I’m fortunate that my family is really supportive, despite the fact that my two sisters have set very high standards with them both getting 98+ atars)..
I would really appreciate any advice that anyone has about this.
Thank you!

[Sine]

Honestly, my default answer for things like this is "no" given I think it is better to move on from results whether they be good or bad but you should definitely consider why you want to repeat and whether it will actually make a tangible difference.

I know everyone has different ideas of what a "bad" score is but factually the scores/grades you have state are not "average" nor "subpar" they are quite good and would likely put you somewhere close to the top 10%. However, you can definitely still be disappointed with the scores as it was obviously not what you were aiming for.

I think you should try to analyse whether repeating biology would actually increase your ATAR that much or the repeat is moreso for pride. If you think about it only 3 subjects other than English will be in your top 4. Assuming you are happy with your FM score perhaps that might be ok for your top 4. Then you only have 2 subjects left for your top 4.

Those top 4 spots can be filled with chemistry/methods/specialist. Think about whether a repeat of biology would beat out those subjects? If you think biology needs to be in your top 4 and are not too confident in chem/methods/spec getting near  the 40s then perhaps a repeat might be beneficial? If you think you can score somewhere in the 40s for these three subjects I don't think repeating bio will be that beneficial.

[dedformed]

It can be quite upsetting to receive a lower score than you expected, but all As is still really good. Although it might seem like repeating a subject will increase your scores, more often than not, scores don't change much. I was forced to repeat Methods 1/2 this year because of moving schools and although it's not the same thing, I performed a lot worse this year. This is because Methods seemed repetitive and sometimes I overestimated how well I knew the content because I'd already gone over it. And it was SO boring I kept losing motivation to review the material.

Like Sine said, it's better to put the same effort into doing a different subject, which will not only be more stimulating, it might have a better outcome on your ATAR because this time you know where you made the mistakes. I know people that repeated Psych and got lower study scores the second year. In the higher range, marks slightly depend on luck too, there's so much that plays into it and you can't guarantee you'll score better.

I recommend requesting a statement of marks and reflecting on the kinds of mistakes you made this year so you don't repeat them in later subjects.

[Jinju-san]

Honestly, my default answer for things like this is "no" given I think it is better to move on from results whether they be good or bad but you should definitely consider why you want to repeat and whether it will actually make a tangible difference.

I know everyone has different ideas of what a "bad" score is but factually the scores/grades you have state are not "average" nor "subpar" they are quite good and would likely put you somewhere close to the top 10%. However, you can definitely still be disappointed with the scores as it was obviously not what you were aiming for.

I think you should try to analyse whether repeating biology would actually increase your ATAR that much or the repeat is moreso for pride. If you think about it only 3 subjects other than English will be in your top 4. Assuming you are happy with your FM score perhaps that might be ok for your top 4. Then you only have 2 subjects left for your top 4.

Those top 4 spots can be filled with chemistry/methods/specialist. Think about whether a repeat of biology would beat out those subjects? If you think biology needs to be in your top 4 and are not too confident in chem/methods/spec getting near  the 40s then perhaps a repeat might be beneficial? If you think you can score somewhere in the 40s for these three subjects I don't think repeating bio will be that beneficial.

Thank you so much Sine! I really appreciate the advice!!