Is methods-further a popular combination?

[kenhung123]

Is this combination popular as to like methods-specialist?

[Gloamglozer]

I guess you'll have to phone or e-mail VCAA and see if they are willing to give you an accurate answer.

EDIT:  I think it would be pretty difficult to determine just by a small population on a forum.  We can tell you anecdotes and stories about our schools and other schools, but VCAA would have the most accurate statistic.  However, I'm not sure if they want to disclose it.

[kenhung123]

Yea, I mean just generally in your school etc.

[minilunchbox]

My school loves to encourage people to do Further. Our accelerated maths program consists of doing GM in year 10 so you can do Further in year 11. So yeah it's pretty popular since people who are doing Methods would also be expected to do Further. I'm one of the very few who aren't doing both.

[IntoTheNewWorld]

In my school I think Methods & Spesh is a far more popular combination. The SACs for Methods and Spesh are timetabled so they don't fall so close to each other but they don't care for the Methods/Further combination.

[appianway]

A lot of people who enjoy maths opt to take Further in conjunction with Methods, as they see it as an "easy" subject that allows them to study mathematics without the perceived pressures of Specialist.

[kenhung123]

Oh? I thought its the other way arround

[appianway]

Lots of people seem to view Further as a guaranteed 50, and hence take it as a bludge subject.

[Gloamglozer]

Lots of people seem to view Further as a guaranteed 50, and hence take it as a bludge subject.

But of course, they don't see the little tricks that the examiners love to throw at them when they choose to do Further. 

[appianway]

I know. I think that occurs in every subject though. People walk in, believing that they're in for a 50 (or high 40s) and receive mucchhhh lower scores on their statement of marks. It's so much harder to do well than what's usually perceived, because although the exams often don't test an ability in the subject whatsoever, it's very easy to make careless mistakes under the pressure.

[Gloamglozer]

I know. I think that occurs in every subject though. People walk in, believing that they're in for a 50 (or high 40s) and receive mucchhhh lower scores on their statement of marks. It's so much harder to do well than what's usually perceived, because although the exams often don't test an ability in the subject whatsoever, it's very easy to make careless mistakes under the pressure.

+1  Especially since we're talking about Further.

I remember when I was doing trial exams and I thought it was easy and had it pretty much sorted except for the odd question or two.  But in exam 1, where every mark counts, I made too many silly mistakes and unfortunately, since exams hold the most weight in the calculation of the study score, I'm pretty screwed for a 40+.

EDIT:  So my advice: Don't rush, don't panic and most important of all, don't be cocky.

[Ilovemathsmeth]

Yeah, Further has its tricks! It's not as easy as it looks, you need to be really careful