VCE subjects: the toughest decision you’ll have to make

In Year 10, you will have to choose the VCE® Exam subjects you want to take over the next two years. There are some tough decisions to make here. You’ll want to make sure that you don’t regret your choices by the end of VCE® Exam. If you’re in Year 10, now is the time to start researching VCE® Exam subjects if you haven’t done so already. Making the right subject selections now will set you up well for your last few years of school and help you get the ATAR score you want.
 
Use the checklist below as a guide for what most students tend to look for in their subject selections.
 
Prerequisites
Most tertiary courses will set some minimum prereqs that you have to meet. Most courses demand a minimum study score of 30 in an English subject (or at least 35 in EAL). Some (but certainly not all) science and technology courses will also ask for Mathematical Methods/Specialist Mathematics and a science subject.
 
Prereqs can easily be looked up online. If you know that the course you want to do has prereqs, make sure you satisfy their requirements; no matter how high your ATAR is, you won’t be eligible to enrol if you don’t meet them.
 
Scaling
VCAA uses scaling to adjust final study scores at the end of the year. To take an example, Specialist Maths usually gets scaled up by more than 10 points from a baseline study score of 30 (this changes from year to year). The reason VCAA does this is because the Specialist Maths cohort overall perform better on all their other subjects, so they tend to get higher ATARs. In theory, a 40 in English is roughly the equivalent of a 30 in Specialist Maths.
 
Scaling does not give you an advantage over other students. Doing a subject just because it scales up is always a risk, particularly if you are weak at it. But if you do have a particular strength or a passion in one subject, don’t be discouraged if other students say it is ‘difficult’! To make it easier for yourself, forget about scaling; go for subjects you know you can do well in, regardless of who else is doing it.
 
‘Bottom two’
Most students do five or six Unit 3/4 subjects. Of these, your study scores for English and your top three subjects will be given full weighting, while only 10% of your fifth and sixth subjects will contribute to your final ATAR. Note that at least one English subject must be in your top four.
 
Relegating one subject to your bottom two early on is fraught with danger. The ‘bottom two’ is only there as a backup in case of any hiccups along the way, and should only be used as such.
 
Unit 3/4 subject in Year 11
Completing a Unit 3/4 subject in Year 11 can greatly reduce your study load in Year 12. It is a good idea to get one subject out of the way, but only if you know you can manage the jump from Year 10 straight to a Year 12 subject! If you do a Unit 3/4 subject in Year 11, make sure you do prioritise it because the marks for it will count towards your final ATAR. Don’t neglect your other subjects though, as they will give you an essential foundation leading into Year 12.
 
Check with your school to see what Unit 3/4 subjects they offer to Year 11s.
 
Most importantly…
Do subjects you know you will enjoy and that you know you will do well in. Subject selections are not the be-all and end-all. You can change your mind at the end of the first and second semester if you’re not happy with your subjects. And ultimately, if you get the ATAR score you need and get into a course that’s right for you, then your VCE® Exam will have been a success.