Volume 32 Issue 23 11 Aug 2023 24 Av 5783

Careers

Claire Pech – Careers Advisor

Year 11s tend to look at their subjects in Term 3 to see how their load is working out and making considerations for next term as they move up to Year 12. In this edited article on studyworkgrow they outline the considerations.*

Should I drop a subject?

Senior High School is tough! You’re busy with school, extra curriculars, and maybe even working part time too. You might also be learning to drive, expected to do more at home, then there’s all the life admin you’ve suddenly got to deal with and a social life to consider. So, it’s understandable that when you’re thinking about Year 12, you could be tempted to drop a subject. But should you?

 

Why do you want to drop a subject?

Year 12 is only another four full terms at school – could you hang in that long?

Do you think dropping a subject will make your life easier, or do you just hate a subject so much you can’t bear to put up with it for the next year?

Asking for some help or additional support could be all that needs to change.

Take some time to reflect

Take a little time and talk to trusted adults (and friends) about what you hope will happen if you do go ahead and drop a subject. Be realistic and consider the chances of your perceived outcomes actually happening. Also give some thought to what might happen if you don’t drop a subject.

Will you need that subject for university?

Some courses also require you to have completed specific subjects to be eligible to apply. They’re called pre-requisites. If you don’t have them, you might not be offered a place in the course you want. Alternatively, you might have to spend time doing a bridging course or go through other pathways before you can start your degree. Even if it’s not a clear pre-requisite, you might end up doing better at university if you’ve at least covered the material in Year 12. Think of it as planning ahead.

The main reasons for dropping a subject

From what we’ve seen, here are the top reasons students tend to think they’d be better of dropping a subject in Year 12:

  • More time
    Most students who drop a subject don’t actually spend the additional time studying other subjects, so is it really going to benefit you? If you’re enjoying the subject and finding it useful or think that it might be useful down the track, there are always other ways you could make it work. If you genuinely feel time poor and can’t see any way around it, or you think that dropping a subject could improve your health and wellbeing, then you should go for it.
  • Better marks or a higher ATAR
    Sometimes if students feel they’re not doing well in a subject, it could pull down their overall results and end up with them getting a lower ATAR. That’s usually not the case – you’re ranked on your top results anyway.

Maybe you just don’t like the subject. This is probably the best reason to drop it, as long as you don’t need it for your career plan. Talk to your school – they’ll have all the information to help you understand the next steps. Remember, nothing is forever, and if you later regret dropping a subject, there will be ways around it.

Webinars

 

*Source: www.jobjump.com.au July 2023