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Not sure which one to pick up: Mathematics or English Extension 2 (1 Viewer)

bawd

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Well, it's nearly the end of Term 3 and it's time for me to finally decide which subjects I'm going to keep, drop and/or pickup.

I'm currently doing:
English Advanced
English Extension 1
Mathematics 2U
Mathematics Extension 1
Ancient History
Society and Culture
Japanese Beginners
Economics

..which totals 14 units for Preliminary. I have the option of dropping up to 4 units, but I would like to have 12 units for the HSC.

I'll be dropping Ancient History or Society and Culture, depending on whether I pick up English or Mathematics Ext. 2.

Anyway, I've been contemplating whether or not to do English Extension 2, and I've been scheduled for an interview with the Head English Teacher requiring a proposal on what I will write for English Extension 2 etc.

Although I do love English, I despise English Extension 1 (most likely due to the horrid Assessment I'm trying to finish at the moment), but enjoyed (a little bit) the content and books.

I think I am getting my bona fide love of reading, mixed up with a sort of pseudo love of English (the course).

I also realised that my chances of performing in the top bands for English Extension 1 and 2, are relatively slim compared to English Advanced.

Mathematics Extension 2 was previously a big no-no for me, because I didn't really like Maths. For some odd reason however, I am starting to find Mathematics more enjoyable and easier than I thought, and although my marks are not the best in the class (for 2 unit it's bottom 90%'s, for 3 unit it's around 70%), I know this is due to the fact that a) I do not study for Mathematics, and b) I don't do homework that often.

So, I'm stuck, stuck, stuck BIG TIME.

If I pick up EX2 and stick with it, I'm most likely very definite to drop Society and Culture (or Ancient History), simply because I do not want two major pieces and don't think I could handle it. I will also have 13 units, because I have no plans of dropping anything else.

If I pick up MX2, I will drop Ancient History and English Extension 1, because Ancient History is a little boring, although I love history and the only reason I would do EX1 is to do EX2, so there's no point wasting time doing a subject I have come to dislike.

NOW (bear with me please), the big thing is that people say English/Society and Culture/Ancient History (the main subjects I'm stuck between) are very different in the HSC courses, so now I'm confused even more.

I was thinking of dropping Ancient History (or Society and Culture) and picking up both Extension 2's for like a week or so just to see which one I liked better, then drop the other. However, the risk with this is that if I drop Ancient History, I do not get to pick it up easily again (and I'm also contemplating doing History Extension 1, very messy subject possibilities I know). If I dropped SaC, my teacher would murder me, and also think I wouldn't be able to pick it up again.

SO, as you can see, my subject choices and possibilities are very messy and disorganised. If you were to bothered to sift through the verbal diarrhoea above, then please make a comment.

Thank you for reading my rant.
 

wendus

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if you can't decide, pick up both then drop if you need to. but really, figure out what you WANT to do it's really important. and what you're good at. but also if you're worried about your uai, society and culture is capped and scaled down quite significantly.
 

bawd

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wendus said:
if you can't decide, pick up both then drop if you need to. but really, figure out what you WANT to do it's really important. and what you're good at. but also if you're worried about your uai, society and culture is capped and scaled down quite significantly.
Capped? So let's say I was to get 100% overall what would happen? Please explain, lol. Never heard of 'capping' before.
 

the-derivative

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Usually, I'd say... do what you like best. But it seems you don't really like maths or english. I'd say since you are beginning to like Mathematics, take Maths Extension 2 for the following reasons:

- You said your marks aren't too good because of lack of study - you can always fix that - it's only a problem when you don't understand the content... then you're stuffed.

- You kinda seem like you hate English right now... and if you think your chances of performing in the top bands for English Extension 1 and 2, are relatively slim ... why bother trying?

- Also worst case scenario - if you do find MX2 hard, you can always get a tutor. improving your maths, is a hell of a lot easier than improving your english skills... I know that for a fact - because I used to be hopeless at maths.

- Also, I have this personal 'quest' in getting as many people to drop Extension English as possible =]

Well that's what I think you should do... hope it has helped.

EDIT:
bawd said:
Capped? So let's say I was to get 100% overall what would happen? Please explain, lol. Never heard of 'capping' before.
Some subjects are capped therefore they set a maximum mark which you can obtain. However, it shouldn't really affect your UAI that much, if you get a good mark.
 
Last edited:

wendus

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bawd said:
Capped? So let's say I was to get 100% overall what would happen? Please explain, lol. Never heard of 'capping' before.

hahaha well for example i do design & tech, which is capped at 91. this means that the highest mark you can possibly get is 91 and not 100 (subjects are capped because they're considered 'easy' and DT is definitely so fckn easy)

i'm not sure about society's capping though but it's defs scaled down, just like DT. if i got 97 overall in DT it'd be scaled down to 90. if i get 70 in DT it'd be scaled down to a 40. lol.
 

bawd

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the-derivative said:
Usually, I'd say... do what you like best. But it seems you don't really like maths or english. I'd say since you are beginning to like Mathematics, take Maths Extension 2 for the following reasons:

- You said your marks aren't too good because of lack of study - you can always fix that - it's only a problem when you don't understand the content... then you're stuffed.

- You kinda seem like you hate English right now... and if you think your chances of performing in the top bands for English Extension 1 and 2, are relatively slim ... why bother trying?

- Also worst case scenario - if you do find MX2 hard, you can always get a tutor. improving your maths, is a hell of a lot easier than improving your english skills... I know that for a fact - because I used to be hopeless at maths.

- Also, I have this personal 'quest' in getting as many people to drop Extension English as possible =]

Well that's what I think you should do... hope it has helped.

EDIT:


Some subjects are capped therefore they set a maximum mark which you can obtain. However, it shouldn't really affect your UAI that much, if you get a good mark.
Thank you for the insight. I don't hate English or Mathematics, mind you. I just like one more than the other. I've also had an epiphany that it would be MUCH easier for me to improve significantly in Mathematics rather than English Extension 1, which requires a heck a lot of patience in critical ascertaining and a strong opinion about language (which unfortunately, I have not been bequeathed with).
 

the-derivative

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bawd said:
Thank you for the insight. I don't hate English or Mathematics, mind you. I just like one more than the other. I've also had an epiphany that it would be MUCH easier for me to improve significantly in Mathematics rather than English Extension 1, which requires a heck a lot of patience in critical ascertaining and a strong opinion about language (which unfortunately, I have not been bequeathed with).
Yeah, I had the same situation as you... well not at this level. I was contemplating on whether I should have kept English Extension as well as Maths Extension. I realised that English Extension would probably take a lot of my time, and wouldn't be worth it because I wasn't enjoying it - and I'm pretty sure its the same with your situation.
 

bawd

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the-derivative said:
Yeah, I had the same situation as you... well not at this level. I was contemplating on whether I should have kept English Extension as well as Maths Extension. I realised that English Extension would probably take a lot of my time, and wouldn't be worth it because I wasn't enjoying it - and I'm pretty sure its the same with your situation.
Yeah, something like that. I'm going to sleep on it up until the holidays, because I have to worry about my Preliminaries first. I'll make a decision about it through a pro's and con's chart before the deadline for subject selections (which I'm not sure when that is).
 

conics2008

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just do 4units maths.. stuff english..

I heard chicks dig guys who do 4unit maths.. u never know u might turn like me xD
 

lyounamu

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conics2008 said:
just do 4units maths.. stuff english..

I heard chicks dig guys who do 4unit maths.. u never know u might turn like me xD
That only applies to Asian girls/boys. Australian girls would think that doing 4 Unit is too nerdy. Same thing can be said of Australian boys.

Don't pay attention to this generalisation though.
 

Just.Snaz

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4 unit. If you can do it then go for it. It scales well and at the end, all you want is a good UAI. I've heard extension english takes a lot of time and hard work, and most of the time, it doesn't ending up counting towards your 10 units.

Also, the pro of not doing EX2 is that you can do advanced English, which scales you also.

Use the talents that maximise your marks as much as possible.
 

bored of sc

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:uhhuh: If you like them both do the one that will get you a better UAI/marks.
 

marcquelle

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personally i'd o for EE2 but maths does scale so much better so if you don't mind maths and are good at it (going by your marks you are) i'd do it. That being said i've heard that even if you find ME2 hard you can always go back to ME1 no harm done. so better off if you enjoy maths.

But i'm an english bitch through and through.
 

bawd

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marcquelle said:
personally i'd o for EE2 but maths does scale so much better so if you don't mind maths and are good at it (going by your marks you are) i'd do it. That being said i've heard that even if you find ME2 hard you can always go back to ME1 no harm done. so better off if you enjoy maths.

But i'm an english bitch through and through.
I'm starting to wonder if it's just stress getting the better of me. I was 100% into English at the beginning of the year, and with the exams coming up and this stupid, very hard, annoying English Extension assessment, I'm starting to burn out. I've got to start doing assessments the minute I get them, lolololol.

BTW, could anyone tell me what the capped mark is for Society and Culture, and whether or not Ancient History and/or Japanese Beginner's is capped? I know all three of these subjects do not scale that well, but I'd like to know how many capped subjects I did not realise I was doing.
 

x.Exhaust.x

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If you're good at both, try both and see which you can cope with and which you're attaining better ranks in. Then you can decide whether to drop or not.
 

Pink Oni

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bawd said:
I'm starting to wonder if it's just stress getting the better of me. I was 100% into English at the beginning of the year, and with the exams coming up and this stupid, very hard, annoying English Extension assessment, I'm starting to burn out. I've got to start doing assessments the minute I get them, lolololol.
OMG, this is EXACTLY the same as me. I'm doing a crazy task that supposedly acts as a carry-on into the Ext2 Major Work assignment but I don't even think I'll carry it on.... I have a lot of thinking to do, just like you.
 

bawd

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Pink Oni said:
OMG, this is EXACTLY the same as me. I'm doing a crazy task that supposedly acts as a carry-on into the Ext2 Major Work assignment but I don't even think I'll carry it on.... I have a lot of thinking to do, just like you.
Good to see there is someone in the same boat as me.
 

Pink Oni

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bawd said:
Good to see there is someone in the same boat as me.
Another funny thing: I'm starting to enjoy maths and get better at it too, but whether or not I have become this way as much as you lies in the fate of my next 2U and ext1 tests.
 

marcquelle

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were doing an Independant Research Project (similar to the EE2 structure) this is to see if were capable so i might be in the same boat as you
 

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