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Should I drop maths ext 1, chemistry or physics? (1 Viewer)

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I've been struggling with most of my subjects this term because I can't handle the workload, and I know that I need to drop something so I'll have more time to work on my other subjects. If I'd dropped something earlier, I might've done better but I would've regretted dropping the wrong subject.

I did 2 units of maths last year, and I'm currently doing another 11 units, so I could drop 1 or 2 units and still have a safety net.


Maths extension 1
Reasons to keep
- Did relatively well last year
- Assumed knowledge for many courses
- Managed to pull off a band 5 with tutoring in the 2 unit course last year, so maybe that'll apply to the extension course as well?
- My tutor for chemistry can also help with this if needed
- Less content based

Reasons to drop
- Marks aren't consistent
- I panicked and blanked out in the last test, and failed horribly


Chemistry
Reasons to keep
- Already getting tutoring, and I really wouldn't want to waste my parents' money
- Help available in the boarding house that I live in (I go home every couple of months)
- Assumed knowledge for pharmacy

Reasons to drop
- Didn't do well last year or this year
- Not doing well despite tutoring – my class rank is 19/20 (not sure about the other class), which is shit even though I'm at a top 20 school

???
- I considered dropping it last year but decided to stick with it, so... could that be a sign that I should keep it? Or not?


Physics
Reasons to keep
- I found the content slightly more interesting than the other 2 subjects last year
- The class is really small
- Assumed knowledge for engineering

Reasons to drop
- Doesn't really matter for subjects other than engineering
- I thought the due date for the last hand-in report was next week but it wasn't. I did pretty well in the in-class test though. I'll be handing in my report today – it's late, but hopefully some of it will count if I do well enough

???
- It was the last subject that I picked at the beginning of last year. I picked it over biology because it seemed to involve less rote learning (which I hate)
- My rank for task 1 was 3/5. Task 2 depends on whether they accept my misadventure application. If not, at least I'll be more careful next time


Someone please help, I know I need to drop something before next term but I don't want to regret my choice forever.
 
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Squar3root

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Drop physics

phys is not a prereq for engineering but math ext 1 is

if you are doing badly in chemistry i think you should considering dropping that instead. Just cut your losses there
 
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Drop physics

phys is not a prereq for engineering but math ext 1 is

if you are doing badly in chemistry i think you should considering dropping that instead. Just cut your losses there
Thanks. I'll probably do better in everything else once I drop something anyway – more free periods and less work to do.
 

pikachu975

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If you want to do physics related engineering keep that, if you want to do e.g. chemical engineering keep chem.
 
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What possible things do you want to do in the future
Um... studying foreign languages (those are my best subjects), maybe pharmacy, maybe engineering, maybe something IT related (I can't code but I could teach myself if I need to), I'm not sure.

Definitely wouldn't want to become a teacher though.
 

Squar3root

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Um... studying foreign languages (those are my best subjects), maybe pharmacy, maybe engineering, maybe something IT related (I can't code but I could teach myself if I need to), I'm not sure.

Definitely wouldn't want to become a teacher though.
If its engineering related it would be best to keep ext 1 math

what is the reason you're behind in chem? Because if you can't handle simple concepts at hsc level it will be very difficult at uni.

Languages have no prerequisites
 
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If its engineering related it would be best to keep ext 1 math

what is the reason you're behind in chem? Because if you can't handle simple concepts at hsc level it will be very difficult at uni.

Languages have no prerequisites
I get the concepts, but I spent too much time studying the wrong topics for the half yearly. I thought there'd be a 7-8 mark question on uses/environmental impact of ethanol and didn't study dry cells or lead acid cells.
 

egal

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I'd drop chem, further in the course, there is a bit of common ground between physics and ext 1, in simple harmonic motion, applications of calculus to the physical world etc.

You seem to be feeling most concerned about marks in chem.

Also, you NEED to study everything, predicting exam questions and only studying that material is a sure way to get screwed over in an exam.

Good luck
 

Squar3root

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I get the concepts, but I spent too much time studying the wrong topics for the half yearly. I thought there'd be a 7-8 mark question on uses/environmental impact of ethanol and didn't study dry cells or lead acid cells.
well since you're not struggling with concepts, if you do want to pursue engineering, you can do quite well in intro chem at uni which shouldn't be a problem. just take the above advice and study all concepts.

If i were in your position I would have 10-11 units and drop chemistry

all the best for your HSC
 

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