HSC advice (2010)

[fatiima]

Salamat to all,

I have started year 12 a week ago, and we can start dropping subjects or picking up any extensions etc.

Now the thing is, I do 13 units already, and I want to pick up another extension. SO I know what you're thinking, "this girl is crazy, that's too much" etc.

However I am looking for some advice from past HSC'ers, about how did you cope, if you had a lot of units, was your HSC timetable too busy?? ETC.

Oh and my current subjects are:

1- Arabic Continuers
2- Biology
3- Chemistry
4- 3 units of English
5- Mathematics (2 units)
6- Legal Studies

and I want to add:

EXTENSION ARABIC which is 1 unit.

Thank you all in advance.
Wssalams.

[Openyoureyes]

If youre good at arabic then I suggest go for it. However, sister thirteen units is too much. Youre only going to be marked on ten units. Really ten units should be enough if youre doing well in them that is. However if you have some doubt in a subject than 12 units would be great. By the way you'll enjoy legal studies, great subject. Ill send you my notes if you want. That is as soon as I finish my exams inshala

[AbdulQader]

The workload for Arabic is really minimal, depending on how good you are of course, but I'm assuming you're good considering you want to go for extension, meaning Arabic continuers should be a piece of cake insha'Allah.

It wouldn't hurt to drop one of those subjects, but considering 3 of you're units are Arabic, It seems ok.

[fatiima]

^^ Yeh, true. Arabic is really easy. So I have that on the side in case I stuff up in my chemistry and maths or any other subject for that matter.

I really need chemistry and maths for UNI.

I don't know, I will continue with what I have. And If I see that the workload is too much then I will drop a subject or something.

Salams.

[AbdulQader]

Having Arabic as something to fall back on is not too helpful.

Arabic is a low scalar (one of the lowest in fact) and so unless you do really bad in chem or maths, it most likely won't count. I don't know how good extension Arabic scales (probably not the best as well) but Arabic continuers is usually one of the lowest.

Nevertheless, considering it won't require too much effort insha'Allah, it is at the end of the day good to have it. (If it was going to take too much time from you though I would probably say it's better to drop it altogether and spend that time on chem and maths).

[Covered Beauty]

Salamz

^ But brother AQ why should she put maths and chemistry over arabic. Which is much more important!..

Sis if you really want to do extension, go for it, later on if you seem like you've got too much work to do then just drop it easy as!

I did arabic and we barely got any homework. Plus if you're good at arabic sis then it won't matter inshAllah.

Salamz

[AbdulQader]

^ But brother AQ why should she put maths and chemistry over arabic. Which is much more important!..

Obviously we know which is more important, but the Arabic HSC course isn't that great anyway, I would compare it to grade 3 or 4 overseas (if it is even comparable to that) and most people doing Arabic as an HSC subject allready have some foundation in the language.

In Sis Fatima's specific case, I was saying to keep Arabic since it wouldn't take too much time/effort insha'Allah. I can't comment on extension Arabic, but even then, they don't even cover any grammar.

[Covered Beauty]

Salamz

^ Kheir. You have point. But don't you think its also good to have arabic on the HSC certificate incase a person might like to further their studies.. For example, arabic teacher or even interpreting/translating :-) ?

Salamz

[Rassila]

wassalams


However I am looking for some advice from past HSC'ers, about how did you cope, if you had a lot of units, was your HSC timetable too busy?? ETC.Compared to everyone else in my grade, my timetable was not as spaced out - perhaps because that year all my subjects were timetabled so close to eachother and it may also be becauseof having to sit 7 exams (i did 13 units in year 12 as well; 14 units in year 11 so similar scenario to yourself sis Fatiima). Yet ironically, i finished my exams before many others alhamdulilah (so it was relatively cluttered).

Since one should have ideally studied weeks before the exam period anyway, the busy exam timetable shouldnt really affect you that much (unless your one of those procrastinators who need every second before an exam).

As for Arabic and Extension Arabic, i decided to take them up with the plan of 'dropping them' if it gets 'too much'. I never worried too much about the scaling system as i was told that as long as your rank is good (top 5) you will be pushed up inshallah. But comparing chemistry to Arabic, the former is definately a higher scaler (IF youre sure you'll perform better in chem than in Arabic)

As for having 'back up subjects' that was my mentality - but i realised in the end, you dont need back up subjects if you commit yourself to focus and do really well in the subjects you need. Yet i never regretted not dropping anything.

My advice is, focus on the subjects that you are strongest in. That you know you will score and rank highest in. In terms of UAI, your strong subjects are the only ones that will count and make a difference.

Do istikhara insha'Allah, and ask Allah swt for guidance /smile

All the best sis
wassalams
RaS