Sometimes, when people have an array of products or conditions to choose from, they can't make up their minds about what to choose. It's called the Paradox of Choice, a condition that presents when one becomes overwhelmed by all there is available.
Which is the best product and will they like it? Should they stick to what's familiar or try something new?
Students choosing their HSC subjects often fall under the Paradox of Choice's spell. The HSC course catalogue contains hundreds of subjects; the list of languages alone takes up nearly a full page. And then, there are standard subjects and Advanced, extension courses and life skill courses.
How can anyone pick the perfect blend of of studies to yield the highest Australian Tertiary Admissions Rating (ATAR)? Won't the highly-scaled subjects give a better chance at a high ATAR? Should you even consider scaling when choosing your HSC subjects?
No, you have far more weighty information to consider. Information like what you want and what you're interested in. So let's exit this dazzling array of possibilities to focus on what's important.
HSC Subject Selection: the Types of Courses
The New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA) works hard to provide students with access to the topics they want and need to study. They take into consideration different educational needs and receive input from as many sources as will serve their purposes. And then, they organise their vast catalogue by course type.
Board-developed courses count towards ATAR calculations. These are courses that NESA developed, set standards for and test you on. Subjects in this category include anything from Studies of Religion I and II, with or without a Life Skills component to Mathematics. All standard and extension courses for English, Mathematics, Sciences and Music are board-developed courses.
Board-endorsed courses do not count towards your ATAR but they are valuable nonetheless. Schools, universities and Technical and Further Education (TAFE) develop these courses. Aboriginal Languages, Visual Design and Marine Studies are all examples of board-endorsed courses. This type of course does not conclude with an HSC exam.
Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses contribute towards your Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) VET credentials as well as your HSC. They may require you to sit a final HSC exam and also count towards your ATAR. You must check with your school to find out about the awards and requirements for the VET courses that interest you.
Life Skills courses are meant for students with special educational needs. These courses build a bridge to standard HSC requirements for students meeting their entry requirements. Unfortunately, Life Skills courses do not count toward your ATAR.
Students who are not planning on university after high school may select studies from virtually any type of course. But for those planning on at least an undergraduate degree, it's a good idea to favour ATAR-contributing courses.
That doesn't mean you should disregard the HSC subjects lists that don't contribute toward your ATAR. You can still learn valuable skills from those subjects.
HSC Subject Selection Requirements
Before you can think about choosing HSC subjects, you have to make sure you're eligible for them. The first requirement calls for finishing Years 9 and 10 with satisfactory marks. You must do so in a NESA-recognised school if you're outside of New South Wales (NSW) and want to complete your HSC stage there.
If you live in NSW, you must attend a government-run school or an accredited non-government facility (private school).
You're also eligible for HSC courses if you studied at a TAFE college. But no matter where your educational background originates, you must complete HSC: All My Own Work. This assessment task covers ethical behaviour and conduct rules, with each of its five modules dedicated to an aspect of good scholarship.
You may submit an equivalent assessment and if you plan on only taking Life Skills selections, you don't need to take this step.
You must display a satisfactory pattern of study. That means a Preliminary pattern of at least 12 units and an HSC pattern of at least 10 units. These units should comprise four subjects and three courses of at least two units. These can be either board-developed or board-endorsed courses. You also need two units of a board-developed course in English and six other units of board-developed courses.
Note that some classes have extra requirements and others have prerequisites, and some language selectionss have eligibility rules. For instance, if you're a Heritage language speaker, you may not select a Beginner's course in that language. It's best to not put your HSC at risk by overstepping the guidelines NESA provides.
You would fare better choosing some of HSC's easier courses than trying to skate around requirements.
Usually, students complete all their HSC studies in one fell swoop during Years 11 and 12. But you might take a different route. For instance, you could finish your HSC requirements while also undergoing an apprenticeship.
This situation is typical for HSC students in VET programs. Or you may transfer credits from your TAFE learning so that they'll count towards your HSC.
HSC Subject Selection: Does Scaling Matter?
When selecting your HSC subjects, scaling matters but not as much and not in the ways you might think. Most people believe that the harder the course, the higher it must scale. And the higher it scales, the better your ATAR. Some people go so far as to say that even if you earn poor marks in a high-scaled subject your ATAR will benefit.
This is mostly all bunk. Hard subjects are hard because of the material's difficulty, not because of its scaled rating. And doing poorly in a high-scaled subject means your performance will show in your HSC marks and ATAR.
The only true correlation is that harder subjects tend to scale higher because students who succeed in those subjects tend to earn higher marks overall. Which, of course, raises their ATAR.
Something else to think about: the scaling information you have is for past students' performances. It may help predict how your student cohort might perform and how their and your chosen subjects might scale. But it's unreliable information because scaling depends on factors that change with every HSC assessment.
At best, scaling makes some subjects look more beneficial and rewarding than others. And all the wild myths make scaling seem like a magic recipe for academic success. But appearances and myths can be deceiving.
Once you find out how scaling works, you can reduce its importance to its proper size and use better criteria to choose your HSC subjects.
What to Think About Before HSC Subject Selection
To prevent an attack from the Paradox of Choice, think about all the HSC subjects you like and are good at. Also, consider subjects you're interested in, whether you've studied them in the past or not.
You might think about making a list of them all; you needn't worry if your list has 25 classes on it. In fact, that's probably for the best.
Next, think about all the jobs you might enjoy doing when you start your working life. Remember that this is a wish list so feel free to write down your 'wildest dreams' careers. Later, when you check your list against NESA's course descriptions, you can learn which subjects will lead to the careers you're interested in.
With your lists compiled, it's time to talk with the mentors in your life. Your caregivers and teachers, maybe your school's guidance counsellor and your tutors all qualify to give you advice. Talking with your mates might be fine, too, but maybe save those conversations for when you've made your decisions.
Ask questions like "What's it like to be a (insert profession)?" and "What do you think about (this or that job)?". As you get more input from the adults in your life, you can start crossing subjects off your list. You may even ask them if they've spotted a talent for a certain subject that you didn't know you had. For instance, my mate is good with languages but didn't think they could make anything of those skills until their teacher told them so.
Now, with about half your list crossed off, think about picking a mix of easy and hard subjects from all the subjects you have left. They don't all have to point to one career path. For example, you're free to pick a Mathematics course - even an Extension course.
But you don't have to follow it up with Advanced English or Chemistry Extension. You may pick History or Legal Studies, instead.
You're under no pressure to select the hardest HSC subjects simply because your teacher says you have the talent. Or because your family wants you to make something of yourself.
You will have to make at least some of your selections count. But other than that, you're free to pick whichever subjects interest you and that you're likely to learn well from.
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