Every year, one of the most common student concerns we come across is subject selection. Unlike earlier high school year levels, where there is typically limited choice in subjects, Year 12 comes with very many options. Whilst the freedom of choice means that students can pick subjects more in line with their interests, it can also be an overwhelming process.

This article is designed to explain some of the common student concerns, and how you might support your child through them. By no means are we telling you what you should do or how you should parent - instead, we will offer some student considerations that might come into play when it comes to subject selection.

 

Qualifying for the certificate

Perhaps the first thing to consider when selecting subjects is that, depending on where your child is studying, they will need to complete certain criteria in order to receive their qualification. These criteria will vary depending on your child’s study program, but there may be requirements such as completing a certain number of subjects, or completing a certain number of types of subjects.

"... they will need to complete certain criteria in order to receive their qualification."

For instance, in Victoria, requirements to qualify for the ATAR include 16 “units” of study, at least one subject from the “English group”, and at least three other subjects. Terminology and specifics vary considerably, so the soundest approach here is to refer to the relevant body’s website. For example:

 

 

These websites will help make it clearer what is fundamentally required to achieve the qualification. Your child’s school should also be able to assist with this, but the last thing you want is to find out later on that your child’s subjects don’t qualify them for an ATAR if that’s something they would like to pursue.

 

Subject selection considerations

Below are some common considerations that you and your child may think about. Our general recommendation is that the first three considerations in particular are important, but we understand that different students and families have different priorities.

 

1. Prerequisite subjects

These refer to high school subjects that must be satisfactorily completed to be eligible for entry into a university course or other pathway. If these are not completed satisfactorily, students will not be considered for courses that require them, and may need to complete further study (such as ‘bridging’ courses) to later be eligible.

"If these are not completed satisfactorily, students will not be considered for courses that require them..."

Let’s take a look at the Bachelor of Science at the University of Melbourne, for example. Under the “Prerequisites” section, it calls for a minimum score in a range of specific high school subjects. Note that these are Victorian examples - if your child is applying from interstate, they should contact the university directly to see which local equivalents would be the equivalent.

If you’re unsure where to start with prerequisites, Uni Notes’ Course Search provides direct links to a wide range of courses. By following the prompts, you can find the university’s page on that specific course, which should list any relevant prerequisites.

 

2. Interests

It logically follows that students will naturally be drawn to their interest or passion areas. As a general rule, senior high school provides students with ample opportunities to follow those interests, with a very wide range of subjects available:

 

 

Anecdotally, studying for a subject you’re interested in is considerably easier than studying for a subject you’re not interested in. If students choose subjects in line with their interests, it can also provide them with some insight into whether they would realistically like to pursue that area of study as a career.

 

3. Strengths

Some students may also like to consider which subjects they are good at - that is, the subjects in which they’re most likely to get the marks required or desired.

The ATAR system is, ultimately, centred on rankings. That is, each student is ranked by their relative performance in their subjects, and this is what the ATAR is based on. As such, selecting subjects they are confident in can give students a bit of a boost if they need to reach a certain ATAR to gain entry into a course or pathway.

"The ATAR system is, ultimately, centred on rankings."

These three factors - prerequisites, interests, and strengths - form the basis of many students’ subject selection decisions. However, other considerations sometimes come into play. Some of those considerations include the below.

 

4. Subject scaling

What is “subject scaling”, exactly? Well, whilst the specifics vary from state to state, the basic idea is the same.

Scaling exists so that students’ performance across different subjects can be compared in a standard way. For instance, if Student A achieved an 80 in Biology, and Student B achieved a 70 in English, which result is more impressive? Because the subjects are so different, it’s very difficult to say. Scaling provides a way to do that.

If you are interested in the ins and outs of scaling, you can find some resources below. However, more important is the general understanding that scaling doesn’t ‘reward’ or ‘punish’ students for choosing certain subjects. Instead, it exists to create a level playing field between subjects. In part, it exists so that students can focus on factors like their interests without needing to worry about which subjects are “easy” or “hard”.

"... scaling doesn't 'reward' or 'punish' students for choosing certain subjects."

 

 

5. Friends

This one is pretty straightforward - some students may wish to be in classes with their friends! Whilst this is a valid consideration, we typically recommend taking a more long-term approach to subject selection.

 

Subject combination restrictions

In some cases, students are restricted in other ways. For example, they may need to complete an earlier version of a subject before progressing to the Year 12 version.

If students choose to study certain combinations of subjects, there may also be ATAR effects. In Victoria, for instance, a maximum of two subjects from the “Mathematics studies” group can contribute to a student’s ‘top four’ subjects:

There are restrictions to how many studies from the same study area grouping can contribute to your aggregate. This is to ensure diversity in your VCE program.

VTAC (“ATAR and Scaling 2024”)

 

Completing subjects ‘early’

In some cases, students may also be able to complete subjects ‘early’. This is more common in some states than others, and you and your child should consider talking to the relevant school contact if this is something you’re interested in.

What this looks like in practice is a Year 11 student, for example, completing a subject typically completed in Year 12. There are some benefits of doing this, such as gaining experience in a Year 12 setting, but it’s not compulsory or required to achieve a very high ATAR.

 

The takeaway, and next steps

Subject selection is hard, and can be a stressful experience for students. There are a lot of potential factors to consider, including but not limited to those outlined above.

"Subject selection is hard, and can be a stressful experience for students."

Our general advice is to heavily consider prerequisites, interests, and strengths, but each student and family will have different needs and priorities. To ensure you and your child feel comfortable in the selected subjects, the resources below can provide further insight.

 

School contacts

Your child’s school will likely have a staff member overseeing subject selection. They will be an appropriate contact for information on which subjects are available, which subject combinations would qualify for an ATAR, and, importantly, which subjects are actually offered by and available at the school. Not every subject is offered at every school, so this is an important consideration.

 

Careers staff

Some schools may also offer careers-centred services. Your child may benefit from this type of resource if they are unsure about which direction they would like to take and, therefore, which subjects to select.

 

Syllabus documents

To get a better idea of what is actually covered in a subject, syllabus documents are available. You can find these documents by following the links below:

 

 

ATAR Notes Lectures

Or, for an example of what the subject looks like in practice, you and your child can register for free online ATAR Notes Lectures. We typically run these lectures four times per year, and they can provide an excellent insight into each subject.

 

Best of luck to you and your child for subject selection!