General help needed with year 11 subject selection

[Grape]

Hi,
I am a year 10, currently doing Bus Man 1+2
I am having a lot of trouble picking my subjects so I am starting to think about it now rather than later.
My interests lie in the business/commerce/theory subjects. I absolutely hate any ‘fluffy’ English subjects (so literature is a definite no) or anything else requiring me to be creative (dance, drama, art, music, design). So far my subjects for next year are:
Business Management 3+4
Accounting
English Language
My current knowledge is that you do 6 subjects in year 11 and then drop down to 5 in year 12. Is this accurate, and how will the change for me since I am doing a 3+4 in year 11? Also, do I get a boost to my ATAR from this extra subject? (my school is very poor at explaining all of this stuff and students I have talked to seem to have only half an idea about what is happening)
The subjects I am considering are as follows:
Methods – I am 99% sure I will do methods. I am averaging 94% this year in mainstream maths
 (98% – linear functions, 95% – indices and surds, 89% - measurement)
If I continue getting these grades would I be good enough for methods? I’ve heard a lot of people saying methods is a big jump from year 10 to year 11, but I am prepared to study a lot (I have absolutely no out of school activities and no social life. I have a lot of time to study). I’ve also heard some people saying that it starts off really hard and gets easier along the way, is this true? Some uni’s require methods to do a commerce degree, another reason why I want to do it (I might not do a commerce degree but I want to do something like it and methods would probably be a pre-req for most of them). Also, would you recommend a tutor. A lot of my friends in maths this year have tutors and they aren’t really helping as they don’t have fantastic work ethic. I am doing fine on my own, and I don’t really want to fork over $50 a week to get someone to help. Would asking my teacher for help (which I am not afraid to do, I am willing to stay in at lunch to get things explained) be equivalent to having a tutor?
Further Maths – I have read about some people debating whether to do methods and further, and some people recommended to do both. Would you recommend this to me? Is further the same type of stuff as methods but easier, allowing me to study them both at the same time? I don’t love maths and I do have to study a bit to get my marks, so would doing 2 maths only be a good idea for those who learn maths extremely easy? If I do well in methods then surely I would do great in further and, even though it gets scaled down, I could get a pretty good study score… ?
Economics – this is a serious consideration but my school doesn’t offer it. I know it’s possible to learn online/out of school but I feel like it might put me at a disadvantage and it would be difficult not having my teacher there. I don’t want to move schools, so I think this is out of the question.
Legal studies – Is It similar to business management, or is it more essay writing? I don’t really like the idea of legal (a lot of case studies, according to people I have talked to) so I doubt that I will do it, but it sounds better than most of the other subjects my school offers.
Chemistry or Physics – I get goods marks in science but I really don’t like it (A in both chem and physics). How difficult are the VCE subjects? They get marked up so I’m assuming they’re not easy. I’ve also heard that all science subjects have a huge assessment at the end requiring you to make up your own experiment. This sound horrendous to me, as I’m good with theory and applying it but I hate pracs (observing things, recording info, checking in on things *shiver*)


The following are the only subjects offered at my school that I am vaguely interested in. There are 6, yes, but I don’t want to do Legal and Chemistry, as mentioned above.
Accounting
Legal Studies
Business Management
Chemistry
Mathematical Methods
English Language

I’m really stuck. I have to pick 6 (again, please correct me if I am wrong and there is a way to do less, especially considering I am doing a 3+4 in y11) and there are only 4 that I am interested in, maybe 5 if I can do further as well.
What I'm really trying to ask is what do I do if I don't like most of the subjects offered?
Help would be hugely appreciated! Thanks in advance!

*Note – sorry for the disorganisation and all the questions. It’s hard to express everything I have to say on paper.

[Coffee]

My current knowledge is that you do 6 subjects in year 11 and then drop down to 5 in year 12. Is this accurate, and how will the change for me since I am doing a 3+4 in year 11? Also, do I get a boost to my ATAR from this extra subject?

Yep, this is the general idea. So, you'll do 5 1/2 subjects and one 3/4 subject in Year 11 and 5 3/4 subjects in Year 12. Some people do two 3/4 subjects in Year 11 and four 3/4 subjects in Year 12 to lighten the load. There's a range of combinations though so see what works for you. In regards to your ATAR, you'll receive an extra 10% for your fifth and sixth subject.

Can't comment on the content or difficulty of Methods but it seems like a good fit for you. In regards to having a tutor, assuming your teacher is doing their part and you are doing yours, you really shouldn't need one. If it did come to getting a tutor though there are plenty who don't charge $50 and are just as good.

I don’t love maths and I do have to study a bit to get my marks, so would doing 2 maths only be a good idea for those who learn maths extremely easy? If I do well in methods then surely I would do great in further and, even though it gets scaled down, I could get a pretty good study score… ?

If you don't love maths I'd be weary of picking two math subjects. Would you mind studying for both subjects or would further simply be a burden? Further is generally easier than methods but it is different and I know people who are great in methods but still struggle with further. Another thing to remember is that further is extremely competitive at the top end. If you think you can score well, thats fine, but keep in mind that you will still need to study because dropping marks is easy. You don't want to become too complacent.

I don’t really like the idea of legal

Don't do it. Do subjects you enjoy. Same with chem or physics.

Economics sounds good, would studying via distance bother you? Otherwise, how about accounting since your interested in commerce?

[Grape]

Thanks for the help
I don't love maths, I just like it. I even find doing maths fun when I understand the problem well and I'm doing it for fluency. If I have to do either then I will do Methods. I wouldn't mind studying for both, but only as long as the amount for further is less than the amount for methods (which I'm assuming it will be as it is easier) At my school there are the competitive people who are doing methods (and some specialist) and then there are the humanities people who are doing further only because their parents don't want them to drop maths. I don't think competitiveness in further will be a problem at my school... but are your rankings (study score is a ranking not a number, right?) out of your school or out of the whole state?

I am definitely doing accounting. I'm going to talk to my business teacher about it as she is also one of the accounting teachers.

Studying by distance sounds hard. Do you know if it is mostly online or phone calls or what happens? One of my friends is doing VCE German through the VSL and it seems really difficult (not because it is a language, but because she has to manage so much by herself like planning telephone lessons and only having lessons once a week. Plus her sacs seem really complicated and she can't ask her teacher questions in person)
It's possible to move schools but I'm not really outgoing so making friends quickly isn't a piece of cake for me. The anxiety I would get from that would add to my VCE anxiety and I wouldn't be in a good position. Maybe it's best for me to forget about Economics or talk to my school about it to see if there are any other options. Do you know if economics is a lot of essay writing or if it is more like Business management?

[Coffee]

As long as you enjoy studying for maths I think you'll be fine with both subjects then.

I don't think competitiveness in further will be a problem at my school... but are your rankings (study score is a ranking not a number, right?) out of your school or out of the whole state?

Not quite- here's a break down of study scores: http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/faqs/vcecurrentstudents.aspx#H3N100A9 You'll be ranked within your school for Unit 3 and 4 but in the end of year exams you'll be ranked against the rest of the state (which is where things get competitive).

Studying by distance sounds hard. Do you know if it is mostly online or phone calls or what happens?

I did literature with DECV in Year 11 so I've got some experience with them. You'll receive a coursework booklet for the unit and you'll need to complete the work/activities weekly and then either mail it or email/upload your work online. I had one online class per week which allowed me to chat with teachers and other students, there's also an option to video chat though not many people did that. If you have any questions for your teacher you can either email them or give them a call.

I can't comment on Economics since I haven't taken it but maybe someone who has will come along and help you out regarding Eco vs BM

[Grape]

I'll go talk to my maths teacher about considering both further and methods.

Distance education sounds interesting, I might consider it. I don't know of anyone doing it apart from my friend doing German so I don't know how my school supports it.

Thanks for all your help