Should I drop chem 3/4?

[TheEagle]

Hey y'all

I am in year 12 considering to drop chem 3/4 as I believe it will give me extra time on Methods, Spesh, Physics and English. I did further last year which I hope is to be in my bottom 2. However, I am on the fence between medicine/science fields and engineering, and since medicine requires chemistry, it may be a risk to drop it, though there are alternate pathways which do not require chem, i.e: science ---> post grad med, all the while, I will most likely have post grad med in my third preference if I do drop chem. Another reason to why I am reluctant to drop chem is that given the current covid19 situation, I am unsure whether the exam will be relatively easy this year which will allow me to achieve at least 30 (undergrad med prerequisite). At this stage, I am aiming for nothing over 35 in chem; for instance, I get a 30, I am aware that it will count as 3.0 towards my aggregate (provided it is one of my bottom subjects), but the question is, can I achieve that if I am spending my time significantly on my other subjects...My ultimate aim is to hopefully achieve a 99+ atar.

I'd appreciate any help and input you may have as I am currently on the verge of dropping it but believe it may backfire.

[Failingvce]

Hey y'all

I am in year 12 considering to drop chem 3/4 as I believe it will give me extra time on Methods, Spesh, Physics and English. I did further last year which I hope is to be in my bottom 2. However, I am on the fence between medicine/science fields and engineering, and since medicine requires chemistry, it may be a risk to drop it, though there are alternate pathways which do not require chem, i.e: science ---> post grad med, all the while, I will most likely have post grad med in my third preference if I do drop chem. Another reason to why I am reluctant to drop chem is that given the current covid19 situation, I am unsure whether the exam will be relatively easy this year which will allow me to achieve at least 30 (undergrad med prerequisite). At this stage, I am aiming for nothing over 35 in chem; for instance, I get a 30, I am aware that it will count as 3.0 towards my aggregate (provided it is one of my bottom subjects), but the question is, can I achieve that if I am spending my time significantly on my other subjects...My ultimate aim is to hopefully achieve a 99+ atar.

I'd appreciate any help and input you may have as I am currently on the verge of dropping it but believe it may backfire.

Hi, I also want to go down the medicine pathway! not sure whether it will happen though! Anyways if I were you I would keep chemistry so you can keep your options open. It would be a shame if you miss out on the opportunity to do undergraduate medicine if you achieved a good ATAR and high UCAT score but didn't have the prerequisites. I feel like keeping it will also keep your options open for any other science degrees that require chemistry as a pre-requisite (if you decide to change you mind a go down another pathway requiring chemistry)

You're already almost halfway through the year and you've already put in all the effort for chemistry so I would only consider dropping it if it is a great burden and really restricting you from concentrating on your other subjects.
also correct me if I'm wrong, but doing 6 subjects rather than 5 gives you a 10% boost (again not sure) in your ATAR, but I assume you'll still have some sort of advantage if you do 6 instead of 5 subjects.

also, I'm pretty certain that a 30 score is pretty much the state average so I assume that it won't be extremely difficult to achieve even if you are juggling your other subjects. also, remember that scaling can help you with it this!

good luck

[The Cat In The Hat]

also correct me if I'm wrong, but doing 6 subjects rather than 5 gives you a 10% boost (again not sure) in your ATAR, but I assume you'll still have some sort of advantage if you do 6 instead of 5 subjects.

Pretty sure you're right.

also, I'm pretty certain that a 30 score is pretty much the state average so I assume that it won't be extremely difficult to achieve even if you are juggling your other subjects. also, remember that scaling can help you with it this!

State average means half the people have to below you though...
I guess it partly depends on how much you work on it. I think if you try your best it's probably the best idea to keep it, but I don't know. I'm no expert, after all I dropped Chem!

[Lear]

I would advise against effectively halving the number of medical spots you are eligible for by dropping chemistry and in turn becoming ineligible for undergrad med. It is already ridiculously competitive and it's a tricky decision to make it even harder. Go for that 30+ in Chemistry, I believe in you.

[The Cat In The Hat]

I would advise against effectively halving the number of medical spots you are eligible for by dropping chemistry and in turn becoming ineligible for undergrad med. It is already ridiculously competitive and it's a tricky decision to make it even harder. Go for that 30+ in Chemistry, I believe in you.

Oh, I agree. Keep options open unless it will really damage the rest of your subjects (it would have for me, but that was partly because of not-so-great teachers (don't get me wrong; good teachers, didn't work for a non-self-motivated person like me) and complete cluelessness)
If you're aiming for med sounds like you're more likely to be pretty smart than me, so I'd say yes, keep it. Just do your best