Careers: Preparing for Post-School Pathways
Subject Selection Conversations
As the due date for subject selections for our Year 10 students for their 2023 course approaches, students and parents have been engaging with teachers about their choices.
From the perspective of preparation for post-school courses, there are two angles to consider. The first is that subjects that are interesting to students, and will provide a challenge, will be the best indicators of suitability for post-school study. For example, if a student really doesn’t like chemistry, it would be difficult to see him suited to a course at university or college that was reliant on a strong background in this subject.
The second angle to consider is the limiting consequences that subject choices for Year 11 and 12 might have on post-school course options.
Universities in NSW provide guidance on this in the way they list Year 12 subjects as a course pre-requisite, assumed knowledge, or recommended studies. The best way to see this information is to look at the courses as they are listed on the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) website.
If a subject is listed as a pre-requisite, it means that the applicant won’t be considered for a place on the course if they haven’t studied the subject identified. Many University of Sydney courses have a Mathematics course prerequisite.
If a subject is listed as assumed knowledge, it means literally that – the course will be taught assuming students have this knowledge. It won’t stop an applicant receiving an offer if they haven’t studied that subject. Recommended studies is the next level of subject and course suitability.
The challenge with considering all of this is, of course, that the student needs to study Year 12 subjects that he will engage with, work hard at, and therefore achieve his best results that will go towards a selection rank that will see him eligible for a course offer. Your sons have been speaking with their Housemasters, teachers, and with me about these considerations. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Courses and contacts
Please refer to Courses & Contacts for details of courses and contacts that may be of interest to you and your sons.
