hey so im in year 9 and im planning to start studying and preparing for VCE but i dont know where to start first. could i have any tips on what i should learn first, where to start or anything. thanks
VCE PREP
tsch Hi there! Firstly, it sounds really cool that you want to start preparing for VCE. Are there specific subjects you want to take? My biggest tips currently are to just focus on your study techniques. Of course, year 9 is nothing like VCE, but any steps you make towards improving study habits and the way you learn is really beneficial. Whilst I never really thought much about VCE in year 9, I still started to make progress towards improving my study methods. This involved watching A LOT of study technique videos and doing a heap of trial and error (which you'll probably keep doing right into year 11 and 12). I also read books on study methods (haha I'm a bit of a study nerd) and improved the way I planned my time (aka starting making proper to-do lists and time blocking). If there are specific subjects you're interested in, you could try watching some videos or reading up on some of the topics that may be covered. You could also chat to your teachers as well to see if they can point you to any resources. You can also look into doing a subject early, but there's no pressure or need to do this (you don't need to do an extra subject to do well, and you'll regret doing it if you just do it for the sake of doing it).
However, please don't stress yourself out about VCE. You've got a long way ahead of you, and there's no need to push yourself too hard (this goes for during VCE too). Improving your study methods and habits is important, but you don't need to do any crazy preparation for VCE. I never really did and it didn't honestly matter. I just made small amounts of progress along the way and tried to learn from my mistakes. So don't stress too much about it. VCE is important, but it really isn't everything in the grand scheme of things.
As a year 12 student doing VCE, my best advice to you is to know what you want to do early. VCE is a lot easier to deal with when you are doing something you're passionate about. You do not want to burn yourself out before doing units 3 & 4 as that is where it matters most, pacing yourself is highly important. As mentioned before, you have a long way ahead of you and so you should not stress so much going into VCE. Developing study habits is definitely beneficial, it will naturally prepare you for the journey ahead.
When I was in yr 10, I chose to do introduction to mathematical methods and I wasn't performing well. Going into yr 11, I was not sure what to choose in subjects and I did not feel like doing a unit 3/4 subject. I aligned my choices with my future goals, interests and strengths and I'm satisfied with my choices. When the time comes, you will know what to do and how to prepare yourself. Those two years prepared me for my yr 12 journey and I'm coping with the workload well given that I was on top of work in yr 10 and yr 11. Yr 11 sets the foundation for Yr 12 studies, this is especially true for mathematical methods as I am performing better than I was in yr 10 and yr 11. My highest-performing subjects now are Physics and Accounting (Accounting pleasantly surprised me).
2 months later
_sophiestudies_ hi im so sorry for such a late reply but i was either planning to do vce pyschology, vce bio, vce chem, or vce general maths. which ones do u think i should choose if i want to go into medicine, dermatology, or the eye study (i dont know what its called) i was also planning to maybe do methods but lots of people don't recommend it in yr10 so what do you think? sorry again i know this is a very late reply
Tin24433 hi! thank u sm sry for the late reply. what study habits do u think would be useful to develop? do u have any tips or tricks on how to study more efficiently. my studying isn't very efficient i have to study weeks prior to an exam to do really well and i want to cut down on the amount of time i use to revise as other people are getting really high but only study a few days before.
tsch hmmm it really depends. I don't know much about med requirements, but I would definitely pick what interests you the most, but also is doable in year 10/without having done year 10. I also didn't do methods, so I can't really speak about it other than knowing it's a very challenging subject for many. Psych is always great for accelerating since you don't need prior knowledge, but I know general maths would probably be okay too. Biology is quite a jump from year 9, and even larger for chemistry. I wouldn't recommend accelerating them unless you've been told by a teacher that you'd be capable, and even then I would think it through thoroughly.
tsch focus on using active study techniques. I watched a video about this by UnjadedJade on youtube, which was super helpful. This includes flashcards, mind maps from memory/blurting, and most importantly, practice questions. This really helps you retain information and learn how to apply it. Reading a textbook or your notes over and over is very inefficient and passive, since it doesn't involve you actually retrieving the information from your brain and filling your gaps. I'd also start learning to study in little amounts consistently. Exam prep is revision, not learning the whole subject again. You want to focus on doing active learning, so going through content and doing practice questions, in small chunks over time. This makes exam prep way less stressful. I could keep going on, but I definitely reccommend looking on youtube for videos on study techniques. It's literally how I learnt. It also takes a lot of trial and error. Not every technique will work. I'm in uni and I'm still learning how to study more effectively. It's a constant work in progress.
_sophiestudies_ thank u sm this is rly helpful
_sophiestudies_ im really indecisive about my subjects because i need to consider the scaling and i dont know what to do. do i just choose whatever i like or do i choose the subjects that scale up
tsch choose subjects you like! Never ever just do a subject because it scales up. VCE is really hard, so picking subjects you know you'll enjoy is crucial. If it scales up, that's great. If it doesn't, that's complete fine too. You'll do better in subjects you enjoy! Please don't get stuck in the mindset of picking subjects for scaling. It has it's place but it shouldn't impact your decision. I did almost all subjects that scaled down but I chose subjects I loved, meaning I also did well because I was passionate about them.
Things to consider in order:
- Do I like the subject/am I passionate about it?
- Can I imagine myself studying this subject down the track?
- Prerequisites for uni courses you might be interest in (really not a big deal right now since you're only in year 9)
- Pathways the subject can lead to
- Teachers -> Not a big reason to choose a subject, but if you know the teacher isn't great/is great, this might influence you choice to a degree (again, shouldn't be the sole reason why or why you don't pick a subject
Things not to consider/focus on/be the reason you choose a subject:
- Scaling
- Classes with your friends
- Doing subjects you think make you look "smarter" -> All subjects are hard! Art is hard, Chemistry is hard. English is hard. Don't pick subjects based on stereotypes
- Doing subjects you think are easy -> Again, no subject is easy. All subjects take lots of work!
Ultimately, pick subjects that interest you the most! Hope this helps!