i_need_mental_asylum
Edit: I just realized that this thread isn't just about French, but more so scaling?
So, potentially just ignore this.
Hi there,
Summary (TLDR): If you enjoy the subject and are willing to invest time into it, I would definitely recommend studying French for VCE. Choosing subjects based on scaling is never the way to go (except for very few circumstances (e.g. you are a first language speaker)), and despite the increase of around 10 aggregate points, won't necessarily give you a higher ATAR
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I'm not sure of your current grades or ATAR ambitions, however, contrary to what others believe, I don't think that studying a language is particularly rewarding (in terms of aggregate score/ATAR).
My school is quite academically focused, consistently ranking high for VCE results each year, and has an objectively fantastic Head of French. However, each year, despite the generally strong cohort, the median study score is around 33, scaling to a 43-44. Don't get me wrong, many may find this amazing, whereas some of these same students are getting high 40s in General, thus French may not be the most rewarding choice.
Similarly, I know of another high-ranking school, where many students got below 20, but performed significantly better in other subjects.
Additionally, at least at my school, languages are only compulsory until the start of Year 10, with mostly the more academically inclined individuals choosing to continue (hence the scaling, which doesnt regard the difficulty of the subject per se, but rather the students completing it). As such, the teachers are increasingly pedantic, and your ability in the younger years is not exactly reflective of your future results. If you really want to succeed, even more so than in English, you can't just improve by writing 1-2 essays, but rather need to invest lots of time into practicing.
Of course, this is only from a self-proclaimed 'high achiever's perspective. Personally, I chose the subject in spite of the scaling/my study score and wish to continue learning the language after school.
Apparently, it also reaps other benefits, including Selection Ranking as well as more general ones (e.g. brain development), however I cannot confirm this.
Sorry for the long message, I hope that it helps. If you want me to clarify anything, I would be more than happy to.
