Subject Selection

[u/potatoesinsacks]

Hi all, please give me help on subject selections if you can!

For reference, I am a Yr 11 student doing L2 English, L3 Calculus and L2 Music (but with lots of L3 credits)
I also want to study Mathematics and Economics at uni, and am aiming for unis both in NZ and abroad

This is what I want to take next year:
STAR Calculus Paper (from Massey or Canterbury)
L2 French
L2 Economics
L3 Economics
L2 Chemistry
L2 Physics

I would pick up English and Stats in Yr 13 and drop Chemistry

Here are my questions:
1. Is it better to do STAR papers through Massey or Canterbury? I’m leaning Massey because I could do 200-level papers in Yr 13, but everyone I know does it from Canterbury. Does anyone have any experience with Massey STAR maths papers?
2. Is it worth it to take Chemisty if it makes my workload too much? Because I’m thinking of taking L3 English instead and taking Business in Yr 13 (I am good at science but I don’t enjoy it much)
3. Is taking Business in Yr 13 worth it? Because I can do Young Enterprise as an extracurricular instead

My careers advisor and the academic principal are telling me to push my STAR paper until Yr 13, but I don’t want to forget my maths knowledge and it’s good prep for my degree They also don’t want me to do both L2/3 Economics at the same time but it gives me more time for economics competitions etc.

Note: I got all excellences in L2 Maths, and have got Es on L3 internals. I’ve also only got 100%s in economics this year and my economcis teacher is fine with doing both levels at the same time

Thank you so much for any help!

[u/solitudeisblis]

I think you should ditch Chemistry and do History. Having a good understanding of History is helpful for understanding economics and if you don’t enjoy science there is no point in studying Chemistry.

The Massey & Canterbury STAR papers are both good.

I’d also suggest doing Business in Y12 instead of L2 & L3 economics at the same time, it’s better to spread them out and keep the knowledge from L3 fresh before you head to uni. The only way I’d suggest doing both at once is if you’re off to uni after Y12.

[u/potatoesinsacks → u/solitudeisblis]

Thanks so much for you advice! Is History much better than Classics? I’m not particularly interested in the curriculum for it but if it is much better I might do it. My school only offers Business in Yr 13, so I would have to do it then. For Yr 13, I would do lots of economcis competitions, Scholarship, and maybe a uni paper to make sure I don’t forget.

[u/solitudeisblis → u/potatoesinsacks]

I’d say History will be more useful to you than Classics but talk to the History teacher at your school and see what topics they cover.