The parents' guide to senior subject choices

A: In New South Wales, English is the only compulsory subject. Students can choose the remainder of their study load as they wish, although schools may also place restrictions on certain studies based on academic progress (high-level maths, for instance).  

If your child is interested in studying a subject that is not offered at their school, they may be able to complete the subject externally — by studying the subject at a nearby school, through external examinations or through distance education. Some subjects may also be available at TAFE institutes and adult education centres. Your child’s school career adviser can offer advice.

A: University courses usually list English as a prerequisite. Courses with further prerequisites studies (or ‘assumed knowledge’) include fields such as accounting, engineering, health disciplines and science, which usually list mathematics and/or certain sciences (such as physics, biology and chemistry) as prerequisites. If your child plans to apply for university, they will need to make sure they are eligible to receive an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR)  — by completing the necessary number of approved subjects (10 units of Board Developed Courses in New South Wales

A: If your child is yet to decide on a university course or field of study, it may be beneficial for them to choose a broad range of subjects for Years 11 and 12. For example, they could study a humanities subject, a science, a creative or skills-based subject (such as art or physical education) and a business subject, alongside the standard English and maths. This will prevent them from narrowing down their options too early and gives them more time to determine where their interests lie and what they would like to continue on with at tertiary level. 

Most importantly, they should choose subjects that they have enjoyed in the past and those in which they have shown some level of success — if they hated studying chemistry in Year 10, chances are they won’t enjoy it in Years 11 and 12 either.