What to Consider When Choosing Subject Combinations
If your child is in Secondary 2, your child will have to choose the subjects they will be taking in Secondary 3. After all, in their first two years, your child has likely explored all the different subjects and may be interested in some of them while not expressing any enthusiasm for others.
However, deciding on the subject combination may not be a straightforward process for your child because they will ultimately become their O-Level subjects. Moreover, there are many factors to consider before deciding to take a subject, and it’s not just whether or not your child likes the subject.
If you and your child have trouble choosing the subjects, fret not. In this article, we will discuss the essential things to consider and what you and your child can do to make the best decision for your child.
1. Your child’s overall grades
The grades of your child is likely the predominant factor when choosing the right subject combination for him. Most if not all schools likely offer students with better grades the opportunity to take up a wider variety of subjects as compared to students to do not perform as well. When the quota for each subject is reaching its limit, student with better academic results will likely be considered over poorer performing students.
Many children do not see or consider this aspect. Thus, it would be helpful if parents remind them of the benefits of better grades, and the opportunities that this achievement will open up for them.
2. What the school offers
Different schools offer a different range of subjects to choose from, and what subjects the school can offer to your child depends on their resources.
If you have two children who go to different secondary schools, you may notice that some schools can offer many different combinations. In contrast, others could only offer a limited amount.
For example, while some schools can offer Pure Geography or History, others may not even provide them and only have Combined Humanities. Subsequently, it also depends on the subject's popularity and if enough students choose it to become a class.
Ultimately, some schools may even withdraw the subject if not many students choose it. For instance, if they offer Literature in Chinese, Malay or Tamil (one of the rarer ‘O’ Level subjects) and only one or two choose it, they may not teach the subject.
If your child wishes to study a subject the school does not offer, it’s best for your child to do self-study outside of school through classes offered by private tutors for O Level in Singapore, and do consider looking for your child to take that ‘O’ Level exam as a private candidate.
3. Consider your child’s interests
Getting high grades should not be the only factor to consider. Excelling during the exams and learning are two completely different things. With so much pressure to get good grades, sometimes, we may forget that the whole point of your child’s education is for them to relish the joy of learning and how engaging the quest for knowledge can be.
It’s alright if the grades don’t reflect the interest, because there are cases where children can score well for subjects they don’t like, or vice versa. Your child attends school to learn and broaden perspectives, and different students will have distinct interests.
Listening to your child’s opinions and letting your child choose what they enjoy learning can help get results in the long-term and direct your child towards a path and career that suits them best.
4. Discuss with your child where they want to go after Secondary School
This is the most practical way when you want to help your child decide on their subject combination. If your child already has their eyes fixed on a course in Polytechnic or University, research together on the subject requirements o you can ensure your child can meet the criteria.
Doing this can prevent a situation where you realise your child cannot go through with the course they like just because of the subject combination. However, if your child is still undecided, choosing a more common combination that allows you to get into most courses is recommended.
In this case, if your child can cope, you can go for the Triple Science combo, along with Additional Mathematics and Combined Humanities. If your child does not hit the school’s criteria for Triple Science, go for Pure Physics and Pure Chemistry.
Why choose Pure Physics over Pure Biology?
Students find that having pure physics helps them get into more courses in university than pure biology, which might be a factor your child might want to consider moving forward.
An example would be how students do not necessarily need Biology to get into Medicine; all they need is an excellent H2 Physics and Chemistry grade (if he or she chooses to go to a Junior College).
Conclusion
Do remember that there is no such thing such as the “best” or the “worst” subject combination. This is simply a popular myth in Singapore, so do not pressure your child to take the subject combination you think it’s best.
After all, combinations such as Triple Science is taken because those students can cope with the coursework and can excel in Science, not because they are smarter. Even if grades are taken into account when the school allocates the subject combinations, it should not be a measure as to how smart your child is.
Should your child wish to be considered for more subject combination options by their school, look no further than Glenn Lee Learning Centre! Our private o level tuition centre in Singapore provides personalised lesson plans and teaching methods, so that your child will be able to learn in an engaging and interactive way.
Your child’s grades will show improvements under our patient guidance, and our use of proprietary ACE Methodology. Contact us or visit our centre for enquires.