Everyone is different. Individuality gives us our identity. Fitting in can be hard and finding the right subjects even harder. So, with that said, here is a breakdown of the different science subjects offered by HGHS.

It is worth noting this article is purely the opinion of one student.

Science is a core subject compulsory up to Level 1. After that it splits into Biology, Chemistry, Physics and General Science. There are a lot of factors to take into consideration when finding your niche. Perhaps this article can shed some light on it for you. Everyone is different, enjoys different things and as mentioned this is merely a reflection of my own opinion, so take all this advice at face value. There is no "one size fits all" solution.

But as someone with a passion for science and a knowledge of the big three I can offer some advice.

If you like understanding the building blocks of life, biology might be the science for you. More essay-like and writing heavy, bio also includes some very fun dissections and standards that test your memory and precision. The practicals are very fun and the externals involve writing three different essay-like answers. Biology leads into a lot of specialised careers post university level. However, it can also just be an interesting study of life tucked away into your back pocket as you move on.

Chemistry is much more "mad scientist" than we’re used to seeing on TV. If you like the sound of bubbling colour changing practices and changes of states and elements, you might enjoy chemistry. There are lots of graphs and tables of information to decipher and you will be sure to have your TV show forensics moment. Understanding atoms and chemicals as the other type of building blocks to life certainly has its level of intrigue too. You’ll make atoms and electrons your friend and gain a better understanding of things you see everyday.

Some people prefer the mathematically based. For them, it is much easier to see things when they are either right or wrong, although picturing everything as frictionless spheres can get to some people eventually. Physics is a great option if you love maths and want to push it further. An understanding of physics will broaden your experience of everyday force and accompany an understanding of how things move.

At each level there is also a generalised science course alongside the three split courses. Much like junior and Level 1 Science, this course is broad. The course borrows a couple standards from Biology and Chemistry as well as Earth Science. If you’re not sure where you want to go and don’t have the space to take multiple sciences but want a taste of them all, this may be a good option for you.

In the STEM focused world we live in today, 1-2 sciences and a maths subject will get you just about anywhere. Throw in an English-rich subject and of course something else you enjoy and you’ve got the recipe for the perfect senior year.

In the end there are many factors to take into consideration, job opportunities, higher education and timetable space can make this choice very intimidating. I personally found it good to work backwards from Year 13, to see what I needed to take in order to fit into my ideal five subjects for the final year. There is still so much to think about but hopefully this student perspective break down will help just a little.

Written by Johanna Vreede.

Graphic from Canva.