Strengths, passion, and future endeavours.
These are the three things you should have at the back of your mind when choosing your subject combinations in JC.
First of all, your strengths and future endeavours may be related, meaning that you want to delve into tertiary education or a career pathway that requires a specific skill set or professional knowledge. Then I advise you to find out the pre-requisites of your desired course and choose the subject combination accordingly. However, if you have yet to have your mind set on anything, think about what you are good at. Realistically speaking, the grades on that piece of paper are going to determine your university options at the very minimum. You want to have options and not be one of the options. Although both Arts and Sciences fuel our understanding of the modern world, there is some difference in understanding and conceptualising them. Our brains all process information differently and you should be able to decipher which subjects you are better at instinctively by now from past experiences. This does not mean that you are able to get a perfect grade every time but instead, you find the subject easy to make sense of and are able to draw connections between pieces of information.
Secondly, passion. Think about what you would enjoy studying. The truth is that there is no easy subject in JC. Every single subject requires dedication and hard work and is going to be painful sometimes (or most of the time cries). Thus, if suffering is inevitable, at least suffer for something you love. Many of my friends wanted to “play it safe” and opted for the typical BCME or PCME combination as they deemed a hybrid or arts combination too risky. Yes, it may be true that a BCME or PCME combination can potentially open more doors but if you hate the subject you are studying, do you see yourself going into that profession later on in life?
Lastly, do not be afraid to take unconventional pathways. There is no fixed route to success as long as you are willing to put in the hard work. But of course, do your research beforehand and do not be afraid to ask, consult your teachers and seniors on what certain subjects encompass, read the syllabus document, and go for trial lessons if available.
With that, I wish you all the best for your JC life, remember that many are walking this journey together with you and help is always within reach.
By: Xun Shengdi
Shengdi is a fun loving student who would love to go skydiving or bungee jumping one day (with a companion of course). She has a sweet tooth and loves bubble tea and macarons (burnt caramel milk tea with sesame pearls at playmade is her go-to). She is also a chatterbox who cannot stand awkward silences so please act interested when she strikes up a conversation:> As a Kpop fan, she would sometimes randomly break into songs and dance so please jam with her:)
For more information on A-Level curriculum and subject syllabuses, click here.
To read more about how to choosing your subjects and how to survive A-levels, here is another good read.