Career Advisers' tips on helping your teen pick their VCE subjects

Career Advisers' tips on helping your teen pick their VCE subjects

VCE subject selection can be an intimidating concept for both students and parents, but it doesn’t have to be if you have advice from a trusted source.

VCE subject selection can be an intimidating concept for both students and parents, but it doesn’t have to be if you have advice from a trusted source.

VCE subject selection can be an intimidating concept for both students and parents, but it doesn’t have to be if you have advice from a trusted source.

When your teen is beginning to make decisions about their education, as a parent, carer or guardian you likely want to be there and support them through it. One of the first big decisions your teen will need to make is their VCE subject selection. Just remember, when it’s time to make this choice you and your teen are not alone.    

To help you as you support your teen through their subject selection, we’ve spoken to Careers Adviser Andrew Wallace from Ballarat High School, and Careers Practitioner David Rosel from St Bernard's College to see what advice they have for you as a parent. 

Consider the options together

Careers advisers and counsellors regularly help students with their study goals, which makes them the perfect people to give you some guidance on how to help your high schoolers. 

Andrew Wallace explains that parents should advise their teen to first speak with their teachers, careers counsellors, and friends about their subject selection before making any choices.  

“[Your teen should] make decisions based on what is best for [their] own future, not what someone else is doing.  

“The more [they] know about [their] options, the more informed decisions [they] will make.” 

David Rosel adds that subject selection shouldn’t be based on having familiar faces in their future classes. Friends are important, but play no part in subject selection! 

Instead of basing their choices on their friends, David recommends you encourage them to think about where their strength and likes lie, and if they are in Year 10, they should consider subjects that allow them to explore potential pathways after school. Additionally, when possible your teen might also want to consider some variety in their subject load.

Give them reassurance

Subject selection might feel like a bit of a rollercoaster ride for both students and parents, but it doesn’t have to be. If your teen is panicking or seems a little lost, one of the best ways to get them into a better headspace is to let them know that they don’t have to make these choices alone. 

“Reassure your child that no matter what decisions they make in regard to choosing subjects, there is plenty of help at hand along the way,” said Andrew.  

“As the parent, you can assist by attending school information sessions, parent teacher interviews, or book a meeting with your child’s career counsellor. They will be able to explain some of the complexities of VCE and other pathways that will help you navigate the journey with a greater degree of confidence and knowledge.”  

Think about prerequisites

While subject selection will change the next two years of your teens schooling, they may also shape their options after high school.  

A prerequisite is a class or subject that must be completed to allow entry into a university program. Prerequisites are required in some courses to ensure that a student has the appropriate level of understanding in a field before studying it at a university level. 

At RMIT you can find prerequisites for courses and more on our program/course pages. Start by browsing the RMIT site for the course that your teen is interested in. Then once you’ve found it, check the section titled Admissions for the required study score and prerequisites for the course. 

VCE subjects often act as prerequisites for university courses giving your teen the skills they need to study their future degree. Andrew describes this perfectly when he says, “if a student hasn’t studied the correct prerequisite subjects during VCE such as Maths Methods or Biology, they will not be eligible for university courses that list those subjects as prerequisites, regardless of how high your ATAR is. But don’t despair! There are many other options to gain entry into your course of choice.” 

There’s no need to worry – if your teen doesn’t study a subject that is mandatory for the degree they wish to study in the future, there are other pathways into the degree. 

For example, at RMIT a student can begin with a vocational course (otherwise known as TAFE), then upon completion begin the university course of their dreams. This option can be locked in after Year 12 with RMIT’s Guaranteed Pathways program. 

“English is the core subject students must study across Years 11 and 12 to gain entry to almost all university courses. Other subjects that may be prerequisites include Maths, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Health, Physical Education and more. Prerequisites can change from year to year and from university to university, so it’s important to check with your careers counsellor.” 

If your teen has already set their sights on a certain degree, make sure to check the prerequisite requirements. Remember, things are never quite set in stone.  

“Many students and their parents are surprised at the relatively small number of degrees with restrictive prerequisite demands,” said David. 

If thinking about university all seems a bit much, Andrew said it’s also worth keeping in mind that this is only one of many ways into tertiary study.  

“The ATAR is only one avenue to university and does not define a student’s future potential. TAFE also offers a wide range of courses which can lead to further education or direct employment without the stress of trying to achieve a high ATAR.”  

Whatever your teens choices for their VCE subject selection, helping them make these decisions will help you engage with their future and better understand what’s next for them. 

Story: Jacob Johnston

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