The HSC English decision; which level of English should you pick? Does scaling even matter in English?
Whether you’re in Year 10 and deciding on HSC subjects, or Year 11/12 and wondering if your choice was the right one, this blog is here to help you weigh up the pros and cons of Standard and Advanced English and help you decide which one’s for you.
Is English Compulsory?
Yep, it is the only compulsory HSC subject and that is because it provides you with a pretty essential skill set that prepares you for life beyond the HSC. As such, it is important to pick the right level of English for you in order to maximise your ATAR.
If you need some additional help for English, why not get an expert tutor from KIS Academics?
What is Standard English?
According to NESA, Standard English is described as…
“provid[ing] students… with the opportunity to analyse, study and enjoy a breadth and variety of English texts to become confident and effective communicators”.
Essentially, that just means that students will develop writing and analysis skills well, and be sufficiently prepared for their next steps in life. Standard English is aimed at improving students' ability to communicate effectively, discuss themes and ideas, and analyse texts. Texts will be common literary ones, such as Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four and Daldry’s Billy Elliot.
What is Advanced English?
NESA describes Advanced English as:
“students… investigate complex ideas in challenging texts, to evaluate, emulate and employ powerful, creative and sophisticated ways to use language to make meaning”.
This just means that students in Advanced English will study texts in more depth than in Standard English. Also note the “sophisticated” and “powerful” descriptors; students' learning is going to be more complex and thorough than in Standard English, and consequently it will take more time to study for Advanced than Standard (potentially 1-2 extra hours per week).
Additionally, students ARE required to study a Shakespearean text as the dramatic text.
How are the English Courses Structured?
The table below shows the basic outline of Year 11 and 12 Standard and Advanced English:
As you can see, there are no extra subjects for Advanced, although note the variance in language like “critical” versus “close” when referring to the depth of study.
For the Common Module and Module C, the difference between Standard and Advanced is once again the depth of text analysis. Advanced also has one extra prescribed text.
How are the English Courses Scaled?
There is no doubt that English Advanced scales better than English Standard - Advanced is harder than Standard and the scaling system is literally designed to reward that.
However, you should not pick a subject based on how it scales! You will always do better in the subject that you enjoy the most and/or are good at. Think about it, if you like the subject then you’ll be more motivated to do the work required. In saying that, if you think that you can give Advanced English a decent crack then I would go for it!
The typical example of scaling when it comes to English is as follows:
- If you can achieve the 30th percentile (top 70% or the state) or higher in English Advanced, you will achieve a higher scaled mark than a Standard student in the 90th percentile or lower.
How do you Make a Decision?
Ok so now you actually need to decide which subject is for you. Ask yourself:
- Am I good at English?
This can be hard to tell, so ask your teacher! They will have a pretty good idea of how you’re doing. - What do I want to do after school?
Both Standard and Advanced can prepare you adequately for tertiary education, depending on what your next steps are. - Are there prerequisites for my degree?
Some university courses will require certain marks in different English courses such as Education, which often requires a minimum Band 5 in English Standard or Advanced. Have a quick look into your dream course and find out what you actually need to achieve. - Last but certainly not least, do I enjoy English?
Whether you’re in Year 10 and trying to decide on your HSC subjects, or in Year 11/12 and debating whether your English choice was the right one, this question is the most important. At the end of the day if you do not enjoy the subject, you probably are not going to put the effort into it and consequently you won’t get the mark that you want.
And that is completely fine! It’s important that you recognise and prioritise your interests when deciding between Standard and Advanced English, because that will ultimately be your deciding factor.
Conclusion
If you do decide on Advanced English and you decide that it is not for you, you can always drop to Standard! Note that you cannot really move up from Standard, so it's important to consider that as well. If you're still not sure, why not have a crack at Advanced with one of our amazing tutors?
FAQs
What subjects are required for University courses?
- Advanced English is required for select degrees (e.g., some education, law, humanities) and can be a prerequisite for scholarships or bonus ATAR points.
- Most degrees only require English (any level), but Advanced makes you more competitive.
What if I'm not confident in English?
Written by KIS Academics Tutor for HSC English, Sarah McIlveen. Sarah is currently studying a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering/Masters of Biomedical Engineering at UNSW and has received outstanding reviews from her past KIS Academics students. You can view Sarah’s profile here and request her as a tutor.
If you're still on the fence when choosing the right HSC subject, it might be helpful to check out our comprehensive HSC Subject Guides:
Manoj Arachige
Manoj Arachige
Manoj Arachige
