You've probably heard other students say this a million times:

"Your 1/2 subjects don't matter."

And to a certain degree they're right! Why should you bother putting in even a couple hours of study time into your 1/2 subjects if it's just going to go to waste. 1/2 subjects you complete in year 11 don't contribute to your ATAR score at the end of Year 12.

Well, not directly at least.

You see, students who say that 1/2 subjects aren't important don't understand that VCE is a long term game. If you're just thinking about the next test or assessment around the corner, you'll be completely oblivious to the bigger picture:

To become a master of Biology 3/4 content, you also need to be a master of Biology 1/2 content.

Biology 3/4 isn't an individual subject sitting in complete independence to what you learn in Year 11.

No.

Biology 3/4 requires a thorough understanding of fundamental chemistry concepts that you learn in... you guessed it! Biology 1/2.

VCAA has designed subjects in such a way that you're constantly building on prior knowledge. Year 10 subjects set the foundations for year 11 subjects, and year 11 subjects set the foundations for year 12 subjects.

Flunking one of these years is the exact opposite of setting yourself up for success, and can be catastrophic when it comes to hitting your ATAR goals.

Putting in just the right amount of effort in Biology 1/2 isn't about getting a perfect score at the end of the year. It's about the long term game. It's about building the knowledge you're going to need to hit the ground running in Year 12.

So don't lull yourself into a false sense of security, thinking that you can cover two years of content - units 1, 2, 3 and 4 - all in year 12 when you have other 3/4 subjects to worry about. Get a head start, put in the work and build your foundational knowledge. It might not mean too much this year but trust me, you'll be thanking me by the time you begin Units 3 and 4 next year.

Let's get started.