As you step into the new environment of the junior college and you are suddenly presented with numerous options of Subject combinations to choose from, you may be feeling a little lost. What subjects should I choose to take up, and how will the subjects I pick affect my subsequent education path?
First and foremost, for most JCs, students are minimally required to take 3 subjects at the H2 level and 1 at the H1 level, of which one has to be a contrasting subject. Students are streamed into 3 possible choices – the Arts stream, the Science stream or the Hybrid stream. In the Arts stream, students will take more Arts (and Humanities) subjects and vice versa for the students in the Science stream. The Hybrid stream allows students to take equal number of Arts and Sciences subjects.
The subjects offered by the JCs varies accordingly, so do check out the JC websites for more information on that.
In most JCs, there are often more students in the science stream as compared to the arts stream. Some of the common subject combinations that people take up are as follows: BCME, BCMH, BCMG, BCMC, PCME, PCMH, PCMG,PCML, HELM, HEPC, and GLAM among others. Currently, most JCs are flexible in allowing students to tailor their preferred combination, thus students need not worry too much if they will not be able to pick their preferred subjects.
In considering what subjects you should take in JC, here are some areas of consideration for you to take into account:
Your interest in the subjects
The primary consideration in choosing a subject combination for a student should be your interest. You should carefully consider specific requirements of a given subject combination and match it with your abilities and passion. You can refer to Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB)’s syllabus documents to get a brief and overall understanding of the subjects that to find subjects aligned with your interests. Also, if the opportunity presents, attend information talks when your school provides, speak to teachers, seniors and peers to find out more to make an informed decision.
University course(s) that you intend to pursue
Also, although it may be difficult, do consider some potential university course(s) that you intend to pursue after JC. This is so as your subject combination has implications in the selection of future courses. In choosing the Humanities and Arts courses in university, there are comparatively fewer prerequisites and the entry requirements are usually open to most students. However, for students who do not take H2/H1 sciences in JC, they will very likely not be eligible for science related or engineering courses at the university level. Students are therefore asked to consider their subject combination with great prudence as well seek guidance from seniors and teachers. Also, you can refer to the respective university websites on the information of their entry requirements into various courses.
The school’s strength in the subject(s)
This is also a crucial point to take into consideration as it may affect the experience that you will get from taking the subjects in the particular JC. However, the best way to find out about this apart from visiting the school websites is to speak to seniors and get their advice on this. Consult them on the subjects that the school are stronger in and the academic programmes that they offer for the students. This is so as to ensure that you will get a fruitful learning experience for the subjects you are going to take in JC.
Conclusion
There is definitely no ideal or model subject combination to take as it differs for every student. One student’s interest and strengths may not be the same for another. Thus, take these three key factors into consideration when picking your subjects to make the best decision for your two years in JC. 😊
