Yes, in most Australian states, you can drop Maths in Year 11 (or switch to a less demanding level like General Maths), as English is usually the only compulsory senior subject, but you must check university prerequisites for your desired courses, as many degrees (especially in STEM, Economics, Business) require or assume certain maths knowledge, so it's a strategic choice, not just an easy out. Dropping can help your ATAR if you struggle, but dropping essential maths can close doors to many university paths.
The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) has today clarified to schools that mathematics will remain optional for students in Years 11 and 12.
Students who change course must catch up the work within the timeframe set by the subject leader. Students will not be allowed to drop option subjects in Year 10-11 unless they have a letter from a consultant and the issue raised is consistent with evidence seen in school.
Maths is a compulsory subject in most school curriculums for a couple years. After that, it becomes an elective and you're free to drop it – indeed, more and more students are ditching maths as soon as they can.
To leave school during Year 11 or 12, you need to get permission to either: attend TAFE or other registered training organisation; gain an apprenticeship or traineeship; work in a job which will improve your job prospects; or.
When can I leave school? In Western Australia, the law says you have to stay in school until you finish Year 10, turn 18 or get to the end of the year you turn 17 and a half.
Even though none of your actual Year 11 grades are counting towards your ATAR, that doesn't mean what you learn will be totally useless. In fact, your Year 11 classes provide fundamental knowledge for those all-important final Year 12 exams. You need to learn to walk before you run, or so they say.
Subjects that typically scale down your ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) are often those with broader student cohorts or less numerical emphasis, such as Foundation Mathematics, Health & Human Development, Business Management, Psychology, and some Arts/Humanities subjects, while higher-level Maths/Sciences often scale up, but performance is key, and subjects you excel in should be prioritized.
For this reason; attendance of 95% and above is considered as acceptable, attendance below 90% is a concern, and a child with an attendance rate below 85% is classed as a Persistent Absentee.
United States
Those states which have raised their minimum dropout ages above 16 may provide for exceptions with parental consent at ages 16 or 17. Further, most states have clauses allowing for graduation by students who manage to complete all academic requirements early.
The most dropped HSC subject is often cited as Mathematics Advanced, with high percentages of students (around 35%) dropping it, making it a common choice for students seeking to reduce workload or move to Standard Maths. Other frequently dropped subjects include Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Legal Studies, PDHPE, and Extension subjects, often due to perceived difficulty, workload, or scaling concerns, with some STEM courses like Software Design also showing high dropout rates.
While English and Maths are compulsory for you in Year 9 and 10, and English for Year 11 and 12, the rest of your study plan is entirely up to you.
Top 10 Hardest GCSE subjects - Choosing your GCSEs
Pre-calculus is one of the most advanced courses in high school. So taking Pre-calculus in 11th-grade math makes it tough.
Common reasons students consider dropping subjects include: feeling overwhelmed. discovering a subject isn't what they expected. struggling academically.
Failure to attend school is classed as chronic absenteeism when a student misses 10% or more school days in a year. Chronic absenteeism differs from truancy because it takes into account all absences, while truancy is exclusively a measure of unexcused non-attendance.
The lowest reported ATAR is 30.00, but if you score lower, your result will simply say "30.00 or less," with no specific score given below that threshold. While 30.00 is the minimum reported rank, some universities offer alternative entry paths, and specific courses can have lower entry requirements, with some offers reported in the 20s and 30s for certain programs.
The four compulsory subjects are 2 official Languages (one Home Language and one First Additional Language), Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy and Life Orientation.
Overall, the highest scaling ATAR subjects in QLD are Specialist Maths, Maths Methods, and the Languages subjects, as the subject cohorts are extremely competitive and the content is difficult to learn.
The Education Act 1990 requires that parents ensure their children of compulsory school age are enrolled at, and regularly attend school, or, are registered with the NSW Education and Standards Authority for home schooling. Once enrolled, children are required to attend school each day it is open for students.
Year 11 exams are handled by your school, not by VCAA. It won't affect your Year 12 results. However, your school may have internal processes for Year 11, such as whether or not they permit you to go through VCE or put you in an alternate program if you've been underperforming all year.
Your first year and sophomore year affect your cumulative GPA, which is important to most colleges. However, a solid academic record in your junior year is likely to carry more importance with an admissions committee.