It is worth the effort to take JC H1 subject seriously solely for the sake of scoring for A level?

[bbbay]

I am performing this analysis to determine whether is it worth the effort to take H1 seriously solely for the sake of scoring for A level.

I am excluding MT to simply the analysis.

The A level subjects considered are:
3H2 + GP, H1 (contrasting subject, optional in RP calculation)

The subjects’ grades for the scenarios that will follow next will be listed in the same subjects order as shown above.

Scenario 1
A/A/A/A, A

• exclude optional H1: 20+20+20+10‎ = 70
• Include optional H1: ((20+20+20+10+10)/80)*70‎ = 70

Include optional H1 does not improve RP

Scenario 2
A/A/D/A, A

• exclude optional H1: 20+20+12.5+10‎ = 62.5
• Include optional H1: ((20+20+12.5+10+10)/80)*70‎ = 63.438

Include optional H1 does improve RP

Scenario 3
A/A/B/A, B

• exclude optional H1: 20+20+17.5+10‎ = 67.5
• Include optional H1: ((20+20+17.5+10+8.75)/80)*70‎ = 66.719

Include option H1 does not improve RP

Scenario 4
A/A/A/D,A

• exclude optional H1: 20+20+20+6.25‎ = 66.25
• Include optional H1: ((20+20+20+6.25+10)/80)*70‎ = 66.719

Include option H1 does improve RP

Observations:

• H1 will only improve RP if its grade is higher than the average of 3H2+GP. Scenario 2 & 4
• If a H2 subject under perform and the H1 grade can improve the RP, the improvement is 0.938 in Scenario 2.
• If GP under perform and the H1 grade can improve the RP, the improvement is 0.469 in Scenario 4

The improvements are less than 1 or less than 0.5 RP.

It is worth the effort to take JC H1 subject seriously solely for the sake of scoring for A level?

Pls feel free to correct.

[zac's mum]

@bbbay Thanks. I have seen online calculators where u can input the actual figures, but good to see your concrete examples here.

Perhaps that is why MOE referred to the H1 subject under the new system as the potential “interest subject”.

The problem seems to be that not all JCs would offer an unusual H1 eg Physics for Arts stream.

[floppy]

In some exceptional cases, a H1 subject will improve scoring for A Level in the new system, but realistically, it won’t. A student will need to do much, much better for H1 compared to the rest of the subjects for it to make a difference in the RP. If that happens, it’s likely that the student did not have a high enough RP in the first place.

An average student is better off focusing on the other subjects than spending time on H1 sorely for the sake of scoring for A Level. It’s deja vu - a return to the time where we all take 4 subjects for J1 and then drop to 3 subjects for J2 because it’s better to score 3A than 2A2B

[bbbay]

From that few scenarios and observations, H1 is like MT, hardly use in RP scoring. If it does, the difference it makes will be small.

Let’s hope JC will not restrict the contrasting subjects students can choose from. After all H1 is an interest subject and good to give more options to explore and decide

[bbbay]

I take the liberty to work out another scenario when H1 score much better than all other subjects.

3H2 + GP, H1 (contrasting subject, optional in RP calculation)

Scenario 5
DDDD, A

exclude optional H1: 12.5+12.5+12.5+6.25‎ = 43.75

Include optional H1: ((12.5+12.5+12.5+6.25+10)/80)*70‎ = 47.0313

Include option H1 does improve RP by 3.28

[floppy]

@bbbay said in It is worth the effort to take JC H1 subject seriously solely for the sake of scoring for A level?:

I take the liberty to work out another scenario when H1 score much better than all other subjects.

3H2 + GP, H1 (contrasting subject, optional in RP calculation)

Scenario 5
DDDD, A

exclude optional H1: 12.5+12.5+12.5+6.25‎ = 43.75

Include optional H1: ((12.5+12.5+12.5+6.25+10)/80)*70‎ = 47.0313

Include option H1 does improve RP by 3.28

While it does improve the score by a fair bit, you will find it a struggle to get into most courses. It will hardly make a difference to the courses you can choose.

[doodbug]

@floppy

@zac-s-mum said in It is worth the effort to take JC H1 subject seriously solely for the sake of scoring for A level?:

@bbbay Thanks. I have seen online calculators where u can input the actual figures, but good to see your concrete examples here.

Perhaps that is why MOE referred to the H1 subject under the new system as the potential “interest subject”.

The problem seems to be that not all JCs would offer an unusual H1 eg Physics for Arts stream.

Yes, I see it the same way as you do - it’s somewhat a return to the old system of 30 years ago our time, where for content subjects, only 3H2s matter. It’s not an exact return, but close enough.

Hence, the H1 content subject even in the new system is not designed for people to actively use to pull up their UAS. By dropping 4th H2 to H1, you have more time to devote to the remaining 3H2s.