BlogStudyWhich HSC English Subjects Should You Study in Years 11 & 12?
Which HSC English Subjects Should You Study in Years 11 & 12?
Struggling to decide which HSC English subjects to pick? 😓
This article will give you a rundown of each English level, answer all the most common questions and explain how scaling differences work.
As a tutor with 200+ hours of experience tutoring all levels of HSC English, I have a deep understanding of the content, expectations and challenges of each course, so I can guide you through everything you should consider when making decision.
Read on for advice on choosing what course is right for you!
What are the different HSC subjects I can choose from?
HSC English is a compulsory subject in NSW so students must decide which level they will complete. The different levels include:
HSC English Studies
This level of HSC English is simpler than the others, with only one Exam Paper, but comes with a much lower scaled mark and will be the only Category B subject you will be allowed to take.
It has an optional external exam, which you will need to complete if you wish to have an ATAR. In other words, if you do not take the optional external exam, you will not be eligible to receive an ATAR.
It is the only English level which is a Category B subject. You are only allowed to have 2 units of a category B subject in your 10 units of subjects for the HSC.
HSC English Standard
This level of HSC English is a two-unit course. English Standard shares a common module called Texts and Human Experiences during the HSC with the English Studies and Advanced courses.
In addition, both Advanced and Standard units have Module C: The Craft of Writing in Year 12, but they have different sets of prescribed texts, which can be viewed here.
This level of HSC English is also a two-unit course and, alongside the common module, it has three additional modules which emphasise particular aspects of shaping meaning and representation, questions of textual integrity, ways in which texts are valued and the demonstration of the effectiveness of texts for different audiences and purposes.
This level of HSC English is undertaken in both Year 11 and 12, you need to be doing Advanced English in order to also do Extension 1.
This level is an extra unit to English Advanced, so if you do both Advanced and Extension you are doing 3 units of English. In Year 12 students are required to study in this subject at least three prescribed texts for the elective study and at least two related texts in your own time.
HSC English Ext. 2
This level of HSC English is only completed in Year 12, it involves a major work, a journal of progress and a reflection statement.
English Advanced and English Extension 1 are prerequisites for this level. So if you choose Extension 2, you are doing four units of English which include Advanced and Extension 1.
6 Tips You Should Know Before Deciding
There are some things you may not be aware of in regards to studying English for the HSC. Check you know all the course requirements and expectations for each level of English.
Here are some things to note before deciding:
1️⃣ HSC English must count towards your ATAR.
Since English is a compulsory HSC subject, your English mark must be included in your ATAR calculation, even if you’re doing over ten units.
Prioritising strong performance in English can help maximise your overall ATAR so it’s important to give it your all no matter what level you choose… even if you hate it.
2️⃣ All HSC English units test the same skills.
No matter which course you choose, you’ll be working on developing your creative and analytical writing skills, and learning how to engage critically with prescribed texts.
What differentiates the courses is the complexity of the texts and the level of sophistication expected in your responses.
From personal experience, I can say that Advanced and Extension courses may challenge you more in terms of the texts and the depth of analysis required, but that doesn’t mean you should be intimidated by them. It’s all about how well you adapt your skills to the different expectations.
3️⃣ Most HSC English subjects have a final, external exam.
The English Studies, Standard, Advanced and Extension 1 courses all have to sit a final exam from NESA worth 50% of your final mark. The English Extension 2 course is different since it requires you to submit a major work instead of an exam.
Personally, I’d recommend choosing English Extension 2 if you prefer working on a passion project bit by bit rather than maxing out your understanding in the days leading up to an exam. It was honestly a source of comfort in Year 12 because I could take a break from the endless memorisation by doing something more creative.
4️⃣ It’s always better to start at a higher level.
If you’re on the fence about whether to take Standard or Advanced, my advice is to start at a higher level and drop down if you find yourself struggling. The reason I suggest this is because Advanced and Extension courses scale higher, which means they’re weighted more heavily when it comes to your ATAR calculation.
But here’s the thing: you can’t move up a level if you start lower, so you might as well take the opportunity to see if the challenge suits you.
I’ve worked with several students who chose Standard because they weren’t confident in their own abilities and ended up doing a lot better than they expected. This choice often becomes a source of regret because it feels like you’re doing the same amount of work for a lower ATAR.
5️⃣ Some universities or specific courses have prerequisites.
Some university courses may include a minimum performance Band 5 or the completion of an English course as a prerequisite for enrolment. It’s also common for universities to list an English course as assumed or recommended knowledge, meaning that the skills and content you learn in that course would be highly relevant to your degree.
For example, The University of Sydney requires a minimum Band 5 in English Standard or Advanced for several education degrees:
6️⃣ Some universities or specific courses offer bonus points for different HSC English Levels.
When enrolling into a university, even if your ATAR is below the guaranteed entry requirement, you can still get into a course via your selection rank. A selection rank is basically your ATAR + any adjustment points you have, check out this article if you want an overview of how they work.
One easy way to gain adjustment points is checking if your desired course offers any points for your performance in certain HSC courses.
For example, The University of Technology lists several subjects that can give you bonus points:
How to Make a Final Decision
🤔 Think about what you want to do in the future.
There’s a high level of expectation to have good written and verbal communication skills, not only at universities, but also in the workplace. English gives you the opportunity to work on these skills and provides you with knowledge that will benefit you throughout your life.
Also, certain universities and courses may require you to have completed a specific level of HSC English as a prerequisite, so always check this. It is also worthwhile to research your course to see the kind of work you will be doing as it is likely this work will be related to writing, so it is best to choose the highest level of HSC English you can manage.
🤔 Are you taking on too much or too little?
Everyone has different limitations and capacities and, while it is fantastic to expand your capacity, overwhelming yourself can become a real struggle during an already stressful year. Think about the workload of the other subjects you are taking and if you are taking on any major works.
Year 11 is a good trial period to figure out how much work you can manage, so it’s beneficial to take risks and pick classes that will challenge you to inform your final subject selection.
🤔 There is a large difference in scaling between English Standard and English Advanced.
There is a consistent difference between how grades are scaled between the two major English subjects. Essentially, this means high marks in English Standard don’t mean as much as high marks in English Advanced.
The other reason why you should always go for the high level subject rather than the lower level is because you can’t go up but you can drop down! So you can always start with Advanced English, and then drop down to Standard English later.
To understand the impact of scaling, we want to look at the first column, which provides the scaled mark (out of 50) for students performing in the top 25%.
We can see that in English Advanced this = 31.5%.
In English Standard, however, a top 25% performance would be scaled to 20.1%.
Unfortunately, this means that a better outcome in English Standard means much less than it does in English Advanced.
Final Questions to Ask Yourself:
How have you performed in English throughout high school, especially in the senior years?
If your past grades haven’t been strong, are you motivated to improve and willing to put in the effort needed to succeed in a higher-level course?
Do you need a particular course, such as Advanced or Extension English, for my university course prerequisites?
Are you willing to commit to a heavier reading and writing workload if you take on more units?
How does the workload compare to your other subjects? Are you already struggling to keep up with ten units? Do you have any major works that might take time away from extension English courses?
FAQs about HSC English
Does doing a higher level mean I’ll get a good ATAR?
Truthfully no. For example, while strong marks in Advanced English will result in a better ATAR score than strong marks in Standard English, it’s the ‘strong marks’ that are important, not the unit.
In fact, it’s all to do with percentile, quartiles and scaling. Your cohort and your performance are more important to your success than the level you’re studying!
It also means that, if you feel like your English course isn’t the best fit for you, then you don’t necessarily have to stay there.
For example, if you know you could be at the top of a Standard class but are struggling to even pass in your Advanced class, consider changing!
Ultimately strong marks in a lower level of English will score better than weak marks in a higher level.
Will reading sample essays actually help me?
If they’re good sample essays, yes! By reading over work that has marked well it’s a lot easier to pick up on the things that make it a strong essay, even though (in theory) you know what markers are looking for.
When you see it written out in an essay, it’s much easier to identify points of strength and then emulate them in your own writing.
For example, if you struggle with essay structure, reading sample essays will give you great examples on how to structure your responses effectively. Likewise, if your language choices feel too awkward or informal, seeing what language other people choose in their essays can really help.
Sometimes if your language is getting stale, seeing other people’s writing can reinvigorate your writing style. That’s why when authors get writer’s block, most of them stop writing and start reading!
Just keep in mind that not all sample essays are good ones, so make sure you’re getting them from reliable sources like past papers, HSC marking feedback, etc. If you know any friends or family who did well you can even ask to read their old essays!
How long should my essay be?
It depends, but most essays sit within the 800 – 1,200 range. In theory, you should be aiming for closer to 1,000 words, as this is seen as a benchmark when it comes to ‘writing enough,’ but it is more important to have good quality content rather than bad quality ramble.
You have to think of your essays in terms of their value rather than their word count. If your essay is saying everything it needs to say and is saying it in an eloquent, sophisticated way, then you don’t need to worry too much about the word count unless it’s massively over or or under.
How long should my creative writing piece be?
This is harder to answer, because a creative piece doesn’t really have a set structure or format, so you can’t say when you’ve written ‘enough.’
Generally you want to look at time limits; if you have 40 mins for analytical and you write 1,000 words, you should be doing the same for creative because you have 40 mins for that as well.
That said, it’s much less of a worry if you go under in creative writing, so long as your writing is still strong, makes a point and has some level of creative integrity.
I know for a fact that my HSC creative writing was shorter than my essay, but that didn’t worry me because I knew it fit the stimulus and made a clear point about the topic. Again, it is more important to produce compelling writing rather than cliché ideas.
What are the modules like in HSC English Advanced?
This module is a comparative study, meaning you study two texts. These texts have a direct intertextual relationship and you will examine what they have in common as well as how they differ.
Module B is called Critical Study Of Literature and involves an in-depth study of a single text.
The aim of this module is for you to be able to develop personal and intellectual connections to the text.
You will be reading, analysing and responding critically and creatively to your text, with the hope that you develop an appreciation and personal relationship to the text’s themes and ideas.
Module C is called ‘The Craft of Writing’ and is dedicated to helping students effectively write imaginative, persuasive and discursive pieces.
It involves writing pieces inspired by texts that have been taught in class and also possibly justifying your creative decisions within a reflection.
How many quotes should I have in my essays?
For a standard three paragraph essay it’s best to include at least three quotes in each paragraph to effectively support the argument you’re making. However, if you’re writing a four paragraph essay, it might be easier to focus on two quotes due to time constraints.
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Christina Ugov is currently completing a double degree in International and Global Studies and Theatre and Performance at the University of Sydney. Outside of her studies, she enjoys exploring creative writing projects, analysing literature and playing with her cat. She spends her spare time reading, listening to music and drinking lots of tea.
Cameron Croese is a qualified English teacher who has a Bachelor of Education (Secondary) and a Bachelor of Arts (English) from Macquarie University and is currently undertaking a Masters of Education in Melbourne. A long-time Art of Smart coach, Cameron has supported over 60 students from Years 7-12! When not studying, Cameron is an avid writer, having won several awards for short stories, including the Alan Marshall Short Story Award.
