All You Need to Know : VCE vs. VET vs. VCAL

When i was in Yr 10 i had a decision to make and had to decide early on whether i wanted to undertake VCE , VET, or VCAL. This was pretty stressful, yet i knew from basically year 7 that i wanted to go to university and do science subjects such as Chemistry and Biology in my later years, which ultimately lead me to choosing VCE. 

In this blog i will discuss the difference between the 3 types of higher education for Yr 11 and 12's, that is the difference between VCE, VET, and VCAL and my take on it all. 

To begin i will first distinguish the differences between the three :

VCE - Victorian Certificate of Education - Is the well known and traditional pathway that most senior  high-school students take if they wish to go to university. After completing a total  of 4 Units and 16 satisfactory subject units with English being compulsory to pass, students if they are eligible - Will receive an ATAR - A number ranking that is used as a selection criteria for entrance into universities. Assessments are school based and result in a S -Satisfactory or N - Not Satisfactory grade. This is done over 2 years. 

VET - Is the type of hands on education that can be taken in conjunction with either VCE or VCAL. And at the end students are awarded a Victorian Certificate of Education and Training and either undertake a trainee-ship or apprenticeship. This is also school based learning usually done through external providers. 

VCAL - Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning - Is the type of learning for a student looking to go into a hands on job such as a trade . This hands on learning in an area of choice is taken as well as Literacy and Numeracy units. After the completion of this 2 year course students may wish to become further educated at a TAFE  or work , upon finishing high-school or starting an apprenticeship.

Now, my thoughts on all three is that at the end of the day only you know which one is right for you. When i was in high-school there was and still is a lot of stigma around people who choose VCAL and even VET, they are portrayed as lazy, unmotivated, and unintelligent people. Which is totally bogus. No one is above anyone else because of the type of education they take that is just crazy. And some people may feel bullied into doing VCE because they don't want people to think of them negatively but the main take-away message is to do you in high-school. Personally as an individual who has done VCE i can say it was one of the most toughest, stressful years of my life, it was tough there was a lot of ups and downs but i wouldn't have it any other way because in the end i reached my goal of getting into University. I would recommend that you choose what feels right for you because you don't want a life others have made for you. 

If anyone has any questions or opinions i would love to hear from you, just leave your questions and opinions below and i will reply promptly. 

Hope this Helps , 

Zoe A.M. 

Completing Large Assignments with Ease and Not Difficulty

 

We have all been there, the giant, overwhelming assignments that may be worth half of your grade for the semester, which can leave you rattled to say the least. And it can sometimes leave you wondering where to start, how to start and how you are going to finish it all by the pending due date. But this blog is going to make it easier to tackle the ball of stress a.k.a Major Assignments.


To completely wrap your head around what you need to do for this assignment you need to understand the following things: The type of the assignment, the due date, the resources needed for it, and how the assignment can fit around your schedule.

What type of assignment have you been given. An Oral Presentation? Then you might need to write a speech and do some research, a Scientific Report? Then  you may need to research previous scientific reports and use class data and a plan . Additionally using a study design outline or the teachers assistance will allow you to gain a full scope of the assignment requirements.

 

Next, you want to know when the major assignment is due, that is so you can adequately organize your assignment writing time, a concept called 'Chunking' introduced to me by one of my teachers its where you take a take assignment and break it up over a period of days or weeks, thus preventing unnecessary stress and increasing productivity. 

Following, you need to gather all of the resources needed. This can include researching articles, reading a textbook, and paper and pens for drafts or a laptop. After this the assignment writing begins !

And lastly you need to work this assignment around your schedule. Find time that you use to study or you are free in to focus on purely this assignment. And remember to schedule in breaks as to not become overwhelmed.

Hope this helps,
Zoe A.M.

How to Get Through Finals

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The examination period more commonly known as 'Finals' is a period of time in a students life notoriously known to be one of the most stressful times . And speaking from experience and have been through multiple 'Finals' i would like to share how it is exactly i get through this challenging and reoccurring and even liberating time in life.

So, it has come to the end of semester and you are hit with exams and even due dates left right and centre, overwhelming right ? What you want to do is note when all of your finals are coming up including all of your due dates so you can prioritize in accordance with what assignment or final is due first.

After you have organized all of you assignments and finals on a calendar or planner whatever suits you, gather all of the materials in which you have for that particular class from: Lectures, classes, tutorials, workshops etc. and pick out the important things i.e. notes, practice questions.

So, you have rounded up everything from class this semester, and now you need to know how to efficiently cover the material in a sufficient amount of time. Take the exam or assignment date and count the days, simple right ? 

Following this read through the study guide for this particular class or if it is unclear as to what you need to know, go ahead and email your teacher, professor, or lecturer. Knowing what you need to study is good because you don't want to go overboard or learn things that aren't going to be on the exam. And start with the things you find difficult and finish with the easier concepts.

Remember to take a breather if it becomes overwhelmingly soul crushing at the amount of information you are expected to know ! No, seriously studying all the time surprisingly  isn't helpful and i have found that taking a break, doing something fun is liberating and takes your mind off of all the stress i.e. Reading a book, watching a movie, going outside etc.

If you might still be finding it difficult, call in a couple of friends or acquaintances to form a study group if you haven't already. Having other student input can also help fill in the cracks of the knowledge you may have and may also give you some much needed support and reassurance you need . 

And finally if you are struggling to wrap your head around it all just keep the end goal in mind. Whether this is the Holidays, Graduation, or Your Dream Job. It will be fine, you will be fine.


Hope This Helps,

Zoe A.M.