Research shows that students achieve better in the subjects they’re most interested in. That means if your teen chooses the subjects they enjoy and that they are good at, they are more likely to achieve a higher Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) score.

Here are some tips to helping them decide on those subjects:

• Throughout their high school years, talk to your teen about the things they like to do. Do they enjoy communicating? Do they like fixing things? Are they interested in health? This will give an indication of the subjects they would enjoy studying most in senior school.
• Check with the school’s subject requirements so you have all the facts before your teen makes their subject decisions.
• Does your teen have an idea of what they want to do after school? If so, encourage them to talk to people in those fields, as they might be able to suggest appropriate subjects to study.
• Keep in mind that if your teen plans to go to university, it is important they choose subjects that are the prerequisites for the tertiary courses they are considering. They should also make sure they choose the correct combinations of subjects required to qualify for tertiary entrance in their state or territory.
• Keep an eye out for university open days to attend with your teen.
• Encourage your teen to participate in work experience programmes to help work out the subjects that interest them.
• Encourage your teen to meet with the school career advisor or organise a meeting for you to meet with the career advisor together. They can provide guidance on university courses, prerequisites and qualification requirements for tertiary entrance in your state or territory.