H2 Biology or Physics???

Newcomer99 SG

Hi all, i just entered JC and have to choose my subj combi soon, but i'm lost choosing btw physics and biology. I got the same grade for both of them in Olvl. Personally, i like bio more bcos i find it more interesting, but i heard there's alot to memorise and i fear i may not be able to cope. Also, i always find bio easier than phy, but i often score better in phy. So which one will you recommend me to take?

Also, bio seems to be a more popular choice than phy, so will it be harder to score well for it? And likewise, will it be easier to score for phy in alvl? Last year's phy olvl was really tough (like always, i think) and i thought i will surely score badly for it since i did not finish the paper, but i still scored an A1 for it.

I would also like to know, how much different are H2 bio and phy from the olvl ones?

Thanks in advance (:

bloom130 SG

both phy and bio are popular, but i always thought that phy was more popular. but dont worry too much abt the bell curve, i heard from a lecturer that its better than the olevels bell curve. phy olvl paper was tougher so maybe some students couldnt score at it and so was easier to get A but chem was easy so it was more difficult to get A.

UltimaOnline SG

If you're like 90% of humans on this planet, then you're either more physics inclined, or your're more bio inclined (just like 90% of humans either prefer cats or dogs, few humans love or hate both equally). In other words, it's already in your DNA (or soul karma, whichever concept you prefer). It's unwise to choose based on what others say which is 'easier' for themselves, coz born biologists find biology naturally easier than physics, while born physicists find physics naturally easier than biology.

So don't listen to other pple, but decide for yourself. Two things you should take note :

#1 - Uni course prerequisites :

#2 - H2 Bio has more content to memorize than H2 Phys + H2 Chem combined. I'm not exaggerating. Be warned.

UltimaOnline SG

Use these resources to help you preview the H2 Phys and H2 Bio :

http://h2physics.org/

http://jc-biology.blogspot.sg/

http://www.youtube.com/user/openlecturesSG/videos

Newcomer99 SG

For the alevel bell curve, it's better as in more candidates can get good grades? I guess I was kinda worried that for the less popular subject, there will be fewer teachers in the sch teaching tht subj and hence few good teachers >< and bio is definitely more popular in my sch cos my sch mentioned that only a small class takes phy, and they recommend students to take bio too.

I've looked at the prerequisites for the uni courses before and those courses I'm more interested in are bio related. I really like bio but many ppl say that I should take phy instead bcos I'm good at maths and phy, unlike bio which I'd scored badly at the beginning of sec3. But Is alevel phy still maths-related?

In addition, I'm not very good in English, and that's another reason why ppl tell me to not take bio cos I may have problems phrasing my answers for the essay questions correctly.

Bio being content-heavy is also another concern. I often study for tests and exams t the last minute, so I'm afraid that I'll not be able to finish studying. I couldn't even finish studying for olvl bio, with a few chapters left.

stressednomore SG

I would also like to know, how much different are H2 bio and phy from the olvl ones?

Thanks in advance (:

UltimaOnline SG

In addition, I'm not very good in English, and that's another reason why ppl tell me to not take bio cos I may have problems phrasing my answers for the essay questions correctly.

You've strong reasons to go either way. I suggest you carefully preview both H2 Phys and H2 Bio materials now, and judge for yourself which subject you'll be more confident in succeeding (not merely passing, which can't get you into a good Uni course) in.

http://h2physics.org/

http://jc-biology.blogspot.sg/

http://www.youtube.com/user/openlecturesSG/videos

OpenLecturesSg has ALL the JC subjects in their several hundred videos on YouTube. Scan through all their videos and pick out the H2 Phys and H2 Bio ones to preview.

bloom130 SG

I dont know whether it can be called better but its like a lot of ppl can get B but few get A for the bell curve.

UltimaOnline SG

I dont know whether it can be called better but its like a lot of ppl can get B but few get A for the bell curve.

Every year, nation-wide, H2 Chem has the least number of distinctions amongst the 3 Sciences. And every year the H2 Chem exam paper gets increasingly tougher.

Newcomer99 SG

http://h2physics.org/

http://jc-biology.blogspot.sg/

http://www.youtube.com/user/openlecturesSG/videos

OpenLecturesSg has ALL the JC subjects in their several hundred videos on YouTube. Scan through all their videos and pick out the H2 Phys and H2 Bio ones to preview.

Ok. Thank you for your advice and the links

Newcomer99 SG

Anyway why are there more females taking bio and more males taking phy?

UltimaOnline SG

Anyway why are there more females taking bio and more males taking phy?

It's a sexual thing. Same for why most girls prefer dogs (symbol of masculinity) while most guys prefer cats (symbol of femininity).

8light SG

Do you intend to eventually take up a career in science? If so, I'd encourage you to go for physics. Scientists are becoming increasingly interdisciplinary, the result is that chemistry and biology are becoming more quantitative and model-driven in their approaches. It is never easy for one to learn a new discipline, but it seems to me that the transition is easier for a physicist moving into biology than for a biologist moving into physics.

a mugger SG

oh same case as mine.I am deciding between Bio or physics but since I got B3 for my phy and C5 for Bio for O's.I decided on taking Physics instead

Newcomer99 SG

It's a sexual thing. Same for why most girls prefer dogs (symbol of masculinity) while most guys prefer cats (symbol of femininity).

Ohh I see.. I thought it was bcos girls just do better for bio than for phy and guys do better for phy

Newcomer99 SG

Ya I'm planning to. I don't really get what you mean by that scientists are becoming more interdisciplinary.. Are you saying that chemistry and bio are quite similar to one another?

Newcomer99 SG

oh same case as mine.I am deciding between Bio or physics but since I got B3 for my phy and C5 for Bio for O's.I decided on taking Physics instead

Oh yeah I saw your topic too (: I got the same grade for both of them so up till now I'm still not sure which one I'm better at. But I think I'll most probably take phy since 8light says that it's easier to transfer to bio from phy

8light SG

I meant that chemists and biologists are dealing more and more with physics, and physicists too are venturing into other areas.

Newcomer99 SG

I meant that chemists and biologists are dealing more and more with physics, and physicists too are venturing into other areas.

Ohh i see (:

Newcomer99 SG

Bio and chem are quite similar right? Like for olvl, enzymes is taught for both bio and chem, but more detailed for bio. So if I don't take bio will I be at a disadvantage?