When the words “soooo, what do you want to do when you finish school?” escape the lips of an adult, most students whimper a little on the inside.

For students uncertain about their life’s direction, and even for those with a clear idea of what they want to do, choosing the right VCE subjects is a stressful, confusing and mammoth task.

But there are many ways students can make informed decisions about their fi nal year subjects, just ask Heath McGregor, founder of online resource and workshop provider VCE Help.

“There are three things I say to students,” the educator says. “Select subjects you have a history of being good at — that translates to a better performance, choose subjects you enjoy and choose subjects that are prerequisites for future education.”

McGregor completed his VCE in 1995, became a secondary teacher and started VCE Help in 2002 to spread his knowledge of how to succeed in the system.

He says selecting subjects solely on the basis of them being scaled up is a big “no-no’’.

“If you don’t enjoy the subjects and simply choose them because they are scaled up then you won’t put in the same time and effort as other subjects, that can backfi re and give students a less than satisfactory study score.”

It’s also important for students to make their own decisions and not be pushed down a particular career path by their teachers or parents.

McGregor also advises students going into year 11 to attend as many university open days as possible before fi nalising their VCE subject selection.

St Catherine’s School principal Sylvia Walton, says the question of how to choose “the right” VCE subjects is “almost too long to answer and a subject too big to print’’. “It has to be done on an individual basis,” she says.

The school begins the process of VCE subject selection in year 10 with each student meeting a VCE panel made up of teachers, a career coordinator and their parents.

Walton says students unsure about their future should select subjects that don’t confi ne them to one career path.

She also encourages students to enrol in subjects they like, regardless of whether or not they are offered at the school.

“We are a small school and we need to ensure we offer our students a full range of subjects in the main discipline areas but no school can offer 60 LOTE subjects.”

Students who want to undertake subjects not offered at the school can enrol in VCE classes at adult education providers such as the CAE or via the Distance Education Centre Victoria.

“Choosing VCE subjects is stressful, but in the scheme of things it really isn’t,’’ Walton says.