Choosing the right VCE subjects for Year 12 is one of the most important decisions you'll make in your academic journey. Your VCE subjects will not only impact your ATAR but also help shape your future university and career aspirations. With scaling, prerequisites, and personal interests to consider, deciding on the best subjects can feel overwhelming.
In this guide, we’ll help you identify the top VCE subjects for Year 12, their benefits, and how to make informed choices to set yourself up for success.
If you want to see how your VCE subjects or study habits will translate into an ATAR after reading this blog, try our VCE ATAR Calculator or the Study Habits ATAR Calculator.
What Are the Top VCE Subjects for Year 12?
The top VCE subjects can include both high-scaling subjects and popular subject choices that help students maximise their ATAR and align with future goals. What is considered a 'top VCE subject' can vary but generally speaking means the top subjects based on scaling potential or popularity. Here are some of the standout subjects for both categories:
High-Scaling Subjects
Subjects that scale up significantly are typically the most challenging, attracting high-achieving students who perform well across their VCE studies. Scaling ensures fairness by adjusting raw scores based on subject difficulty, and these subjects can greatly enhance your ATAR when you perform well.
Some examples of high-scaling subjects from 2024 include:
- Specialist Mathematics: Known for its challenging content and practical applications in engineering, mathematics, and physics, Specialist Maths scaled up by +13 for a raw score of 35.
- Chemistry: A core subject for aspiring medical or health science students, Chemistry scaled up by +3, making it an essential choice for STEM pathways.
- Economics: Combines mathematical analysis and critical thinking, scaling up by +2 to +4, and provides strong foundations for business or commerce-related fields.
- Languages (e.g., Latin, Chinese SL, French): Historically among the highest-scaling subjects, with Latin scaling up by +15 in 2024 for a raw score of 35. These subjects reflect their difficulty and competitive cohorts.
For students considering these subjects, it’s worth noting that their scaling reflects both their complexity and the effort required to excel in them. The graphic above provides an overview of the top-scaling subjects for 2024, illustrating their scaling impact.
Popular VCE Subjects
While high-scaling subjects often steal the spotlight, many students gravitate toward popular subjects that align with their interests, strengths, and career aspirations. These subjects, while not always heavily scaled, remain excellent choices for students who perform well and enjoy the content.
In 2024, some of the most popular subjects included:
- English: A mandatory subject for all VCE students, English remains the most widely chosen. While it scaled down slightly in 2024 (-2 for a raw score of 35), strong performance in English can significantly impact your ATAR.
- Psychology: A highly popular choice for students interested in understanding human behaviour and mental processes. Psychology scaled down by -1 in 2024 for a raw score of 35 but remains a favourite for its accessibility and relevance.
- General Mathematics: A versatile subject supporting pathways in business, social sciences, and general analytics. It scaled down slightly (-2 for a raw score of 35) but provides broad utility for students pursuing non-specialist maths pathways.
- Biology: As the most popular science subject, Biology offers foundational knowledge for students interested in healthcare, medicine, or environmental sciences. It scaled up slightly (+1 for a raw score of 35), reflecting its balanced level of challenge.
- Health and Human Development: A practical and engaging subject for students interested in health and social services. While it scaled down by -4, it continues to be a great option for students pursuing related career paths.
The graphic above provides a detailed breakdown of how these popular subjects scaled in 2024, offering insight into their performance and scaling outcomes.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Your VCE Subjects
1. Prerequisites for University Degrees
Research the prerequisites for the university courses you’re interested in. For example:
- Medicine often requires Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics.
- Engineering typically requires Specialist Mathematics and Physics.
Ignoring prerequisites can limit your options, so consult university guides or your school counselor for guidance.
2. Subjects You Enjoy and Excel In
Choosing subjects you genuinely enjoy and excel in is one of the most critical factors in achieving a high ATAR. According to Learnmate's How to get the ATAR you need guide, students who select subjects aligned with their interests and strengths tend to perform significantly better and have a more positive experience throughout their VCE journey.
Here’s why:
- Enjoyment fuels motivation: If you enjoy a subject, you’re more likely to stay engaged, put in the effort, and ultimately achieve a higher raw score.
- Excelling improves outcomes: Even if a subject scales down slightly, a higher raw score in a subject you excel in can still contribute more effectively to your ATAR than a low raw score in a high-scaling subject.
For example:
- Students with strong analytical skills might thrive in English Language or Legal Studies, while those with a passion for problem-solving might prefer Mathematics or Physics.
- Those who enjoy practical learning might excel in Health and Human Development or Physical Education.
While high-scaling subjects are tempting, forcing yourself into a subject you don’t enjoy can lead to burnout and poor results. Instead, focus on selecting subjects that align with your interests and strengths to ensure a balanced and fulfilling VCE experience.
3. How Does VCE Scaling Work?
Scaling ensures fairness across all VCE subjects by adjusting raw study scores based on the relative difficulty of each subject. This means that if a subject is particularly challenging or attracts high-performing students, scores in that subject may be scaled up to reflect the effort required to excel.
For example:
- A raw 35 in Specialist Mathematics scaled up to 48 in 2024, reflecting its difficulty and competitive cohort.
- Conversely, a raw 35 in Business Management scaled down to 32 due to its relatively easier content and average cohort performance.
You can model your predicted subject mix scores with our VCE ATAR Calculator (uses recent VTAC scaling).
Understanding how scaling works can help you make strategic decisions when choosing your VCE subjects. For a detailed breakdown of scaling outcomes, refer to our comprehensive blog on the VCE 2024 Scaling Report.
Scaling adjusts raw study scores to account for subject difficulty. High-scaling subjects can boost your ATAR if you perform well, but they’re also highly competitive. It’s better to excel in a subject you enjoy than struggle in one that scales well.
Best VCE Subject Combinations for a High ATAR
The combination of VCE subjects you choose can play a significant role in shaping your ATAR, your readiness for future studies, and your overall enjoyment of Year 12. Here are some popular combinations and why they might suit certain students:
STEM Pathways: The Analytical Thinker
Subjects: Specialist Mathematics, Mathematical Methods, Physics, Chemistry
- Why it suits you: This combination is ideal for students with strong analytical and problem-solving skills, and those who enjoy working systematically to find solutions.
- Scaling advantage: All these subjects scale up significantly, making them an attractive option for high-achieving students aiming for a competitive ATAR.
- Interests: If you enjoy logical challenges like solving puzzles or exploring scientific concepts, this combination will likely align with your passions.
Health & Life Sciences: The Future Healer
Subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Health and Human Development, Physical Education
- Why it suits you: This combination is perfect for students who enjoy learning about the human body, health, and the environment.
- Practicality: These subjects often include hands-on learning and real-world applications, making them engaging for students who prefer active participation over theory-heavy study.
Humanities Focus: The Communicator
Subjects: English, Literature, Legal Studies, Global Politics, History
- Why it suits you: Ideal for students who love storytelling, debating, and analysing social systems and historical events.
- Skill development: This combination hones critical thinking, written communication, and the ability to form structured arguments—skills that are invaluable across many disciplines.
- Interests: If you enjoy writing essays, discussing ethical dilemmas, or researching cultural or political systems, these subjects will resonate with you.
Business & Economics: The Aspiring Entrepreneur
Subjects: Economics, Business Management, Accounting, General Mathematics
- Why it suits you: Perfect for students with an interest in understanding markets, financial systems, and organisational dynamics.
- Scaling benefit: While not all these subjects scale highly, strong raw scores can still make them valuable contributors to your ATAR.
- Interests: If you enjoy managing finances, planning, or thinking about how businesses work, this combination will prepare you for future opportunities.
Creative Arts: The Visionary
Subjects: Studio Arts, Drama, Visual Communication Design, English
- Why it suits you: For students who thrive on expressing themselves creatively and visually.
- Personal satisfaction: These subjects allow for creativity and innovation, which can make your VCE experience enjoyable and fulfilling.
- Interests: If you love sketching, designing, or performing, this combination will allow you to excel while doing what you love.
Languages and Literature: The Polyglot
Subjects: French, Chinese Second Language, Literature, English
- Why it suits you: This combination suits students who are fascinated by language, culture, and storytelling.
- Scaling advantage: Language subjects, especially if taken as a second language, often scale up significantly, providing a boost to your ATAR.
- Interests: If you enjoy exploring other cultures or diving deep into literary texts, these subjects will complement your passions.
Balanced Approach: The All-Rounder
Subjects: English, Mathematical Methods, Psychology, Chemistry, Global Politics
- Why it suits you: A mix of STEM, humanities, and social sciences provides flexibility for students who haven’t yet decided on a specific focus.
- Strategic benefit: Balancing high-scaling subjects like Mathematical Methods and Chemistry with humanities subjects can provide a well-rounded ATAR contribution.
- Interests: If you have diverse academic strengths or want to keep your options open, this combination is an excellent choice.
Choosing Subject by Learning Style
Prefer recall and reading? Consider content-heavy studies (Psychology, Biology, Legal Studies, HHD). Thrive on practice? Add skills subjects like Mathematical Methods or Accounting. Enjoy cause-and-effect? Chemistry and Economics pair well with maths. Creatives/performers can balance load with folio/performance studies (Art Creative Practice, VCD, Media, Music/Drama). Aim for six 3–4s where possible (your 5th & 6th add 10% each), but choose five if that lets you excel.
You can estimate any combination of subjects using Learnmate's VCE ATAR Calculator.
Key Takeaways
Choosing subject combinations isn’t just about scaling—it's about aligning your choices with your interests, strengths, and future aspirations. The right mix of subjects can make your VCE journey more enjoyable while setting you up for success in your desired career path. Remember, if you need personalised advice, tutors on Learnmate can help guide you through this important decision-making process.
Conclusion
The best VCE subjects for Year 12 depend on your strengths, interests, and aspirations. Whether you’re aiming for high-scaling options like Specialist Mathematics or choosing popular subjects like English and Psychology, the key is to select a balanced combination that aligns with your goals.
For additional support, consider working with VCE tutors on Learnmate. Our tutors can help you excel in your VCE subjects, maximise your ATAR, and prepare for the future.
You can also plan your next steps with Learnmate's VCE ATAR Calculator or get an ATAR range from your current or intended study routines with our unique Study Habits ATAR Calculator, which will show you what high achieving students do to get scores at the top end.
FAQs
“Best” is personal—choose subjects you can excel in and that help you reach your course goals. For a data-backed breakdown of what high ATAR achievers typically do, see Learnmate's How to get the ATAR you need guide. In terms of scaling, subjects that typically scale up include Specialist Mathematics and many Languages (e.g., Latin), with subjects like Physics and Chemistry commonly scaling moderately up; always check the latest year-by-year scaling.
VTAC adjusts raw study scores to account for cohort strength and subject difficulty, then your ATAR is calculated from an aggregate of your scaled scores. For recent examples, see our VCE scaling analysis.
Our view: prioritise subjects you can do well in and that satisfy university prerequisites for the courses you want. If you’d like to be more strategic, build a mix of subjects you’re interested in and perform strongly in, plus some that historically scale well - so your hard work is rewarded by both raw scores and scaling.
To maximise your ATAR potential, we recommending taking six Unit 3 & 4 subjects: your ATAR is based on the aggregate of your best four scaled scores plus 10% of your fifth and sixth, so a sixth subject can lift your total. It’s still a personal decision - some students do better taking and focusing on only five subjects and excelling at those. Weigh workload, prerequisites and wellbeing; strong results in five can beat spreading yourself too thin across six.
Use our VCE ATAR Calculator to model your subject mix and predicted scores for a realistic estimate of your ATAR. Results from the VCE ATAR Calculator are indicative only but are calculated based on the latest VTAC scaling practices.
Yes - routine, strategy around subject selection, revision quality and exam technique compound across subjects. Try our Study Habits ATAR Calculator to see where small changes can lift your range.
Psychology, Biology, Legal Studies and Health & Human Development are typically content-heavy because they involve a lot of definitions, frameworks and terminology.
Mathematical Methods, Specialist Mathematics, Accounting, Physics and (to a degree) Chemistry emphasise procedures, problem-solving and repeated practice.
Chemistry and Economics reward explaining how one change leads to another (mechanisms, models and evaluation), with History/Global Politics also leaning on causal reasoning in arguments and what current or historical events tell us about what might happen next.
Art Creative Practice, Product Design & Technologies, Visual Communication Design, Media and Music/Drama/Theatre feature folios or performance alongside written tasks.
There isn’t a universal “best”; the ideal mix is the one you can score highly in (ie. what you are aiming for), meets your university prerequisites, matches how you learn, and balances workload and scaling. A strong, balanced program includes an English plus five more subjects: 2–3 subjects in your natural strengths, at least one skills/practice subject (e.g. General Maths, Maths Methods or Accounting), and one content-heavy or cause-and-effect subject (e.g. Psychology, Biology, Chemistry or Economics) to round out your profile.
If you want to be strategic, mix studies you enjoy and perform well in with some that historically scale up, and pair content-heavy subjects with practice-focused ones to keep the weekly load manageable.
