Guide on choosing arts or science stream for SPM.

[DISCLAIMER: This article is based on my personal opinions and I shall not be held accountable if your life happens to screw up]

First up, I'm doing this because I have always been interested in people's choices, especially choices directly involving their own future and since PMR has just ended and a whole bunch of confused people are still confused, I thought, what better time to do this than now?

This article is more directed towards the students in my school as the 'stream packages' might differ from school to school. However, read on if you wish.

Before I go on to why you should choose a certain stream, it is extremely important you know what subjects are offered in each stream. This is a table I made for the current 'stream packages' offered in my school.

Pure Science	Sub Science	Arts
Core subjects: BM English Maths Sejarah Moral Elective subjects: Chemistry Physics Add Maths Biology Elective #1	Core subjects: BM English Maths Sejarah Moral Elective subjects: Chemistry Physics Add Maths Accounts Elective #1	Core subjects: BM English Maths Sejarah Moral General Science Elective subjects: Perdagangan Accounts Elective #1 Elective #2

Other electives offered are Pendidikan Seni (ms Rebecca), Bible Knowledge (mrs Gong) and Literature in English (ms Siow).

All in all, you are allowed to take 6 to 12 subjects but only a maximum of 10 subjects are to be taken into consideration for scholarships.

"Since 2010, however, the Ministry of Education has imposed a 10-subject limit on every candidate, while lowering the minimum number of subjects from 8 to 6. Students are allowed to take 2 additional subjects (comprising Arabic, Chinese, Tamil, Iban, Kada zandusun languages and Bible Knowledge) but they will not be taken into consideration for government scholarships."
-Wikipedia

Here's the good part.

Which stream do I choose?
The main difference between both streams are the way you are taught to think, not how wide your future career options are.
It's about how you enjoy thinking and what types of "challenges" you prefer - Balancing accounts or balancing chemical equation; Delving into the mind of a poet or into the mysteries of physics; Expressing yourself artistically or demonstrating a mathematical puzzle; Understand the workings of economy or our human body?

I believe everyone has their own goals and passions in life, their own strengths and weaknesses.
There are a million factors as to why you choose your stream but the most important (in my opinion) is to follow your dreams and not be bogged down by reality.

My definition of reality is:
-Stereotypes
Science stream are for smart students and Arts stream are for the not so smart students.

-Friends
Just cause your boyfriend / girlfriend / best friend went to another stream, it doesn't mean you should follow them.
You say you wouldn't jump off a building if they asked you to, then why follow their stream?

-Parents
Parents who force their children to go to whichever stream for the sake of future income capacity or past experiences ought to be slapped with reality.
It is their children's life and future in stake, not theirs. Their moment has passed.

-Teachers
In other schools, arts stream teachers are usually less motivated and do not expect academic achievements from their students. However in our school, I find this issue not applicable as the teachers between arts and science stream are equally balanced. In fact, sometimes arts stream gets the better teacher.

-Funds
Generally, the fees are more expensive if you take up a science-based course at colleges / universities.

One question, who's life are you deciding your stream for?
Are you choosing your stream based on stereotypes, your friends, your parents, your teachers, your financial status or YOURSELF?

Go with whatever that INTERESTS you, not what you think you wouldn't need or your bad in. If you have the passion in whatever your doing, I believe you would excel in it. But if your forcing yourself in doing something you have no passion in, you would just end up a bitter Man, dissatisfied with life.

What do the older kids say?
I did a quick survey on some close friends. I highly recommend you to go do the same with the seniors in your school, especially the Form 5s, as they have been in your position 2 years ago and are more familiar with the stream packages.

I went to Science stream for Biology. I really liked the biology parts of Science in Form 3. No regrets.
-Chin Yuen Wing.

I went to Arts stream because I wanted to study something related to business and not related to science. I never regretted my decision.
-Toh Hui Wen.

I went to pure Science because I wanted Biology and I really liked Maths and Science.
-Nikole Ye.

I went to Sub Science because I love all my subjects and wouldn't trade it for Biology or Perdagangan. That's just me.
-Roy Ho.

My Personal Experience
I'm regarded as one of those top students in school, getting top positions in my class for the past 5 years. However, I've never got straight A's in any government examinations due to my poor grasp of BM language. After PMR, I decided to sign up for Arts stream.

Heck, it was no easy job. My mom was against my decision, my friends were questioning my bizarre act and my teachers were just saying I went to Arts stream so I could get 1st position in class.

Why I chose Arts? Because I followed my heart, not the people around me. I like the fact that some things just happen because they do and not to question why certain things react a certain way. I like the freedom to believe in luck and not scientific explanations.

I have never regretted my decision. However, I was abit disturbed by the fact that my closest friends were in different classes and almost everyone in my class were Chinese-educated (no discrimination intended, just a difference of culture).

I do get 1st in class and 3rd in form, not because everyone else is bad, it's because my passion drives me forward.

Conclusion:
Everyone has a choice to make, so go on and live your life the way you want.

EXTRA READ

What is God's calling for your life?
You need to seek God and ask Him to help you to find His special plan and calling for your life and ask Him to give you the faith and courage to follow, wherever He leads you.

" For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
- Jeremiah 29:11

Extra information
These are things your teachers/ parents/ school might not tell you about. I think you shouldn't be deprived of information.

a. You are allowed to switch streams within the first month of your Form 4.
Major downside: You have to sell all your books and buy new books for your new stream.

b. You are allowed to drop subjects in Form 5.
You still have to attend classes but you do not necessarily need to take it for SPM.

c. You are allowed to study outside, as in taking tuition for whatever subject you desire that is not offered in the 'stream packages'.
I personally regretted not taking up ICT for SPM.