Students rarely make “bad” choices because they’re careless. More often, they choose based on:
- Peer momentum (“My friends are doing it”)
- Scaling myths (“It gets me more ATAR points”)
- Avoidance (“I’ll just do what I already know”)
- External pressure (“My parents want me to keep options open”)
- Missing context (“No one explained what this subject actually involves”)
And most school counselling, while well-meaning, doesn’t have the time or scope to go deeper. It’s fast, broad, and often delivered when students are still figuring out who they are.
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