What is the Hardest Subject in School? (FAQs)

Hardest Subject in School: This question comes up a lot in education, and it could be because people are just curious.

Instead of bestowing this honour upon a single academic subject, we have compiled a concise yet illuminating list of some of the hardest subjects taught in the classroom.

We’ve split the categories into high school and college to identify the hardest subject in school. So, this article will discuss the hardest subjects in the two categories.

What is a Hard Subject?

A hard subject takes time and mental strength to learn and understand. Some students might find this subject easy, while others might find it difficult.

What Makes a Subject Hard or Easy?

Research on the “perceived disparity in the difficulty of different subjects” found that students typically consider the following criteria while selecting courses:

1. View Of Subject:

The idea that a particular field of study is “boring” or “easy” is a perception that is often formed due to our own educational experiences or how we are taught.

2. How much fun it is:

Some people learn best with visual aids. Thus, trying and instructing them without a model would be inefficient.

Therefore, some students may find cell biology (a visual idea) more accessible than calculus or electromagnetism, which they struggle to visualize.

3. How much future benefit it provides are all factors:

Memorization-based education is far more laborious and useful only temporarily. You may ace the upcoming test and then wholly blank afterwards.

Because we are conditioned to value good grades over actual learning, the cycle begins anew each time an exam rolls around.

NB: According to the research, students prioritize interest and practicality over challenge when making course selections.

What is the Hardest Subject in High School?

1. Mathematics: 

There are various challenging math courses to choose from in high school. Only a few students consider mathematics to be an easy subject.

At the same time, the vast majority have difficulty passing the tests and spend significant time studying math.

The latter group of students finds it difficult to memorize formulas and fully comprehend the underlying principles.

In addition, the grading system for mathematics does not allow for any degree of flexibility, so there is very little room for deviations.

2. Calculus:

Many different branches of mathematics and sub-disciplines of mathematics probably deserve some acknowledgement for their achievements here.

However, calculus is the most challenging of these subjects, not just to study as a student but even for the teachers that teach it.

The calculus teacher is responsible for ensuring that the student understands the basics at work, including functions, theorems, derivatives, and anti-derivatives.

Calculus can be broken down into its parts, the most fundamental of which is the study of the mathematical representation of change.

This can be a challenging topic to comprehend when it is articulated using mathematical terminology. It would undoubtedly be a thorn in the flesh of the students if not taught properly.

3. Further Math:

Further math is a subject that is closely related to mathematics as a single subject, and because it counts for two issues, it is regarded as one of the most challenging.

You will earn both your general mathematics and qualification in further math if you choose to pursue education in further math. This is because further math is a subfield of mathematics.

This fact alone might make it one of the more challenging subjects, particularly when you consider that a significant portion of your study time will be spent concentrating on the topic.

Unsurprisingly, the material covered in further math is far more advanced than that covered in pure mathematics.

This subject will help you better understand the material covered in your general math classes.

4. Physics:

Many students believe that physics is the most difficult subject in high school. Not everyone has the mental capacity to understand all those formulas, principles, and laws of physics and lab reports.

The difficulty of the ideas is the primary consideration behind this decision. In addition to this, a background in mathematics is necessary to understand this subject.

As a result, people who struggle with mathematics are almost guaranteed to find physics challenges.

5. English Literature:

Reading can rapidly mount up on you if you are not an avid reader or a speedy reader. Here, you’ll have to read through the material and develop your own solutions.

Students are required to grasp vast amounts of material frequently written in archaic English and apply this knowledge by writing long essays and frustrating essay exams.

The majority of students who study in fields related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics try to avoid taking English literature classes at all costs.

6. Chemistry:

If you do not have a strong background in mathematics and are a good teacher, it will be quite difficult for you to comprehend difficult topics in chemistry.

Chemistry has long been considered a difficult subject for students because of the abstract nature of many chemical principles, teaching methods used in class, and the difficulty of chemistry’s vocabulary.

There are a lot of students that do not get the relevance of chemistry in everyday life. And if you find yourself in a class with students of this caliber, you are bound to struggle with this subject.

Read more:

What is the Hardest Subject in College?

College indeed has a lot of difficult courses. Just imagine courses combining the hardest subjects you took in high school, all integrated into one course.

Just like with most engineering courses that have integrated mathematics, physics, and chemistry into them,

These college courses listed below are a few of what I regard as the hardest courses you can offer in college:

1. Organic Chemistry:

Organic chemistry is a field of chemistry that looks at the structure, properties, and reactions of carbon-carbon covalently bonded organic compounds. Their structure formula is found by studying their structure.

Even though it is a curriculum that recognizes patterns and logic, many students misunderstand that organic chemistry is all about memorizing. 

Students need to understand how molecules react to one another and how simple molecular building blocks can be combined to make more complex compounds.

Instead of trying to memorize knowledge they don’t fully comprehend, students should approach organic chemistry as they would a math course and complete a significant number of practice problems.

NB: Knowing the chemistry behind a reaction allows you to describe it with little more than your own experience and intuition. Moreover, organic chemistry is one of the hardest subjects in school.

2. Neuroscience:

Neuroscience is the study of the nervous system and how it works from a scientific point of view.

The field of neuroscience is tremendously exciting but obtaining a degree in it is extremely difficult.

Given how intricate the human brain is, it stands to reason that a field of study devoted to it would also be challenging to understand.

Still, the fact that neuroscience students are expected to have a working knowledge of all of them highlights how challenging this degree field is.

The field of neuroscience is particularly challenging to understand since it combines abstract and physical concepts.

Because there are so many unanswered questions concerning the human brain and consciousness that can’t be satisfactorily answered by empirical research, neuroscience also incorporates components of philosophical inquiry.

3. Astronomy:

Astronomy is a natural science that looks at things in the sky and how they work.

A degree in astronomy requires students to study one of the most complex subfields of physics, known as astrophysics, which should give you some idea of how challenging the course is.

Astronomy requires a significant amount of mathematical knowledge, which is enough for many students to decide against majoring in the course.

To perform fundamental calculations, you need to grasp differential equations and linear algebra and have the necessary reasoning skills. More so, astronomy is one of the hardest subjects in school.

4. Quantum Mechanics:

Quantum mechanics is the field of study investigating the various laws and laws of nature.

It has enlightened people worldwide about the fundamentals of matter and the structure of many things.

It is one of the most difficult courses available worldwide since it teaches people how to investigate what is contained within the atoms and sub-atoms that make up minuscule particles.

The manipulation of complex numbers, integral calculus, basic profitability, functional integration and analysis, and other related topics should be highly familiar to anybody who studies quantum mechanics.

5. Architecture:

Getting a degree in architecture may be an enriching experience.

As a result, you need to know what you’re getting into before embarking on this career path, as it is one of the most demanding.

In contrast to what most people believe, it is not solely concerned with the interiors and exteriors of a building. It also discusses the environment and the makeup of the environment.

Why It is Important to Study:

Learning new things is essential, but studying also helps you grow. Self-assurance, competence, and pride can all be boosted by developing effective study habits.

You should take time away from studying to focus on other things, such as your social life and academic pursuits. Plan for breaks and full days off while establishing your study schedule.

A student’s grades will drop immediately if they don’t have the necessary study time.

On the other hand, students might improve their understanding beyond their initial impressions by delving deeper into their readings and lectures.

Frequently Asked Questions on Hardest Subject in School 

Is math harder than science?

In some cases, science is more challenging than other fields of study. A logical mind is required for arithmetic, and a logical and practical mind is required for science.

Is math easy?

Math is challenging since it requires a lot of effort and time. It’s common for students to get left behind in math class because they don’t have enough time to really “understand” the material. Most students go on to more advanced ideas with a weak basis. Sometimes the result is a shaky foundation that will eventually fall apart. Fortunately, there are a lot of online math courses available (like these) which can help you practice the subject and master it.

How difficult is math?

Math is tricky to master since it requires much time and effort to learn the multi-step processes involved in solving problems. Having to go through a process more than once might quickly bore some students, which may lead to them losing interest in arithmetic altogether.

Is English the easiest subject?

Learning English is the most straightforward language to master in the entire globe. You may think I’m insane but bear with me. Compared to other languages, English doesn’t have cases, gender, word agreement, or even a grammatical structure.

Conclusion

Hardest Subject in School: Everyone would have different opinions on such a subject matter.

Still, the subjects listed in this post as the hardest subjects in school think of the majority of persons from the research we conducted.

Awesome one; I hope this article answered your question.

Editor’s Recommendations:

If you find this article good, please share it with a friend.

ST Admin
ST Admin

Hello, I am ST Admin! For five years, I began actively assisting students in Europe, the United States, and Canada in their pursuit of college advice and scholarship prospects. I am the Administrator of www.schoolandtravel.com at present.

Articles: 926