General maths... (1 Viewer)

coralie1994

Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2010
Messages
185
Location
Sydney
Gender
Female
HSC
2011
Gen maths scales badly? :/

So apparently, even if one gets an average of 90 or something like that, it'll get scaled down to around 70? Please tell me that's not accurate... I'm aiming for a band 6 in gen maths, but what to I have to do in order to get that band 6, if gen maths scales down significantly?
 
Last edited:

coralie1994

Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2010
Messages
185
Location
Sydney
Gender
Female
HSC
2011
well my average internal mark is 88 but im aiming for at least 90 for trials and beyond that for hsc but apparently because im in general, it's hard to me to get a band 6? :/ what do I have to do in order to achieve that band 6 :(
 

enoilgam

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Feb 11, 2011
Messages
11,904
Location
Mare Crisium
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
2010
Dont worry too much about your raw internal marks as they are heavily moderated. In terms of general's aligning on the externals I'm not to sure, but I think it aligns down. For example, a mark of 92 may scale down to a mark of 89. But I think if it does align down, it isnt by too much ie. 1-5 marks. Someone else may be able to provide you a more exact answer, but I'm very sure that it doesnt scale you down as dramatically as you indicated in your opening post
 

timmyt

New Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Messages
27
Gender
Male
HSC
2011
Our teachers told us that a mark of 90+ in General won't get scaled down, and actually scales similarly to Mathematics once your in the band six range...
 

Shadowdude

Cult of Personality
Joined
Sep 19, 2009
Messages
12,145
Gender
Male
HSC
2010
General Maths... scales horribly at all points. Even if you beat 99% of the candidature, your scaled mark is going to be around 88% of your HSC mark. Contrast that to an average 97:100 scaled/HSC mark ratio for Mathematics at the 99th percentile.

So no, your teacher is lying. (source: Report on the Scaling of the 2009 HSC)
 

coralie1994

Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2010
Messages
185
Location
Sydney
Gender
Female
HSC
2011
oh no! I was relying on maths to get an atar of 80... but guess not!
Do you know what I could do perhaps, in order to achieve a band 6? or is it impossible?
 

enoilgam

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Feb 11, 2011
Messages
11,904
Location
Mare Crisium
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
2010
Look, whilst shadowdudes assessment looks bleak, general maths isnt going to doom you. Whilst it doesnt scale well, it is still possible to do well with general. It is extremely common for people to get 80+ ATAR's and 90+ ATARs with general maths - it isnt rare to see students get 99+ with general. Also, it is very possible to get a band 6 in the subject - it isnt like standard english where only 60-70 students get over 90.
 

Shadowdude

Cult of Personality
Joined
Sep 19, 2009
Messages
12,145
Gender
Male
HSC
2010
85 or so breaks even. 90+ scales up.
And tell me, what brilliant source have you gotten this information from - which is more reputable than the Report of the Scaling on the HSC itself?

Look, whilst shadowdudes assessment looks bleak, general maths isnt going to doom you. Whilst it doesnt scale well, it is still possible to do well with general. It is extremely common for people to get 80+ ATAR's and 90+ ATARs with general maths - it isnt rare to see students get 99+ with general. Also, it is very possible to get a band 6 in the subject - it isnt like standard english where only 60-70 students get over 90.
^ That.

Just because it scales down doesn't mean it's going to kill you. Yes, you can get an ATAR of 80 with it.
 

Beachtraveller

New Member
Joined
May 8, 2010
Messages
28
Gender
Female
HSC
2010
Any subject can get any ATAR.

Don't be jealous because you chose Extension 2 Maths because you thought it would get you a better ATAR than someone who chose General. Of course if you get a better mark in extension it does, but RobtheSprinter is right.
 

clry

Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2010
Messages
159
Gender
Male
HSC
2011
According to the report, yes it does scale down SIGNIFICANTLY. However, some of the other scalings seem a little off.. 90th percentile in Physics, 47.5/50 (per unit), scales to 42.1/50? Hmm, this just confuses my perception of the ATAR process even more! D:

All I know is that ATAR calculators are rather unreliable. :)
 

clry

Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2010
Messages
159
Gender
Male
HSC
2011
I love how it's the end of year 12, and we still have no clue what they do in the ATAR process.. win.
 

Riproot

Addiction Psychiatrist
Joined
Nov 10, 2009
Messages
8,228
Location
I don’t see how that’s any of your business…
Gender
Male
HSC
2011
Uni Grad
2017
Dont worry too much about your raw internal marks as they are heavily moderated. In terms of general's aligning on the externals I'm not to sure, but I think it aligns down. For example, a mark of 92 may scale down to a mark of 89. But I think if it does align down, it isnt by too much ie. 1-5 marks. Someone else may be able to provide you a more exact answer, but I'm very sure that it doesnt scale you down as dramatically as you indicated in your opening post
You're a shit poster. Every fucking mainstream subject ALIGNS up. Therefore to get 90 in general maths you probably need a raw mark of 84+ to get 90 depending on the difficulty of the paper.
 

coralie1994

Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2010
Messages
185
Location
Sydney
Gender
Female
HSC
2011
so basically, if my internal average is 88 , it'll get aligned up to 90/above? lol
I'm such a lost head!
 

clry

Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2010
Messages
159
Gender
Male
HSC
2011
so basically, if my internal average is 88 , it'll get aligned up to 90/above? lol
I'm such a lost head!
Either way, no matter the subject everyone's internal mark is changed depending on the school's performance in the external HSC exam. I think?
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top