Scaling when you're the only person in your class? (1 Viewer)

SuchSmallHands

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From what I can understand, if you are the only person in your class for a subject (as I will be in year twelve for two of my classes if I decide to take them) you can't be scaled, so you're moderated really harshly. I go to a small rural school where extension subjects aren't exactly the most popular classes. I'm very keen on taking extension history and Im strongly considering ext. 2 English but if I were to take them I would be the only person in my class and I've heard of some pretty brutal moderations to have come out of the 2012 HSC. I would like to say, despite the fact that this sounds exceptionally conceited, I am very good at the humanities. Easy first in every subject other than maths since year seven (though I only have a cohort of 100 and it's not a year of geniuses). My best subject is History and I absolutely love it, so I think I would do really well in it, but if I'm just going to be torched by moderation is it worth the effort or will it just subtract from classes that this issue isn't a concern in?
 
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SuchSmallHands

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I'm confused, so if I get 99 as my assessment mark but then fail the externals the mark I get for the externals will count for the entirety of my result? Or if I put no work at all into assessments but ace the external exams it wouldn't matter how low my assessment mark was? Doesn't that make the inclusion of assessments entirely redundant?
 

D94

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Moderation is based on the cohort; you are the cohort, so you are only affected by yourself. Essentially, the mark you get in the HSC exams is the mark you'll get for the subject.
 

D94

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I'm confused, so if I get 99 as my assessment mark but then fail the externals the mark I get for the externals will count for the entirety of my result? Or if I put no work at all into assessments but ace the external exams it wouldn't matter how low my assessment mark was? Doesn't that make the inclusion of assessments entirely redundant?
School assessments are redundant, only the HSC exam matters. (except that you have to meet a certain requirement of participation at school in order to satisfy the subject's requirements)

The only way you'll get 99 for your Moderated Assessment Mark is if you get 99 in the HSC exams. A mark of 99% at school will be moderated according to the cohort's performance, so this could be raised, reduced, kept the same, but since you are the cohort, that mark will be moderated to the same mark as your HSC exam mark.
 

SuchSmallHands

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School assessments are redundant, only the HSC exam matters. (except that you have to meet a certain requirement of participation at school in order to satisfy the subject's requirements)
That's going to be so stressful. Thanks for the explanation though!
 

Drifting95

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That's going to be so stressful. Thanks for the explanation though!
At least you won't be pulled down by others in the same cohort who don't try, basically you are entirely responsible for your results. The only problem i would see in only you doing the subject is a lack of motivation to an extent, as you haven't got others competing with you and thus more motivation and effort etc. However seeing as you love history, this shouldn't be much of a problem.

Surprised your school would even run the class with only one person, very lucky.
 

madharris

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It means you can get 10% in all your internal assessments but still get first in the state :) (though I wouldnt recommend it)
 

SuchSmallHands

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At least you won't be pulled down by others in the same cohort who don't try, basically you are entirely responsible for your results. The only problem i would see in only you doing the subject is a lack of motivation to an extent, as you haven't got others competing with you and thus more motivation and effort etc. However seeing as you love history, this shouldn't be much of a problem.

Surprised your school would even run the class with only one person, very lucky.
They know they need to keep me happy so I don't leave the school, there are some benefits to going to smaller schools instead of selectives and the like, they'll do anything to keep you if you're their only hope :)
 

enak101

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This is good to know, I always wondered how this works. There is only 2 people in my 2u math class and I will easily come first in assessments. Just need to do well on the day.
 

sinawi

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My misses topped the state in Italian Extension and she was the only one in her class. Just do as well as you can in those final exams, and have your essays and works checked and re-checked consistently. Good luck :)
 

PCNQQn2

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It doesn't apply to English Extension 2 because there is no exam, but for other subjects you need to consider what happens if you're in a class of 1 and you have to apply for illness/misadventure for the HSC exam. I think you get your school assessment mark as your exam mark (and hence moderated assessment mark). You should discuss this with your teacher to ensure that the school assessment mark is a decent indicator of how you might perform in the HSC exam.
 

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