CSSA vs HSC Exam (1 Viewer)

[~ ReNcH ~]

Which do you think is the more difficult of the two in general? I've been practising a few CSSA papers and I get the feeling that HSC questions are more straight-forward and simpler. Just wondering what everyone else thinks...

 

[FinalFantasy]

lol CSSA is heaps harder!
i tried going through one and i got hit quite hard:\

 

[~ ReNcH ~]

I just finished the 1997 paper and I didn't quite go as well as I would have liked. The 2000 and 1999 papers favoured me a bit better. I got around 85/105 (subtracting 15 marks from the Mechanics question, since we haven't done it yet). Nevertheless, I'd still like to get around 95-100/120 in the HSC exam.

 

[FinalFantasy]

i think what makes the CSSA hard compared to the HSC exam is that in the CSSA there is all sorts of trickery and silly things u can do to get to the answer, as opposed to the HSC exam where it is more focused on ur understanding of the topics rather than if u can play tricks

 

[~ ReNcH ~]

I think the "tricky" parts account for Component B of the exam, which from memory is meant to comprise 36% of the exam (it increases by 12% from 2U to MX1 and from MX1 to MX2). So theoretically, every student who has simply attended class should be able to get at least 77/120 (64%) and judging by that, most students should be able to attain an aligned mark in the very high 80s.

 

[ishq]

Yes...well....haven't done either of them much
Our half yearlies were a combination of past CSSA questions (dating back to 1982 so we wouldnt be able to find solutions), which was pretty hard.

I think, if you're finding the HSC papers simple, something, somewhere is definately going right

 

[~ ReNcH ~]

The HSC papers are by no means simple...I'll say that much
Although I get the feeling that they're easier than CSSA papers.

 

[ishq]

Isnt that a rule for all CSSA papers, not just MX2 (using your term )?

 

[~ ReNcH ~]

Isnt that a rule for all CSSA papers, not just MX2 (using your term )?

MX2...it actually makes 4U look more appealing

I don't think CSSA papers are necessarily harder for all subjects...for instance, in Eco and Business the questions are generally quite straight-forward in both CSSA and HSC exam and they tend to ask similar questions. Though for MX2, I'd be inclined to say CSSA papers are more difficult because the two Arnolds set it.

 

[ishq]

Arnolds' daughter teaches MX2 at Prior, Chatswood.
Rather daunting.

 

[Raginsheep]

What she does? Whats her first name?

 

[~ ReNcH ~]

Arnolds' daughter teaches MX2 at Prior, Chatswood.
Rather daunting.

Yea...I heard that from a friend of mine who goes there.
Apparently she's very secretive though and doesn't give any clues (not even by mistake) as to what might be on the MX2 CSSA paper

 

[shafqat]

From my experience the CSSA papers are more twisted than HSC, ie the Arnolds make frustrating questions where you have to notice some trivial trick. Once you get used to that style of questioning, I think they become easier than HSC questions. With HSC a student like you can pretty easily get to 90/100, but getting that next 20 marks is the hard bit. I found it was easier getting those extra marks in the CSSA papers eventually once I got used to them.

 

[~ ReNcH ~]

From my experience the CSSA papers are more twisted than HSC, ie the Arnolds make frustrating questions where you have to notice some trivial trick. Once you get used to that style of questioning, I think they become easier than HSC questions. With HSC a student like you can pretty easily get to 90/100, but getting that next 20 marks is the hard bit. I found it was easier getting those extra marks in the CSSA papers eventually once I got used to them.

That's true. For some reason, I've found that Q7-8 in the CSSA papers are somewhat less difficult than in the HSC, but ironically it's often Q3-4 that trip me up. What mark did you get in the SGS MX2 trial, as I'd imagine that you would've got 115+/120 in the final HSC exam?

 

[shafqat]

How true that is. I got 114 in SGS trial, losing 4 marks in q3/4/5, and getting 13/15 in q8. I never really had enough time to check over my answers in 4u exams.

 

[~ ReNcH ~]

How true that is. I got 114 in SGS trial, losing 4 marks in q3/4/5, and getting 13/15 in q8. I never really had enough time to check over my answers in 4u exams.

And rarely does anyone ever have time to check answers in MX2...
Do you have an idea of what raw mark you may have attained in the HSC? I'm just curious to find out what the Band E4 cut-off might be (or at least a rough range).

 

[Antwan23q]

One quick question, what is the CSSA??????

 

[Trev]

One quick question, what is the CSSA??????

Catholic Secondary Schools Association (yeah?)
It's a 'group' that makes up (trial) exam papers.

 

[Antwan23q]

ahhhhhh, i get them. i know what your talkin about now

 

[~ ReNcH ~]

Catholic Secondary Schools Association (yeah?)
It's a 'group' that makes up (trial) exam papers.

Set by ordinary teachers...I wonder how they actually meet to make up the paper.