Generally, pathways is only for people who have major events in their lives prevent full time study - such as a promising career in sport or the arts, or a major illness. People who are capable of finishing high school in a single year should NOT take pathways - it's not designed for you, you'll get sick of it and drop out, or you'll get lazy etc.
Not to mention the high-end courses (such as Medicine) will take into account a longer than usual time of completion for year 12 - that effectively means that if you got a good UAI through pathways you STILL won't get in. Food for thought.
Wilmo, I notice you're going for BNursBA at USyd... do you realise that they're canning that course?