FAQ for HSC (1 Viewer)

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drynxz

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Answers to some of the frequently asked questions, I would've wanted answered a year ago.

*What is more important Ranks or Marks?

-In short Ranks are more important. Even if you fail most of your assessments and still rank 1st (highly doubt it, but just for example) in every subject and also do EXTREMELY well in you external HSC exam, theres nothing stopping you from a high UAI.

*I failed my first assessment, am I screwed?

-No, work hard and catch up in Half yearlies or trials. You will know when ur screwed, when ur still aiming for 99+ uai when coming dead last in most your subjects after trials.

*My social life is messed up because of HSC!

- Everyone who cares about doing well in HSC will have their social life cut short. It is still important to have one thou, so instead of going out every weekend, save it to the holidays.

*My Family/Friends/ Teachers have high expecatations of me, what should I do?

-Talk to them, and talk about the stress you are having, and tell them that you will do your best and thats all they can hope for. It is important to do the HSC for YOU and only YOU.

*I need to go xx.xx UAI to get into X, what should I do/ how should I study?

-Organise yourself, eg clean up room, separate notes for different subjects in different folders etc.
-Study effectively eg write notes for subjects such as the sciences and focus more on past papers for subjects such as maths.
-Remove all distractions and take regular breaks
-Study in advance, and frequently revise all over notes
-Write up a timetable. If not plan mentally a time of the day eg 7pm, where you will sit down at your desk and work.
-Avoid sites such as facebook,bebo, myspace,youtube etc etc and turn off/appear offline on MSN, if you decide to work online.
-Get plenty of rest, 6-8 hours at least
-Eat healthy, plenty of omega 3 fatty acids is good for brain.
-Excercise helps relieve stress
blah blah blah..the list goes on...

*Im worried about scaling, will it affect me much?

-Many people will disagree on me with this...but I somewhat think scaling is important for certain subjects.
eg doing lower order subjects eg, Senior Science, IPT etc and having it count in the HSC may hinder your chances of higher UAI's. For more info check SAM or JUAI to see how subjects scale. It is important to perform well in lower scaling subjects , otherwise scaling will hit hard. Scaling also affects more of people around the average, so if you do well in a subject scaling will not take part as much. Ask around on BOS or your careers advisor for more info.



Many people may disagree with me, but this is what I found out in my Final Year, different people may have different opinions, (esp about the scaling question), so please feel free to voice them.
 
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Undermyskin

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Er... is it important?

Trials don't affect, do they?

Freak will get 99+ without having a troubled life.

Ranks and marks are equally importants, I should say.
 

drynxz

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Trials do affect...just like your first assessment which is worth 10-15%, trials will be worth upwards of 40%, its just like yearlies but instead in yr 12 its called trials
 

Season

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The social life point, if you are aiming to get above 95 then you will be turning down a few parties here and there.

Who would party in their final year you say?

Everyone who turns 18, which leads to a number of awesome parties (if there is a party boat FOR GODS SAKE GO!!). Also any close friend who turns 18, you also have to go

Apart from that judge whether you go or not depending on how much work you do. If there is assessment coming up, or will probably be coming up- don't get drunk, have a drink or two, party away, but don't go so you can't concentrate the next day.

Most people with half a brain organise so their 18th is either on a long weekend or during a term break- this is the way to go.

This last year I've been to a few uni parties... and omg they are sooo much better, it seems the harder you worked the better parties you get at uni, so don't worry too much if you turn into a bit of a hermit- its only one year.
 

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Drynxz knows his stuff dudes and dudettes - with a UAI 98+, I'd be listenin to himmm if i wer yooou
 

tommykins

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Undermyskin said:
Er... is it important?

Trials don't affect, do they?

Freak will get 99+ without having a troubled life.

Ranks and marks are equally importants, I should say.
It's covered in the other thread. Ranks are, in short, more important because essentially, your UAI is a RANK.
 

Machie Man

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tommykins said:
It's covered in the other thread. Ranks are, in short, more important because essentially, your UAI is a RANK.
But coming first means shit all if your external mark is like 60%. Think about it, if ranks were the be all and end all then why would parents send their kid to a selective school?

No doubt ranks are important, but you need to put it in perspective here.
 

tommykins

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Machie Man said:
But coming first means shit all if your external mark is like 60%. Think about it, if ranks were the be all and end all then why would parents send their kid to a selective school?

No doubt ranks are important, but you need to put it in perspective here.
Yeah, true mate, but assuming you come first in your school, you'd be fair decent when doing the HSC. (hopefully)

I guess I'm not really catering for schools that are not known for their academic achievemnets, but if you come first with 60% in my school (a selective one) no doubt you'll be fine in the HSC.

How about -

Ranks > Marks for internal
Marks = Ranks for external?
 

chewy123

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drynxz said:
Trials do affect...just like your first assessment which is worth 10-15%, trials will be worth upwards of 40%, its just like yearlies but instead in yr 12 its called trials
It's weird that they call it 'trial', it sound like a practice thing but instead its worth so much.
 

Undermyskin

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Still have to remind that the internal marks don't actually affect your HSC or UAI. Just your final HSC tests.

It's said that the trials' results can tell you quite exactly what you'll get in HSC? Accurate???
 

partelephant

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Undermyskin said:
It's said that the trials' results can tell you quite exactly what you'll get in HSC? Accurate???
Not necessarily - generally it gives a decent indication and in some cases a freakishly accurate one but it depends on whether you "screwed" one of your trial exams - this is especially relevant if you did very well in that subject in the other assessments.

However, even if you screw up trial assessments and haven't been doing too well in the others, you can still gun the HSC as long as you work hard and identify areas of improvement.

I'll use myself as an example - for English (Advanced) I'd been consistently getting around 88-89. Then for trials I stuffed up (77 based solely on trials). Fortunately for myself I subsequently did very well in the HSC exam - an exam mark of 95 to go with my assessment mark of 87, leading to a 91. As a result, my UAI shot up ridiculously from my trial estimate.
 
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Kujah

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And some schools set out trials that are more easier than other schools, meaning that when the HSC exams come around, that might find it either easier or more difficult.
 

Undermyskin

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Have to copy this sentence 'You're the living example of awe'. OMGosh.

Mr 95. Any hints for revising English? SOS helps helps 'cuz I'm easily bored when revising anything, English is exceptional 'cuz I'm bored at the first glimpse. yes studying new stuff is always more exciting and revising is always boring. If I have 2 subscribed texts, should I focus on the one that I truly love 'cuz anyway both of them will be listed in the exam paper!

BTW, School can predict quite accurately your HSC? Fact or fiction?
 

risole91

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Undermyskin said:
Still have to remind that the internal marks don't actually affect your HSC or UAI. Just your final HSC tests.

It's said that the trials' results can tell you quite exactly what you'll get in HSC? Accurate???
internal counts for 50% of your hsc
 

Undermyskin

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Er...?

What I mean is your school will normally give you their predictions of your HSC marks. Is what they give you typically valuable or reliable? That can help reduce stress!
 

Kujah

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I don't think your "school" will, but individual teachers can give their opinions and advice to the matter, and you can use your trials as a good indication as well.
 

vizman

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Undermyskin said:
Er...?

What I mean is your school will normally give you their predictions of your HSC marks. Is what they give you typically valuable or reliable? That can help reduce stress!
well most schools attempt to make the difficulty of their trials as close as possible to the HSC examination. that being, your marks should be a fair reflection of what you would get in the HSC. so yes, their predictions are usually good
 

risole91

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Undermyskin said:
Er...?

What I mean is your school will normally give you their predictions of your HSC marks. Is what they give you typically valuable or reliable? That can help reduce stress!
it depends on how hard your tests are set internally, which is where scaling comes in.

ie. if you do well eg 90+ internally rank 1, and get les then 50 externally.
it is assumed your school tests were easy and you are therefore scaled down.

simple put, internal and external and of equal importance, in each you are fighting for

a.internally -rank
b. external-mark, competing against state

so just aim as high as you can!
 
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