Random thought for encouragement for low achievers (1 Viewer)

[bosanon95]

Just wondering. Are there any people who did badly, bad as in getting less than 90% or even 80% in grades and not getting straight A's such as only 3A and 5Bs in throughout year 7-10 and to the extent, year 11, but suddenly turn over a new leaf, changed their study strategy and got straight A's and ranked 1st in all of their subjects in year 12? And possibly even a high 99+ ATAR?

Really curious do these kind of students exist instead of the typical getting straight A throughout high school and expected 99+.

 

[bosanon95]

Correction: random thought of encouragement for low achievers*

 

[InsoulvencyReaper]

I can assure you they exist.

I went to what is considered a disadvantaged school.

A couple of the girls were pretty average. Their junior years, they weren't doing so well academically. But damn did they work hard when they got to year 12 and achieved ATARs of 95+

 

[unforlornedhope]

I can assure you they exist.

I went to what is considered a disadvantaged school.

A couple of the girls were pretty average. Their junior years, they weren't doing so well academically. But damn did they work hard when they got to year 12 and achieved ATARs of 95+

Where they achieving in year 11 as well? Or just year 12?

 

[iStudent]

I typically got Cs for english, Bs sometimes Ds for history, PE and IST. Only subjects I got As in were math science sometimes commerce lol. (As as in 90+). In Year 11, I turned this around (choosing only the subjects I liked). As you may have guessed, chose 3/4 math chem bio phys and eco. I got As in all of them except english, bio and mx1 (prelim. and of these all of were Bs). Then in Year 12 I dropped bio. Stepped up my game in all subs and scored straight As . I am also ranked 1st in all subs (outlier all round actually).

So yea, goes to show that you can bounce back. I don't know if I can get high 99 but who knows.

I should add as well that I go to 300+ school. Also, biggest "study strategy" is dropping video games, getting loaded on tutoring and studying a lot more. And also the majority of the competition leaving for selective schools between 10 -11!

 

[Ronaldinho10]

Yes can be done for sure, i done it to an extent! Just focus and believe in yourself, anything is possible!!! (but most likely not 99+ unless you are superhuman, probs 90+ tho)

 

[bosanon95]

I typically got Cs for english, Bs sometimes Ds for history, PE and IST. Only subjects I got As in were math science sometimes commerce lol. (As as in 90+). In Year 11, I turned this around (choosing only the subjects I liked). As you may have guessed, chose 3/4 math chem bio phys and eco. I got As in all of them except english, bio and mx1 (prelim. and of these all of were Bs). Then in Year 12 I dropped bio. Stepped up my game in all subs and scored straight As . I am also ranked 1st in all subs (outlier all round actually).

So yea, goes to show that you can bounce back. I don't know if I can get high 99 but who knows.

I should add as well that I go to 300+ school. Also, biggest "study strategy" is dropping video games, getting loaded on tutoring and studying a lot more. And also the majority of the competition leaving for selective schools between 10 -11!

Good luck! Hope you succeed this year!

 

[matchalolz]

yeah, me aha

In year 7-10 i was the fail kid who never achieved particularly high marks -> generally 70-80%, maybe 90% for maths and my elective subjects and 50-60% for pe, va etc. and I never really "blossomed" until mid year 11. In year 11 i decided to take on out of school things as well as push my grades up and I've learnt so much and changed a lot as well. I'm not rank 1 in anything but do keep in mind that I go to a selective school. I'm above average in all my subjects except for english, but even english has probably gone up after the yearly, since i got 90% and 93% for my yearly assessments (other marks were 55-75% for various tasks). My maths 2u yearly was 95% - the highest maths mark I've ever gotten in my life from the hardest test I've completed. Despite the school work becoming considerably harder, I've managed to improve my study habits and score really well this year, due to finding the study methods that work for me and having other outlets to release my stress

probably the only subjects i didn't get an A for my raw mark -> maths extension, eng ext (never tried) and english advanced (coz I derped up my half yearlies so my overall mark got raped)

I don't know what my ATAR prediction would be but I'm sure that after 11 yearlies, it is definitely not a mystery mark. If this isn't inspiration i don't know what is

 

[RivalryofTroll]

Well for me..

Years 7-8:

English - Cs mainly
Maths - As
Everything else - mainly Bs and As

Year 9:
I think my half yearly report - had all Bs and Cs (like no As).

Year 10:
Improved from Year 9 - As and Bs (no Cs) for the whole year.

School cert was meh.

Got like an 83 in English. 84 in History. Band 6s for the other subjects.

I wasn't even probably top 20 back then at my old school (I went for Years 7 to 10) (noting that the 2013 dux of my old school got 99.30 in the end).

Switched to a higher ranked school and somehow found myself doing much much better in Years 11 and 12. I think I was motivated by the fact that I needed to work much harder, as a new student, to catch up with the students at this ''better'' school...

Not sure if I count or not.

 

[Kurosaki]

Just wondering. Are there any people who did badly, bad as in getting less than 90% or even 80% in grades and not getting straight A's such as only 3A and 5Bs in throughout year 7-10 and to the extent, year 11, but suddenly turn over a new leaf, changed their study strategy and got straight A's and ranked 1st in all of their subjects in year 12? And possibly even a high 99+ ATAR?

Really curious do these kind of students exist instead of the typical getting straight A throughout high school and expected 99+.

Of course it can be done!
I used to be in the bottom 30 in my year (out of 180), now I'm ~20th overall out of 204 people maybe?
I know one guy that was also bottom 30 that managed to rise to rank 20-ish as well.
Another of my friends rose from ~120th to about 10th.

HSC is all about hard work really, as long as you put in the work and have the will and the discipline you can improve, the only barrier is yourself.

 

[mreditor16]

Of course it can be done!
I used to be in the bottom 30 in my year (out of 180), now I'm ~20th overall out of 204 people maybe?
I know one guy that was also bottom 30 that managed to rise to rank 20-ish as well.
Another of my friends rose from ~120th to about 10th.

HSC is all about hard work really, as long as you put in the work and have the will and the discipline you can improve, the only barrier is yourself.

all that's true, but there is a level at which if your foundations from junior years are too weak (esp. in maths), then any amount of hard work in senior years can't fix up the gaps and then you can't make that sort of improvements you allude to.

however, this is a problem moreso (in my opinion) in lower-ranked schools and schools that generally have less competition, because if you're in a more competitive school, you try to keep up with the cohort and end up with a decent foundation for senior years. whereas at a school with little competition, study is neglected to a much greater extent in junior years, creating more holes that require attention in senior years. that's my opinion and that does sound like a generalisation. but I've seen the stories. and yes of course, there are going to be exceptions. but this is the trend that I see...

 

[rumbleroar]

I used to get 60-80% throughout year 7-10, with the occasional 90%+. I wasn't dumb or anything, just extremely lazy but year 11 hit and I was really determined to change it around. I didn't necessary adopt a new study strategy, just applied a more focused approach to school and results actually paid off. I ended up coming in the top 15 of my cohort (I go to a very competitive selective school as well), despite being extremely average in junior years, and went home with a couple of academic awards on the night of graduation. Someone even came up to me once and was like "wtf since when did you become good at maths, I swear you were really average before" (that was really funny hahahahaha, considering I was below average in year 10 and now in the top 20-ish% for 4unit)

My estimate is above 99, but who actually knows if I can achieve it haha!

Like it really is possible to jump etc, it's mostly about changing your mindset and at times natural aptitude.

 

[mreditor16]

I used to get 60-80% throughout year 7-10, with the occasional 90%+. I wasn't dumb or anything, just extremely lazy but year 11 hit and I was really determined to change it around. I didn't necessary adopt a new study strategy, just applied a more focused approach to school and results actually paid off. I ended up coming in the top 15 of my cohort (I go to a very competitive selective school as well), despite being extremely average in junior years, and went home with a couple of academic awards on the night of graduation. Someone even came up to me once and was like "wtf since when did you become good at maths, I swear you were really average before" (that was really funny hahahahaha, considering I was below average in year 10 and now in the top 20-ish% for 4unit)

My estimate is above 99, but who actually knows if I can achieve it haha!

Like it really is possible to jump etc, it's mostly about changing your mindset and at times natural aptitude.

but again, no offense, 90% of stories like yours that I come across all emerge from selective schools. I have not heard a single story like that emerging from a normal comprehensive school. and there is a reason behind it, as I discussed in my previous post. being below average at schools like yours and mine is equal to getting in top ranks at some comprehensive schools. so of course, quality of cohorts / rank of schools have to be taken into account, when listening to such success stories.

 

[rumbleroar]

but again, no offense, 90% of stories like yours that I come across all emerge from selective schools. I have not heard a single story like that emerging from a normal comprehensive school. and there is a reason behind it, as I discussed in my previous post. being below average at schools like yours and mine is equal to getting in top ranks at some comprehensive schools. so of course, quality of cohorts / rank of schools have to be taken into account, when listening to such success stories.

I'm inclined to disagree with that. I know people from relatively lower ranked schools that continually motivate themselves to be the very best, despite a poorer cohort. I think a lot of it is related to our personal motivation. It just so happens that more academically motivated people exist within selective schools, so I honestly don't think that "success stories" are mainly exclusive to selective schools.

I didn't feel pressure from my cohort to better, a lot of it was down to myself to improve.

 

[mreditor16]

I'm inclined to disagree with that. I know people from relatively lower ranked schools that continually motivate themselves to be the very best, despite a poorer cohort. I think a lot of it is related to our personal motivation. It just so happens that more academically motivated people exist within selective schools, so I honestly don't think that "success stories" are mainly exclusive to selective schools.

I didn't feel pressure from my cohort to better, a lot of it was down to myself to improve.

Hmm that is a very valid point. And I agree with your sentiment, especially the bolded part And I’m not necessarily saying that all success stories originate from selective schools. I’m saying a great majority do, due to the culture and expectations and academic calibre of peers

Essentially, what I'm trying to get at is this - say you have two students with equal ability, but they have considerable holes in their knowledge and academic foundation. both these students are in year 8.

now, of course assuming that both have equal motivation etc. if both were placed under the same circumstances, let's place student A in James Ruse and the other (Student B)at a normal, comprehensive high school ranked in the 300s.

now student A is going to probably end up being ranked near last in their cohort at Ruse, whereas Student B might be topping at their own school. What is the result of this? Student A, at some point, is more likely to pull up their socks at some point and fix up those gaps, due to lower ranking in their grade and what they see as disappointing results, as gauged by a low ranking. Whereas student B is more likely to think that they are coasting and everything is fine, and no areas of weakness have to be dealt with.

It’s part of human nature to gauge our results and ability by comparing ourselves to others, in this case to the rest of our cohort.

So that’s why I believe you get more success stories at selective schools, because what you’re surrounded with is a big catalyst for drastic improvements.

But this is just my opinion.

 

[JohnMaximus]

The easier the task, the less I stand out.

 

[enoilgam]

Just wondering. Are there any people who did badly, bad as in getting less than 90% or even 80% in grades and not getting straight A's such as only 3A and 5Bs in throughout year 7-10 and to the extent, year 11, but suddenly turn over a new leaf, changed their study strategy and got straight A's and ranked 1st in all of their subjects in year 12? And possibly even a high 99+ ATAR?

Really curious do these kind of students exist instead of the typical getting straight A throughout high school and expected 99+.

If you have a decent foundation, the requisite talent and the work ethic it is possible within reason.

Of course it can be done!
I used to be in the bottom 30 in my year (out of 180), now I'm ~20th overall out of 204 people maybe?
I know one guy that was also bottom 30 that managed to rise to rank 20-ish as well.
Another of my friends rose from ~120th to about 10th.

HSC is all about hard work really, as long as you put in the work and have the will and the discipline you can improve, the only barrier is yourself.

I agree with mreditor in a sense that at a comprehensive school, a turnaround like that is very unlikely. At a selective school, there is a much smaller spread between students in terms of potential (i.e. the gap between the best student and the worst isnt that significant). At a school like mine (rank 300ish), there was a whole world of difference between the guy coming 120th and the guy coming 10th. I couldnt imagine some of the bottom guys in my year beating the top guys - even if they worked their butts off, they just didnt have it in them. I'm not saying it's impossible, it's just unrealistic.

 

[rumbleroar]

Hmm that is a very valid point. And I agree with your sentiment, especially the bolded part And I’m not necessarily saying that all success stories originate from selective schools. I’m saying a great majority do, due to the culture and expectations and academic calibre of peers

Essentially, what I'm trying to get at is this - say you have two students with equal ability, but they have considerable holes in their knowledge and academic foundation. both these students are in year 8.

now, of course assuming that both have equal motivation etc. if both were placed under the same circumstances, let's place student A in James Ruse and the other (Student B)at a normal, comprehensive high school ranked in the 300s.

now student A is going to probably end up being ranked near last in their cohort at Ruse, whereas Student B might be topping at their own school. What is the result of this? Student A, at some point, is more likely to pull up their socks at some point and fix up those gaps, due to lower ranking in their grade and what they see as disappointing results, as gauged by a low ranking. Whereas student B is more likely to think that they are coasting and everything is fine, and no areas of weakness have to be dealt with.

It’s part of human nature to gauge our results and ability by comparing ourselves to others, in this case to the rest of our cohort.

So that’s why I believe you get more success stories at selective schools, because what you’re surrounded with is a big catalyst for drastic improvements.

But this is just my opinion.

There is validity in your point, but I still moreso believe its up to the individual to motivate themselves. I'm not denying environment isn't a factor because it really is, but there will always be exceptions to both our rules haha. I know people at my school that don't really give a toss about school and considering the mentality at both our schools, its sometimes a bit shocking to know lol

 

[mreditor16]

If you have a decent foundation, the requisite talent and the work ethic it is possible within reason.



I agree with mreditor in a sense that at a comprehensive school, a turnaround like that is very unlikely. At a selective school, there is a much smaller spread between students in terms of potential (i.e. the gap between the best student and the worst isnt that significant). At a school like mine (rank 300ish), there was a whole world of difference between the guy coming 120th and the guy coming 10th. I couldnt imagine some of the bottom guys in my year beating the top guys - even if they worked their butts off, they just didnt have it in them. I'm not saying it's impossible, it's just unrealistic.

The feeling when the wise sage, that is Enoilgam, expresses agreement with you

 

[faisalabdul16]

In a non-selective school, most of the time, you have to be motivated yourself to achieve high results. However what I've noticed at my school, is that if you have a small group of high achievers, they're enough to motivate those who have potential.