• Congratulations to the Class of 2024 on your results!
    Let us know how you went here
    Got a question about your uni preferences? Ask us here

Do your HSC exams actually matter? (1 Viewer)

Demise

Member
Joined
Apr 26, 2011
Messages
636
Gender
Male
HSC
2012
Say you're above average in all your subjects, and your ranks are in the top 10 in all subjects, does your HSC actually matter - As in, say you're achieving 80% averages, yet in the HSC you score 95. Won't you end up just getting 80% in the end, or does that 80% move up to 88 or something, and your mark ends up being higher. What I'm trying to say is, can your HSC actually make your internal marks have less of a NEGATIVE effect on you? Can your FINAL mark actually significantly improve if you ace the external exams?

I know your internals are permanent and non-changing in the end, but aren't they moderated?
 

LoveHateSchool

Retired Sept '14
Joined
Jan 30, 2009
Messages
5,136
Location
The Fires of Mordor
Gender
Female
HSC
2012
Uni Grad
2016
Lol,

If your HSC mark is dictated 50% by your external, I'd hazard most people would say they are important. And even with a high rank, you can't just coast the external exam.

Your internal marks are moderated, a good cohort performance helps with positive moderation of internal marks. If your cohort does badly, your internal marks will be moderated down.
 

Omnipotence

Kendrick Lamar
Joined
Feb 7, 2009
Messages
5,327
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2011
Uni Grad
2016
1. Yes, HSC exam does matter, it contributes 50% of mark.
2. Question doesn't make sense.
3. Ace the HSC exam and you will have a better overall mark - kind of a positive externality given if people with higher internal ranks do poorly than you.
4. Yep, its moderated, so lets look at student A, B and C's results - ceteris paribus.

Student A is ranked 1st at school whilst B is 2nd and C is 3rd.
Student A in the HSC exam gets an external mark of 89, B's mark is 95 and C's is 92.

Student A will have an external mark of 89 and internal mark of 95, overall = 92
Student B will have an external mark of 95 and internal mark of 92, overall = 94
Student C will have an external mark of 92 and internal mark of 89, overall = 91
 

Demise

Member
Joined
Apr 26, 2011
Messages
636
Gender
Male
HSC
2012
Lol,

If your HSC mark is dictated 50% by your external, I'd hazard most people would say they are important. And even with a high rank, you can't just coast the external exam.

Your internal marks are moderated, a good cohort performance helps with positive moderation of internal marks. If your cohort does badly, your internal marks will be moderated down.
1. Yes, HSC exam does matter, it contributes 50% of mark.
2. Question doesn't make sense.
3. Ace the HSC exam and you will have a better overall mark - kind of a positive externality given if people with higher internal ranks do poorly than you.
4. Yep, its moderated, so lets look at student A, B and C's results - ceteris paribus.

Student A is ranked 1st at school whilst B is 2nd and C is 3rd.
Student A in the HSC exam gets an external mark of 89, B's mark is 95 and C's is 92.

Student A will have an external mark of 89 and internal mark of 95, overall = 92
Student B will have an external mark of 95 and internal mark of 92, overall = 94
Student C will have an external mark of 92 and internal mark of 89, overall = 91
So I've been mislead in believing that the trials are the be-all end-all of the HSC. This takes off a lot of stress, thank you very much! :) I really appreciate the comments guys.
 
Joined
Sep 20, 2010
Messages
2,225
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
2012
Trials is the last chance (for most) to up your rank!!
 
Joined
Jul 24, 2011
Messages
40
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
2012
na it doesnt matter, contrary to common belief the hsc exams does not affect your final atar, its just a trick the board of studies does to prolong your period at school. just skip it and go on holidays
 

HeyJes

Academic Tutor @ UNSW
Joined
Dec 3, 2011
Messages
632
Location
Kensington
Gender
Female
HSC
2012
Uni Grad
2016
Student A is ranked 1st at school whilst B is 2nd and C is 3rd.
Student A in the HSC exam gets an external mark of 89, B's mark is 95 and C's is 92.

Student A will have an external mark of 89 and internal mark of 95, overall = 92
Student B will have an external mark of 95 and internal mark of 92, overall = 94
Student C will have an external mark of 92 and internal mark of 89, overall = 91
Thanks a lot! This has made more sense to me now!
 

D94

New Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2011
Messages
4,423
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
Student A is ranked 1st at school whilst B is 2nd and C is 3rd.
Student A in the HSC exam gets an external mark of 89, B's mark is 95 and C's is 92.

Student A will have an external mark of 89 and internal mark of 95, overall = 92
Student B will have an external mark of 95 and internal mark of 92, overall = 94
Student C will have an external mark of 92 and internal mark of 89, overall = 91
That's very oversimplified. It appears you've just allocated the top exam mark to the first ranked, second exam mark to the second ranked and last exam mark to the last ranked. That's not how it works, but it might "appear" so. Raw assessment marks are used to determine the moderated assessment mark, along with the highest/lowest exam marks. Coming second by 15 raw assessment marks will be different to coming second by 2 raw assessment marks. But in your example, it doesn't show the "moderating", unless it so happens to magically work out like that (which it probably won't).

In your example, if the raw assessment marks were: A = 80, B = 60, C = 55, then the assessment marks would most likely be: A = 95, B = 90 , C = 89. If the raw assessment marks were: A = 80, B = 78, C = 55, then the assessment marks would most likely be: A = 95, B = 94, C = 89. Notice the difference in potential assessment marks based on school assessment performance.

Therefore raw marks are much more important than your actual rank. Marks determine ranks, ranks don't determine marks.
 

2xL

Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2010
Messages
582
Gender
Male
HSC
2012
na it doesnt matter, contrary to common belief the hsc exams does not affect your final atar, its just a trick the board of studies does to prolong your period at school. just skip it and go on holidays
Actually funny. Good one.
 

atar90plus

01000101=YES! YES! YES!
Joined
Jan 16, 2012
Messages
628
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
Thanks mate. Tell this to the ruse kids and truongs.
na it doesnt matter, contrary to common belief the hsc exams does not affect your final atar, its just a trick the board of studies does to prolong your period at school. just skip it and go on holidays
 

atar90plus

01000101=YES! YES! YES!
Joined
Jan 16, 2012
Messages
628
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
Yes of course Hsc exams really matter unless you are looking to be a drugo or something like that
 

Demise

Member
Joined
Apr 26, 2011
Messages
636
Gender
Male
HSC
2012
That's very oversimplified. It appears you've just allocated the top exam mark to the first ranked, second exam mark to the second ranked and last exam mark to the last ranked. That's not how it works, but it might "appear" so. Raw assessment marks are used to determine the moderated assessment mark, along with the highest/lowest exam marks. Coming second by 15 raw assessment marks will be different to coming second by 2 raw assessment marks. But in your example, it doesn't show the "moderating", unless it so happens to magically work out like that (which it probably won't).

In your example, if the raw assessment marks were: A = 80, B = 60, C = 55, then the assessment marks would most likely be: A = 95, B = 90 , C = 89. If the raw assessment marks were: A = 80, B = 78, C = 55, then the assessment marks would most likely be: A = 95, B = 94, C = 89. Notice the difference in potential assessment marks based on school assessment performance.

Therefore raw marks are much more important than your actual rank. Marks determine ranks, ranks don't determine marks.
That is excruciatingly interesting. The fact that your raw marks mean something is a relief. I'm not planning on failing my trials, just want to know that if I slip up it's not the end. Cheers!
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top