So I think it's about time I actually give a helpful post on the forum.
Basically in regards to your question about how the ATAR generally works, it's simplest if you think about it in terms of the higher your mark in the subject, the higher your ATAR will be. There is a complex system of scaling surrounding it based on the average performance of the cohorts sitting the exam, the difficulty of each subject, aggregate scaling, etc, but these are all too complicated to explain for just about every student in NSW (myself included). You might have some luck and have D94 stumble upon this thread to adequately explain it, or cem, who is a senior teacher/HSC marker if I recall correctly, or you can ask some teachers at your school. Usually upon entering Year 12 your teachers will hold a short presentation and attempt to explain it to you.
UAC also has a general guide that you may find helpful:
http://www.uac.edu.au/undergraduate/faq/atar-calculation.shtml
You don't need 99.95 to do UNSW med. If I were you and I really wanted UNSW med I'd work on my UMAT and interviews :/
UMAT isn't easy... less preparation but defs not easy, lol. ATAR mostly about hardwork... and you don't really need to have that much natural aptitude to do decently in it. (imo).
Also, 99.95 is a lot harder than getting a high umat. It requires natural aptitude, a lot of effort and persistence, as well as luck!
To some extent it doesn't. There are many external factors that play into your ATAR - the important ones are namely your cohort, your subject choices and their scaling, and the other less quantifiable ones are the level of difficulty of the HSC questions and the performance of the state. OP is already in an ideal position to achieve her goal of 99.95 - she's at an exceptional school that consistently performs to a high standard, and she's in Year 9. A lot of people can take advantage of their subject selections (4u Math, Advanced English, Physics, Chemistry, Economics is the usual) and achieve along those lines. I think this is useful knowledge for students who want to take a bit of pressure off their own shoulders.
What you will need to do OP is develop a smart system of learning that works for
you. For some people this will be rote learning, while for others this will be doing practice questions over and over again. If you think you will need tutoring, ask for it - I'm sure your parents will, dare I say it, even appreciate and encourage this. HSC will be your first experience of the balancing act of that is time management in life.
This may mean you require less time on certain subjects than others; studying smart means will you acknowledge that and adjust your study schedule accordingly.
Also think about what subjects you enjoy; you will always excel in things you have a passion for and enjoy learning about. This might be music, history, art, etc, and even if they don't scale as high as say 4u Math, if you're confident in your ability to perform in those subjects then you are capable of maxing out the scaling aggregate that they will provide.
On balance, the gist of what I'm saying is that you can achieve a 99.95 regardless of how difficult people will tell you it is - some 50 students prove that every year. I'm sure D94 can come and correct some of the things I've said about scaling and aggregates (I'm no expert on those things), but there are a lot of factors at play in the calculation of your ATAR and you're in a position to take advantage of that, OP.
Why ?
There is no point for going for something if there is a chance of not happening
But if u know that there is a chance of failing why even do it ???
Because if there is no chance of failing, then there is no chance of learning, achievement or satisfaction. If there is nothing to beat, then there is nothing to gain.
Chance of failure is the only thing reminding you that life is worth living, and that you are capable of living it.
I hate it when people sugar coat advice myself, and I think I've launched quite a few passive aggressive attacks on people who do it on this forum (and there are
a lot), but when there is someone who already appreciates the difficulty of something and is looking for practical advice, then that warrants a practical response.
It is very hard. Don't you have to get like 100% on all your tests? It's not something that everyone gets, and most people would be absolutely ecstatic to get over 90.
No you don't - I had 2 friends graduate with 99.95 and neither of them had 100% in anything, both had multiple 93s in fact. A big part of your ATAR comes down to the external factors I listed above.
In my view, a "failure" is someone who never gives it a go. If you have assessed your skills and dont believe you can do it, then fair enough (I'd still argue that you should give it a go). But if you are quitting because you are scared of failing, then in my view, you are a failure. Give it your best and even if you fail, you wont regret it (definitely been my personal experience).
Fear of failure is arguably the best motivator in life.
Quitters resign themselves to a life of mediocrity.
This is a fair point and I think something which people ignore. One of the hardest things to do is to keep going in the face of failure or disappointment. Contrary to popular belief, "working hard" isnt really too difficult if you are succeeding or if you enjoy what you're doing. I'm not denying that it's hard work, but as I said, it isn't the most difficult thing ever. In contrast, working hard when you're failing is extremely difficult and emotionally draining. It kills your confidence and morale and it can take a significant personal toll.
I was in that position throughout my HSC and it was the most difficult thing I've ever had to do - I worked my best right up until the last day, but I new I wasn't going to make it from at least half way through. I've gone through uni with high results, worked in two major organisations (including a role in change management) and nothing really has ever come close to being as difficult as my HSC year. They might have been more complicated, but they just cant match the difficulty.
I think a major difference in the HSC is that it's the first time in your life something is actually final (in that you never get to resit the exams again; what you get is determined indefinitely) and the first time you are faced with something that is, some might say, important. For many, I think, the HSC was difficult because you have never, at any point in your life, gone through a process like that - the last 5 years of high school were very much unimportant, bludgy and meaningless, and the overall difficulty in both conceptual substance and mere homework substance in the HSC is enormous compared to those previous years. Your first time doing anything is incredibly difficult, but with experience there is a certain process and standard that becomes normalized. As a student, that might translate to exam preparation and performance. As a doctor, that might translate to surgery, drug injections, etc. As a lawyer, that might translate to advice writing, court appearances, etc. I think that is what makes the HSC so difficult for some, and in saying that, allows a lot of people in hindsight to treat it as somewhat of a funny period in their lives where you were more or less stressed over nothing, really.
