Subject cofort scaling question and half yearly estimate (1 Viewer)

[14]

Hey guys, I have a question regarding subject scaling within the class. Today in one of my classes we were talking about "raw" and "scaled" marks however and apparently your actual marks in each class are "scaled"/"moderated" against everyone else in the class? I thought all that mattered with the internals was your rank and not your mark? Regardless we were discussing reports today and how the people who do well will get pulled down by the people that never do anything? I'm confused because I'm coming first in nearly all my classes and always thought that if I came first then I'd be held as the benchmark and wouldn't be effected by scaling? Even then does it work that those at the bottom get scaled up, those in the mid-range get scaled to an average and those at the top get scaled down? I hardly see how its fair that I actually turn up to class and put a bit of effort in then get dragged down by people that don't care and just #yolo it

Also interested if one of you guys could give me an ATAR estimation. I haven't got my half yearly yet but are 99% sure my ranks for my 10 best units are as follows:

~School rank: 400-500ish range
Ancient History: 1/14
Business Studies: 1/16
Modern History: 1/12
Standard English: 1/65
Society & Culture: 1/12

Thanks m8es

 

[SuchSmallHands]

I'm also ranked 1st in all of my subjects at a similarly ranked school, so I've looked into how this works because it's a little different for us. If you're also first externally, your HSC mark will be your assessment mark too. Your school has zero effect, they just take your external mark as is, and make your internal mark equal to your external mark. If you bomb the exam (which hopefully you won't) the person who tops externally's HSC mark will be your internal mark (1st externally = 1st internally) and your external will be unchanged. Sorry for the confusing explanation, hope that helped a little. As for the ATAR estimation, it's a little hard when you're first in everything, first could just as easily be 99.95 as 91 in a 400 ish school.

 

[14]

I'm also ranked 1st in all of my subjects at a similarly ranked school, so I've looked into how this works because it's a little different for us. If you're also first externally, your HSC mark will be your assessment mark too. Your school has zero effect, they just take your external mark as is, and make your internal mark equal to your external mark. If you bomb the exam (which hopefully you won't) the person who tops externally's HSC mark will be your internal mark (1st externally = 1st internally) and your external will be unchanged. Sorry for the confusing explanation, hope that helped a little. As for the ATAR estimation, it's a little hard when you're first in everything, first could just as easily be 99.95 as 91 in a 400 ish school.

So basically in either scenario if I rank 1st then my internal HSC mark won't count?
Anyway thanks for that, still a bit confused but I sort of get what you're saying. For the first scenario you gave, if I came 1st internally and 1st externally I just don't quite understand. Wouldn't it be possible for me to say get 100% internally and 60% externally and then get stuck with 60% for my final HSC mark for that subject? Sounds a bit much.. Just means more pressure on me for the exam? Almost makes it feel like its all for nothing if its only going to be replaced down the track right? If I really messed up my internals but still got 1st rank-wise and then say came 2nd in the HSC exams by 1% or something and the person who got 1st gives me their external mark, whats stopping me from replacing my weak internal mark with the better external mark and still keeping my personal better external mark if that makes sense?

 

[SuchSmallHands]

If you were to get 100% internally and 60% externally your final mark would be 60 only if no one else in your class got above 60. You want there to be someone in your class who can pick up for you if you do ended up cradhing the exam (I do have this person, and I love him for it). If they got 90 internally your external would be 60 and internal would be 90 so you'd end up with 75 (that's simplified, but it's the general idea). Yes, you have more pressure on you in your exams than everyone else, but hopefully you have a back up person to salvage your internal mark if you happen to do badly of the day (and frankly, a very steep drop is not very likely, so you should be fine).

 

[14]

Oh okay, well there are definitely some people like that in my classes so that's good. I just can't help but feel that I'm not going to get an external mark as high as my internal mark and that will disadvantage me.

Sorry if you also already answered this but I still don't quite get it, for someone in my position are internal marks important in any way? I keep hearing all that matters is your rank, but at the same time I thought your HSC was calculated 50% internal & 50% external?

 

[SuchSmallHands]

Oh okay, well there are definitely some people like that in my classes so that's good. I just can't help but feel that I'm not going to get an external mark as high as my internal mark and that will disadvantage me.

Sorry if you also already answered this but I still don't quite get it, for someone in my position are internal marks important in any way? I keep hearing all that matters is your rank, but at the same time I thought your HSC was calculated 50% internal & 50% external?

There are only two reasons that your externals will be lower than internals:
1. You have a bad day when you sit the exams
2. Your teachers have been marking below HSC standard and that needs to be fixed.

In your position, if your performance in the exam in consistent with your internal performance (ie you rank first) your internals don't matter at all. Consider them a safety net for if you really screw up, more of a contingency plan than anything.