So...how much should I care about all that technical stuff anyway?

[JR_StudyEd]

I am a staunch advocate of not giving a **** about rankings and scores and all that jazzy stuff. So far in my VCE life, I have not cared the slightest bit about the numbers, letter grades and predicting my study score because I don't think it's worth the effort, and because I don't think it won't matter so much after I find out my ATAR. But lately, the hype around the numbers and grades has grown, especially as us Year 12s are seeing the finish line. It's unsettling.

Does knowing about the technical side of VCE provide any benefit? If so, what? (In any case, I still don't think it's worth it. But many forum users think it's super duper important for some reason, so I thought I would express my view on this matter).

P.S. Am I the only one who doesn't obsessively plug numbers into ATARCalc on a daily (or even hourly) basis? Numbers don't define me. The process and effort it took to get those numbers does.

[Aaron]

It's great you think like this. More on here should. From a teacher's perspective, I can guarantee you that not everybody obsesses over numbers and that this focus is heightened on this forum. The amount of pathways into most courses is increasing. I personally find the whole idea of the VCE as a competition rather than focusing on merit and individual student achievement, quite appalling... but anyway, that's just my opinion and I could be here all day discussing the system!

This is sortof on-topic (still meets the idea of technicality/scores) but just go to the university results board and see the discussions that go on there. You'll see that this interaction/discussion only happens on a forum such as this. I would go as far as to say it's unhealthy (to obsess over scores etc).

It really should be about achieving your personal best - whatever that may be. Work your absolute guts out and let everything else fall into place.

So to answer your question in the thread title... not much. I suppose while it is important, it gives you something additional to worry about if you sit there and stew on ranks, scores, etc..... after all, we're at school to learn and better ourselves, not to worry about stuff that barely matters in the long term.

[Joseph41]

Definitely don't need to know about the system to do well in that system. If you have the choice between studying for your subjects and researching technical processes you ultimately can't change, I'd be doing the former every single time. 👍