HSC Advice//Decent ATAR with...

[nicolinaa]

HELLO!
I don't mean to make *another* one of these type of posts again, and I'm really sorry, but I've become increasingly anxious with my subjects chosen and all the articles and forums I've read online about the subjects + how they scale.

I know I'm only in year 10, but my subjects have been finalised, and it is December, meaning I'll be starting year 11 soon. Plus, I really want to mentally prepare myself, as I tend to overthink and overreact, and like being prepared for senior year(s). So... I'm asking what may seem like the most obnoxious and repetitive question known to the Australian internet.

These are my subjects:
- standard english  -  (i know, i know)
- business studies  -  (switched from standard math)
- legal studies
- economics 
- modern history
- studies of religion 1U  -  (bc 2U didn't run)

My ATAR aim is 95+...And I know, generally ask:
If I do (X) subjects, can I get (Y) ATAR...

But if some people don't mind – advice would be appreciated and helpful!

[Justin_L]

Hey nicolinaa,

You can definitely get any ATAR with any subject combination (Within NESA's rules obviously) since scaling is designed make results fair between subjects, not disadvantage people who pick easier subjects. You've also picked Legal, Economics, and Modern, which actually scale up.

The only subject specific advice I'd give is to make sure you keep on top of standard english, as that's marked on a common scale with shared components for both standard and advanced, and so you may find yourself held to a higher standard than you expect in the final HSC exam if you're aiming for a 95+

I found Eddie Woo's videos on the process quite helpful when I was doing my HSC, so I'll link him here as a more authoritative source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZlaqG9t4Qo

Other than that, all the best! Just put in effort consistently, ask lots of questions, and try to enjoy the experience (and senior privileges) and you'll be well on your way to your ATAR goal

[Opengangs]

Hi there!

Justin_L have given some great advice so I will just add on top of his comments!
You can definitely still get the 95 ATAR goal and it's great that you have a goal in mind - that will hopefully keep you motivated throughout the two years of senior studies! With regards to scaling, my biggest advice is to not worry about it too much. It's nothing that you can control so there's no point worrying too much about it! The only thing that you can control is how well you perform against your cohort. Aim to do the best that you can and let scaling sort itself out.

I did English (Standard) in Year 11 but moved up to English (Adv) in Year 12 so even though they may seem locked in, talk to your teachers about whether you can move up if you think it's better for you! Your teachers are always there to help (at least most are )!

But above all, make sure you're looking after your mental health during your last two years of high schooling. It's going to be a stressful period of your life and you may feel like it's a lot, so it's really important that you're looking after yourself above your studies. Good luck! And if you have any questions, feel free to PM me. I'll try to respond as quickly as I can.