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HSC: Subjects. University. HELP! (1 Viewer)

ReNG

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Apr 19, 2010
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2011
Heys,

I have alot of concerns about my HSC since i am completing what students call 'low-scaling' subjects. Due to these concerns, i'm also beginning to worry whether i would be able to gain entry into the university courses i wish to study. Below there are a list of questions in RED that i would like you to answer with some information before it, if you don't mind reading...

My subjects are:

  • English (Standard)
  • Mathematics
  • Business Studies
  • IPT
  • Music 1
  • Studies of Religion I
TOTAL: 11 UNITS


University Choices (Planned order on my UAC form)

  • UTS: Bachelor of IT (Co-Op Program)
  • UNSW: Bachelor of Information Systems & Management (Co-Op Program)
  • UNSW: Bachelor of Computer Science (Co-Op Program)
  • UTS: Bachelor of Sound & Music Design Combined With Bachelor of Arts in International Studies
  • UNSW: Bachelor of Digital Media/Computer Science
  • USYD: Bachelor of Commerce/IT
  • USYD: Bachelor of Computer Science & Technology

Background Information

For Preliminary:

  • Ranked 1st in English (Standard)
  • Ranked 2nd and averaged 92% in IPT
  • Averaged 90% for Business Studies
  • Averaged 95% for Studies of Religion
  • Everything else i've passed the school average by at least 10%
Other:

  • My school is ranked top 50 in the state (Not telling you anymore, trying to conceal my identity)
  • Received 100% for my first assessment in Studies of Religion
  • Eventhough i ranked first for English (Standard) in Preliminary, I achieved a horrific mark for my first assessment enabling me to only pass the school average by a small percentage
  • I'm not doing very well in both mathematics and music

QUESTIONS

Answer honestly and realistically please...

  • What marks do i need to achieve for each of my subjects to receive an ATAR of 90+?
  • Is it possible to gain entry into a co-op program with only an ATAR of 90?
  • If you do terribly for your first assessment, is it still possible to receive an ATAR of 90+?
  • Do you think my University choices on my UAC form are reasonable?
  • Are my subjects going to pull me down?
  • If you receive an overall percentage of 80% but ranked first, would your ranking matter or your mark/percentage?
  • Do you know or know of anyone who has achieved an ATAR of 90+ with subjects similar to mine?

(More questions will be added in the posts as I remember)


THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING!
 
Last edited:

deterministic

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Male
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2009
  • What marks do i need to achieve for each of my subjects to receive an ATAR of 90+?
  • Is it possible to gain entry into a co-op program with only an ATAR of 90?
  • If you do terribly for your first assessment, is it still possible to receive an ATAR of 90+?
  • Do you think my University choices on my UAC form are reasonable?
  • Are my subjects going to pull me down?
  • If you an overall percentage of 80% but ranked first, would your ranking matter or your mark/percentage?
  • Do you know or know of anyone who has achieved an ATAR of 90+ with subjects similar to mine?

(More questions will be added in the posts as I remember)


THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING!
- mid 80s in everything at least.
- possible but very difficult given the competitiveness. Not realistic unless you have really awesome extracurricular activities. Most UNSW Coop students have > 95 atars
- Yes
- Depends on what you want to do in the future, seems reasonable to me but you ll prob need at mid 90 atar though for some
- Not if you do well
- ranking
- Plenty of people have done so with worser scaling subjects
 
Last edited:

ReNG

Member
Joined
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Messages
96
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Female
HSC
2011
- mid 80s in everything at least.
- possible but very difficult given the competitiveness. Not realistic unless you have really awesome extracurricular activities. Most UNSW Coop students have > 95 atars
- Yes
- Depends on what you want to do in the future, seems reasonable to me but you ll prob need at mid 90 atar though for some
- Not if you do well
- ranking
- Plenty of people have done so with worser scaling subjects
THANKS! By the way, what would your 'awesome' extracurricular activities be? I've done quite alot these past 3 years, but haven't done much this year since i've been trying to lay low to study for my HSC.
 

deterministic

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Messages
423
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2009
stuff like school captain, playing weekend sports, volunteering in salvation army, organising big events etc etc where you can rant on about your strong leadership/ teamwork/ management capabilities.
 

determine

Premium Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2009
Messages
631
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2010
Heys,

I have alot of concerns about my HSC since i am completing what students call 'low-scaling' subjects. Due to these concerns, i'm also beginning to worry whether i would be able to gain entry into the university courses i wish to study. Below there are a list of questions in RED that i would like you to answer with some information before it, if you don't mind reading...

My subjects are:

  • English (Standard)
  • Mathematics
  • Business Studies
  • IPT
  • Music 1
  • Studies of Religion I
TOTAL: 11 UNITS


University Choices (Planned order on my UAC form)

  • UTS: Bachelor of IT (Co-Op Program)
  • UNSW: Bachelor of Information Systems & Management (Co-Op Program)
  • UNSW: Bachelor of Computer Science (Co-Op Program)
  • UTS: Bachelor of Sound & Music Design Combined With Bachelor of Arts in International Studies
  • UNSW: Bachelor of Digital Media/Computer Science
  • USYD: Bachelor of Commerce/IT
  • USYD: Bachelor of Computer Science & Technology

Background Information

For Preliminary:

  • Ranked 1st in English (Standard)
  • Ranked 2nd and averaged 92% in IPT
  • Averaged 90% for Business Studies
  • Averaged 95% for Studies of Religion
  • Everything else i've passed the school average by at least 10%
Other:

  • My school is ranked top 50 in the state (Not telling you anymore, trying to conceal my identity)
  • Received 100% for my first assessment in Studies of Religion
  • Eventhough i ranked first for English (Standard) in Preliminary, I achieved a horrific mark for my first assessment enabling me to only pass the school average by a small percentage
  • I'm not doing very well in both mathematics and music

QUESTIONS

Answer honestly and realistically please...

  • What marks do i need to achieve for each of my subjects to receive an ATAR of 90+?
  • Is it possible to gain entry into a co-op program with only an ATAR of 90?
  • If you do terribly for your first assessment, is it still possible to receive an ATAR of 90+?
  • Do you think my University choices on my UAC form are reasonable?
  • Are my subjects going to pull me down?
  • If you an overall percentage of 80% but ranked first, would your ranking matter or your mark/percentage?
  • Do you know or know of anyone who has achieved an ATAR of 90+ with subjects similar to mine?

(More questions will be added in the posts as I remember)


THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING!
hey, look at my signature for my marks with low-scaling subjects. it's possible, if you put your mind to it, work hard and just give it everything you have! good luck! you just have to try to remain positive, believe that you can and will get into your course, and try to focus on doing well rather than worrying about the fact that scaling will hold you back. :) hope it all works out! :)
 

Azure

Premium Member
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1) I wish I could give you some numbers, but I'm afraid I really don't know. The best thing you can do is put numbers into the SAM calculator, which isn't going to be very accurate because what you'll be inputting are estimates of raw marks. There are other bosers who are pretty good at guessing, so I will leave this to them.

2) Very competitive to get into and I'm assuming 90 might not cut it. There are other factors that come into consideration, and it wouldn't be that difficult to get in with that ATAR provided you have a pretty outstanding list of achievements.

3) Absolutely. Don't let this deter you. You haven't even properly begun the HSC at this point. Just make sure you at least capitalize off your mistake but making sure to not repeat it.

4) Definitely, especially if this is what you've set your mind on doing. Study hard and you will not be dissapointed.

5) If you excel at what you're studying, you will not be pulled down.

6) In my opinion ranking will carry much more weight, and is something you need to focus on before actual percentages.

7) Most definitely. There have been lots of posters here over the years with similar subjects to yours who have gotten great ATARs.

Also, determine your signature is really impressive. How are you going with your cadetship and uni so far?
 
Last edited:

ReNG

Member
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Messages
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Female
HSC
2011
hey, look at my signature for my marks with low-scaling subjects. it's possible, if you put your mind to it, work hard and just give it everything you have! good luck! you just have to try to remain positive, believe that you can and will get into your course, and try to focus on doing well rather than worrying about the fact that scaling will hold you back. :) hope it all works out! :)
WOW~ You're so amazing. How did you manage to pull that off? Did you 'stuff up' any assessments in the process or were they all straight 80s or 90s? Wow... Congratulations! As lame as this sounds, i hope i can achieve marks similar to yours.
 

ReNG

Member
Joined
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Messages
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Female
HSC
2011
1) I wish I could give you some numbers, but I'm afraid I really don't know. The best thing you can do is put numbers into the SAM calculator, which isn't going to be very accurate because what you'll be inputting are estimates of raw marks. There are other bosers who are pretty good at guessing, so I will leave this to them.

2) Very competitive to get into and I'm assuming 90 might not cut it. There are other factors that come into consideration, and it wouldn't be that difficult to get in with that ATAR provided you have a pretty outstanding list of achievements.

3) Absolutely. Don't let this deter you. You haven't even properly begun the HSC at this point. Just make sure you at least capitalize off your mistake but making sure to not repeat it.

4) Definitely, especially if this is what you've set your mind on doing. Study hard and you will not be dissapointed.

5) If you excel at what you're studying, you will not be pulled down.

6) In my opinion ranking will carry much more weight, and is something you need to focus on before actual percentages.

7) Most definitely. There have been lots of posters here over the years with similar subjects to yours who have gotten great ATARs.

Also, determine your signature is really impressive. How are you going with your cadetship and uni so far?
Question about ranking.

What if your rank is quite low for a certain subject in your school but the marks you achieve are better than students from other schools. How does ranking work from there? Or am i asking a difficult question?
 
Last edited:

determine

Premium Member
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WOW~ You're so amazing. How did you manage to pull that off? Did you 'stuff up' any assessments in the process or were they all straight 80s or 90s? Wow... Congratulations! As lame as this sounds, i hope i can achieve marks similar to yours.
Thanks, that's really nice of you!! :)

My marks were very high overall throughout the year, which was necessary in order for me to get really good ranks and hence not be dragged back as much by my lower-scaling subjects. The lowest mark I got all year was by far a 12/15 or 80% in an English assessment, but for the most part my assessments were all 90%+. So you really have to try to do extremely well if you don't want to be disadvantaged by the subject system.
 

JaidenC

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Mackay, QLD
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- mid 80s in everything at least.
- possible but very difficult given the competitiveness. Not realistic unless you have really awesome extracurricular activities. Most UNSW Coop students have > 95 atars
The coop website says you must have a 96 or higher - in reality, is this strictly followed, or not?
Directly under where it says that, though, it has...
Engineering, Science and Built Environment Programs, an ATAR 96 (or equivalent) satisfies the academic requirement for selection as a Co-op Scholar (but those expecting an ATAR of at least 93 should still consider applying).
I'm planning to study Software Engineering, does that mean that If I got, say, an Atar Equivalent of....94, or something, I could still have a good chance of getting in?

I'm trying to be pretty involved this year, Extra Curricular Activities include working the projector room on assemblies (though I did get temp banned from that recently -_-), playing in the handbell choir, clean up australia day, and probably things like Marching on Anzac Day, etc. I also hope to co-plan and DJ a school social/disco later on in the year if I can get support from the teachers.

With that sort of stuff, what would my chances
 

slyhunter

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Most doing Co-op I know of have ATARs in excess 97-98 plus loads of e-c activities (these usually are leadership type things).
 

Omnipotence

Kendrick Lamar
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I'm planning to study Software Engineering, does that mean that If I got, say, an Atar Equivalent of....94, or something, I could still have a good chance of getting in?
Maybe. You might get an offer in subsequent rounds.
 

JaidenC

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I'm planning to study Software Engineering, does that mean that If I got, say, an Atar Equivalent of....94, or something, I could still have a good chance of getting in?
Sorry, just reread that and it might be taken the wrong way - I meant, would I have any chance of getting into the Coop Scholarship? Do you even qualify for the scholarship at all if you don't get in on the first round?
 

Omnipotence

Kendrick Lamar
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Sorry, just reread that and it might be taken the wrong way - I meant, would I have any chance of getting into the Coop Scholarship? Do you even qualify for the scholarship at all if you don't get in on the first round?
Oh right true.
 

JaidenC

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Ahwell, regardless, I'll just have to try my hardest and see how I go. I epic failed Year 11 from a mix of laziness and health issues, but luckily I'm getting weekly Physics and Maths tutoring the whole year and have no life so I can study quite a lot :D
 

ReNG

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If anyone is reading, which university would provide a better co-op program, UTS or UNSW?
 
Last edited:

Gigacube

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UTS is the best from what I've heard. UNSW is more business and less IT.
 

ReNG

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UTS for IT.
Is there a reason why UTS is better for the IT Co-Op program? When I look at the ATAR entry for IT courses at UTS they seem quite low... I'm not saying UTS is a bad place but I would like more insight so that i don't make the wrong decision.
 

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