Scaling FAQ

withoutaface · 21 Feb 2005, 7:31 PM

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I've seen a lot of questions on how scaling works, so I've decided to create something of an FAQ, which Lazarus can add corrections/additions to if he feels like it.

Who determines scaling and UAIs?
The actual calculations are performed on behalf of the universities by the Technical Committee on Scaling, which obtains the necessary HSC results from the NSW Board of Studies.

Once all of the calculations have been done, the Technical Committee passes the data on to the UAC which then distributes UAIs to students and universities.

What about aligning?
This is a completely different process, carried out by the BOS, where students raw marks are aligned to standards, say if their raw mark would indicate thorough knowledge of the work they get a band 6. Raw marks, not aligned marks are used in the calculation of scaled marks and the UAI. Aligned marks are explained in more detail here.

What is the scaled mean for a subject?
It is, as the name suggests, the average scaled mark in a subject among all the candidates. Scaled means can be found here.

The scaled mean for a given course is an estimate of the average academic ability of the students taking that course.

How is the scaled mean for each subject determined?
It is determined by calculating the performance of the average student doing a course in other subjects. This is why English is compulsory, because it provides a common subject against which scaling can be determined.
Scaling in extension courses is determined differently, in that the only course the candidates' results are compared with are either the core subject, or in the case of extension 2, the extension 1 subject. If the average extension 2 student performs twice as well as the average extension 1 student in the extension 1 course, the scaling for the extension 2 course will be roughly twice as good as that of the extension 1 course.

What are scaled marks used for?
The students best two units of English and their 8 other best units have their scaled marks totalled to calculate a scaled aggregate, out of 500. This scaled aggregate is then compared to other students, the students are then ranked, and a UAI is calculated based on this rank.

Hope this answers some of your questions

paper cup · 22 Feb 2005, 6:59 PM

you're a very good boy waf, a very good boy. mummy's proud of you.

ogmzergrush · 5 Mar 2005, 9:59 PM

Thanks man, you've really helped me get my life back on track! One day in years to come, I'll tell my children about this day (Or, in the event that I don't have children, I'll abduct some off the street and tell them about it).

kimmeh · 5 Mar 2005, 9:59 PM

FanKyOooH WaFffY BaYbEh

YooH HeLpd mE AloT
kKEKKeEKEKEKekeKeKE~

acmilan · 5 Mar 2005, 9:59 PM

Thanks waffy for that, you're an inspiration to our organisation

christ_ine · 5 Mar 2005, 10:00 PM

waffles = too much time on his hands.

(but impressive

)

wrong_turn · 6 Mar 2005, 12:01 PM

look at the post count per day for waf compared to joe. just amazing

JimmyK · 29 Mar 2005, 7:28 PM

thats very helpful.. answers a question i asked at school today.. which my teacher wasnt entirely sure about!!!
thanks heaps!

rawr26 · 24 Jun 2006, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by withoutaface

What about aligning?
This is a completely different process, carried out by the BOS, where students raw marks are aligned to standards, say if their raw mark would indicate thorough knowledge of the work they get a band 6. Raw marks, not aligned marks are used in the calculation of scaled marks and the UAI. Aligned marks are explained in more detail here.

Perhaps a stupid question, but i'm confused. So what your saying is that when determining your UAI, UAC uses your raw marks and not the ones you get from BOS?

**Ragerunner** · 24 Jun 2006, 12:10 PM

That is correct. The raw marks are used by the UAC and scaled. So, technically, the marks you see when the results come out aren't used in the calculation of the UAI. But that doesn't mean they are meaningless to estimating what UAI you might get.

dreamer7 · 18 Aug 2006, 8:19 PM

What happens if 2 high-scoring subjects have the same mark? How would your 10 'best units' be determined then? Or if you get the same mark for all subjects?

SoulSearcher · 18 Aug 2006, 8:30 PM

Whichever subjects scales better, they will use those subjects in the calculation of your UAI.

gamecw · 4 Oct 2006, 2:27 PM

mmm then why does SAM use aligned mark to estimate UAI

Edit:

is it like reversed process or sumthin,

from aligned marks to Raw marks then to Scaled mark then estimate UAI?

SoulSearcher · 4 Oct 2006, 7:41 PM

Because you'll rarely get your raw marks for your HSC exams, and even less chance of getting it before the UAIs are released. I don't know how SAM works though.

dagwoman · 4 Oct 2006, 7:45 PM

dreamer7, I love your picture.

21 Feb 2005, 7:31 PM	#1 (permalink)
withoutaface Premium Member HSC: 2004 Gender: Male Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 14,799 Last Activity: Yesterday, 3:30 AM Blog Entries: 1	Scaling FAQ You can hide this advertisement by registering. I've seen a lot of questions on how scaling works, so I've decided to create something of an FAQ, which Lazarus can add corrections/additions to if he feels like it. Who determines scaling and UAIs? The actual calculations are performed on behalf of the universities by the Technical Committee on Scaling, which obtains the necessary HSC results from the NSW Board of Studies. Once all of the calculations have been done, the Technical Committee passes the data on to the UAC which then distributes UAIs to students and universities. What about aligning? This is a completely different process, carried out by the BOS, where students raw marks are aligned to standards, say if their raw mark would indicate thorough knowledge of the work they get a band 6. Raw marks, not aligned marks are used in the calculation of scaled marks and the UAI. Aligned marks are explained in more detail here. What is the scaled mean for a subject? It is, as the name suggests, the average scaled mark in a subject among all the candidates. Scaled means can be found here. The scaled mean for a given course is an estimate of the average academic ability of the students taking that course. How is the scaled mean for each subject determined? It is determined by calculating the performance of the average student doing a course in other subjects. This is why English is compulsory, because it provides a common subject against which scaling can be determined. Scaling in extension courses is determined differently, in that the only course the candidates' results are compared with are either the core subject, or in the case of extension 2, the extension 1 subject. If the average extension 2 student performs twice as well as the average extension 1 student in the extension 1 course, the scaling for the extension 2 course will be roughly twice as good as that of the extension 1 course. What are scaled marks used for? The students best two units of English and their 8 other best units have their scaled marks totalled to calculate a scaled aggregate, out of 500. This scaled aggregate is then compared to other students, the students are then ranked, and a UAI is calculated based on this rank. Hope this answers some of your questions Last edited by withoutaface; 21 Feb 2005 at 7:46 PM.

5 Mar 2005, 9:59 PM	#3 (permalink)
ogmzergrush LOL HSC: 2002 Gender: Male Location: Northernmost Moonforests of the North Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 2,272 Last Activity: 27 Oct 2009, 11:38 PM	Thanks man, you've really helped me get my life back on track! One day in years to come, I'll tell my children about this day (Or, in the event that I don't have children, I'll abduct some off the street and tell them about it). __________________

5 Mar 2005, 9:59 PM	#5 (permalink)
acmilan I'll stab ya HSC: N/A Gender: Male Location: Jumanji Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 3,884 Last Activity: 15 Nov 2009, 6:03 PM	Thanks waffy for that, you're an inspiration to our organisation __________________

5 Mar 2005, 10:00 PM	#6 (permalink)
christ_ine simply because HSC: 2001 Gender: Female Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 1,158 Last Activity: 20 Jan 2008, 8:36 PM	waffles = too much time on his hands. (but impressive ) __________________ He must have been a very good boy to deserve such a happy day. I bet they let him ride a pony.

6 Mar 2005, 12:01 PM	#7 (permalink)
wrong_turn the chosen one HSC: 2005 Gender: Male Location: chasing a rabbit into a rabbit hole Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 3,579 Last Activity: Today, 2:16 AM	look at the post count per day for waf compared to joe. just amazing __________________ BHS '05 B Economics/ B Arts Economics/Finance History/Psychology 4th year @ University of No Sexy Women

22 Feb 2005, 6:59 PM	#2 (permalink)
paper cup pamplemousse HSC: 2005 Gender: Female Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 2,614 Last Activity: 23 Jun 2009, 11:49 PM	you're a very good boy waf, a very good boy. mummy's proud of you.

5 Mar 2005, 9:59 PM	#4 (permalink)
kimmeh Sleeping HSC: 2004 Gender: Female Location: Stables, Paddocks, Pens, Kennels, Cages Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4,492 Last Activity: 25 Jul 2008, 1:34 PM	FanKyOooH WaFffY BaYbEh YooH HeLpd mE AloT kKEKKeEKEKEKekeKeKE~

29 Mar 2005, 7:28 PM	#8 (permalink)
JimmyK Senior Member HSC: 2005 Gender: Male Location: Narrabeen, Sydney/Maitland, Hunter Valley Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 339 Last Activity: 27 Dec 2007, 9:42 PM	thats very helpful.. answers a question i asked at school today.. which my teacher wasnt entirely sure about!!! thanks heaps!

24 Jun 2006, 12:10 PM	#10 (permalink)
Ragerunner Your friendly HSC guide HSC: 2003 Gender: Male Location: UNSW Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 5,477 Last Activity: 30 Jul 2009, 9:22 PM	Re: Scaling FAQ That is correct. The raw marks are used by the UAC and scaled. So, technically, the marks you see when the results come out aren't used in the calculation of the UAI. But that doesn't mean they are meaningless to estimating what UAI you might get. __________________ B Science @ UNSW (Major in Psychology) See green? It's just your imagination.

18 Aug 2006, 8:19 PM	#11 (permalink)
dreamer7 Assistant Member HSC: 2007 Gender: Female Location: Australia Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 53 Last Activity: 26 Mar 2007, 4:46 PM	Re: Scaling FAQ What happens if 2 high-scoring subjects have the same mark? How would your 10 'best units' be determined then? Or if you get the same mark for all subjects?

18 Aug 2006, 8:30 PM	#12 (permalink)
SoulSearcher With or Without You HSC: 2007 Gender: Male Location: Entangled in the fabric of space-time ... Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 6,544 Last Activity: 4 Nov 2009, 1:45 AM	Re: Scaling FAQ Whichever subjects scales better, they will use those subjects in the calculation of your UAI. __________________ Is quite inactive.

4 Oct 2006, 2:27 PM	#13 (permalink)
gamecw Senior Member HSC: 2006 Gender: Male Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 246 Last Activity: 8 May 2008, 1:36 AM	Re: Scaling FAQ mmm then why does SAM use aligned mark to estimate UAI Edit: is it like reversed process or sumthin, from aligned marks to Raw marks then to Scaled mark then estimate UAI? Last edited by gamecw; 4 Oct 2006 at 3:00 PM.

4 Oct 2006, 7:41 PM	#14 (permalink)
SoulSearcher With or Without You HSC: 2007 Gender: Male Location: Entangled in the fabric of space-time ... Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 6,544 Last Activity: 4 Nov 2009, 1:45 AM	Re: Scaling FAQ Because you'll rarely get your raw marks for your HSC exams, and even less chance of getting it before the UAIs are released. I don't know how SAM works though. __________________ Is quite inactive.

4 Oct 2006, 7:45 PM	#15 (permalink)
dagwoman Welcome to My Lair HSC: N/A Gender: Female Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,014 Last Activity: 6 Dec 2007, 9:03 PM	Re: Scaling FAQ dreamer7, I love your picture.

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