Chill out people - the HSC isn't that hard (2 Viewers)

[jaaaaay]

You sound very experienced for someone who hasn't finished the HSC yet.

A 'crap UAI' is open to interpretation. For me, it's anything bleow 80. for other, they may just be stoked to get anywhere near 80. It all depends.

exactly my point.

i think i'd be very disappointed if i didn't get uai of above 90 -___-;; but others might say im over/under-goaling.

 

[LynH1326]

Good UAI: you get into your course.

Shit UAI: You miss out.

[/argument]

Its not that you miss out. People can get into uni even if they dont get the required UAI. There are many ways:
1) do a TAFE course that counts towards the degree you want to do. Once you have finished the course, apply to go to uni with that. Plus it gives you credit towards the degree if things in the diploma are the same or similar.

2) If the uni offers courses that allow you to do half of the subjects that are required (ie: University of Canberra's UC-Start, UC-Connect courses), enrol in them and if you pass those two, you're in.

3) enter as a mature age student (ages 21+)

4) do a tertiary entrance course which gives you a UAI equivalent (much like doing numbers 1 + 2)

5) if you work within the public service, especially with government departments, they may enrol and pay for you to go to uni.

6) do a uni degree that you can get into and if you don't like it you can: a) transfer into the degree you want after a year as long as you passed the first year, or b) complete the degree and then enter the course you want to do as a Graduate.

See, the UAI is not the be all and end all. In my course, i have people who have gone through numbers 1-4 and 6. With the woman who is a graduate, she studied science and is now doing early childhood education. And there are lots of mature age students, and people who have completed TAFE/CIT diplomas and certificates and tertiary entrance courses, or who are going through the university's programs to get them into the course they want.

If you're stressing about that, have a talk with your careers advisor or your year advisor/mentor, call the university you want to attend and speak to someone there, or ask someone you know who is at university. you never know where these avenues may take you.

 

[Testpilot]

I've said this before on this website...

The HSC is what you make it.

If you choose to aim for a UAI of 99.XX then yes, there is pressure and the HSC is hard, not because the material is hard (in terms of the sum of human knowledge) but because you are attempting to beat a majority of the state. If you aren't aiming so high the HSC is less difficult (i.e. you have to beat less people).

However bear in mind that for some people a UAI of 50 will be difficult to achieve for various reasons (lack of commitment, lack of ability etc) while for others a 90+ UAI will be under achieving (based on potential). Success in the HSC should be defined by whether the student is happy with their result, be it a UAI <30 or >99.

To achieve a HSC is not difficult, you merely have to turn up at school and attempt both internal and external exams (marks are irrelevant) and you will be awarded your Higher School Certificate. It's a shame that many people see the HSC and UAI is one thing.

 

[dion7789]

yeah the hsc is be all and end all...not. dont stress yr 12 is the best year of ur life, enjoy it take fotos, hang out with friends, do some work lol...but yes one bad mark doesnt mean u wont get into uni. relax and enjoy the experiance...i found oncei gave up worrying (day b4 hsc started lol) i found it was easier to study and enjoy the time more...yes i am saying i enjoyed the hsc...not exams but hsc in general

 

[ElendilPeredhil]

Year 12...definitley a good year. Yeah, you stress, yeah the exams are tricky, but its not as bad as you think. Just be organised, avoid procrastinating too much and it won't be that bad.

 

[-pari-]

Someone with a 90+ UAI is not soo uber smart genius like it's made out to be, I have a mate who got a 90+ UAI and hes really not that smart.. but he did put in a FUCKLOAD of time into the hsc and no lifed it so that he knew all the material, no matter how retarded you may be chances are you can still learn everything someone else can..but you'll just learn it slower and it'll take more effort on your part to learn it

i'd agree with the point here

the hsc isnt exactly "hard" but its important to recgnise that it IS a lot of work, and it is time consuming for those who aim to do "very well"
thats just my opinion and yes i knw i havent finished my hsc yet

 

[mero0209]

It is simple. School is identical to sports, however one has to train every day for 13 years to play one game that lasts a period of one month. If you lose well then it doesnt matter as there is many back doors in which one can enter. World Renound math teacher Mrs Jolith Theodore Andromeda Hornby one said "Today i am going to select one student at random and have them automatticaly upgraded to Lordship within my new HORNBYSHIP campaign, THE WORLD IS MINE FOR THE TAKING!"

 

[littlewing69]

For all the talk of back doors and alternative pathways...if you fuck up the HSC...you're still kinda screwed.

 

[pritnep]

And how so would that be?

Your only screwed if you let yourself be screwed. Even if you don't achieve what you need to with your UAI and HSC marks if you still really do want to go to uni you will make it possible for yourself to get there.

 

[littlewing69]

And how so would that be?

Your only screwed if you let yourself be screwed. Even if you don't achieve what you need to with your UAI and HSC marks if you still really do want to go to uni you will make it possible for yourself to get there.

Say you wanted to be a high-flying lawyer, or a doctor, and you get a 70. You're fucked.

People always say this Oprah-esque thing about 'achieving whatever you want if you believe in yourself', but it's just not true. If you bugger up your UAI, you can close a couple of doors forever, or at best waste another 4 years of your life clawing your way back up into something you wanted.

 

[cl3nta]

or at best waste another 4 years of your life clawing your way back up into something you wanted.

too true. I guess doing a course and transferring as a postgrad could get you where you want. But you lose so much time with it. It'll take you that much longer to reach wherever you wanted to go in that career. At the end of the day, shut the fuck up and work! :rofl: You'll thank me when I save 2-5yrs of your life..

 

[littlewing69]

too true. I guess doing a course and transferring as a postgrad could get you where you want. But you lose so much time with it. It'll take you that much longer to reach wherever you wanted to go in that career. At the end of the day, shut the fuck up and work! :rofl: You'll thank me when I save 2-5yrs of your life..

And it's not like getting into your preferred postgrad course is assured either. I just get sick of this cotton-wool bullshit about 'anything being possible'.

 

[Nakashima]

And it's not like getting into your preferred postgrad course is assured either. I just get sick of this cotton-wool bullshit about 'anything being possible'.

I know, right.

I mean, it's true that the HSC is one of the many doors to success, but it's a goddamn big one. If you fuck it up, it's not all over for you. There are other options and if you were determined enough, you could easily end up doing just as well. But it all comes at a price - you might spend years trying to transfer into a course your UAI failed to get you into, or pay your way through a course, or go for post-grad and start when everybody else had just finished.

The who-cares-about-the-HSC bullshit comes mainly from people who got screwed by it themselves. And most people who claim there's no need for uni never actually got in.

There's absolutely nothing to lose from trying your best. In the end, even if you don't need your UAI, at least the options that it offers are still open to you. (This's not to mention doing well means you've actually been learning)

 

[dion7789]

it is absolute bs that if u dont get the uai ur screwed. For things like law or medicine it is a high uai but if u dont get it u can just as easily get into uni in something similar and transfer in ur 2nd yr if u can. If u really want to be a 'high-flying lawyer" then u would obviously have to be prepared. if its ur dream what is 1 or 2 years even 3 years difference. NOTHING! ust because u may be 5 years behind ur school cohort for those doing law it doesnt mean u wont be successful. anyway how many high flying 20 something year old lawyers do u see?

 

[watatank]

it is absolute bs that if u dont get the uai ur screwed. For things like law or medicine it is a high uai but if u dont get it u can just as easily get into uni in something similar and transfer in ur 2nd yr if u can. If u really want to be a 'high-flying lawyer" then u would obviously have to be prepared. if its ur dream what is 1 or 2 years even 3 years difference. NOTHING! ust because u may be 5 years behind ur school cohort for those doing law it doesnt mean u wont be successful. anyway how many high flying 20 something year old lawyers do u see?

To be quite honest, not to have a go at you, I think that these comments are made to make the commenter feel better about themselves, rather than them preaching something that they really believe.

There's too much optimism in the world... I'm not telling you not to have dreams, but don't set yourself up for a fall...

While yes...it is true to some extent...you CAN do anything if you set your mind to it, and there are many success stories so the statements are not without precedent...there are points where you have to really consider your other options instead of following the dream...there's a line.

Not to crush all your dreams but that's how the world works. Think of the jobs most of your parents do, do you think they dreamed of doing that when they were younger? Maybe for some of you you would say yes but I would say no. Think about all the aspiring sports stars in the world. Only the best and like the very best will make it, will become Olympians and all that. While the majority will have to make do with participating at local events or playing in the local competition.

Transferring into another course isn't nearly as easy as people think. they look at your UAI, your academic performance at uni, and the course you look to transfer into.

I'm not saying if you don't get the UAI you need you can't do what you want to do. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of pathways for those who are determined enough to be able to do what they want. LIke mature age, TAFE, transferring, and much more....but you have to look at the big picture too, and as I say at times you're doing nothing more than setting yourself up for a fall.

Anyways back to the point. The HSC isn't that hard, but it does require work, especially for those less talented. consistently work at it and you will be fine. you only really get out what you put in.

 

[pritnep]

Say you wanted to be a high-flying lawyer, or a doctor, and you get a 70. You're fucked.

People always say this Oprah-esque thing about 'achieving whatever you want if you believe in yourself', but it's just not true. If you bugger up your UAI, you can close a couple of doors forever, or at best waste another 4 years of your life clawing your way back up into something you wanted.

That's not exactly a nice attitude to have towards people. You have no idea what people go through during their HSC year that could effect their assessments, exams, hsc marks and finally their UAI. Some of these yes they can get special consideration and EAS but for some their marks are to far gone for it to help.

But given the scenario you raised yes if you wanted to be a lawyer or doctor with a 70 UAI it would be a set back and you might take longer to get were you want to be but if it is truly your dream job you will take an path any road and get there no matter what. Yes your UAI and HSC might not of been able to get you in straight away but if you really want it you will take the other paths and open doors for yourself.

The who-cares-about-the-HSC bullshit comes mainly from people who got screwed by it themselves. And most people who claim there's no need for uni never actually got in.

This so isn't true and a very self absorbed attitude to have.

Ok so what about trades people who don't need to go to uni they don't even need to get into uni so there goes your argument.

Not everyone wants to be a high flyer people have their own dreams and they should be allowed to do whatever makes them happy and for some people that isn't uni doesn't make them any less of an achiever.

Just because people don't want to go to university doesn't mean that they will try any less either. People do they best they can, which is all anyone can ask.

To be quite honest, not to have a go at you, I think that these comments are made to make the commenter feel better about themselves, rather than them preaching something that they really believe.

Hmm no they are speaking the honest truth instead of going along with the majority who are usually better off. Not everyone is living in an ideal situation so not everyone is set to achieve from the get go. People make the best of their situations and if that means they don't do as well in the HSC then so be it. But if they really have their heart set on a career a few 'extra' years to get there wont mean anything.

There's too much optimism in the world... I'm not telling you not to have dreams, but don't set yourself up for a fall...

If people don't dream then what do they really have. Yes there are the realistic dreams and the not so realistic dreams. Plenty of people have gone on to succeed when people told them they never could. People have walked when they were told they never would, got fit again when nobody thought they could, got off drugs and are now successful. You can't not dream just because the odds are against you if anything that can be a motivation.

While yes...it is true to some extent...you CAN do anything if you set your mind to it, and there are many success stories so the statements are not without precedent...there are points where you have to really consider your other options instead of following the dream...there's a line.

Not to crush all your dreams but that's how the world works. Think of the jobs most of your parents do, do you think they dreamed of doing that when they were younger? Maybe for some of you you would say yes but I would say no.

Of course you might not be able to get into your dream job straight away as long as you keep that as your ultiment goal and something to work towards.

Actually yes my father did dream that this was the career he wanted to do and if he wasn't happy doing it then he wouldn't of been doing it for the past 25+ years. He had his parents initially tell him what they wanted to do but he stuck to his guns and is now doing what he had always wanted to do. No point doing something you don't love doing for the rest of your life. Yes you might have to do things you don't want to do to get there but once your there if you love it then your in a pretty good place.

 

[zlatanstylez]

totally agree, wasn't motivated to work all year so just did quick jobs on all my assessments and hardly studied for exams, had a turn around 2 weeks before hsc coz i realised pathways was gonna cost me big $$, studied my ass off and got straight into uni - hsc is a joke.

It's really not that hard, somewhere on this forum they have the RAW marks and how they scale to hsc marks where if u get like 60% in the exam its upped to like 70 hsc mark in a particular subject, if u get 70 is upped to like 80 etc ok not exactly like that if you want actual figures go find the post on this forum, but anyway the point im trying to get at is..people who get 90+ UAI's dont get 90% on every single one of ther internal/external assessments, people who get 80+ UAI's don't get 80% on all of there assessments, thats where most people go wrong when there stressing out over the hsc and thats silly myth no.1 that adds to the hype of 'ohhh nooo hsc is so big and bad and hard', they think thats how it works.

Someone with a 90+ UAI is not soo uber smart genius like it's made out to be, I have a mate who got a 90+ UAI and hes really not that smart.. but he did put in a FUCKLOAD of time into the hsc and no lifed it so that he knew all the material, no matter how retarded you may be chances are you can still learn everything someone else can..but you'll just learn it slower and it'll take more effort on your part to learn it. That's myth no.2 that you needa be a genius to succeed in the hsc!! oh and adding to this! humanities = average persons way to a decent UAI coz you don't need to be smart at alllll to learn them seein as their so content based. I swear my lil 10 yr old cuz could learn the business studies syllabus...

^^those were two of the biggest kickers to motivation during the hsc and there myths!! they instill in you the kind of attitude 'oh its too hard how am i meant to get 85% on all my assessments!, all those people doing so well are geniuses and i cant compete with them and im screwed anyway so why try' SERIOUSLY its not that hard!!!! so relax, and put a lil effort in and you'll be fine.

Thats some great motivation right there!

Wow. Just wow.

Exactly that! Wow. Just wow.

 

[watatank]

If people don't dream then what do they really have. Yes there are the realistic dreams and the not so realistic dreams. Plenty of people have gone on to succeed when people told them they never could. People have walked when they were told they never would, got fit again when nobody thought they could, got off drugs and are now successful. You can't not dream just because the odds are against you if anything that can be a motivation.

I totally agree with that statement...and I'm not saying things can't happen against the odds.

It's just that I see too many people I play sports with and sport is all they have, they have no skills in anything else, if they don't make it in sport they have nothing else, and it is quite sad. Also, I see others aiming so high academically its just unrealistic and it saddens me.

 

[pritnep]

Ah ok I see what your saying. Well yeah exactly you can have your dreams but you also have to have a plan of action for what you will do if you can't do that straight away or don't make it etc etc.

 

[dion7789]

To be quite honest, not to have a go at you, I think that these comments are made to make the commenter feel better about themselves, rather than them preaching something that they really believe.

its nothing to make me feel better. I didnt score a 99+ uai and i dont care. i got 74.60. i was unhappy with it at first but it has got me into uni into the course i wanted. i wasnt going to aim for law or anything coz 1) its not what i want to do and 2) i set realistic goals for myself.

i know ur not having a go at me but what i was saying is something i believe. if you are determined to achieve a set goal then u will make it even if it does take an extra few years. There is no point having set dreams to change ur mind coz of something like the hsc and uai. My preffered course would have been a BSc/BA but i didnt get the uai... i am now concentrating on transferring to that next year and if i cant i will do the BA seperately after the BSc. I know that things dont always go the easy way or i would be in the double degree this year. i am preaching something i actually believe. I am sorry if it sounded false or insincere in my above post but its all true what i said

Well yeah exactly you can have your dreams but you also have to have a plan of action for what you will do if you can't do that straight away or don't make it etc etc.

yes i agree i am not saying that u can achieve everything. but u do need to have a backup plan. thats what i have got coz my plan didnt work straight away. but i'll get there eventually