Your rant made me smile. =) You are so right. =)
I found the exam pretty good. Better than expected. I too cannot understand how someone can leave a 3 hour exam so early, and expect a band 6. =O It's just physically impossible to write enough detail for all of the questions.
As for extra paper - It says it on your exam "Extra writing booklets are available." I don't know if they had this printed on the P&H section also, I didn't see. But I assume they did. (Correct me if I am wrong please. =)) Even our supervisors said that if we needed more paper for it then to ask.
But I agree with what has already been said, the space provided is enough to get the marks you need. If you write really big... then obviously you need more.
P&H - Fairly easy. Water question was a little tricky. Reigion was hard for me cause I didn't study it. Had to rely on what I could remember from class. Lucky I was up at 5 this morning going over the archaeologists in detail. =)
Old Kingdom Egypt Society - Really easy.
Hatshepsut - Best questions ever! Esp T3 questions.
Old Kingdom Egypt Period - My downfall. Answered question on collapse of Old Kingdom. Would have prefered the other question if it was about the nature of unification and not importance.
I noticed that hardly anyone does Old Kingdom for either society or period. Personally, I really liked it and found it very interesting. =)
I'm being realistic and hoping for a band six, but won't be surprised if it turns out to be a band 5. =) Either way, I'm happy.
As for paying top dollar for your teachers. - The amount of money you pay for your education will not reflect the quality of your teachers. I go to a public school (and I pay my general contribution) and according to ME I have the best teacher there is.
She spent most of the past two days sitting with my friend and I at school whenever she had spare moments, answering our questions. She'd be up past midnight each night giving lengthy responses to the questions students would email her. Perhaps your teachers dedication to teaching you will reflect your mark, rather than how long they have been mrking the HSC for (which my teacher has been doing for quite some time anyway). Did I not mention how my teacher has contacts with many of the scholars that we had to quote in our answers.
Sorry... I just get a little touchy when people think their teacher is the best cause they paid lots of money for their education. And sorry got the long rant. Forgive me. Good luck with the rest of your exams anyone... that's if you have any.