Who thinks the HSC is unfair? (3 Viewers)

[DanQ1991]

My teacher said this year's cohort were the guinea pigs of the new ATAR system where it disadvantaged some people.

 

[philphie]

I agree 100% with the first paragraph, however whether you will do better in the long run all depends on how said individual applies themselves after the HSC. Getting a high ATAR makes it easier, but doesn't necessarily mean you will do better.

I chose what I liked and he vast majority happened to scale highly so i got what I needed, but the only disadvantage I saw was people using tutors to write their essays/creatives for them. The ones who worked really hard got rewarded

haha so you don't agree that i'm an eccentric?

i had a tutor but he never did anything, i paid him 50 dollars a session for him to read the daily telegraph, all i did while he was sitting next to me was pretend to do homework while overlooking his shoulder reading whatever articles were on the page.

 

[Freakstyler09]

I agree 100% with the first paragraph, however whether you will do better in the long run all depends on how said individual applies themselves after the HSC. Getting a high ATAR makes it easier, but doesn't necessarily mean you will do better.

I chose what I liked and he vast majority happened to scale highly so i got what I needed, but the only disadvantage I saw was people using tutors to write their essays/creatives for them. The ones who worked really hard got rewarded

I wasn't lazy, in fact I tried really hard, but due to a low ranking school and above average marks...that's all I can get, it's so stupid, stupid scaling system.

 

[sinophile]

My teacher said this year's cohort were the guinea pigs of the new ATAR system where it disadvantaged some people.

Are you a troll? ATAR just changes the number you get at the end, nothing else.

 

[khorne]

school rank has nothing to do with it.

 

[Hornby]

I wasn't lazy, in fact I tried really hard, but due to a low ranking school and above average marks...that's all I can get, it's so stupid, stupid scaling system.

Mate didn't say you were lazy, alot of it really depends on what subjects you take and the ranking of your school, I went to a top 50 school, and took some higher scaling subjects so it was easier, but theres also that hard work component which separates the good from the great etc.

 

[philphie]

school rank has nothing to do with it.

in a way it does a little but more as a symbol that your cohort is more competitive and tightly held together

 

[Bar901]

I wasn't lazy, in fact I tried really hard, but due to a low ranking school and above average marks...that's all I can get, it's so stupid, stupid scaling system.

Do not blame your school or the scaling system. Though these can be small stumbling blocks, if you have the intelligence and you work hard enough you can ALWAYS get a high ATAR.

 

[Hornby]

school rank has nothing to do with it.

You're right it doesn't, but those who are in the higher ranked schools obviously have brighter cohorts. You still have to work hard but you know that if you fuck up at least you won't completely fuck up. At a top ranked school it's easier to get a better ATAR, but you still have to work for it.

 

[philphie]

what i find unfair the most is that after your trials your rankings are fixed. no matter how well you're going to do for the hsc exam you're stuck wever rank you were before. though the bigger question is most are confused about is if despite you not ranking 1st in the course but that you did get the highest mark in the hsc exam you can keep it ALONG with the person who did rank first, though if this doesn't comply then it is more unfair than i thought.


though really this rule can either work well for you or against you.

 

[Bar901]

what i find unfair the most is that after your trials your rankings are fixed. no matter how well you're going to do for the hsc exam you're stuck wever rank you were before. though the bigger question is most are confused about is if despite you not ranking 1st in the course but that you did get the highest mark in the hsc exam you can keep it ALONG with the person who did rank first, though if this doesn't comply then it is more unfair than i thought.


though really this rule can either work well for you or against you.

Are you an idiot? That is the entire point of the assessment system, you are rewarded for year long effort..

 

[Azarnakumar]

I think the HSC is stupid and not at all indicative of someone's intelligence or worth as a person.

 

[possessionless]

well atm i love uac and bos just cos i got an atar much higher than expected but i do think some things are unfair.

 

[philphie]

Are you an idiot? That is the entire point of the assessment system, you are rewarded for year long effort..

my point is it seems redundant to have the extra exam after when the final outcome will still be the same. however the hsc is a standardised exam to make sure school assessments weren't too easy though why should it have so much weighting as it does? it's just another exam after all.

 

[Cinnamonster]

There is a wide range of subjects to select from so you can pick the ones you know you will do well in (even if the school doesn't offer it you can still do distance education or just change schools) and if you study as much as you can handle and put in as much effort as possible then there's really no reason why you cannot succeed. This, I think, is fair.

What I don't think is fair is the scaling of subjects.

 

[noelknows]

Sinophile,
I have to say, it's such a silly idea to have english as a compulsory subject, yet not have it count on the ATAR.
If students know it doesn't have to count, particularly students like you and Tofuu who wouldn't want it to, we would have a large portion of english candidates in the state not trying, using it as a bludge subject, and writing it off all together, because they knew they could count other subjects, perhaps their stronger ones, on their ATAR.
What that means is that:
1) NSW wastes money on examiners and markers for english, marking and administrating and transporting redundant exam papers, done by students who ultimately don't want english to count. (Let's not forget that the HSC is a costly exercise)
2) Because of the inevitable slacking off of those like you and tofuu, other serious english candidates would be dragged down in their marks. This means institutional inequality. Those favouring the sciences and maths who weren't putting their time into the now redundant english would escape, while serious english students would be scaled down by them. What's more, schools with weaker english cohorts would suffer even more: a vicious cycle.

English (Advanced and Standard), the language, and the subtler skills, they seek to inculcate in the 69,000 graduating students a year in NSW, are best left the way they are. English is essential in any occupation, essential as an Australian citizen, and it is fast becoming the 'global language'. It must be taken seriously. Sinophile, I am aware that you may be from a non-english speaking background. The HSC accomodates for that with ESL, and an eclectic range of language subjects. These are sufficient compensation for weaker english students, and serve to level he playing field - unlike removing english as compulsory in the ATAR.

 

[possessionless]

There is a wide range of subjects to select from so you can pick the ones you know you will do well in (even if the school doesn't offer it you can still do distance education or just change schools) and if you study as much as you can handle and put in as much effort as possible then there's really no reason why you cannot succeed. This, I think, is fair.

What I don't think is fair is the scaling of subjects.

this. i dont think its fair. imo i dont think subjects should scale down, just up. because sorry but not everyone is maths and science orientated.

 

[kaz1]

I reckon scaling is pretty unfair. Getting band 5s in good scaling subjects like Physics and Chemistry help your ATAR more than say getting a band 5 in Aboriginal studies, the ATAR system seems to be giving more of an advantage to people good at science based subjects rather than students good at artsy subjects.

 

[Aquawhite]

I reckon scaling is pretty unfair. Getting band 5s in good scaling subjects like Physics and Chemistry help your ATAR more than say getting a band 5 in Aboriginal studies, the ATAR system seems to be giving more of an advantage to people good at science based subjects rather than students good at artsy subjects.

It isn't entirely fair at all but it's based on how well the students in that subject perform in their other subjects (mainly English).

The scaling needs to be fixed still, but it's as fair as those at UAC can see it.

On the other hand, I think the scaling of MX2 is disgustingly way too high and I do it.

 

[philphie]

I reckon scaling is pretty unfair. Getting band 5s in good scaling subjects like Physics and Chemistry help your ATAR more than say getting a band 5 in Aboriginal studies, the ATAR system seems to be giving more of an advantage to people good at science based subjects rather than students good at artsy subjects.

new south wales hates the fine arts and humanities and they target this at senior high school students as an attempt to cripple the left wing demographics ARRGGGHHHH!!!!!!

no, i shouldn't express my anger here. i shall sketch a political satire cartoon to calm my nerves