Who thinks the HSC is unfair? (3 Viewers)

duckcowhybrid

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I dunno I'd find VA a LOT harder than MX2, and VA scales much much worse. I can name 100 people who would concur.
 

Bar901

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I dunno I'd find VA a LOT harder than MX2, and VA scales much much worse. I can name 100 people who would concur.
Which is why I never said it always works that way. Although I was referring to what the majoritys opinion would be, VA is one subject that has extremely split ideas on it. However, even then I believe the majority opinion would be that Extension 2 maths is far more difficult.
 

annabackwards

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I know you love to say this, and you even corrected me before. However I already knew this, I just think it is a far simpler explanation to say that the harder a subject, in general the better it scales.

I know technically it has NOTHING to do with a subjects difficulty, but across the board a subjects difficulty and it's canditatures relative strength are almost ALWAYS exactly correlated. You might think it is a bad thing to give slightly misleading information, but when you are trying to explain it to people who have absolutely no idea what you are talking about (and who often struggle with the concept), I think it is just easier to say "Basically, the harder a subject the better it will scale".
Then say you are talking about "in general", don't just say it as though it is a fact.

And no, i don't love saying it. I just feel that i should correct those that are spreading myths.

I wouldn't agree with your latter generalisation anyway. I'd do textiles (which has low scaling) and i'd most likely struggle. As duckcowhydrbid said, the difficulty of a subject is different for each person :)
 

bubbrubb

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Stupid. People who like Economics but don't like Aboriginal Studies would obviously find Aboriginal Studies harder. It comes down to doing what you love, that's what will be easy.

Not "anyone" or everyone would agree that Economics is harder than Aboriginal Studies. They are completely different fields. One subject, ECON, looks at money, of which the nomadic Aborigines have and had none. Aboriginal Studies is a great subject that I would have done had it been offered - you get to learn about your heritage (white people who massacred the natives, yay for capitalism! :() and the tragic story of 1788.

We European-descended Australians destroyed this country, we didn't make it. Australia and its Aborigines were better off without our nasty dangerous money and guns. To suggest that Economics (money) is progress is ridiculous. Money practically killed a beautiful ancient society of wonderfully resourceful people

I challenge an economist to survive without money in a forest or the outback - I really do believe the Aborigines achievements of sustainability and emotional wealth are far more wonderful and beautifully touching than some bridge over water with moving things on it and some expensive house

I'm so angry and sad. I wish I was born a nomad Aborigine. It would have been bliss (fuck the shorter life expectancy, at least the years I would have had would have been more happy than this terrible white "civilised" life where Australians and Americans consent to blasting fellow homo sapiens/people to pieces in Iraq

that's one way to go off topic...
 

ilikebeeef

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Then say you are talking about "in general", don't just say it as though it is a fact.

And no, i don't love saying it. I just feel that i should correct those that are spreading myths.

I wouldn't agree with your latter generalisation anyway. I'd do textiles (which has low scaling) and i'd most likely struggle. As duckcowhydrbid said, the difficulty of a subject is different for each person :)
*tries to rep*

Message box: You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to annabackwards again.

Damn!
 

P.T.F.E

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i think it's unfair. Seriously 13 years of schooling and all we get is a number. :mad:
well if thats all u got out of 13 years good luck with life... apart from the fact u can read write and are able to contruct ur own opinion, colaborate it and back it up with eveidence...wonder where u gained those skills
 

P.T.F.E

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I havent read all 22 pages i have read about 12 and it pretty much looks like the age old debate humanities v science.

and i will disagree with all the posts i have read.

the top students at my school scored pretty good for a rural school. top student was a science/maths second was humanities (english religion history) 3rd was humanities.

my perspective nobody at my school was screwed over they all deserved what they got the ones that worked hard went well the ones who cruized got marks indicating that and the slackers went pathetic

if there is anything that is unfair about the hsc is the fact of false information... is it only me who heard all year that internal assessments make up 50% then the exam makes up 50% when really that isnt tru considering the exam influences the assessment

but like many have said can u think of a better system... it has done the job ranking us from 99.95 to >30 and we were all in the same boat.
 

philphie

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Noel, we've been over this already, i ain't going nowhere
 

1337z4u12

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I lived in the ACT and started the college system there. ATAR is calculated over both year 11 and year 12. I moved, and started the HSC; so i can compare at least with first hand experience the two systems.

The HSC is quite a old fashioned system - highly rewards "academic" subjects such as Mathematics and Chemistry for example (fyi i did these subjects in my hsc). Including the HSC exams and all the internal exams, almost all of ATAR calculation, in the end, is exam based.

To sum up briefly, in the ACT students in the eqivelent maths course to 2 unit were allowed graphics calculators, texts are allowed in exams, and since the both 11 and 12 'count' there is more scope for stuffing up in a exam, and you get alot more free peroids. Whether you like it or not, that system rewards "applied" knowledge rather than memorising.

Essentially i belive that the HSC rewards students who excel in traditional "academic" subjects; holding the stigma attached to creative subjects. In other words, intelligence is perceived as Maths and Science, not Arts.

In any case, i believe it IS unfair that completely different systems (in my case NSW and ACT) still are considered in the same pool of students for ATAR ranks. Rather ironic that there are all the measures in place for cheating, checking, exam protocol, when there is such inconstancy at the base of the system.

For the record - 86.25
 

philphie

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no fucking way texts allowed in exams? even a study guide? lol what the fuck it's not a test if you have texts with you
 

bio_nut

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Obviously you can't have a study guide, but it's not that abnormal to have a text there. The personal analysis is still up to the individual and there is more scope to do this instead of simply memorising if you have the quotes and such there.
 

philphie

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exactly quotes are key. when you have texts with you how unimaginably easier would it be, just tag everything you need, maybe little notes written inside. i doubt supervisors go through carefully every single page or something. and what do youmean by abnormal? have you been r have you heard of others bringing in texts for exams?
 

bio_nut

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No, quotes are the key with Australia's shitty system.

In Europe they do this, but the essays must be of a much, much higher quality than here. Simply alternating between quotes and random nonsense like we do here will get you a fail.

In major exams you get given a copy of the text, you can't bring a personal one in.

The fact that you think quotes are the be all and end all of a good essay shows just how badly our education system has failed us.
 

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