you're 'scaled' school mark comes purely from your rank, which then chooses the respective HSC mark which came from your school.. e.g. you are 1st in X2 maths and the top mark in the HSC from your school for X2 maths is 98, though you have a bad day and get 90. Your scaled SCHOOL mark (50%) is 98 and your HSC mark is 90, so altogether thats 94 (averaged)
Technically, no. School doesn't send in the ranks to BOS. BOS only receives marks from school. BOS looks at the distribution of marks for each student. Your example is correct though. If you come first in the year and if the top mark is 98, that becomes your internal mark and yes, you get to keep your mark. But your example is only correct because you provided the example where the person comes first. If it was 2nd, it really depends on how close she was in respect to first in terms of marks at school.
For example,
There are 3 students: A, B and C.
Internarl marks were like: 97, 96 and 93.
Exteral marks were like: 100, 96 and 95 respecitvely.
Now, in respect to those external marks, internal marks are "adjusted". 97 becomes 100 and 96 becomes 99 (because since it was very close in terms of internal result) and 93 probably becomes around 95 to 96.
So A get 100, B get 98 or 97 and C get 95.
Basically, if you have a GOOD RANK then its ok, just means that if you go to a shit school (no offence intended) then it is imperative to get a good rank (preferably like top 3) in order to get that good school mark.
The above info is what I understand of how it works.. makes me more relaxed because going to selective means most people do well in their HSC so its ok... not that im failing any subjects (wait for trial results.. :S)
either way, good luck with trials.. gun it and you're sweet!
Ranks are certainly important but as long as your marks are high up there with little difference, it doesn't really matter.
However, I do agree. Going to Selective School like NSG is safer compared to going to a "shit school" where you can be adversely affected by others' performances.