You win HSC, listening to your parents, going into the high paying jobs they force you to go to.TBH when your parents say ull fail in life lets break that down:
You fail hsc (go to tafe) - become a plumber/sparky/carpenter - ull be struggling to buy a descent house $600 000sure ull buy a house in the south west/west but will strugle to make repayments
you fail hsc (65+ go to uws/macq doing arts/science/comm ull struggle to get a prof grad programe and hence will be doing odd jobs unrelated to ur course - strugle to get a house etc etc
asian parents talk the truth imo. theyve been there done that theyv struggled they dont want you too...
Time flies and you're 40 doing a job you hate, realising that the extra money you are earning has no meaning if you are not happy working in whatever field.
You see your classmates making a living of less income than yours yet they are happier because they have gone to uni and have done courses they have a passion for.
Contrary to what many believe, the HSC isn't the be all and end all. In any case it is by no means any measure of intelligence. The best strategy is to go into whatever you are best at and have the most passion for, in that case you will actually enjoy working and studying that subject.
How much you earn isn't the be all and end all. The reason why many people seek to earn money is to have a living where income isn't a restriction. But it gets to a point where any more money is meaningless because you won't spend it. Money in itself has no meaning, it is what you can do with it that has meaning. Unless you get some gratification in knowing you earn $X more than someone, then having all that extra money is completely useless, you would be better off working in a field that you find to be enjoyable.
SOOOOOOOOOO, if your parents want you to do Comm/Law or medicine at UNSW or USYD, take a step back and see whether YOU will be interested in that course because that's what you will be doing for the next 30-40 years of your life.