Is this right? (1 Viewer)

[serv0]

After scaling, a mark of 90 in Ancient History is about the same as a mark of 80 in chemistry? Does this sound right?

 

[Lazarus]

2004
Ancient History: 90
Chemistry: 83

2003
Ancient History: 90
Chemistry: 80

2002
Ancient History: 90
Chemistry: 81

2001
Ancient History: 90
Chemistry: 78

 

[sladehk]

so chem is getting easier than anc. his, rite?

 

[Trev]

it could be better/worse canditure rather than the hsc exam being easier

 

[~ ReNcH ~]

so chem is getting easier than anc. his, rite?

As Trev said, it would be the quality of the candidature affecting the differences in scaled marks. The difficulty of specific exams aren't considered during the scaling process.

 

[sladehk]

so it would be better to be the smartest in a subject of dumb people rather than middle in a subject full of smart people??? can someone explain in layman's terms to me?

 

[~ ReNcH ~]

so it would be better to be the smartest in a subject of dumb people rather than middle in a subject full of smart people??? can someone explain in layman's terms to me?

Technically, yes it's better to top a group of less able students than to rank in the middle of a subject with a good candidature.
If you top a subject, you will always get the highest scaled mark. E.g. if you came 1st in the state in D&T, you would attain a scaled mark of 90.4.
However, if you were ranked in the middle of Physics, you would only get a scaled mark of 62.8.

I'm not exactly sure how to explain it in layman's terms, but I can say that you have the biggest advantage if you can top subjects with the most able candidatures, but then of course that's obviously more difficult to do...

 

[sladehk]

so people should pick subjects they excel (compared to the general population)

 

[~ ReNcH ~]

so people should pick subjects they excel (compared to the general population)

Definitely.
Whenever you make subject choices, teachers will always advise you to select subjects you excel in and/or enjoy.
There are lots of cases where people have chosen Physics or Maths Ext 2 simply "because of the scaling", but if you're at the bottom end of the candidature you'll in fact be scaled down, regardless of how good the scaling appears to be.