UAI Scaling: Advice from a 2003 Student (2 Viewers)

[MissMacbeth]

I am one of the 2003 HSC students and I believed everything our school told us about the UAI/HSC and it's scaling system...how stupid was I...
Ahem...

My advice:
WORK YOUR AS.S OFF TILL YOU CAN'T WORK NO MORE!
(This is coming from someone who ...well was a little lazy...)

And more importantly -
choose (although this may be too late) the typical geek subjects if you want to get anywhere - Sciences, Maths - and extensions of these are a plus!

True example:
I chose art, drama, english, modern history and TAFE and my results for HSC marks were band 5's and a band 3 (TAFE...don't ask)
and all I got was a measly 57.1 for a UAI - there was a lot of crying involved....

BUT my fellow student friend, got all band 3s and only one band 5 (funny - we contradict each other!)
and she got 73.4 and is now living my life at UNI because she did Maths and Chemistry
Although I think (hoping the BOS is listening) YOUR SCALING SYSTEM IS CORRUPT AND INHUMANE! I feel that I should warn new HSC ppl instead of doing something irrational ...*cough*

PICK THE GEEK SUBJECTS AND WORK YOU A$$ OFF!

 

[santaslayer]

i didnt pick any geek subz, i did:

Biz
Eco
2U RE
ADV ENG
G. Maths
Legal

(i dont think ther're geeky anyway) and i got a 91.15, i didnt do any sciences and i did G Maths. i think that the thing that stuffed u up was ur lazyness......lol

 

[Ragerunner]

The system is actually very fair or as fair as it can possibly be at this present time.

The Board Of Studies encourages students to pick subjects they enjoy and can perform well in to prepare themselves for tertiary studies.

In your case MissMcBeth, I guess your subject selection could of gone through some re-doing if you knew you wouldn't perform that great. Because any subject combination is possible to attain a high UAI.

It's not the HSC system at fault, it's extremely fair - state wise.

 

[honky tonk]

Originally posted by MissMacbeth
choose (although this may be too late) the typical geek subjects if you want to get anywhere - Sciences, Maths - and extensions of these are a plus!

This is the precise thing students shouldn't do! Although a lot of people disagree with the scaling system, it does work.. and people should definitely not choose subjects based on how much they "scale".

The sad, but true fact is that a student with nothing but extensions and "high-scaling courses" can still get a UAI of 30.00 or below, and a student with these "non-geeky" subjects you speak of can still obtain a UAI of 100.00, which boils down to the simple fact that effort is more important than scaling.

 

[Skywalker]

Originally posted by honky tonk
and a student with these "non-geeky" subjects you speak of can still obtain a UAI of 100.00

Hmm that's not entirely true. To get 100 last year you needed an average scaled mark of 97.12 per 2u subject.

If you did: Standard English, general math, engineering, IPT and PDHPE and came first in state for every subject, your aggregate would still not be enough to get you 100.

 

[honky tonk]

That's very true, I don't think students should get the impression, though, that doing a subject like English Standard or General Mathematics will no doubt lower their UAI.

 

[Leanne]

ok ppl....did u miss the part that MissMacbeth got band 5's in all her subjects and one band 3????? she didnt exactly go crap!!!

luckily for me- although i did no maths or sciences, english has always been my strong point so ext eng 1 and 2 pulled me through and i ended up with a 87.75 uai...but seriously...if i didnt do either...i would have ended up just like missmacbeth...

missmacbeth- good luck for the future...u never no- maybe this all happened for a reason?!?!

 

[= Jennifer =]

my friend did the hsc this year and she got a uai of 95.55 and she had both standard english and general maths...so i think the system is fair u just have to work your but off

 

[perfectionist]

i did standard English and got a UAI of 94.80

 

[santaslayer]

thats coz standard and adv english are scaled the same ( i heard anyway)

 

[Snapwizard]

Originally posted by MissMacbeth
I am one of the 2003 HSC students and I believed everything our school told us about the UAI/HSC and it's scaling system...how stupid was I...
Ahem...

My advice:
WORK YOUR AS.S OFF TILL YOU CAN'T WORK NO MORE!
(This is coming from someone who ...well was a little lazy...)

And more importantly -
choose (although this may be too late) the typical geek subjects if you want to get anywhere - Sciences, Maths - and extensions of these are a plus!

True example:
I chose art, drama, english, modern history and TAFE and my results for HSC marks were band 5's and a band 3 (TAFE...don't ask)
and all I got was a measly 57.1 for a UAI - there was a lot of crying involved....

BUT my fellow student friend, got all band 3s and only one band 5 (funny - we contradict each other!)
and she got 73.4 and is now living my life at UNI because she did Maths and Chemistry
Although I think (hoping the BOS is listening) YOUR SCALING SYSTEM IS CORRUPT AND INHUMANE! I feel that I should warn new HSC ppl instead of doing something irrational ...*cough*

PICK THE GEEK SUBJECTS AND WORK YOU A$$ OFF!

4 Band 5's and 1 band 3 with a UAI below 60 is very steep, All I know is that most people should do at least 2 or 4 units worth for scaling which would help alot if you are decent in these subjects
Forget about Subjects you enjoy if you cant get good marks for them ,ie Drama, Music or visual arts(not talking about scaling jsut raw marks)
Forget about the scaling system
Remember to choose subjects that you get good marks in even if you hate it, it will be worth your while in the long run.
Try not to choose any TAFE course as santaslayer adviced somewhere else, they really screw your marks even though hardly anyone get Band 6 in IT

 

[MissMacbeth]

wow, I wasn't expecting this much of a debate! But thanks for reading anyway!
To be honest, I'm shooting my mouth off - I want to talk to someone about how crap I feel, and why I feel like I've been wronged. That's all. But there were a few good points posted.

Thanks Leanne for the good luck,
But like she said - and this was what I was getting at was how on earth can I possibly get a mark below 60 when I got in the 80s and one 60s range? At first I thought it was just some truthful scaling thing, nothing to do with my subjects, but like my friend mentioned, and a few others I have kicked their butts in HSC marks, yet they beat me by at least 20-30 points between us. And the only connection was everyone of them had done either maths or science.
That's the reason for the post.

 

[honky tonk]

Do you mind giving us your subjects and marks? It might clear things up a bit.

 

[MissMacbeth]

Sorry -
Drama and Art 84
History - 81
English Adv - 85
Tafe - 63 (that's another story)

 

[Ragerunner]

Yes those marks would certainly help.

I've just played around with SAM, and I inputted your subjects, which TAFE course did you do?

I put the lowest band 5 mark (80) for your subjects - VA, Drama, English(Advanced and Standard), Modern History.

I put the lowested band 3 mark (60) for a TAFE course, I don't know which one but I used a low scaled one such as IT (20 scaled mean)

Your 2003 UAI is 65.10....

 

[Ragerunner]

|Ok I just tried it again with SAM with the marks you gave.

73.5

Even if I picked the wrong TAFE course you did, and it was even worse scaling, no way your UAI can be 57.1

 

[honky tonk]

What was your TAFE course? I get the same result as Ragerunner.

 

[MissMacbeth]

do we all now get a hint as to how I feel? thanks for typing it into the SAM thing.

I can't think - maybe I chose subjects where heaps of ppl doing alot better than me or something???

 

[MissMacbeth]

Primary Industries - Animal Studies
I found that course a waste of time and not worth doing the exam - why? Because the exam was on chemicals and Dairy stuff - stuff we never were taught... when I went in I was only armed with animal Anatomy and Physiology and Vet Nursing practicies!

 

[honky tonk]

I get a UAI of 72.20.

Very odd, indeed..