Given that the study score is a ranking, for smaller studies less people will achieve a certain score, that's the way the system is structured currently. A subject like classical with 500 students having the same number of 50s as something with 1000 or 2000 students just wouldn't work.
Yes, correct, this is why the subject system is broken...
How do you know that student received full marks on everything? if a student receives full marks on all 3 GA there's no reason he shouldn't recieve a 50. For physics you basically need full marks for a 50 as well. Latin has a cohort of ~150 and there were people on 49 this year. A much smaller cohort than classical.
Spoke to the examiner. Another example is Renaissance (Menang can cover this in more depth). If you get 80/80 on the exam, you can end up with a 45-49 depending on SAC marks, whereas 100% on exams in bio/psych/maths etc. would guarantee a 50 (with comparable SAC scores).
But what alternative can you suggest Russ? There is no objective way that i can see of balancing the current problems in the system whilst still keeping a logical objective scaling system.
Why do we have to keep the scaling system? There's no reason other than $$$
Furthermore, with the system being inherently flawed, it is up to student to use to array of subjects at hand to their own advantage (ie. 'playing the system') to achieve whatever aims they want for their ATAR
The fact that this is true is an absolute shame, especially since the advice is typically "do what you love, not what scales".
I don't think a revamp of VCE is really all that impossible... with the introduction of a national curriculum and all that, here's hoping that the new system will even up the playing field between all students, because, as we have just established, VCE currently discriminates against students of particular subjects.
I agree, it's very possible. The metric by which we evaluate students could easily be adjusted and made more equitable, it's just too expensive and given the government's priorities, is never going to happen.
edit: you could easily replace the words 'the VCE system' with 'life', and suddenly we'd all accept that. Just something to consider
Life is something that we can't plausibly change. The high school education system is. And there's a difference between laboring within a system you dislike and accepting that system.