Getting a 'decent' ATAR Score

[Truck]

Also I think "decent" is totally subjective, but I think the fact that it's relative to the school you go to kinda supports my point.

Trying to avoid circling back to the debate we just had, but I don't think ATAR goals is relative to the school. That's implying that everyone at a school has the exact same goals. Usually an ATAR goal will relate to what they plan to do after Year 12.

Clearly, everyone has different plans on what they intend to do once they've finished their secondary education.

I think you're placing too much emphasis on the school and too little on the individual.

edit: btw, I am agreeing on the fact that "decent" is totally subjective, just arguing against the second half the sentence.

Yeah fair enough, I just mean that like if you look at an average cohort of people from different schools, you might see that there's different perceptions of what's good or not. I know there's a lot of groups around MHS who think anything below 99 = fail (as extreme as that is), and then there's schools where the dux gets an 80. Individuals = different but I think there'd still be some trends towards what is considered an acceptable "good" score depending on the school you go to.

[paulsterio]

I still think that 80-99 is a very large range to consider "decent" - it's too broad! Someone who is aiming for a 99 will in no way be happy with an 80. Someone who is aiming for an 85 may be, however.

But I agree, the ATAR is the product of your own individual work, not the school, however, the school does play a large role, you do see trends, people who go against that trend are outliers, yes, there will always be outliers, but generally, if you look at the mean ATARs, you will see that there is some correlation between school and cohort

[frebbb]

Way too much emphasis is being placed on the entire school I feel, and not taking into account different individuals. For all we know, OP is an extremely motivated person who just happens to go to a sub-par school. Like myself. In fact, I feel a lot more confident going to a school that is not a huge battleground for the highest mark. That kind of environment makes me feel uncomfortable. Just because there are a lot of people at lower-level schools who don't really give a damn about their education, the few who do are often extremely motivated. And there are always going to be those kids who going to selective schools who are only there because their parents can afford it - them going to a highly-ranked school when they don't give a damn is not going to automatically give them a "decent" ATAR. You can't generalise too much in these kind of situations - there are a lot of things to take into account...

[Fyrefly]

the school I currently go to is ranked near the 400-mark

Lol... my school was near the 500 mark.
It all comes down to the individual in the end.

[acinod]

And there are always going to be those kids who going to selective schools who are only there because their parents can afford it - them going to a highly-ranked school when they don't give a damn is not going to automatically give them a "decent" ATAR.

It's a selective school. You can't pay to get in. I think you are talking about private schools.