How hard is it to get a 40+ SS ?

[Special At Specialist]

This will give you a general idea: GA SCORE ESTIMATOR / STUDY SCORE ESTIMATOR

I don't get how to use that. All it said was "put the information into a spreadsheet". It basically wants me to design my own program...

[Rhettski999]

Pretty damn hard, top ranking in SAC's coupled with a great mark in the exam, at least a mid A+ scores 40's... If you don't do well in SAC's, you can kiss away any hope of a 40, same thing with the exam.

[taiga]

If for your exams and sacs you are at a level where you are attempting to minimize marks lost as opposed to maximizing marks gained (ie. aiming for 100%) you should comfortably reach 40+ if not, maybe something like 37+

Getting to that level is not easy though.

[Phy124]

This will give you a general idea: GA SCORE ESTIMATOR / STUDY SCORE ESTIMATOR

I don't get how to use that. All it said was "put the information into a spreadsheet". It basically wants me to design my own program...

1. Choose which grade you think you will get (e.g. A+) and put this into grade. Also state whether you think it will be low, medium or high and put this into level
2. Go to the grade distributions for the desired subject
3. Record the minimum mark and maximum mark required for the grade you want for that assessment e.g. A+ might be 75-80 out of 80
4. Record the mean score for the assessment
5. Record the standard deviation for the assessment
6. Record the maximum possible mark for the assessment
7. Record the % weighting for the assessment (see in spreadsheet)
8. Put in all found results from steps 3-6 into the spaces provided
9. Read minimum/maximum potential study score.
10. Thank me for going to so much effort and point out any flaws in my logic 


e.g. for Mathematical Methods 2010

[waffles19]

If for your exams and sacs you are at a level where you are attempting to minimize marks lost as opposed to maximizing marks gained (ie. aiming for 100%) you should comfortably reach 40+ if not, maybe something like 37+

Getting to that level is not easy though.

This is so true. So absolutely true. I felt like I was trying to gain marks in methods and chem, whereas in legal and english I was trying to not LOSE any marks.

[Planck's constant]

I got good news and bad news for you.

Firstly, the bad news.
Spesh is the strongest student cohort in VCE by a mile. Everyone's good. There is not much difference in the ability of a 40 SS student and a 50 SS student. On a bad day, the best spesh student in the state can end up with a 45. Therefore, the requirements for a 50 are:
* You need to be in a strong school
* And get the #No 1 SAC rank
* And have a perfect exam
Near perfect does not get you 50 is spesh Maths, unfortunately

The good news.
If you get anything over 40, you get scaled up into the stratosphere anyway. Thats why scaling was invented in the first place. It recognises the fact that Spesh is a tough business to be in

[Truck]

I got good news and bad news for you.

Firstly, the bad news.
Spesh is the strongest student cohort in VCE by a mile. Everyone's good. There is not much difference in the ability of a 40 SS student and a 50 SS student. On a bad day, the best spesh student in the state can end up with a 45. Therefore, the requirements for a 50 are:
* You need to be in a strong school
* And get the #No 1 SAC rank
* And have a perfect exam
Near perfect does not get you 50 is spesh Maths, unfortunately

The good news.
If you get anything over 40, you get scaled up into the stratosphere anyway. Thats why scaling was invented in the first place. It recognises the fact that Spesh is a tough business to be in

I agree, except you can probably lose 1-2 marks and get a 50 and even if you go to a terrible school, so long as you're ranked 1st in SACs you can still get a 50.

[Planck's constant]

I got good news and bad news for you.

Firstly, the bad news.
Spesh is the strongest student cohort in VCE by a mile. Everyone's good. There is not much difference in the ability of a 40 SS student and a 50 SS student. On a bad day, the best spesh student in the state can end up with a 45. Therefore, the requirements for a 50 are:
* You need to be in a strong school
* And get the #No 1 SAC rank
* And have a perfect exam
Near perfect does not get you 50 is spesh Maths, unfortunately

The good news.
If you get anything over 40, you get scaled up into the stratosphere anyway. Thats why scaling was invented in the first place. It recognises the fact that Spesh is a tough business to be in

I agree, except you can probably lose 1-2 marks and get a 50 and even if you go to a terrible school, so long as you're ranked 1st in SACs you can still get a 50.

Yes, if you are clearly the strongest spesh student in a not so strong cohort, it is imperative that you get the #1 SAC rank. This way you can control your own destiny by doing well in the exam.

Otherwise, there is always a risk that those ranked above you in SACs dont stand up in the exam and you get crucified.

[oliverk94]

Yes, if you are clearly the strongest spesh student in a not so strong cohort, it is imperative that you get the #1 SAC rank. This way you can control your own destiny by doing well in the exam.

Otherwise, there is always a risk that those ranked above you in SACs dont stand up in the exam and you get crucified.

That's really a slap in the face from VCAA to be honest.. why do my marks have to be scaled down just because I go to a shit school, it's not like it's something I can control.. pathetic really.

[paulsterio]

Because it's fair, would you say it's fair that a person ranked 5th at some random school that's quite bad is equivalent to a person ranked 5th at say MHS or another top school?

[oliverk94]

Because it's fair, would you say it's fair that a person ranked 5th at some random school that's quite bad is equivalent to a person ranked 5th at say MHS or another top school?

hmm you have a point I guess. but how badly are the scaling's? say i was ranked second or third are we talking 5 ss scores down?

[Planck's constant]

Because it's fair, would you say it's fair that a person ranked 5th at some random school that's quite bad is equivalent to a person ranked 5th at say MHS or another top school?

hmm you have a point I guess. but how badly are the scaling's? say i was ranked second or third are we talking 5 ss scores down?

Not sure, but the margins in spesh are very fine, its a very strong cohort.
The SAC system is not ideal, but in spesh, if you want to top the state, you must first top your school.
In theory, if you are the best student in your school, you should be able to get the top SAC rank.
In practice, if your are in a school of mixed ability, the teacher may not set difficult enough SACs. He might be more interested in not discouraging the weaker to average students than differentiating between the top students. The SACs can therefore become a test of avoiding mechanical mistakes and it brings the top students back into the field.

Therefore, care must be taken.

[rife168]

Does it make a difference if you are one of say 3 or 4 people that all get nearly full marks for SACs, so you may be ranked 4th, but 1st, 2nd and 3rd are only just ranked higher than you?

[paulsterio]

Does it make a difference if you are one of say 3 or 4 people that all get nearly full marks for SACs, so you may be ranked 4th, but 1st, 2nd and 3rd are only just ranked higher than you?

Not at all, your ranking matters, your raw marks don't

100, 99, 98, 97 is no different from 100, 50, 40, 30, 25 in terms of ranking given that they are the same person respectively.

[rife168]

Does it make a difference if you are one of say 3 or 4 people that all get nearly full marks for SACs, so you may be ranked 4th, but 1st, 2nd and 3rd are only just ranked higher than you?

Not at all, your ranking matters, your raw marks don't

100, 99, 98, 97 is no different from 100, 50, 40, 30, 25 in terms of ranking given that they are the same person respectively.

Thanks.

Time to hire a hitman!