What makes a successful student?

[Will T]

With all debate about Private schools vs. Public schools aside, and without focussing too strongly on the influence family plays, what is it that makes a successful student in the VCE?

Is it having a good teacher who is capable of explaining things clearly? Or is it being a determined student who works independently and rigorously to ensure he understands all aspects of the subject?
I would be inclined to think that it ultimately boils down to the independence and resourcefulness of the student. The only evidence I have supporting this is the experiences I have had during my time at school.
For example, the scores in my GMA class this year would support the conclusion that having a good teacher does not really matter. On the last test the marks for each of the 4 students (myself included) were 98% (Me), 60%, 60% and 57%. They have been distributed like this throughout the whole of the year, which would lead me to believe that success in VCE can be attributed mostly to the determination of the student and not the ability of the teacher.

Opinions on this guys?

[JinXi]

Not playing Dota.

[MJRomeo81]

Having made the transition from high school to uni I would definitely say it's up to the student.

The students who take control of their own study and don't need to be told what to do are the ones who generally succeed.

[max payne]

With all debate about Private schools vs. Public schools aside, and without focussing too strongly on the influence family plays, what is it that makes a successful student in the VCE?

Is it having a good teacher who is capable of explaining things clearly? Or is it being a determined student who works independently and rigorously to ensure he understands all aspects of the subject?
I would be inclined to think that it ultimately boils down to the independence and resourcefulness of the student. The only evidence I have supporting this is the experiences I have had during my time at school.
For example, the scores in my GMA class this year would support the conclusion that having a good teacher does not really matter. On the last test the marks for each of the 4 students (myself included) were 98% (Me), 60%, 60% and 57%. They have been distributed like this throughout the whole of the year, which would lead me to believe that success in VCE can be attributed mostly to the determination of the student and not the ability of the teacher.

Opinions on this guys?

[b^3]

Classmates, teachers, school e.t.c are factors that affect how well you do, but they are not the main factor. Ultimately it comes down to you. How determined you are to work hard for the year. It comes down to what you put in, not everyone else. You could go to a great school with a great atmosphere and great teachers, but if you don't put the work in then you won't get the result out.

There are a fair few people who are naturally smart who don't perform well in VCE because they are just, well.... lazy/unmotivated and don't put the work in throughout the year, contrasted to students who work consistantly throughout the year and perform well in the end.

Look at it this way, I didn't go to a great school, I didn't have many great teachers (well there was one or two, but the majority weren't), we didn't always have the resources that the private schools and some public schools have (was having trouble finding practice exams at one stage), we didn't have a strong cohort to help push each other and didn't have any tutoring but I worked hard throughout the year, I was determined to give it my best shot to see what I could actually get. In the end it paid off, got above 97.

What I'm trying to say is that, at the end of the day, the other factors do have an effect, they just make it a little bit harder, but if you are determined enough, you can overcome this, and achieve the score you want (within reason).

[KevinooBz]

Not playing Dota.

Play League of Legends right? Anyway back to the topic, it's mainly the student who determines their success in school. A great school and teachers can help a lot in improving your scores but if you as a student don't put in the effort you won't get the most out of this. My school doesn't have fantastic results because they came in VCE unprepared which may be partly because of the easy workload from Year 7-10. There are plenty of stories of people from disadvantaged backgrounds and underperforming schools achieving fantastic results. Private schools are really good but you need to work hard just like any other student. I can see you go to Haileybury which is a really good private school but I can safely say that there are a couple of students who don't do well in terms of grades. If you're into nice buildings and facilities then you can pay 20 grand but I think if you put in effort in a public school a very high score is by no means impossible. Going to those high fee schools doesn't guarantee you a great score but it would certainly help you though.

[WhoTookMyUsername]

IMO

60% Individuals determination
30% Individual's "smartness"
10% Other factors (school etc, which can contribute to determination (no distinct line))

[Ajsguns]

Work ethic.

[Flying Emu]

Success on VCE has many factors, the most important is probably the student him/herself.

[Special At Specialist]

The ability to overcome procrastination. At least 90% of the time that I allocate to homework/study is spent procrastinating, which is affecting my studies significantly.
Procrastination can be the result of a lack of motivation, so I will include that as well.

[TrueTears]

Passion for the subject, self confidence, hardwork and talent.

[86]

The ability to overcome procrastination.

That's impossible. Not even in uni have I even come close to overcoming it.

86's top tip: If you've never played Minecraft, do not start until all your exams are over. Seriously. Don't even Google it.

[Russ]

The ability to overcome procrastination.

That's impossible. Not even in uni have I even come close to overcoming it.

86's top tip: If you've never played Minecraft, do not start until all your exams are over. Seriously. Don't even Google it.

Just check these easy to access photos out! I'm in the process of getting nina addicted!

http://i.imgur.com/Ug62J.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/M6gs8.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/kk7vK.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/vYpNf.jpg

[paulsterio]

Define successful, does it mean high ATAR, satisfying education, broad education...?

Success can be defined in many ways, but in my own opinion, success is in the eye of the beholder. In order to become a successful student, you must know how to be happy with your best and how to appreciate the own efforts you put in.

[pi]

In addition to what has been said by b^3, TT and MJRomeo in particular, I think most successful students have a goal.

A goal is important and can be anything: a uni course, an activity after VCE (schoolies, gap year, etc.), an occupation, freedom, a specific ATAR, and the list goes on. Having a goal is in itself a source of motivation. For me, I had occupation (on of doctor or actuary) and a numeric ATAR goal (99.15) that got me through VCE.