VCE Year 12 Class of 2015

[Alps]

How university works

Feel free to bump that thread with additional questions you'd like answered!

This is what i needed! Lifesaver ty

[Alter]

Don't overreact bro, it's just one exam that you haven't even got the result back for yet. Not gonna feed you crap about 32 being a good score because (even though it's s/t i'd be ok with) it's 1) obviously not satisfactory to you and 2) it's just an estimate, it's no real indication of how you'll actually do, so I won't waste time playing with a speculation.

Underperforming can be painful - this is true. Above all, I feel bad for the people in this thread that don't go to amazing schools but still do a lot of work individually. You actually motivate me to study more because of how passionate you are to VCE. However, letting this take you over and eventually giving up or saying that you'll not write anything tomorrow is absurd. If you've worked hard, finish it off and be happy with the work you've done. You may end up surprising yourself and getting a great score, but you can't if you wrongly consign yourself to achieving nothing.

If I can offer any piece of tangible advice, it's something I've already said in the thread. Just don't talk to people about the answers/questions from exams and move on with your life - there's nothing you can do to change them, but you can change the actions you partake in which potentially evoke stress. Consider asking an admin to put you on 'no exam discussion' or just apply some mental fortitude to block it out. That's the first step in avoiding situations like this.

Your year of devotion hasn't 'been for nothing'. It's not all about a number that you get at the end of the day. I'm not gonna bs and say that you can get into any course you want irrespective of the atar you get, but I feel as though you're undermining the educational value of your year 12 (and high school) experience if you choose to give up solely based on one single exam on one single day.

Get a good night's sleep, refresh, and hopefully you'll be feeling a lot better and then I assure you that you'll also feel a lot more like yourself. Have a good breakfast and then take the midday to chill out, not stressing about the exams. Then you'll should feel ready jump into the exam and use what you may think to be poor luck in one day as motivation to destroy the next day.

[extremeftw]

Warning, depressing status update.

I have had it. I give up. You are telling me that I worked one WHOLE year for methods, I spent almost every single day studying for methods, you are telling me that I started practice exams in JUNE, and have done over 80 practice exams and I kid you not all have been 35+/40, that on this one very day of the exam, I get a 32? This can not be real, honesty. One's hard work and DEVOTION can not just pass down like this, its unnatural and its unjust. You are telling me that I studied every single day of this year for methods, literally every single day, I even did methods during my birthday in January, and that I end up with a score like 32? I have actually had enough of this unjust system, I don't understand why this is happening to me (probably others, too), I dont understand WHY the hard work and bloody dedication is not paying off, I just do not understand why....

I dont even know what to say, I literally am fuming right now because I studied all year just for a single exam that would cost you a mark because you forgot to add 2 to the coordinate, something so SIMPLE. Or are you telling me that I studied all year just to go stupid all of a sudden and think 2.5>2.8?

Is this what hard work yields, guys? Because honestly, there is no doubt that I worked hard, and clearly, clearly it is not paying off. This is so unjust and not only for me, the whole thing is just too competitive, yeah alright its VCE, a competition, but surely us 17/18 year olds should be granted mercy, bloody hell.. 

Anyways, I pledge this will be my very last post on here, ATARNotes, where I met many lovely people, but unfortunately although I sound like I can produce great things, today I found out that I wasted one whole year of devotion for absolutely nothing. Yeah I learnt life lessons, I learnt things that will help me in the future, but why didn't I learn to apply what I really learnt onto the exam? Life is unjust to some of us, and no matter how much this hurts to say, and I know I have mentioned this so many times to strawberries and others, that 'hard work always pays off', well guys, unfortunately, I am living proof that it does not always pay off. There is no denying about it, some just have it rougher than others, and call me a complainer, I have every right to complain after the amount of work I put in and not getting HALF of the results VCE is not life, grades are not life, but when you put your life into it for the one year that actually counts, I am pretty sure it means more than just a "number".

I apologise for the saddening tone of my departure, but just wanted to formally acknowledge all of your efforts, I hope you all are proud on the morning of 14th December, because you all deserve it! I will be probably here on the day to read of many successes, and to all my study buddies (you know who you are), I wish you all the best. Good bye AN, and gg methods, you broke my heart...

RIP Cosine: 12/10/2014 - 04/11/2015

What's funny is, exactly 361 days ago I posted my first comment, expressing my excitement of what VCE was holding for me, back when I used to think hard work and dedication was what It took. I guess I thought I was ready, but clearly, actions speak louder than words. I am a failure, not even worthy of being cosine anymore, as its quite ironic that I name myself cosine, and in fact a cosine identity lost me another 2 marks on the exam, because hey, squaring something just for no reason is smart right?

gg VCE, gg methods, gg biology exam that scammed me, gg to my school, gg to my teachers..

I am done, I refuse to write 1 word on tomorrows exam, whats the point, anyway?
Sorry for the long depressing update, but I just wanted to explain my disappearance from this site, as I have formed many loving friendships, and just know that I tried to conquer vce, but it destroyed me, because its not for everyone, clearly.

 Even if your ATAR is lower than you want it to be, it really, really does not  matter.

 I worry sometimes that ATARnotes is something of an echo chamber which encourages people to tunnel vision so hard on their study scores and their ATARs that they forget what the actual purpose of an ATAR is.

 An ATAR gives you entry to a university course. That's it. After you gain entry to ANY university course, your ATAR becomes completely meaningless. All those study scores in Year 12? Meaningless. How you went on a methods exam? Meaningless.

 Ask yourself, why do you care so much about getting a high methods study score? Presumably, it's so you can get a high enough ATAR to get in your dream course. But going poorly on one exam and getting into a high ATAR course are not mutually exclusive events.

 I remember after I did my specialist exam in Year 12. I did so poorly that I probably didn't get any higher than 5% on it. Just like you, I was distraught and so, so disappointed.

 But did that mean I was condemned to endure in a university course that I had no interest in? No.

 I spent one semester in a 'filler' course, and then transferred to my dream course that had an ATAR requirement that was nearly 20 higher than what I achieved in VCE. I wasted no time as I received credit for all my previous study. There is absolutely nothing stopping you from doing exactly the same thing.

 Basically, I am trying to say that while I do understand why you feel the world is ending because you performed disappointingly on one exam, that if you just take a step back and look at your situation in it's totality, then you will see how much of a minor event it truly is.

 

 
 

[Orb]

Despite the proclamations of asian parents, the overwhelming importance teachers and students alike place on VCE subjects, for me personally the most important good that I got out of VCE will never be the study score that I get.

It won't be my ATAR, it won't be the gratifying effect of getting into the course that I want. Rather, even though there's such an emphasis on scores and what not, it's not this that makes the biggest difference in your life. Instead, it's how VCE can test our determination, our persistence, our ability to stand resolute and firm under the testing pressures of SACs, of exams, of impending 'doom' as what students call examination week. After this year, if you look back at how many hours you've spent on methods, you can truly look back and savour your ability to grit your teeth and put those hours in. Sometimes life isn't all about what rewards you can see tangibly, but if you just look beneath the surface you can unearth treasure that you've never seen before.

What VCE has probably developed for many of us isn't the ability to differentiate a function, or be able to understand whether a character like Hal in King Henry has reformed or not, it's actually given us one of the best gifts of all, something that will last long after our high school years: the ability to work under pressure, the ability to prioritise successfully.

Quoting COD4 and all the joyous moments it brings: 'Soldier, we may have lost this fight.. but not the war!'

[odeaa]

Despite the proclamations of asian parents, the overwhelming importance teachers and students alike place on VCE subjects, for me personally the most important good that I got out of VCE will never be the study score that I get.

It won't be my ATAR, it won't be the gratifying effect of getting into the course that I want. Rather, even though there's such an emphasis on scores and what not, it's not this that makes the biggest difference in your life. Instead, it's how VCE can test our determination, our persistence, our ability to stand resolute and firm under the testing pressures of SACs, of exams, of impending 'doom' as what students call examination week. After this year, if you look back at how many hours you've spent on methods, you can truly look back and savour your ability to grit your teeth and put those hours in. Sometimes life isn't all about what rewards you can see tangibly, but if you just look beneath the surface you can unearth treasure that you've never seen before.

What VCE has probably developed for many of us isn't the ability to differentiate a function, or be able to understand whether a character like Hal in King Henry has reformed or not, it's actually given us one of the best gifts of all, something that will last long after our high school years: the ability to work under pressure, the ability to prioritise successfully.

Quoting COD4 and all the joyous moments it brings: 'Soldier, we may have lost this fight.. but not the war!'

couldn't have said it better myself, you are a poet my man

cosine- i'm expecting that 80/80 you promised me, you can't give up so close to the finish line! tomorrows exam is worth twice as much as exam 1, its not too late to turn it all around brother

[Leezy]

Warning, depressing status update.

I have had it. I give up. You are telling me that I worked one WHOLE year for methods, I spent almost every single day studying for methods, you are telling me that I started practice exams in JUNE, and have done over 80 practice exams and I kid you not all have been 35+/40, that on this one very day of the exam, I get a 32? This can not be real, honesty. One's hard work and DEVOTION can not just pass down like this, its unnatural and its unjust. You are telling me that I studied every single day of this year for methods, literally every single day, I even did methods during my birthday in January, and that I end up with a score like 32? I have actually had enough of this unjust system, I don't understand why this is happening to me (probably others, too), I dont understand WHY the hard work and bloody dedication is not paying off, I just do not understand why....

I dont even know what to say, I literally am fuming right now because I studied all year just for a single exam that would cost you a mark because you forgot to add 2 to the coordinate, something so SIMPLE. Or are you telling me that I studied all year just to go stupid all of a sudden and think 2.5>2.8?

Is this what hard work yields, guys? Because honestly, there is no doubt that I worked hard, and clearly, clearly it is not paying off. This is so unjust and not only for me, the whole thing is just too competitive, yeah alright its VCE, a competition, but surely us 17/18 year olds should be granted mercy, bloody hell.. 

Anyways, I pledge this will be my very last post on here, ATARNotes, where I met many lovely people, but unfortunately although I sound like I can produce great things, today I found out that I wasted one whole year of devotion for absolutely nothing. Yeah I learnt life lessons, I learnt things that will help me in the future, but why didn't I learn to apply what I really learnt onto the exam? Life is unjust to some of us, and no matter how much this hurts to say, and I know I have mentioned this so many times to strawberries and others, that 'hard work always pays off', well guys, unfortunately, I am living proof that it does not always pay off. There is no denying about it, some just have it rougher than others, and call me a complainer, I have every right to complain after the amount of work I put in and not getting HALF of the results VCE is not life, grades are not life, but when you put your life into it for the one year that actually counts, I am pretty sure it means more than just a "number".

I apologise for the saddening tone of my departure, but just wanted to formally acknowledge all of your efforts, I hope you all are proud on the morning of 14th December, because you all deserve it! I will be probably here on the day to read of many successes, and to all my study buddies (you know who you are), I wish you all the best. Good bye AN, and gg methods, you broke my heart...

RIP Cosine: 12/10/2014 - 04/11/2015

What's funny is, exactly 361 days ago I posted my first comment, expressing my excitement of what VCE was holding for me, back when I used to think hard work and dedication was what It took. I guess I thought I was ready, but clearly, actions speak louder than words. I am a failure, not even worthy of being cosine anymore, as its quite ironic that I name myself cosine, and in fact a cosine identity lost me another 2 marks on the exam, because hey, squaring something just for no reason is smart right?

gg VCE, gg methods, gg biology exam that scammed me, gg to my school, gg to my teachers..

I am done, I refuse to write 1 word on tomorrows exam, whats the point, anyway?
Sorry for the long depressing update, but I just wanted to explain my disappearance from this site, as I have formed many loving friendships, and just know that I tried to conquer vce, but it destroyed me, because its not for everyone, clearly.

Brother, you may not be able to see it right now, but in the grand scheme of things a 32/40 on an exam 1 which I imagine most of the state would've found difficult is honestly not even that bad. Sure, it may not be an A+ like you would've liked it to be, but if you walk out of that exam tomorrow not writing a single word, that would be truly wasting the 80+ practice papers that you've completed since Day 1. As Hamo said, your exam results are not a true testament to all the hard work you've put in, but rather it is the study habits and discipline you develop that will stay with you for life.

"Hard work" does pay off, but like life it is unpredictable and sometimes shit happens and it just can't be helped. Be appreciative of life and embrace the opportunities given, don't brand yourself as a "failure" because you screwed up 1 methods exam. In the end, the logical thing to do would be to look past the events of today and don't let 1 mishap screw you up for your future. It is ABSOLUTELY redeemable. You can start by absolutely killing the exam tomorrow.

Whether you see this or not, good luck.

[Zealous]

Hey!

Just want to say, most of you have just gone through quite a tough exam yesterday. I know it was tough - my younger sister worked hard towards it, sat the exam, and wasn't very comfortable with it. If these exams are really taking a toll on you emotionally, I suggest you take a step away from the exam discussion boards and consider looking at them after results.

I didn't look into the Exam Discussion boards for any of my six subjects - I could have gotten anywhere from zero to fifty for any of my subjects and I preferred the uncertainty. There's nothing worse than sitting an exam, only to confirm the errors you think you made, or to realise the things you should've done which you didn't straight afterwards. So, if you really have felt quite bad after the first exam, I'd suggest sticking away after Exam 2 and knowing you've done all that you can, and there's nothing more you can do to change the outcome.

All the best for Exam 2!

[pi]

I have had it. I give up. You are telling me that I worked one WHOLE year for methods, I spent almost every single day studying for methods, you are telling me that I started practice exams in JUNE, and have done over 80 practice exams and I kid you not all have been 35+/40, that on this one very day of the exam, I get a 32? This can not be real, honesty. One's hard work and DEVOTION can not just pass down like this, its unnatural and its unjust. You are telling me that I studied every single day of this year for methods, literally every single day, I even did methods during my birthday in January, and that I end up with a score like 32? I have actually had enough of this unjust system, I don't understand why this is happening to me (probably others, too), I dont understand WHY the hard work and bloody dedication is not paying off, I just do not understand why....

I'll reply to this from a different stance to the other replies, simply because I feel it is necessary.

I think you're directing your anger to the wrong entity. It is not "unjust" and no one is making anything happen to you. No one except... you. And yeah, that f*cking sucks when you put in your all this year and you trip over the last hurdle. It has happened to people before you (myself included) and it will happen to people after you. As our infamous ex-PM Tony once said (quite unempathetically) "shit happens" - it's not a matter of unjust or just, it's a matter of it just happens. You certainly have a right to be angry, and I think you SHOULD be angry because if you weren't because that would mean you didn't care. Being angry is a *good thing*, it means you care about your education, and at AN we do to.

But... you've still got exams to go, you're not even halfway. You need to move on. Bad things happen to people all the time, but it's how you bounce back that really matters. You didn't complete 13 years of schooling to give up days before it all ended. You didn't study on your birthday so you could give up now. You didn't rack up thousands of posts on here to not see your schooling through. You did those things because you wanted to do well, and from where I stand, you can still definitely do that.

From your previous posts, it seems that AN has been a huge source of support for you this year, it honestly seems nonsensical to ditch it when it seems you need it most. We don't care what you got on Methods Exam 1, we don't care about your study scores, we don't even care about your ATAR. The community cares about YOU - how you are is far more important than how well you do. Remember that it's more than just marks.

To end on a cliche, I'll leave you with two quotes:

Bad things do happen; how I respond to them defines my character and the quality of my life. I can choose to sit in perpetual sadness, immobilized by the gravity of my loss, or I can choose to rise from the pain and treasure the most precious gift I have - life itself.
~ Walter Anderson

The exams are not coming... Cosine is coming for the exams.
~ Cosine

[Orb]

I'll reply to this from a different stance to the other replies, simply because I feel it is necessary.
 As our infamous ex-PM Tony once said (quite unempathetically) "shit happens" - it's not a matter of unjust or just, it's a matter of it just happens. You certainly have a right to be angry, and I think you SHOULD be angry because if you weren't because that would mean you didn't care. Being angry is a *good thing*, it means you care about your education, and at AN we do to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wT9XS_TvzQ

Reminds me of this, good ol' Tony

[Alps]

Warning, depressing status update.

I have had it. I give up. You are telling me that I worked one WHOLE year for methods, I spent almost every single day studying for methods, you are telling me that I started practice exams in JUNE, and have done over 80 practice exams and I kid you not all have been 35+/40, that on this one very day of the exam, I get a 32? This can not be real, honesty. One's hard work and DEVOTION can not just pass down like this, its unnatural and its unjust. You are telling me that I studied every single day of this year for methods, literally every single day, I even did methods during my birthday in January, and that I end up with a score like 32? I have actually had enough of this unjust system, I don't understand why this is happening to me (probably others, too), I dont understand WHY the hard work and bloody dedication is not paying off, I just do not understand why....

I dont even know what to say, I literally am fuming right now because I studied all year just for a single exam that would cost you a mark because you forgot to add 2 to the coordinate, something so SIMPLE. Or are you telling me that I studied all year just to go stupid all of a sudden and think 2.5>2.8?

Is this what hard work yields, guys? Because honestly, there is no doubt that I worked hard, and clearly, clearly it is not paying off. This is so unjust and not only for me, the whole thing is just too competitive, yeah alright its VCE, a competition, but surely us 17/18 year olds should be granted mercy, bloody hell.. 

Anyways, I pledge this will be my very last post on here, ATARNotes, where I met many lovely people, but unfortunately although I sound like I can produce great things, today I found out that I wasted one whole year of devotion for absolutely nothing. Yeah I learnt life lessons, I learnt things that will help me in the future, but why didn't I learn to apply what I really learnt onto the exam? Life is unjust to some of us, and no matter how much this hurts to say, and I know I have mentioned this so many times to strawberries and others, that 'hard work always pays off', well guys, unfortunately, I am living proof that it does not always pay off. There is no denying about it, some just have it rougher than others, and call me a complainer, I have every right to complain after the amount of work I put in and not getting HALF of the results VCE is not life, grades are not life, but when you put your life into it for the one year that actually counts, I am pretty sure it means more than just a "number".

I apologise for the saddening tone of my departure, but just wanted to formally acknowledge all of your efforts, I hope you all are proud on the morning of 14th December, because you all deserve it! I will be probably here on the day to read of many successes, and to all my study buddies (you know who you are), I wish you all the best. Good bye AN, and gg methods, you broke my heart...

RIP Cosine: 12/10/2014 - 04/11/2015

What's funny is, exactly 361 days ago I posted my first comment, expressing my excitement of what VCE was holding for me, back when I used to think hard work and dedication was what It took. I guess I thought I was ready, but clearly, actions speak louder than words. I am a failure, not even worthy of being cosine anymore, as its quite ironic that I name myself cosine, and in fact a cosine identity lost me another 2 marks on the exam, because hey, squaring something just for no reason is smart right?

gg VCE, gg methods, gg biology exam that scammed me, gg to my school, gg to my teachers..

I am done, I refuse to write 1 word on tomorrows exam, whats the point, anyway?
Sorry for the long depressing update, but I just wanted to explain my disappearance from this site, as I have formed many loving friendships, and just know that I tried to conquer vce, but it destroyed me, because its not for everyone, clearly.

Sometimes its not about how high you can get, its not about getting 99.95, or getting a premiers in methods, its about how low you can get and still moving forward, still becoming who you want to be.

[brenden]

Pi spitting some absolute truth.

On another note, has anyone been getting the stupid glitch tonight?

[99.90 pls]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wT9XS_TvzQ

Reminds me of this, good ol' Tony

Tony after opening the Methods exam. ..."I've given you the response you deserve."

[heids]

Aye, after reading that post I finally accepted why pi has such a disgusting respect level

On another note, has anyone been getting the stupid glitch tonight?

The stupid glitch!?!?!?!

(EDIT: But no, basically it's fixed except for occasional slowness/timing out/error messages down the bottom of the page.  Much improved.  Many thanks for your round-the-clock work to get it fixed, guys.  Edited edit: immediately after editing the post, I hit this: Please try again. If you come back to this error screen, report the error to an administrator.

[HighTide]

Pi spitting some absolute truth.

On another note, has anyone been getting the stupid glitch tonight?

It's been alright since your post yesterday. Rare occasions it has connection gone but much better. Thanks 

[Alter]

Tony after opening the Methods exam. ..."I've given you the response you deserve."

are you the cause of a road being erected and subsequently supported by a parabolic brace? because you're gorge