[New topic: why did Biology scaling used to be so high?]

[MM1]

This isn't exactly relevant, but I heard from my teacher that one time Biology used to scale up by 8!! Why's that?

[HossRyams]

I *think* it means that the cohort who took Biology that year generally smashed all their other subjects. Scaling is a result of the "strength of the cohort" which is determined by how they do all round. Philosophy used to scale up 10 because only crazy people took it, but then more started taking it who weren't as strong all round and the scaling went down (it's +1 now). Might explain why difficult subjects like Chemistry don't scale crazy, since so many people take it who aren't too serious.

[MM1]

I *think* it means that the cohort who took Biology that year generally smashed all their other subjects. Scaling is a result of the "strength of the cohort" which is determined by how they do all round. Philosophy used to scale up 10 because only crazy people took it, but then more started taking it who weren't as strong all round and the scaling went down (it's +1 now). Might explain why difficult subjects like Chemistry don't scale crazy, since so many people take it who aren't too serious.

Interesting. Seems a little unfair but it makes sense I guess; thanks youshine!

[HossRyams]

Interesting. Seems a little unfair but it makes sense I guess; thanks youshine!

Haha basically VCE is trying to give you extra points if your competition was extra fierce. That's my understanding of it.

[nerdmmb]

What if the top 3 students in a school have very close marks? Will the 2nd and 3rd student be affected?

[HossRyams]

What if the top 3 students in a school have very close marks? Will the 2nd and 3rd student be affected?

Probably not, unless the #1 student does shockingly terrible in the exam..

[chem-nerd]

Since 2000 it's pretty much stayed exactly the same - if anything, it's very slightly increased.