How hard is it to score above 40+ for a SS?

[MJRomeo81]

Subjects: English, Further, IT Apps, Software Dev, Legal Studies.

I know that the ATAR is a rank and this entirely depends on the cohort. I'm not aiming for the highest ATAR, but something around 85-92 is realistic. I've always worked my ass off in school and teachers always told me last year that I should have picked harder subjects.

IT is what I am good at, so in saying that I am aiming for a 40+ study score in both of my computer subjects. But here is the problem. No offence to any other students studying IT in my school (it honestly isn't their fault, trust me), but I know besides myself and a few others, nearly everyone will be lucky to pass. This is my first concern.

I've heard stories where people get A+, A and A+ and score a SS of 39. This is my second concern. I guess what I am asking is, how well do you need to do? Also, if I ace I.T. this year, can the GAT or school cohort results lower my score?

On a side note, I'm wondering how hard it is to achieve a 35 in english. I admit I'm not the best in the area, but in Year 11 all my SACs were medium-high (with the majority high). The median of all subjects is 30. Then again, I've always been a high achiever in other subjects so I know I'm capable. I just don't know whether 35 is an unrealistic expectation or not, given my skills.

All replies are appreciated. Thanks.

[saaaaaam]

This:

I've always worked my ass off in school and teachers always told me last year that I should have picked harder subjects.

Is the most horrible thing your teachers could have said. Choose subjects to your strengths and not because they're 'hard'. So I'm glad you didn't listen to them.

To get over 35 in English is achievable if you work consistently through the year. I guess the key is to write lots of prac essays and get feedback, whether from your teachers or here. Make sure you know exactly what is required for each essay - text response, context and language analysis.

As for getting 40+, I think as you get further into next year you'll be able to gauge if it's possible for you to get over 40. For instance by exam time I knew there was no chance of me getting over 40 in Theatre Studies or Literature - although I came close in lit!

Anyway, good luck for next year!

[Eriny]

40+ is much harder than most students give it credit for, it is considered to be 'exceptional'. The VCE is extremely competitive and it is a big mistake to assume that most people in the state are dumb - most are working hard. To get over 38, you need to be in the top (something like) 8% of the state in that subject. For 45+, you have to be in the top 2% of the state in that subject.

[Romperait]

40+ is much harder than most students give it credit for, it is considered to be 'exceptional'. The VCE is extremely competitive and it is a big mistake to assume that most people in the state are dumb - most are working hard. To get over 38, you need to be in the top (something like) 8% of the state in that subject. For 45+, you have to be in the top 2% of the state in that subject.

Eriny speaks the truth.

I've heard stories where people get A+, A and A+ and score a SS of 39. This is my second concern. I guess what I am asking is, how well do you need to do? Also, if I ace I.T. this year, can the GAT or school cohort results lower my score?

It all depends on how high your A+ is. Three of the lowest A+ (i.e. just on the cut off) might land you with a 39, but two of the highest A+ and a high A could probably get you 45+. It's all about minimising mistakes. Before VCE, I was only ever aiming to get an A+ for tests and exams. I didn't care about perfection, I just wanted it to look nice on my report. I think both my results this year indicate that this mentality doesn't work when you're striving for those higher study scores (I got A+ for all six GA this year, but from the looks of things they were low-medium).

So basically, strive for perfection, not just a particular grade. =D

[happyhappyland]

IT Apps is relatively easier to get over 40 than a subject like methods. THis is because the competition is much easier and those who do IT apps generally do not study as hard as those in methods.

[Slumdawg]

Through solid hard work you can get whatever score you want. Just make sure this is proper hard work. Some people think working hard is just 30 mins of flicking through a book before a SAC or something. You don't need to do crazy amounts of study, I know I tried to make my study as efficient as possible. Know your study designs, know how the assessors mark your subject, analyse past vcaa papers very carefully. These were things I did and it saved a LOT of time. Other people were off just writing up notes and thought that would be enough to land them in the 40s for their subjects. This does work for some, but I would strongly recommend just getting to know the subject very well and really try to enjoy what you're doing because then you'll just keep studying without even forcing yourself too. Practice papers are probably the best thing you can do. Just make sure if you're doing badly in them that you go back and properly learn what you didn't know. If you really do like IT I'm sure it will help you to study for it.

Btw, to answer your question. Yes, to get in the 40s is pretty tough. You need to set your mind to it. Some subjects will be easier than others but that depends on how much you like each one and how naturally it comes to you and also how much work you're putting into it. I know a lot of people who didn't get anything in the 40s. So it shows it's pretty hard work, but I'm sure you're up to the challenge.

[IntoTheNewWorld]

IT Apps is relatively easier to get over 40 than a subject like methods. THis is because the competition is much easier and those who do IT apps generally do not study as hard as those in methods.

40+ in IT Apps is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy easier than 40+ in Methods.

But scaling is the gayest thing ever.

[Predator]

As said above it is not always about the hardest subjects.
Look at my subjects and you can see that they aren't as hard as say chemistry and spesh.
It is more about them applying to your strengths and subjects where you actually like doing the work
this will help not only with motivation but you realising you actually want to do a bit of work.

[eeps]

I totally agree with Slumdawg. As with anything, if you're willing to put in the effort and work hard, nothing is unattainable. It's irrelevant as to the scaling of subjects, if you get above 40 for all those subjects (besides Further, which still scales down by 1) your score will either stay the same or increase by 1.

Also, if I ace I.T. this year, can the GAT or school cohort results lower my score?

No, your GAT result has no bearing whatsoever on the study score you get for IT Apps. Your SAC grade can be moderated up or down, depending on how well your cohort performs (that is, everyone in your school doing the IT Apps). That's the only thing that can change, the rest is up to you. My advice is to aim high now, at the start of the year and as the year progresses you'll get to see where you realistically are.

Specifically, Legal Studies isn't conceptually hard. If you can remember bits of key information and write concisely when it comes to the exam, you're bound to do well. I think the biggest issue with Legal Studies is writing concisely and answering the question. In most cases, students ramble on for a 2-mark question (when it's not necessary to) and don't address the question properly. If you can master that, then you'll go a long way to doing well in Legal Studies.

[werdna]

I think the difficulty in getting a 40+ study score is really underestimated. You've got students doing the super-scaling subjects just for the sake of the scaling - Latin, Spec, etc.. - and I think this is one of the worst mentalities to take into VCE. You can do well with or without scaling... there have been quite a few members on AN getting 99.95 ATAR scores and doing no math/science/LOTE subjects (the MGS school captain for example). A 40+ is definitely achievable if you believe you can do it!

[taiga]

for a 40 you need MORE than a straight A+ average

[werdna]

for a 40 you need MORE than a straight A+ average

Hmm... can you explain this further?

[Greatness]

I think what Taiga was trying to say is that you cant have all of the lowest possible A+s otherwise that will only get you a 38. You need either a combination of low-mid A+s, or all mid or all high A+s...

[eeps]

Depends on how high or low your A+'s are. If you got all low A+'s for each GA, that equates to about 38~40. Obviously, if you're aiming higher than 40, then you need mid-high A+'s. My friend got 50 for Accounting this year, to give you an indication, he got:

- 88.5/90 for the Unit 3 exam (high A+)
- He was middle~high in a very strong cohort (high A+ presumably)
- He received a high A+ for the Unit 4 exam

Look him up in the paper if you want; Edward Thien (Camberwell Grammar School) - as did a few of my other friends. If you want anything over 40, it must be mid-high A+'s for each GA.

I think what Taiga was trying to say is that you cant have all of the lowest possible A+s otherwise that will only get you a 38. You need either a combination of low-mid A+s, or all mid or all high A+s...

Yes, exactly.

[nacho]

Well, for ITAPPS
I got: A, A, A+,
SS = 39 (extreme disappointment.../depression)
My peers have told me that in my weak cohort, I couldn't have expected a 40 if i wasn't rank 1 or 2 (I was rank 4, and the conditions the SACs were taken under = despicable (you could take them home, 'teamwork at school'), although i took advantage of this, some extremely stupid kids ended up getting higher on SACs than I did, and ending up getting a C+ on the exam = bad for me)

So basically, if you go to a good school, then it's fine, BUT, if you go to a bad school, maintain a good SAC rank, (rank 1) or, at the worst, rank 2.

If you can do good on the exam, you'll get a 40, A+ on IT exam is generally low, and, there was this guy on here
who got
A+, A+, A for his GAs and got a 42..
The post is in the IT apps section of this site.