HSC

Information for Parents and Students

What are the Requirements

Follow the pattern of study as determined by NESA and complete assessment requirements

Making a genuine attempt on assessments and the HSC

Answer more than just the multiple choice questions

Make an attempt to answer the question –not doodling, rambling on about the unfairness of testing and life in general etc

Be respectful in question responses

HSC Support

Most HSC teachers provide exam support in the September holidays

Maths Club/Essay submission/feedback on draft assessments/exam practice/tutorials

Students feeling stress should seek support from the counsellor and/or the Wellbeing Team

Parents should let the year advisor know if their child is struggling with their school work.

NOTES: Applications for special provisions should be made as early as possible. The Wellbeing team provide advice and complete the paperwork required for submission to NESA.

ATAR? HSC?

Being eligible for a HSC and an ATAR are different.

Students only need an ATAR if they are going directly from school to university.

HSC Pathways to careers

School to University via the ATAR School to University via other pathways School to TAFE, traineeship, apprenticeship School to work Delayed entry to tertiary studies

Work placement/work experience

Work placement is only for VET subjects.

Students can seek short term work experience, at any time, as a careers taster by being approved through the Department’s processes.

NOTES: These can be for both e-vet delivered or school delivered and are compulsory as part of the NESA requirements to gain the units towards their HSC, It is not conditional in receiving the qualification. Not all VET courses have work placement.

What is the ATAR

Most university courses in NSW and the ACT attract greater numbers of applicants than available places. The ATAR is a system that enables universities to rank applicants for university entrance in a fair and equitable way.

An ATAR is:• a rank, not a mark• based on scaled marks (not on actual HSC marks) • calculated by the universities & released by UAC It only matters if you intend to go to university

What does an ATAR of 80 mean?

The ATAR is a number between 0.00 and 99.95 that indicates a student’s position relative to all the students in their age group (ie all 16 to 20 year olds in NSW). So, an ATAR of 80.00 means that they are 20 per cent from the top of their age group (not just their Year 12 group).

NOTES: The ATAR is determined from the HSC mark and hence position. It has nothing to do with the marks achieved by other students in the class.

Eligibility for the ATAR

Follow the pattern of study as determined by UAC

How to get a high ATAR

Students achieve the highest ATAR when –

They rank as high as possible in a course They select the most challenging course in

which they have an interest and capacity to do well

They persevere, as nothing is gained without effort!

Why is the ATAR often lower than the HSC mark?

HSC marks (performance) and ATAR (rank) are different measures of achievement and therefore should not be compared. However, if you are in the middle group of students in all your courses (with marks typically in the mid-70s), you may receive an ATAR of around 70.00. Sometimes marks in the 70s can mean a much lower ATAR depending on your courses and your position in those courses.

NOTES: A 70 in physics will have you ranking higher than a 70 in Studies of Religion because, generally, a 70 in physics represents high range and a 70 in SOR represents a middle position.

A Persistent Myth

Students not doing well in a course will cause my mark to be lowered.

NO – NESA does not lower your mark because of others. You get the mark that you earn!

Here is an example:

NOTES: If a student really bombs out in the exam – they are taken out of the calculation and put back in at the end. NESA does not disadvantage students who do well. The moderation process means that it does not matter if a school assesses ‘too hard’ or ‘too easy’. School marks are moderated against the State. What is important is that we get the range of results right – and we know this and pay close attention to it, through quality assessments and marking criteria.

HSC Performance Bands

Band 6 = 90 - 100 marks Band 5 = 80 - 89 marks Band 4 = 70 - 79 marks ‘average’ Band 3 = 60 - 69 marks Band 2 = 50 - 59 marks Band 1 = 0 - 49 marks For an Extension course, the bands are E4 (highest

level of performance) to E1.

University Information – How to Apply

Applications must go through UAC for all institutions in the UAC guide

Applications are usually due by end of Term 3

Students can get support/advice from Mrs Cutting – don’t leave this until the last moment!

NOTES: All institutions represented by UAC must go through UAC. This year the dates have changed and may be open as early as March. As far as we are aware the closing dates are still around the end of September. However, due to the early opening and books possibly coming out in March too, early entry may also be brought forward.

University Visits

The Career EXPO (June) has the major Universities and a large number pf private colleges represented.

Open days start in about May and run through to November. These are at the institutions and are usually on Saturdays. year.

Students in Years 10 and 11 are able to attend the Callaghan and Ourimbah University days.

NOTES: We get a list when the UAC guide is released and Mrs Cutting always e-mails this to students in addition, she send reminder e-mails prior to the major ones.

How does early entry work?

There are different programs such as: SRS EAS GLEP Individual university early entry programsThe UAC guide has information about these programs, as well as, university websites.

How does early entry work?

SRS - School Recommendation Scheme UAC have a booklet each year stating the institutions offering placements through this.

Each year they change and the requirements alter as well.

How does early entry work?

EAS - Equity Access SchemeAgain UAC have a booklet on this stating the disadvantages and the required documentation needed to support an application.

Some SRS are tied to EAS and basically they will accept an SRS application as long as an EAS application is successful. Only a few Universities do this e.g. UTS and Sydney University.

Each University / Institution have their own early entry programs in addition to SRS They all have different opening and closing dates and it is recommend students search 'early entry' on the website of the University and see what is available for that year.

SRS and EAS are completed online through UAC. These have to be completed before the end of T3

How does early entry work?

Macquarie University’s Global Leadership Entry Program

Macquarie's students are global citizens, deeply engaged with the world and the big issues shaping the future of society. The Global Leadership Entry Program (GLEP) supports and inspires global leaders of tomorrow.

If students have already made a head start – kicking goals at school and making a positive change in their community through leadership and service – then they can apply for GLEP to be eligible for an early offer.

They look for students who have made an active and significant contribution to society at large, who show initiative and commitment.

How many applications to universities can be made?

Through UAC – a maximum of 5 preferences.

Students can apply directly to private colleges e.g. Avondale and not go through UAC.

Strategies to support success

Develop and use a study timetable

Use ‘free’ periods at school to get ahead on study and revision

Use hard copy and on-line resources to complement materials

used by teachers in the classroom

Seek out your teacher for extra help – hoping the issue will go

away does not work

Use the syllabus to check out what you should know

Practise, practise, practise – it does make perfect!

Review this presentation?

This presentation can be found on the website:

1. Go to the curriculum and learning tab on the home page

2. From the drop down box, select ‘Senior Years 10-12’.