The Higher School Certificate

The Higher School Certificate is a locally, nationally and internationally recognised qualification for students who successfully complete the secondary education in NSW.

Changes to the HSC were introduced in 2000 in response to community demands for a fairer system of assessing and reporting student achievement. The new HSC has retained the best features of the old HSC but has introduced a powerful new curriculum and clearly defined standards of achievement.
Pre-Uni New College gives students who are taking part in the HSC confidence and extra motivation and incentive to reach their full potential and receive outstanding results. This has been illustrated by our Year 12 students who have achieved a high level of HSC excellence.

In 2007, Year 12 students of Pre-Uni New College showed outstanding results in their HSC. Over 180 students gained UAI above 90.00 and 57 students achieved UAI above 95.00.

Will HSC examination marks be scaled ?

Students receive a mark based on their own performance. They are not scaled against other students in the course. There is no pre-determined number of students in each mark range and no limit placed on the number of students who can reach top marks.

Is school-based assessment important ?

Yes. Assessment marks earned by students at school during the HSC year will form 50% of their final HSC mark for each course.

Is there any general rule of special strategy to get a higher UAI score?

Partly yes. Generally speaking, more difficult subjects students choose and fewer students participate in those subject, better scaled UAI scores might be achieved. More detailed advice is available through the consulting with our Pre-Uni High School advisor.

Overall results of 2007 HSC

A total of 51,036 students were eligible for a UAI in 2007, representing 83.6% of the students who were awarded an HSC. This total was slightly more than the corresponding figure, 50 744, in 2006. The gender balance was similar to that of previous years, with 53.5% of the UAI eligible students being female.
The distribution of UAIs was also similar to that of previous years, with 1.7% of students receiving a UAI of 99.00 or above, 16.5% a UAI of 90.00 or above, 32.4% a UAI of 80.00 or above and 47.3% a UAI of 70.00 or above. The median UAI for 2007 was 67.
Of the 21 students who received a UAI of 100.00 in 2007, 12 were male and 9 female. This was different from the pattern in previous years where approximately equal numbers of males and females were placed in this top category. Females were, however, again over-represented in the higher UAI bands. For example, in 2007, of those students achieving a UAI of 95.00 or above 56.1% were female and of the students who receive a UAI of 90.00 or above 57.2% were female.