HSC Result Check - Do they do anything? (2 Viewers)

[c3vzn]

I recently got a results check done for English Advanced since my exam result was way below my assessment mark. But all I got in return was a pdf giving a stock standard response:
The Board of Studies has checked the marks on our system for all your responses for the HSC examinations
in the course(s) listed at the end of this letter.
We have checked that all marks awarded to your responses have been accurately captured on our computer
system. For any question where ‘non-attempt’ is recorded on our system, we have verified that you did not
make an attempt at the question. We have also verified that your responses to any multiple-choice questions
have been accurately recorded.
For any examinations that were marked onscreen, we have verified that the scanned image presented to the
marker for each question is your complete response to that question.

I paid $29 for this thing and that's all I get. Wondering if anyone else had a results check and if it worked for them.

 

[Rafy]

You paid $29 for them to check your results and that's exactly what they did. They have verified that everything was correct. What more can they give you? There's nothing for them to change or follow up with you on.

 

[cem]

I recently got a results check done for English Advanced since my exam result was way below my assessment mark. But all I got in return was a pdf giving a stock standard response:
The Board of Studies has checked the marks on our system for all your responses for the HSC examinations
in the course(s) listed at the end of this letter.
We have checked that all marks awarded to your responses have been accurately captured on our computer
system. For any question where ‘non-attempt’ is recorded on our system, we have verified that you did not
make an attempt at the question. We have also verified that your responses to any multiple-choice questions
have been accurately recorded.
For any examinations that were marked onscreen, we have verified that the scanned image presented to the
marker for each question is your complete response to that question.

I paid $29 for this thing and that's all I get. Wondering if anyone else had a results check and if it worked for them.

They told you everything they did:

1. They went and got all the papers on which markers wrote marks and check that what mark was recorded by the markers on those sheets is what was put into the computer - they were right in your case.
2. They checked that any response that the markers recorded as a Non-Attempt was in fact a Non-Attempt by pulling the actual exam papers and checking that there wasn't a valid response written on them.
3. They checked that you MC sheets were correctly marked by the computer.
4. They checked that any on-screen marked responses were in fact correctly recorded.

That is what you paid them to do and that is what they did. In your case they were correct. What did you expect them to say - give you a list of your marks again - because that is the only thing extra they could have done.

 

[c3vzn]

I guess it is difficult for them to prove they've done anything. I was expecting a proper response however like "Results check has shown that the mark xx on the database matches to that on the exam and all questions/sections have been answered" or "x section has not been answered" so I know they aren't missing a paper or something. For the money they should at least mail a hard copy or include a raw marks report instead of paying another $5 or whatever it is.

 

[jniranjan]

I guess it is difficult for them to prove they've done anything. I was expecting a proper response however like "Results check has shown that the mark xx on the database matches to that on the exam and all questions/sections have been answered" or "x section has not been answered" so I know they aren't missing a paper or something. For the money they should at least mail a hard copy or include a raw marks report instead of paying another $5 or whatever it is.

The Bos are just money hungry people. I didn't get any mark changes either.

 

[loaves]

The Bos are just money hungry people. I didn't get any mark changes either.

If they didn't charge for clerical rechecks, every student in the state would want one because their marks were worse than they expected. This way it's only people who truly think something was wrong with their marks (or are really rich, I guess) and are willing to pay the fee.

 

[OzKo]

The Bos are just money hungry people. I didn't get any mark changes either.

What were you expecting? You pay the Board money and they will increase your marks?

They've been looking after the HSC for a very long time so they actually have fleshed out a system which ensures that errors are minimised.

 

[Carrotsticks]

Maybe he was expecting a full detailed report:

"You lost a mark here because you didn't explain it fully etc"

 

[OzKo]

Maybe he was expecting a full detailed report:

"You lost a mark here because you didn't explain it fully etc"

Well that would be the fault of the payer as the service never details a report of such nature.

 

[D94]

They've been looking after the HSC for a very long time so they actually have fleshed out a system which ensures that errors are minimised.

Not really. Many people see the financial burden as a tactical deterrent. Even if you genuinely believe an error has been made, forking out $150 out of the blue isn't something everyone can do. They've fleshed out a system which ensures the releasing/discovery of errors are minimised.

They would save so much time (but not get as much money) if they just posted the raw marks onto the Students Online website. If a student believes their raw mark is incorrect, they can request a check. Interpreting an aligned mark is difficult, it bears no real meaning as to how you actually went in each section of a paper.

I've paraphrased each section for verification in the results check service:
1) marks accurately recorded
2) N/A responses checked and confirmed
3) scanned responses are accurate and correct
4) objective responses match student's response
5) other variations of student attempts

The HSC Results Check service verifies each of the above sections. I would have expected them to actually tell you they've verified each and every section, ie. Section 1, Question 1 - Verified; Section 1, Question 2 - Verified; Section 1, Question 3 - N/A; Section 2, Question 1 - Error Found, Correction made. etc.

That is what I would say is a verification. Just saying that "we've verified everything and everything is correct" has little meaning. They haven't substantiated anything and we're back at the start. I guess if you also ordered your raw marks, it would confirm the Board's verification to some extent, but confidence is still low as to their recheck system.

I think the biggest issue with this recheck system is that they haven't rechecked how many booklets you have used. None of the 5 points mention if they have verified how many books you have used according to the blue card students signed, so booklets can be lost and it appears the BOS doesn't recheck this.

But then this leads to the next forced issue. You are forced to purchase the examination responses as well because none of the 5 points specialises in confirming how many booklets you have used. This appears to be your job to confirm how many booklets they have scanned for you and to see if they have missed anything.

So really, to 100% confirm and verify your responses, you need to purchase the whole lot, and for many people, that's $150+ which needs to be processed before offers are released because this could potentially be a big ATAR changer.

 

[cem]

You do realise that after 70 or so years of doing this sort of thing (Leaving Certificate before the HSC) they have a system in place to reduce errors to a minimum.

When you sign the blue form the Supervisor at your centres signs off to say that they have received that number of books from you and sent that many books for you to the marking centre. Again once their the clerical staff sign off to say that they received that many booklets from each centre for each student.

When markers get a bundle to mark they mark the bundle and if a booklet seems to be missing - because the essay doesn't make sense they check the bundle they have and then report it further up the line. I have seen many booklets with the number of booklets used in answer to a question changed from what the student had written e.g. student wrote 1 booklet but clerical staff changed it to two - why - because there were two used not one.

I don't know why you would expect a question by question verfication - they do a question by question verification but there is no need to waste people's time typing up that basic information - unlesss you won't the cost to go up - as you are paying the cost of the staff who have to do this. A lot of the clerical staff that work for the BOS on the HSC are casual employees not permanent.

 

[khorne]

Not really. Many people see the financial burden as a tactical deterrent. Even if you genuinely believe an error has been made, forking out $150 out of the blue isn't something everyone can do. They've fleshed out a system which ensures the releasing/discovery of errors are minimised.

They would save so much time (but not get as much money) if they just posted the raw marks onto the Students Online website. If a student believes their raw mark is incorrect, they can request a check. Interpreting an aligned mark is difficult, it bears no real meaning as to how you actually went in each section of a paper.

I've paraphrased each section for verification in the results check service:
1) marks accurately recorded
2) N/A responses checked and confirmed
3) scanned responses are accurate and correct
4) objective responses match student's response
5) other variations of student attempts

The HSC Results Check service verifies each of the above sections. I would have expected them to actually tell you they've verified each and every section, ie. Section 1, Question 1 - Verified; Section 1, Question 2 - Verified; Section 1, Question 3 - N/A; Section 2, Question 1 - Error Found, Correction made. etc.

That is what I would say is a verification. Just saying that "we've verified everything and everything is correct" has little meaning. They haven't substantiated anything and we're back at the start. I guess if you also ordered your raw marks, it would confirm the Board's verification to some extent, but confidence is still low as to their recheck system.

I think the biggest issue with this recheck system is that they haven't rechecked how many booklets you have used. None of the 5 points mention if they have verified how many books you have used according to the blue card students signed, so booklets can be lost and it appears the BOS doesn't recheck this.

But then this leads to the next forced issue. You are forced to purchase the examination responses as well because none of the 5 points specialises in confirming how many booklets you have used. This appears to be your job to confirm how many booklets they have scanned for you and to see if they have missed anything.

So really, to 100% confirm and verify your responses, you need to purchase the whole lot, and for many people, that's $150+ which needs to be processed before offers are released because this could potentially be a big ATAR changer.

The whole failure with this is that students think they get marks where they shouldn't. For example, in a science course, you might think you got 100% for a calc question, but maybe you made a mathematical mistake, forgot units, forgot direction (for vectors), did an improper conversion (same nm to m). For a long response perhaps you didn't go into enough depth, or address all areas of the question, or take into account the verb used (discuss, analyse etc). This all leads to people who think they score higher than they do. If you genuinely believe you have been mistaken, pay the 150. I do believe if they find an error, they should refund it, but still. It's worth it for peace of mind.

 

[D94]

When you sign the blue form the Supervisor at your centres signs off to say that they have received that number of books from you and sent that many books for you to the marking centre. Again once their the clerical staff sign off to say that they received that many booklets from each centre for each student.

This begs the question as to why there are threads and posts on this forum discussing why the supervisor had signed off the card when the student hadn't provided all the information necessary for it to be signed off. They may be lying, but there were plenty of posts from different people talking about the same thing. Coincidence? I think not.

If you genuinely believe you have been mistaken, pay the 150. I do believe if they find an error, they should refund it, but still. It's worth it for peace of mind.

I agree that a refund should be made if there is an error, hence why I call it a financial burden/tactical deterrent - you don't get the refund even when you are correct. Peace of mind - I agree though.

 

[cem]

This begs the question as to why there are threads and posts on this forum discussing why the supervisor had signed off the card when the student hadn't provided all the information necessary for it to be signed off. They may be lying, but there were plenty of posts from different people talking about the same thing. Coincidence? I think not.

There are times when students forget to sign the blue forms but...the supervisor has a lot of work to do after the students finish the exams before they can sign off on them.

They have to check all the blue forms with the exams - so you get to student xxxxx who hasn't filled in their blue form - but they have used 12 booklets all of which have the students' number and there are no other booklets in the room - so either the student used 12 booklets or they left the room with one, which can't be submitted anyway.

I have watched the supervisors at the end of the exams and seen the checking they do - they check that all booklets are accounted for and any that have left the room don't count. If there are three kids who forgot to sign off on their blue forms they will still check how many booklets have their numbers on them - again remember that they will be none on desks - and then complete the blue forms. I have heard of kids who left with the blue forms - if they did that they have no come back but from my 20+ years experience the supervisors check with the student the next time they see them.

Students do have to take some responsibility - and complete the blue forms themselves and not blame someone else when they forget to do that.

Supervisors only sign them when they have enough information to do so.

The HSC is highly regarded around the world because of the procedures put in place to ensure papers reach the marking centres, are marked professionally and students get accurate marks back.

You now live in a society that increasingly believes in 'user pays' and as this is extra work that has to be paid for it is the user who has to pay as the job has been done once. It is no different to any other public service these days - increasingly people have to pay for basic services.

 

[D94]

The HSC is highly regarded around the world because of the procedures put in place to ensure papers reach the marking centres, are marked professionally and students get accurate marks back.

You now live in a society that increasingly believes in 'user pays' and as this is extra work that has to be paid for it is the user who has to pay as the job has been done once. It is no different to any other public service these days - increasingly people have to pay for basic services.

I don't doubt anything you've said. I agree with you 100% but I guess the younger generation wants/needs to see transparency and openness. Your generation dictates what the younger generation can do or can't do, so we must question every, every process, and everything which involves money. A society where the user must pay for personal information etc. leads to a quasi-corrupt society over time where only the rich or moderately rich can pay - hiding behind the fact that some people can't pay that much money leads to questions and skepticism which are both warranted especially in what most people believe is a life determining process.

Unfortunately, the HSC marking process, the HSC clerical process and the HSC reporting process isn't error free.

 

[jniranjan]

My problem with the $15 fee is that they don't tell you where you lost your marks. And I don't know why they can't just publish the raw marks on students online.

 

[OzKo]

My problem with the $15 fee is that they don't tell you where you lost your marks. And I don't know why they can't just publish the raw marks on students online.

That's not the point of the service. It explicitly states that it solely focuses on the administrative errors only.

From the Board: This service is an opportunity to confirm that the student’s examination marks were processed correctly.

 

[cem]

Exactly - the service is a clerical re-check - that they have put the marks into the system correctly - that is all you have paid for - nothing else.

 

[varun_294]

Im confused as they gave me a raw mark report and it has an addition mistake LOL but they dint tell me of any changes ot my mark!

 

[D94]

Im confused as they gave me a raw mark report and it has an addition mistake LOL but they dint tell me of any changes ot my mark!

Contact BOS and tell them about your issue.