• Congratulations to the Class of 2024 on your results!
    Let us know how you went here
    Got a question about your uni preferences? Ask us here

Is just 10 units too much of a risk (2 Viewers)

Shadowdude

Cult of Personality
Joined
Sep 19, 2009
Messages
12,145
Gender
Male
HSC
2010
It's still the highest percentage of all of them, and then to the OP, only 19% a clear minority did 10 units.
 

Aerath

Retired
Joined
May 10, 2007
Messages
10,169
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
But to say that if the OP does more than 10 Units, the OP has a higher chance of getting a 99+ ATAR; is fundamentally flawed.
 

jet

Banned
Joined
Jan 4, 2007
Messages
3,148
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
No actually, they say that those who did 12 units, and were good at those 12 units, did well.

It also says that those who did 10 units, and were good at those 10, did well.

You're misinterpreting the results. There may also be a trend between subject choice and number of units. You cannot tell from this data.
 

study-freak

Bored of
Joined
Feb 8, 2008
Messages
1,133
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
But to say that if the OP does more than 10 Units, the OP has a higher chance of getting a 99+ ATAR; is fundamentally flawed.
The stats back it up however.
LOL
I think it's about the time for you to give up, Shadowdude.
Majority of people who gained higher ATARs did more than 10 units=/=studying more than 10 units increases the chance of geting higher ATAR
 

moll.

Learn to science.
Joined
Aug 19, 2008
Messages
3,545
Gender
Male
HSC
2008
It's still the highest percentage of all of them, and then to the OP, only 19% a clear minority did 10 units.
Have you ever considered:
A) That the best students in the state are also over-achievers who don't do 12+ units because they're afraid of failing, but cos they love the subjects too much to drop any of them? I know a girl who is currently doing Medicine at UNSW who did 14 units for her HSC simply because she couldn't choose which course to demote.
B) That a lot of people do 11 units, not 12+, so that if they fail a 2-unit subject it still half counts, and hence it's not a complete insurance policy as you're advocating? Try adding those stats to your 19%.
C) That, like one of the posters above, a lot of schools force their students to do at least 12 units, whether they want to or not?
D) That your attitude is self-reinforcing on a state-wide scale?
E) That 43% of all statistics are made up and that 87% of people misconstrue simple statistics for their own purposes?
F) Removed
G) All of the above?
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Shadowdude

Cult of Personality
Joined
Sep 19, 2009
Messages
12,145
Gender
Male
HSC
2010
I don't think the UAC would lie about their own stuff, and besides, it's how I interpreted the statistics - it's like English really, different readings and all. Besides, people who do 11 units are also counted in the statistics as well.

Besides, if I was going purely on statistics - it is very obvious to me that the best students do more than 10 units.

Also really, if you're trying to win a debate - flaming the other person isn't helping, it's a sign of weakness and you losing the argument.
 

jet

Banned
Joined
Jan 4, 2007
Messages
3,148
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
I don't think the UAC would lie about their own stuff, and besides, it's how I interpreted the statistics - it's like English really, different readings and all. Besides, people who do 11 units are also counted in the statistics as well.

Besides, if I was going purely on statistics - it is very obvious to me that the best students do more than 10 units.

Also really, if you're trying to win a debate - flaming the other person isn't helping, it's a sign of weakness and you losing the argument.
Your argument isn't convincing me, sorry. Prove to us that the people who did 12 units received the higher ATARs in the 99.xx bracket and the people who did 10 units received the lover ATARs in that bracket. Then I might believe you.

EDIT: By your assumption, you too won't get one of the best ATARs, because you do 14 units and not 12.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Aug 16, 2007
Messages
1,409
Gender
Male
HSC
2008
I don't think the UAC would lie about their own stuff, and besides, it's how I interpreted the statistics - it's like English really, different readings and all. Besides, people who do 11 units are also counted in the statistics as well.
Except your statistical interpretation is wrong, bud.
 

study-freak

Bored of
Joined
Feb 8, 2008
Messages
1,133
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
I don't think the UAC would lie about their own stuff, and besides, it's how I interpreted the statistics - it's like English really, different readings and all. Besides, people who do 11 units are also counted in the statistics as well.

Besides, if I was going purely on statistics - it is very obvious to me that the best students do more than 10 units.

Also really, if you're trying to win a debate - flaming the other person isn't helping, it's a sign of weakness and you losing the argument.
Fail - UMAT section 1 and stats
You have included your own assumptions in your analysis.
 

moll.

Learn to science.
Joined
Aug 19, 2008
Messages
3,545
Gender
Male
HSC
2008
OK, I think it's time for some deconstruction.
I don't think the UAC would lie about their own stuff, and besides, it's how I interpreted the statistics - it's like English really, different readings and all. Besides, people who do 11 units are also counted in the statistics as well.
Not at all. "Interpretation" in English is about deciphering the emotions and symbolism purposely hidden within a text by the author. "Interpretation" in statistics is about making meaning out of numbers. Entirely seperate ideas. I hope for your sake you don't do anything math-related at uni, cos you will fail. Hard.

Besides, if I was going purely on statistics - it is very obvious to me that the best students do more than 10 units.
No. It could well turn out that, across the state, only 10% of students do 10 units. Now, if we have 19% of students with the top marks doing likewise, that would be a case of overepresentation, and given enough trials, it would then be reasonable to assume that the better students more often do 10 units, not 12.

Also really, if you're trying to win a debate - flaming the other person isn't helping, it's a sign of weakness and you losing the argument.
Wrong again! (wow, you're on a roll buddy)
My insulting you makes me twice as happy as I would normally be, as, whilst victory is great and all, rubbing it in your nose is even more fun! Yay!
 

Aerath

Retired
Joined
May 10, 2007
Messages
10,169
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
So, based on what you've said Shadowdude - if I was doing shit with 10U - if I picked up a 12th unit of study, my chances of doing well just increased?
 

bubbrubb

Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2007
Messages
82
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
10 units is perfectly safe.

I did 10 units and so did many many of my friends. In fact, probably 95 percent of my friends at school did 10 units because they couldn't be bothered doing more. And of those 95 percent that did 10 units, about 95 percent of them got above 99.

the people who said shadowdude doesn't understand cause and correlation are correct...

and back to the original question.
10 units is perfectly safe because you can screw up quite a lot of tests and still come back strong if you pick up your game. i myself was coming bottom 5 in chemistry and modern history until mid way through the year.
 

dan2452

Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2009
Messages
133
Location
Australia
Gender
Male
HSC
2011
I don't think the UAC would lie about their own stuff, and besides, it's how I interpreted the statistics - it's like English really, different readings and all. Besides, people who do 11 units are also counted in the statistics as well.

Besides, if I was going purely on statistics - it is very obvious to me that the best students do more than 10 units.

Also really, if you're trying to win a debate - flaming the other person isn't helping, it's a sign of weakness and you losing the argument.
I see what you mean, but the people who get the 99+ ATAR's with 12 units are very good at the subjects in the first place.

If you do really well in ten units, its much better than going O.K. in 12 units
 

alex.leon

not an ATARd
Joined
Mar 16, 2008
Messages
592
Location
ya mum
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
If you're confident in your units, I can't actually understand why someone would choose to study more than 10. Yeah, there are 'risks' associated, but only if you are not confident in what you're setting out to do.

I did 10 units in almost purely creative arts subjects. People told me I was crazy. I almost had to change schools because they wouldn't allow it. But I did well regardless.
 

tommykins

i am number -e^i*pi
Joined
Feb 18, 2007
Messages
5,730
Gender
Male
HSC
2008
Lol @ THE BEST STUDENTS DO 12 UNITS THEREFORE ILL DO 12 UNITS BECAUSE THAT STATISTICALLY MEANS ILL DO BETTER.
 

luvtads

Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2008
Messages
67
Gender
Female
HSC
2010
I used to do 14 units in Prelim and dropped to 11 units for the HSC. Trust me you can study way better if you dont have one extra subject to worry about. Its safe to do 10 units that way you concentrate more on your all your subjects + you get a lot of frees and they help out quite a bit. Our skools career adviser told everyone to do 10 units unless they want to do extensions.

So do 10 units, you'll be fine :)
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 2)

Top