I did the VCE - i also did the change over years, but I did subjects with both....that was 8 years ago, and I think they have made some little changes again, but here goes.:
Is it as hard going as everyone says?
It is hard work - it isnt supposed to be easy!! But with good teachers and hell of a lot of work, it is more than doable. It is a state wide comparison though, so their scores are ranked with all other students in the state - you are competing with everyone. The final ENTER is a RANK.
The teachers are on the students sides though and there are several different testing methods designed to make it just as acheivable no matter how you perform in exams vs assignments, iykwim....
Can you make up grades if you have a flaky spell?
The VCE is a combined effort over 2 years of school - 1 Unit per Term, so four units per subject. You have to successfully pass a set number of UNITS in order to gain your VCE, over both years. So it is about application. You can make the grades up by virtue of the fact that the testing is ranging and varied, and is conducted through out the year in a series of set tasks, tests or exams called SACS these are usually completed in class time, with or without 'cheat sheets' or input from teachers, other students...you will be able to get the structure info from the website (though it is not as complicated as it would seem)
There are still final exams each year for most subjects, performing and visual arts subjects have practical based assessments as well as theory.
Approximately what proportion is based on assignments vs exams?
Again, find this on the website. When I did it, there were 3 SACS per semester and 1 final exam per semester. that may have changed by now. The proportion of the scores was varied depending on the subject stream, again find it on the website, or school - I cant remember exactly and dont want to mislead you!
If anyone has experience of the Australian vs American systems, is it harder than the US?
NFI - sorry! lol
What happens if she's doing badly at the end of Year 11? I think I've heard that some schools encourage badly performing students to leave so as not to affect their statistics?
Your stats still count, even if you leave and take it up again later (I did this due to family reasons)
Each Unit has an end value score but also a "S/N" component - ie SATISFACTORY or NOT lol Some work is graded purely on whether or not it is handed in....all requirements must be completed (ie submitting work and SITTING the exam) for you to receive an S for the subject Unit. So even if she fails the exam, SAC, she can/must still have an S for that subject in order to call the unit complete. This is relevant to what I mentioned about about the requirement to have certain numbers of units 1 2 3 AND 4 completed.
NB Unit 1 and 2 (Year 11) can be taken as individual units so you can do Literature 1 semester and Drama the next , but Units 3 and 4 must be taken together - the whole year and some subjects (maths, languages, etc) will require all consecutive units to be completed and to have other pre-req's.....if that makes any sense!! lol
So in short, she can and SHOULD still progress to year 12 no matter her results, she may need to choose different subjects, and she must still complete the required number of Units from year 11AND 12 with an S to be allowed to pass her VCE in the end of year 12. (she can graduate year 12 and not gain VCE (without being awarded an ENTER)...unless that has changed)
I hope some of that helps!
VCE requires discipline....as the subjects are elective, and most uni courses will have certain pre-req subjects to enter that stream in Uni, it is important that she has some direction at the outset, so she will have the drive to stay the course. 2 years is a long time in high school and the way it is set up it does require that concentration.
Having said that, and having done 1 year at private and 1 year at public schools, I personally would say to you that the choice of schools is VITAL - she has to get along with her teachers for the most part, or at least be able to get the most out of them. The school also has to be equipted to teach the subjects she wishes to study (especially performing and visual arts classes) so once you have all decided that she is going to do VCE sit down and discuss her preferences for career, uni courses, and subjects, then look at the schools if you can. If she needs direction and to discipline, then private schools are fantastic...a public school will generally be a lot less likely to chase her up and apply the pressure and support needed to complete it if she is having troubles....if that makes sense! If she is independent and able to work very well independently then public schools are fantastic as she will have the freedom....and that is ace, if she can handle it
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