REPORTONTHESCALINGOFTHE2012NSWHIGHERSCHOOLCERTIFICATE | 1

Table A3 Descript ive st at ist ics and select ed percent iles for HSC marks and scaled marks by course
Notes: (i) The P99, P90, P75, P50, P25 columns refer to the 99th, 90th, 75th, 50th and 25th percentiles
respectively.
(ii) The table excludes courses with fewer than 10 ATAR-eligible students and no percentile data are given
for courses with fewer than 40 students.
(iii) This table should not be used as a simple HSC to scaled mark conversion table. For each HSC mark
there can be a range of raw marks and therefore a range of scaled marks.
Course Number
Type of
mark
Mean SD
Max.
mark
P99 P90 P75 P50 P25
Aboriginal Studies
361
HSC 35.4 7.3 48.0 48.0 44.5 40.5 36.5 31.0


scaled 15.8 12.6 45.6 45.0 35.4 24.4 12.4 4.7
Agriculture
1,362
HSC 34.2 7.4 48.5 47.5 44.0 39.5 34.0 29.5


scaled 20.7 11.5 48.1 45.8 37.6 28.7 19.5 11.3
Ancient History
12,100
HSC 34.9 7.4 50.0 47.5 44.0 40.0 35.5 30.0


scaled 24.5 10.5 49.7 45.7 38.4 32.5 24.8 16.7
Biology
16,570
HSC 36.4 5.5 49.0 47.0 43.5 40.0 36.5 33.0


scaled 26.5 9.7 49.8 45.4 39.4 33.9 26.8 19.5
Business Studies
15,221
HSC 37.2 6.1 49.5 47.0 44.5 42.0 38.0 33.5


scaled 23.8 10.6 48.9 43.4 37.7 32.3 24.4 15.5
Chemistry
10,838
HSC 37.9 6.1 49.0 47.5 45.5 42.5 38.5 34.0


scaled 31.6 9.3 50.0 46.9 42.8 38.9 33.1 25.4
Community & Family Studies
6,601
HSC 37.3 5.7 50.0 47.5 44.5 41.5 37.5 33.5


scaled 19.1 10.3 44.1 40.7 33.5 27.0 18.5 10.7
Dance
842
HSC 37.7 5.7 49.0 47.5 45.0 42.0 38.0 34.0


scaled 22.5 10.7 47.2 44.8 38.2 30.0 21.1 14.5
Design & Technology
3,198
HSC 38.2 5.2 49.5 48.0 44.5 42.0 38.5 35.5


scaled 22.2 10.2 46.8 43.7 36.2 29.9 21.8 14.4
Drama
4,732
HSC 39.1 4.5 49.0 47.5 45.0 42.5 39.0 36.0


scaled 24.3 10.4 49.5 46.0 38.6 32.2 23.9 16.4
Earth & Environmental Science
1,497
HSC 37.7 5.7 49.5 47.0 44.5 42.0 38.5 34.5


scaled 23.9 10.1 48.3 44.1 37.0 31.9 24.6 16.3
Economics
5,247
HSC 37.9 6.9 50.0 48.0 45.0 43.0 39.5 34.0


scaled 31.8 9.6 50.0 46.9 42.6 39.2 33.6 26.2
Engineering Studies
2,051
HSC 37.6 5.5 49.0 47.5 44.5 41.5 37.5 34.5


scaled 25.6 9.1 47.5 44.4 37.0 32.3 25.6 19.2
English Standard
31,803
HSC 34.4 5.4 48.5 44.0 41.0 38.5 35.0 30.5


scaled 18.8 8.4 48.2 39.3 30.2 24.4 18.4 12.7
English Advanced
27,217
HSC 40.0 4.1 49.5 47.5 45.0 43.0 40.0 37.0


scaled 31.7 8.2 50.0 46.1 41.8 38.2 32.5 26.0
English Extension 1
5,265
HSC 40.6 5.2 49.0 48.0 46.0 45.0 42.0 38.0


scaled 35.5 6.5 50.0 46.6 42.9 40.0 36.3 32.0
English Extension 2
2,126
HSC 39.1 6.2 50.0 49.0 47.0 44.0 39.0 35.0


scaled 35.5 6.2 50.0 47.6 43.3 40.0 35.6 31.6
ESL
2,513
HSC 36.1 5.7 48.0 46.0 42.5 39.5 37.0 33.0


scaled 21.9 11.6 50.0 45.8 37.5 30.8 21.8 12.4
Food Technology
3,612
HSC 37.0 5.5 49.0 47.0 44.0 41.0 37.5 33.5


scaled 20.0 10.7 46.3 43.2 35.3 28.1 19.1 11.3
Geography
4,297
HSC 37.0 6.5 49.0 47.0 44.5 42.0 38.0 33.0
scaled 25.5 10.4 50.0 45.8 39.4 33.5 26.0 17.5
2 | REPORTONTHESCALINGOFTHE2012NSWHIGHERSCHOOLCERTIFICATE
Course Number
Type of
mark
Mean SD
Max.
mark
P99 P90 P75 P50 P25
Industrial Technology 5,099 HSC 36.1 6.6 50.0 48.0 44.5 41.0 36.5 32.0
scaled 16.8 9.6 40.4 38.0 30.9 24.0 15.9 8.8
Information Processes & Technology 3,239 HSC 35.8 7.3 49.0 47.5 44.5 41.0 37.0 31.5
scaled 21.4 11.0 47.7 44.5 36.1 29.7 21.2 12.7
Legal Studies 9,489 HSC 37.4 6.3 49.0 47.5 45.0 42.5 38.5 33.5
scaled 25.3 11.0 50.0 45.4 39.1 34.2 26.4 17.0
General Mathematics 31,702 HSC 34.8 6.4 49.5 47.0 43.0 39.0 35.0 31.0
scaled 21.2 10.1 45.5 41.4 35.3 29.3 20.8 12.9
Mathematics 16,700 HSC 39.0 6.6 50.0 49.0 46.0 44.0 40.0 36.0
scaled 30.9 9.7 50.0 46.9 42.5 38.4 32.2 24.7
Mathematics Extension 1 8,925 HSC 41.0 6.4 50.0 49.5 48.0 46.0 42.0 37.0
scaled 39.0 6.7 50.0 48.9 46.4 44.1 40.2 35.2
Mathematics Extension 2 3,454 HSC 41.6 5.6 50.0 48.5 47.0 46.0 43.0 38.5
scaled 42.7 4.5 50.0 48.7 47.0 45.8 43.8 41.0
Modern History 10,476 HSC 38.0 6.5 49.0 47.5 45.0 42.5 39.5 34.5
scaled 27.0 10.7 50.0 45.8 40.1 35.2 28.4 19.7
History Extension 2,042 HSC 37.1 7.1 49.0 48.0 46.0 43.0 38.0 33.0
scaled 34.5 6.9 50.0 47.7 43.0 39.5 34.9 30.5
Music 1 5,126 HSC 40.3 4.3 49.5 48.0 45.5 43.0 40.5 37.5
scaled 22.2 10.4 47.5 44.6 36.7 29.7 21.8 14.1
Music 2 708 HSC 43.2 3.2 50.0 49.5 47.0 45.5 43.5 41.0
scaled 33.6 7.7 50.0 48.5 43.5 39.6 33.5 28.3
Music Extension 432 HSC 45.1 4.0 50.0 50.0 50.0 48.0 46.0 43.0
scaled 35.2 8.4 50.0 50.0 48.0 41.6 34.8 28.8
PDH&PE 13,307 HSC 36.5 6.1 48.5 47.0 44.0 41.0 37.0 32.5
scaled 23.0 10.4 47.8 43.4 37.1 31.0 22.9 14.8
Physics 9,469 HSC 37.1 5.7 49.0 47.0 44.0 41.0 37.5 33.5
scaled 30.6 9.3 50.0 46.5 41.7 37.8 31.9 24.3
Senior Science 5,235 HSC 37.7 5.6 49.5 47.5 44.5 42.0 38.5 34.0
scaled 19.2 10.2 44.2 41.6 33.8 27.0 18.3 11.0
Society & Culture 3,924 HSC 38.3 6.0 50.0 48.5 45.5 42.5 39.0 35.0
scaled 23.7 10.7 49.0 45.3 38.3 31.9 23.6 15.5
Software Design & Development 1,471 HSC 36.0 5.5 49.0 47.5 43.5 39.5 36.0 32.5
scaled 24.1 9.9 47.4 44.2 37.2 31.1 24.2 16.7
Studies of Religion I 9,330 HSC 37.6 6.2 50.0 48.0 45.0 42.0 38.0 34.0
scaled 27.6 8.9 48.2 44.3 38.8 34.4 28.5 21.6
Studies of Religion II 5,129 HSC 37.4 6.3 50.0 47.0 44.0 42.0 38.5 34.0
scaled 27.2 9.9 50.0 44.8 39.1 34.8 28.7 20.7
Textiles & Design 2,374 HSC 38.8 5.4 50.0 48.5 45.5 43.0 39.0 35.5
scaled 22.3 10.7 47.4 44.2 36.7 30.8 21.8 13.6
Visual Arts 9,520 HSC 39.9 4.1 50.0 47.5 45.0 43.0 40.0 37.5
scaled 22.7 10.8 49.2 45.6 38.1 30.8 22.1 14.2
Arabic Continuers 208 HSC 38.8 4.8 48.0 46.5 44.0 42.5 40.0 36.5
scaled 17.5 11.0 44.4 42.0 32.4 25.7 16.7 8.4
Table A3 Descriptive statistics and selected percentiles for HSC marks and scaled marks by course (continued)
REPORTONTHESCALINGOFTHE2012NSWHIGHERSCHOOLCERTIFICATE | 3
Course Number
Type of
mark
Mean SD
Max.
mark
P99 P90 P75 P50 P25
Arabic Extension
69
HSC 36.9 5.5 47.0 47.0 45.0 40.0 38.0 32.0
scaled 25.4 7.2 42.1 42.1 36.1 29.1 26.0 19.6
Armenian
38
HSC 39.1 4.2 46.5


scaled 22.5 11.5 49.0
Chinese Beginners
41
HSC 38.4 7.9 49.5 49.5 49.0 45.5 39.0 33.5


scaled 23.6 12.8 48.0 48.0 44.7 34.9 21.6 14.1
Chinese Continuers
62
HSC 43.9 3.4 49.0 49.0 47.5 46.0 44.5 43.0


scaled 32.4 10.4 50.0 50.0 43.5 38.8 34.2 26.7
Chinese Extension
13
HSC 47.9 1.4 49.0


scaled 37.0 8.2 50.0
Chinese Background Speakers
744
HSC 40.9 3.8 47.5 47.0 45.5 43.5 41.0 38.5


scaled 23.0 11.0 49.6 46.8 38.0 31.1 22.5 14.6
Heritage Chinese (Mandarin)
87
HSC 42.8 4.6 49.0 49.0 47.0 46.0 43.5 40.5


scaled 32.3 9.7 50.0 50.0 43.4 40.1 33.7 24.6
Classical Hebrew Continuers
37
HSC 40.9 5.0 49.0


scaled 34.6 8.7 50.0
Classical Hebrew Extension
24
HSC 45.4 2.8 49.0


scaled 38.6 6.2 50.0
Croatian
17
HSC 41.8 4.5 47.5


scaled 29.8 9.9 46.5
Filipino
12
HSC 39.4 3.1 44.0


scaled 14.5 10.9 36.5
French Beginners
698
HSC 38.7 6.6 50.0 49.5 46.5 43.5 39.0 35.0


scaled 24.6 10.7 48.7 47.2 39.3 32.5 23.7 16.8
French Continuers
886
HSC 41.1 5.3 49.5 49.0 47.0 45.0 42.0 38.0


scaled 34.3 8.8 50.0 48.0 44.4 41.1 35.9 29.2
French Extension
204
HSC 41.8 5.1 50.0 49.0 47.0 46.0 43.0 38.0


scaled 40.5 4.8 50.0 48.6 45.8 44.0 41.0 37.3
German Beginners
129
HSC 38.2 7.6 49.5 49.0 46.5 44.5 38.5 34.5
scaled 28.6 10.6 50.0 48.9 41.2 37.0 28.4 22.8
German Continuers
291
HSC 40.2 5.4 50.0 49.5 47.0 44.5 41.0 36.0


scaled 34.1 8.8 50.0 49.2 44.8 40.5 35.5 28.7
German Extension
87
HSC 40.9 4.9 50.0 50.0 46.0 45.0 42.0 38.0


scaled 39.1 5.3 50.0 50.0 45.5 42.8 40.2 35.9
Hindi
17
HSC 44.6 1.7 47.0


scaled 28.7 11.5 49.0
Indonesian Beginners
39
HSC 39.3 6.4 49.0


scaled 24.0 12.1 48.8
Indonesian Continuers
65
HSC 40.0 5.9 48.5 48.5 47.5 46.0 41.0 36.5


scaled 28.5 11.1 50.0 50.0 43.8 38.5 28.6 21.7
Indonesian Extension
13
HSC 43.4 4.1 47.0


scaled 35.7 11.7 50.0
Indonesian Background Speakers
95
HSC 37.4 3.3 45.5 45.5 42.5 39.5 37.0 35.5


scaled 31.1 8.0 50.0 50.0 43.8 36.9 29.6 25.8
Table A3 Descriptive statistics and selected percentiles for HSC marks and scaled marks by course (continued)
4 | REPORTONTHESCALINGOFTHE2012NSWHIGHERSCHOOLCERTIFICATE
Course Number
Type of
mark
Mean SD
Max.
mark
P99 P90 P75 P50 P25
Italian Beginners
369
HSC 36.1 7.6 50.0 49.5 46.5 42.0 36.0 31.0


scaled 25.9 10.5 49.5 47.2 40.0 34.0 25.5 18.0
Italian Continuers 298
HSC 39.1
6.6
50.0 48.5 46.5 44.0 40.0 35.0
scaled 30.9 9.3 50.0 46.6 41.8 37.6 32.1 24.9
Italian Extension
70
HSC 42.3 4.6 49.0 49.0 47.0 46.0 43.0 39.0


scaled 37.8 5.3 50.0 50.0 43.7 41.6 37.8 34.4
Japanese Beginners
619
HSC 36.8 8.0 49.5 49.0 46.0 42.5 38.0 31.5


scaled 23.9 11.4 48.1 45.4 38.9 32.7 24.6 15.2
Japanese Continuers
692
HSC 38.2 7.1 49.5 49.0 46.5 44.0 39.0 33.5


scaled 31.6 9.6 50.0 47.0 43.4 39.4 33.0 24.5
Japanese Extension
191
HSC 40.4 5.4 48.0 48.0 46.0 45.0 41.0 37.0


scaled 38.4 5.1 50.0 48.9 44.4 41.9 38.3 35.3
Japanese Background Speakers
22
HSC 38.3 3.7 46.5


scaled 22.3 11.2 48.8
Heritage Japanese
15
HSC 42.1 4.1 47.0


scaled 31.0 12.6 50.0
Khmer
25
HSC 42.2 3.5 47.0


scaled 15.1 10.7 39.4
Korean Background Speakers
71
HSC 40.9 5.1 50.0 50.0 47.0 44.5 41.5 37.5


scaled 22.3 12.0 50.0 50.0 39.0 29.6 21.9 12.5
Heritage Korean
33
HSC 38.8 6.1 48.5


scaled 29.0 9.1 47.5
Latin Continuers
173
HSC 43.6 3.7 49.0 49.0 48.0 46.5 44.5 41.0


scaled 39.9 6.5 50.0 50.0 47.1 45.0 40.9 36.2
Latin Extension
99
HSC 45.9 3.5 50.0 50.0 49.0 48.0 47.0 45.0


scaled 41.6 5.8 50.0 50.0 47.4 46.5 42.8 39.0
Macedonian
29
HSC 43.3 4.2 49.5


scaled 21.5 10.1 43.1
Modern Greek Beginners
60
HSC 41.8 5.3 49.5 49.5 47.0 46.0 43.0 37.5


scaled 25.2 10.3 47.4 47.4 36.5 32.7 25.3 16.0
Modern Greek Continuers
91
HSC 40.9 4.7 50.0 50.0 47.0 45.0 41.0 38.0


scaled 26.1 9.4 48.3 48.3 39.0 33.8 25.2 19.5
Modern Greek Extension
30
HSC 42.7 5.5 50.0


scaled 31.5 8.7 49.4
Modern Hebrew
53
HSC 44.5 2.7 48.5 48.5 47.5 47.0 45.0 42.5


scaled 36.4 7.6 50.0 50.0 46.5 42.5 36.9 30.0
Persian
30
HSC 42.7 4.6 50.0


scaled 18.1 12.1 44.4
Polish
27
HSC 45.5 2.7 50.0


scaled 29.9 9.1 50.0
Portuguese
20
HSC 35.6 5.0 43.0


scaled 25.0 13.4 50.0
Russian
20
HSC 42.5 5.7 49.5


scaled 26.7 11.7 50.0
Table A3 Descriptive statistics and selected percentiles for HSC marks and scaled marks by course (continued)
REPORTONTHESCALINGOFTHE2012NSWHIGHERSCHOOLCERTIFICATE | 5
Course Number
Type of
mark
Mean SD
Max.
mark
P99 P90 P75 P50 P25
Serbian
19
HSC 43.6 3.3 48.5


scaled 23.7 10.7 45.0
Spanish Beginners
188
HSC 37.2 7.6 50.0 49.0 46.0 43.5 38.0 31.5
scaled 23.8 11.7 50.0 47.7 39.4 33.9 23.1 14.4
Spanish Continuers 198 HSC 39.5 4.8 48.5 47.0 44.5 43.0 40.0 37.5
scaled 23.4 9.9 46.0 41.4 34.8 31.5 24.0 17.2
Spanish Extension 68 HSC 37.8 3.9 46.0 46.0 44.0 40.0 37.0 35.0
scaled 29.1 5.6 44.0 44.0 38.0 31.6 28.3 25.1
Turkish 39 HSC 40.1 4.8 47.5
scaled 19.0 11.3 46.1
Vietnamese 155 HSC 37.4 4.1 46.0 44.5 42.5 40.0 37.5 35.5
scaled 19.6 11.2 46.7 45.5 36.1 27.7 18.2 11.3
Accounting 454 HSC 38.0 7.9 50.0 49.0 47.0 43.5 39.0 34.5
scaled 29.5 11.9 50.0 48.2 45.3 38.9 30.1 21.2
Automotive Exam 363 HSC 36.3 4.7 47.0 45.5 42.0 39.5 36.5 33.0
scaled 13.0 9.1 35.3 33.8 26.9 19.4 11.0 5.1
Business Services Exam 1,354 HSC 35.2 6.5 47.0 46.0 43.0 39.5 36.0 31.5
scaled 17.3 10.1 42.0 40.3 32.9 24.1 15.3 9.4
Construction Exam 1,794 HSC 33.8 4.4 45.5 43.0 39.0 36.5 34.0 31.0
scaled 15.4 9.5 38.9 36.9 29.4 22.3 14.2 7.8
Electrotechnology Exam 234 HSC 35.4 3.4 46.5 44.0 39.5 37.5 35.5 32.5
scaled 18.2 8.6 39.4 37.8 30.6 24.0 18.0 10.5
Entertainment Industry Exam 916 HSC 34.8 4.9 47.5 45.0 41.5 38.5 34.5 31.5
scaled 21.1 9.2 43.6 40.4 34.1 28.1 20.0 13.9
Hospitality Exam 5,838 HSC 37.8 4.3 48.0 46.5 43.5 41.0 38.0 34.5
scaled 19.6 9.7 43.6 41.1 33.9 27.0 18.9 11.8
Human Sevices Exam 447 HSC 36.5 3.8 47.5 45.5 41.0 39.0 36.5 34.0
scaled 18.9 9.2 41.5 39.6 31.7 26.1 17.9 11.3
Information Technology Exam 1,294 HSC 36.1 5.4 47.5 45.5 42.0 40.0 36.5 33.5
scaled 17.9 9.7 41.6 38.8 31.2 25.3 17.5 10.4
Metal & Engineering Exam 769 HSC 33.4 5.8 46.0 44.5 39.5 37.0 34.0 30.5
scaled 15.4 9.1 37.7 36.2 27.8 21.8 14.4 7.4
Primary Industries Exam 616 HSC 38.1 4.0 47.5 46.5 43.0 41.0 38.5 35.0
scaled 16.1 9.7 40.0 38.8 30.0 23.4 14.9 7.7
Retail Services Exam 862 HSC 36.2 4.1 46.5 44.5 41.0 39.0 37.0 34.0


scaled 16.8 10.1 41.6 39.5 31.9 24.3 16.1 8.4
Tourism & Events Exam 366 HSC 37.5 4.1 46.5 46.0 42.5 40.5 37.5 35.0
scaled 20.2 9.8 44.2 43.7 34.1 26.4 18.3 12.7
Table A3 Descriptive statistics and selected percentiles for HSC marks and scaled marks by course (continued)