How hard a student finds the HSC is totally dependant on them. There are many challenges that a student must face when sitting the HSC, such as dedicating time to study, sport and extra-curricular engagements, and there’s no one who has any one-size-fits-all answer. Some people spend their whole time studying and graduate with 99.95 ATARs, others have sports commitments which are more important to them and excel in other areas.

However you decide to approach the HSC, there is no denying its importance. For many Australian universities it’s the deciding factor of whether or not you are allowed to study a certain degree straight out of high school. Most people dedicate considerable effort to the HSC, and it is not uncommon for students to be studying 3-4 hours every night after school and 6-7 hours a day during holidays.

Though this may sound daunting, there are many places, like Crimson, that work to take the pressure off you by offering tutoring services that make sure your effort is focused in the right areas. This doesn’t make the HSC less ‘hard’, but it certainly makes the period a lot easier and provides a lot of guidance for year 12 students.