Is the VCE Actually Important?

I can put your mind at ease - VCE® Exam does not, nor will it ever define your life. It may well help determine what you initially do out of school, but it’s really just one step on a far longer journey. It should come as no shock that VCE® Exam is definitely important if you want to go off and study after school at either University or TAFE. You need that score at the end of the year to secure a spot in the course of your choice.

 

So yes, for all of you set on further study, your VCE® Exam is important not only for an ATAR but for ticking off the prerequisites for your courses. It also equips you (we hope anyway) with a strong work ethic that prepares you for future studying with less structure than you get at school. However, studying is the only one of the three most common paths for people after school that actually requires your VCE® Exam, let alone a high ATAR - other common paths are work or travel.

 

I guess it’s easy to assume that if you’d rather go and work or see the world following year 12, your VCE® Exam is pretty irrelevant. But this really couldn't be further from the truth. VCE® Exam represents the culmination of 13 years of work and is a milestone to be proud of. Even if you find you didn’t do as well as you hoped, rest assured that the skills you’ve learned will prepare you for whatever you choose to do. It’s important to realise this because we’re constantly focussed on the scores; but VCE® Exam isn’t just about a number, it’s about learning – the ‘E’ quite literally stands for education. And sure, solving trig functions or unpacking Pride and Prejudice might not seem immediately relevant to your life if you’re not studying them at uni, but whether you realise it or not, you’re learning skills that will prepare you for absolutely anything you do.

 

Studying STEM subjects like methods or physics has been strongly linked to enhanced logical reasoning – let alone numerical literacy that will hold you in good stead for the rest of your life. Similarly, studying humanities subjects like English or history has been demonstrated to make people more empathetic and bring them to think more critically about the world. These skills and qualities are crucial in today’s society, are highly regarded by all employers, and will prepare you well for decision making or even simply engaging with other people either at work or when you travel – so make sure you give yourself the best possible chance to learn!

 

I guess the biggest myth about VCE® Exam is that how you perform, or the path you choose after it, will define what you end up doing with your life, and that therefore it’s this paramount process that will make you into a particular person. This is entirely wrong. Travel, work or study – you’ll have plenty of time to do each of these at some point. All your score does at the end of the day is push you in one direction to start your journey, but your actual VCE® Exam studies prepare you for whatever you face along the way.