Hannah Green and Emma Watson achieved the highest ATAR scores at their respective Singleton schools

These outstanding young ladies achieved the highest ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Ranking) scores at their respective schools.

With All-Round Achiever, Hannah, attaining Band Sixes (the highest mark attainable) in all her subject areas, and this translated to an ATAR of 98.9.

No doubt this helped St Cath’s earn the status of the third top performing school in the Hunter.

While Top Performer, Emma, came second in the state for her favourite subject PDHPE, and is one step closer to her dream of becoming a doctor after getting 98.15.

Both girls say they are “relieved” but were not stressed because they always did the work, and are overwhelmed with their final result.

Hannah only needed an 89 to get into the Advanced Science course she wishes to study at Townsville’s James Cook University, where the focused student wishes to specialise in Zoology, Ecology and Marine Biology.

A highlight for Hannah was managing a Band Six in Chemistry, which her teacher says is not easy to get.

“Getting an E4 (the highest mark attainable) in Extension Maths was also a nice surprise,” she says. 

Hannah attributes her success to always wanting to challenge herself, and having the intrinsic motivation to do well. “My parents never put any pressure on me,” she explains. But, most importantly, she concentrated on what needed her immediate attention, like her homework tasks, and then doing this to the best of her ability rather than thinking too far ahead to exams, Band Sixes and ATAR scores.

“I knew the rest would come.” Unfortunately, she also had the unwanted distraction of having to undergo more treatment for cancer at the end of Year 12.  

For Emma it was all about having a goal, putting in the effort, and balance – smashing her work out during the week, and then having an active social life on the weekend.

She says the simple formula of using her time effectively made all the difference along with utilising the High School’s accelerated learning pathway. This involved completing two of her HSC subject – Biology and Hospitality – in Year 11 and meant she had already attained to Band Six results before embarking on her all important final year.

Ultimately this helped Emma reduce her stress levels and led to her “smashing” her goal of 95 which was the minimum mark she needed to study medicine in the hope of becoming a trauma surgeon. And, now her plan is becoming a reality; the capable, competent and confident young lady has been inundated with calls for various tertiary institutions, including the University of NSW (UNSW).

“I was contacted by UNSW on Friday and because I got the highest ATAR at my school and it was about 98, if I get in and study there, I will get a $4000 scholarship,” Emma explains.  She already has an early offer from the University of Tasmania, and is hoping to get second round interviews for Adelaide and of course, at UNSW.

Meanwhile, St Cath’s has released the scores of all the students who achieved an ATAR of 85 and above: