So, what is scaling?

Scaling is a process used by VTAC to ensure fairness in calculating your ATAR scores. Since not all subjects are equally difficult or competitive, scaling adjusts raw study scores so that students across different subjects are assessed on a level playing field. This makes sure that students and their ATARs are ranked correctly according to their abilities. 

In the VCE system, each subject is graded with a raw study score out of 50, reflecting a student’s performance relative to others in the same subject. If you did better than 50% of your cohort, you’ll get a raw study score of around 30. 

But…are raw scores fair? Specialist Mathematics is known for being difficult, at least compared to Further Mathematics. David studied Specialist and got a 30, whilst John studied Further and got a 47. Should David be punished for studying a harder subject? 

That’s where scaling comes in. 

VTAC compares a subject’s difficulty, popularity and competitiveness against another. Harder subjects like Specialist will scale up, whilst Further would scale down. This is why the mean study score of most subjects isn’t at 30, like the raw study score would. 

Remember, your study score and your ATAR aren’t fixed scores, they are rankings. Your scores are entirely dependent on the strength of your cohort and your own abilities. See how your school compares to the top schools in Victoria! 

How can I read the scaling report?

The 2024 Scaling Report provides a table showing scaled scores corresponding to raw scores for each subject. For example:

• A raw score of 30 in Chemistry was scaled to 34, reflecting its academically strong cohort.
• In Further Mathematics, a raw score of 30 remained largely unchanged, at 28, due to a broader range of cohort abilities.

The scaled study scores are combined into an aggregate score, which determines the ATAR. This calculation includes:

• The top four scaled scores, one of which must be an English study (e.g. English, Literature, or English Language).
• Ten percent of the scaled scores from up to two additional subjects.

The report includes a table linking scaled aggregates to ATAR percentiles, showing, for example, that a scaled aggregate of 154.85 corresponds to an ATAR of 90.00 in 2024. For more information on ATAR calculation, use our VCE ATAR Calculator!  

How did my subjects scale in 2024?

English

In 2024, English Language scales up by 2-3 marks, with an average study score of 32.6. Meanwhile, English scales down by up to 3 marks, Literature scales up by 1 and scaling for EAL ranges from -4 to +1. 

Scaling for English subjects has been mostly consistent for the past 3 years, and can be expected to stay the same for 2025.    

Maths

In 2024, Specialist Maths scales up by 8 to 13 marks, making it the highest-scaling math subject with an average study score of 41.6. Meanwhile, Math Methods scales up by up to 6 marks whilst General Mathematics scales down by around 2 marks. 

Scaling for math subjects has likewise been mostly consistent for the past 3 years, and can be expected to stay the same for 2025.    

Science

Science subjects have one of the most diverse scaling ranges. Whilst Chemistry and Physics consistently scale up significantly, Biology has minimal scaling, Psychology, Software Development and HHD often scales down. 

Commerce

Commerce subjects on average have minimal scaling, with Accounting and Economics scaling up slightly whilst Legal Studies and Business Management scales down by around 2. 

Humanities

Humanities subjects, with the exception of Politics, tend to be unaffected by scaling. 

Visual Arts

Visual Art subjects generally scale down by around 3.

Languages Other Than English (LOTE)

LOTE subjects remain the highest-scaling subjects across the board. Latin, for the past 3 years, has had the highest scaling adjustments amongst VCE subjects, with raw scores of 40 scaling to 55.

VET Subjects

Top 10 Subjects for Scaling

Similarly to the past 3 years, LOTE subjects top the board in terms of scaling in 2024. 

What does this mean for me?

If your subjects scale well, great for you! But if it doesn’t, it’s not the end of the world. A general misconception about scaling is that it “punishes” students for taking certain subjects. In reality, it is designed to ensure fairness, not to discourage or favour any particular subject. 

Don’t pick subjects based on scaling, but based on what you’re realistically good at and interested in. After all, a raw 50 will still be a scaled 50 (or even more!) no matter which subject you take. 

See how these results compare to last year’s!

Want more personalised study guidance to help drastically improve your marks? A private tutor can make the biggest difference!

Written by KIS Academics Tutor for VCE English and Chemistry, Janice Mak. Janice is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Law/Commerce at UNSW and has received stellar reviews from her past KIS Academics students. You can view Janice’s profile here and request her as a tutor.