VCE scaling is one of the most talked-about yet often misunderstood aspects of the ATAR calculation. Many students wonder why their study scores change and how different subjects impact their final ranking. Understanding how scaling works can help you make informed subject choices and manage your expectations when results are released.
In this guide, we’ll demystify VCE scaling, explain why it happens, and show you how it affects your ATAR so you can plan your studies with confidence.
What is scaling?
Scaling is a process that adjusts VCE study scores to ensure fair comparison across different subjects. Not all studies have the same level of competition or student performance profile; scaling corrects for these differences so that a “raw 30” in one subject represents the same level of achievement as a “raw 30” in another.
Scores are scaled for a few reasons:
- Fair Selection for Institutions: Universities and TAFEs need a standard way to compare students’ achievements, regardless of subject combinations.
- Maintaining Equivalent Benchmarks: If a subject tends to attract high-achieving students who also do well in their other studies, scores for that subject may be scaled upward. Conversely, if a subject’s cohort underperforms across their other studies, it may be scaled down.
- Consistent Ranking: By keeping each subject’s average aligned with every other subject’s average, institutions can confidently rank students based on their ATAR.
How are study scores scaled?
Although the actual details of how scores are scaled is quite complex, at a high-level it is quite straight-froward:
- Initial Study Scores: The VCAA (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority) calculates a raw study score out of 50 for each student, in each subject. The average raw score is set at 30.
- Comparison of Cohorts: VTAC looks at how students in each subject performed in all their other studies.
- Upward or Downward Adjustment:
- If students in a particular subject generally excel in their other subjects, that subject’s scores are scaled up.
- If students do not perform as well in their other subjects, that subject’s scores are scaled down
- Creation of Scaled Scores: After these adjustments, each raw study score becomes a scaled study score, which is then used to calculate the ATAR.
Common myths about scaling
Although it may seem like this is unfair, often scaling is misunderstood. Here are some common myths about scaling:
- “Subjects that scale up automatically give me a higher ATAR.”: Doing poorly in a “high-scaling” subject can still drag your aggregate down. Engaging in subjects you enjoy and perform well in generally leads to better results.
- “Scaling is unfair.”: Without scaling, students taking more challenging or competitive subjects would be disadvantaged. Scaling levels the playing field and ensures a fair ranking.
- “I can pick subjects just to take advantage of scaling.”: If you dislike a subject or struggle with it, the scaling benefit likely won’t outweigh low performance. Passion and competency typically yield better marks overall.
Trends in VCE Subject Scaling for 2024
VCE scaling trends in 2024 reflect familiar patterns, with mathematically intensive subjects like Specialist Mathematics and Mathematical Methods receiving significant upward adjustments due to the strong performance of their cohorts. Languages and some Science subjects also continue to scale favourably.
On the other hand, subjects with a more diverse range of students, particularly in the Humanities and Arts, generally experience minimal scaling changes or slight downward adjustments. While scaling can influence study score conversions, the key to success remains choosing subjects that align with your strengths and interests.
Let's take a closer look at the VCE scaling patterns for 2024.
Highest Scaling Subjects for 2024: “The Top 5”
Source: official VCAA 2024 Scaling Report
Latin tops the list, with a study score of 35 scaling up to a perfect 50, reinforcing its reputation as one of the most academically rigorous subjects. Specialist Mathematics follows closely, scaling to 48, a consistent trend due to the high-achieving cohort that typically selects this subject.
Languages continue to dominate the highest-scaling subjects, with Hebrew (47), Chinese Second Language (46), and French (45) all receiving significant boosts. This reflects the challenging nature of these subjects and the fact that many students taking them are already proficient or highly skilled in the language. The strong scaling of these subjects means that students achieving strong study scores are rewarded proportionally, helping to ensure fairness in ATAR calculations across different subject selections.
Lowest Scaling Subjects for 2024: “The Bottom 5” (Non-VET)
Foundation Mathematics sits at the bottom, with a study score of 35 scaling down to 25, reflecting the fact that it is designed as a less advanced mathematics option. Industry & Enterprise follows closely, scaling to 27, likely due to the subject's accessibility and the varied academic backgrounds of students who take it.
Karen, a language subject, scales down to 28, which is relatively uncommon for language subjects. This may be due to the majority of students taking Karen already having proficiency in the language, leading to overall higher scores and a subsequent downward adjustment. Meanwhile, Product Design & Technologies and Outdoor & Environmental Studies both scale down to 29, suggesting that the overall academic competition in these subjects is lower compared to others in the VCE system.
How Much Different Subjects Scale Up in 2024
Mathematics
Specialist Mathematics
Specialist Mathematics continues to be the highest-scaling Mathematics subject in 2024, reflecting its challenging content and competitive student cohort.
- A 30 study score scales up to 43.
- A 35 scales to 48, showing a 13-point increase.
- A 40 scales to 52, and a 45 reaches 54, offering substantial boosts for high achievers.
- A raw 50 study score scales to 55, reinforcing its ranking as one of the most rewarding subjects for scaling.
This subject is ideal for students with strong mathematical abilities, as it provides the biggest scaling advantage among all Maths subjects.
Mathematical Methods
Mathematical Methods benefits from moderate scaling, making it a core choice for many STEM-oriented students.
- A 30 study score scales up to 35, showing a 5-point increase.
- A 35 scales to 41, while a 40 reaches 46.
- A 45 study score scales to 49, demonstrating a consistent upward adjustment.
While it doesn’t scale as significantly as Specialist Maths, it remains a crucial prerequisite for many university courses and provides a reasonable boost to a student’s ATAR.
General Mathematics
General Mathematics scales slightly down but remains a viable option for students who may not excel in Methods or Specialist.
- A 30 study score scales to 28, experiencing a slight 2-point reduction.
- A 35 scales to 33, while a 40 reaches 38.
- A 45 study score scales to 44, showing that higher raw scores can still contribute well to an ATAR.
Unlike Specialist or Methods, General Maths doesn’t offer significant scaling benefits, but it remains an accessible option for students who want to include Mathematics in their VCE without the intensity of Methods or Specialist.
Foundation Mathematics
Foundation Mathematics sees the most significant downward scaling of all Maths subjects.
- A 30 study score drops to 20, losing 10 points.
- A 35 scales to just 25, and a 40 scales to 31.
- A 45 study score scales to 39, showing that even top scorers in this subject face substantial reductions.
This scaling pattern reinforces the subject’s role as a numeracy support course rather than an ATAR-boosting subject.
Sciences
Chemistry
Chemistry is the highest-scaling Science subject in 2024, reflecting its difficulty and competitive student cohort.
- A 30 study score scales up to 34, gaining a 4-point boost.
- A 35 scales to 39, while a 40 reaches 44.
- A 45 study score scales to 47, demonstrating a strong scaling advantage.
As a prerequisite for many STEM degrees, Chemistry remains one of the most beneficial Science subjects for ATAR scaling.
Physics
Physics continues to scale up significantly, benefiting students pursuing engineering, technology, and physics-related fields.
- A 30 study score scales to 32, gaining 2 points.
- A 35 scales to 38, while a 40 reaches 43.
- A 45 study score scales to 47, making high scores particularly rewarding.
While not as dramatic as Chemistry, Physics still offers strong scaling benefits and is highly valued in tertiary applications.
Biology
Biology receives moderate upward scaling, as it remains a popular subject among students.
- A 30 study score scales to 31, gaining a 1-point boost.
- A 35 scales to 36, while a 40 reaches 41.
- A 45 study score scales to 46, making strong scores more valuable.
Although Biology doesn’t scale as much as Chemistry or Physics, it is a key subject for medical and health sciences pathways.
Psychology
Psychology scales slightly upward, but not as much as the core sciences.
- A 30 study score scales to 28, experiencing a slight decrease.
- A 35 scales to 34, while a 40 reaches 39.
- A 45 study score scales to 45, showing that higher raw scores remain competitive.
Since Psychology is one of the most widely taken subjects, its scaling is more stable but lower compared to other sciences.
Environmental Science
Environmental Science scales similarly to Psychology, with only minor adjustments.
- A 30 study score scales to 28, reflecting neutral scaling.
- A 35 scales to 33, while a 40 reaches 38.
- A 45 study score scales to 44, indicating moderate benefits at higher scores.
Although it does not scale as well as Chemistry or Physics, Environmental Science is valuable for students interested in sustainability and ecological studies.
English
English Language
English Language is the highest-scaling English subject in 2024, reflecting its analytical and linguistic focus.
- A 30 study score scales up to 33, gaining a 3-point boost.
- A 35 scales to 38, while a 40 reaches 43.
- A 45 study score scales to 47, showing strong scaling benefits.
Students who excel in linguistic analysis and language structures may benefit from taking English Language over General English due to its higher scaling.
Literature
Literature experiences moderate scaling, offering a slight advantage over General English.
- A 30 study score scales to 31, gaining 1 point.
- A 35 scales to 36, while a 40 reaches 41.
- A 45 study score scales to 46, demonstrating steady benefits.
While Literature is more conceptually demanding than General English, its scaling remains moderate compared to English Language.
English as an Additional Language (EAL)
EAL scales better than General English, as it caters to non-native speakers.
- A 30 study score scales to 27, showing a 3-point decrease.
- A 35 scales to 34, while a 40 reaches 40.
- A 45 study score scales to 46, demonstrating that higher raw scores benefit more from scaling.
Students eligible for EAL should consider how their proficiency impacts their performance, as scaling benefits those who achieve high raw scores.
English
General English remains the lowest-scaling English subject, with neutral adjustments.
- A 30 study score scales to 28, experiencing a 2-point reduction.
- A 35 scales to 33, while a 40 reaches 39.
- A 45 study score scales to 45, meaning top scorers still receive strong ATAR contributions.
Since English is compulsory in VCE, choosing the right English subject based on strengths is essential for maximising scaling benefits.
Languages Other Than English (LOTE)
Latin
Latin continues to be the highest-scaling LOTE subject, with remarkable upward adjustments.
- A 30 study score scales up to 46, reflecting an enormous 16-point increase.
- A 35 scales to 50, while a 40 reaches 52.
- A 45 study score scales to 54, making it one of the best subjects for scaling benefits.
Since Latin is taken by a small, high-achieving cohort, its scores are consistently strong, leading to significant scaling.
Hebrew
Hebrew remains one of the highest-scaling LOTE subjects, benefiting from a competitive student base.
- A 30 study score scales to 42, gaining a 12-point boost.
- A 35 scales to 47, while a 40 reaches 50.
- A 45 study score scales to 53, showing strong scaling advantages.
This subject is commonly taken by fluent or native speakers, contributing to high overall performance levels.
Chinese Second Language
Chinese Second Language experiences strong upward scaling, though slightly lower than Hebrew and Latin.
- A 30 study score scales to 42, gaining 12 points.
- A 35 scales to 46, while a 40 reaches 49.
- A 45 study score scales to 52, meaning higher raw scores translate into big ATAR benefits.
Due to the high number of near-native speakers, competition is intense, leading to substantial scaling adjustments.
French
French maintains consistent upward scaling, making it a strong LOTE option.
- A 30 study score scales to 41, gaining 11 points.
- A 35 scales to 45, while a 40 reaches 48.
- A 45 study score scales to 51, making it a highly rewarding choice for language learners.
French remains one of the most widely studied LOTE subjects, ensuring a balanced yet competitive cohort.
German
German also experiences notable scaling benefits, though slightly less than French and Chinese.
- A 30 study score scales to 39, gaining 9 points.
- A 35 scales to 44, while a 40 reaches 47.
- A 45 study score scales to 50, showing consistent advantages for high achievers.
As one of the more rigorous LOTE options, German provides good ATAR boosts for strong students.
Humanities
Global Politics
Global Politics is the highest-scaling Humanities subject in 2024, reflecting the analytical skills required.
- A 30 study score scales up to 33, gaining a 3-point boost.
- A 35 scales to 38, while a 40 reaches 42.
- A 45 study score scales to 47, meaning high-achieving students benefit the most.
Since Global Politics requires critical thinking and deep analysis, strong performance is often rewarded with good scaling adjustments.
Economics
Economics continues to scale well, making it a strong subject for students interested in finance, policy, and global markets.
- A 30 study score scales to 32, gaining a 2-point boost.
- A 35 scales to 37, while a 40 reaches 42.
- A 45 study score scales to 46, showing consistent benefits for strong students.
Economics remains one of the most valuable subjects for students pursuing commerce, finance, and business degrees.
Australian Politics
Australian Politics has a similar scaling pattern to Global Politics, rewarding strong analytical skills.
- A 30 study score scales to 32, gaining 2 points.
- A 35 scales to 37, while a 40 reaches 42.
- A 45 study score scales to 47, making it a strong subject for high-achievers.
As an essay-based subject, students with strong writing skills and argumentation abilities can perform well.
Accounting
Accounting experiences moderate scaling, reflecting its importance in business studies.
- A 30 study score scales to 31, gaining 1 point.
- A 35 scales to 36, while a 40 reaches 41.
- A 45 study score scales to 46, making top scorers more competitive.
Accounting is a great subject for students aiming for careers in finance, business, and corporate sectors.
Philosophy
Philosophy scales slightly, rewarding high-level critical thinking skills.
- A 30 study score scales to 30, meaning neutral scaling.
- A 35 scales to 35, while a 40 reaches 40.
- A 45 study score scales to 45, showing no major downward adjustments.
Philosophy is a great subject for students who enjoy abstract thinking, logic, and ethical debates.
Other STEM-Related Subjects
Algorithmics (HESS)
Algorithmics (HESS) is the highest-scaling STEM-related subject outside of core Maths and Sciences in 2024.
- A 30 study score scales up to 38, gaining an 8-point boost.
- A 35 scales to 43, while a 40 reaches 47.
- A 45 study score scales to 49, showing strong benefits for high achievers.
Algorithmics is highly recommended for students interested in AI, data science, and advanced computing.
Extended Investigation
Extended Investigation rewards strong research and analytical skills, leading to competitive scaling.
- A 30 study score scales to 33, gaining a 3-point boost.
- A 35 scales to 38, while a 40 reaches 42.
- A 45 study score scales to 46, making higher raw scores more rewarding.
This subject suits students who excel in independent research and critical thinking.
Software Development
Software Development experiences moderate scaling, making it an important subject for IT students.
- A 30 study score scales to 29, with minimal adjustments.
- A 35 scales to 34, while a 40 reaches 39.
- A 45 study score scales to 45, meaning top scorers see stronger benefits.
While it doesn’t scale as high as Algorithmics, it is essential for coding and software careers.
Physical Education
Physical Education sees slight upward scaling, reflecting its balance of theory and practical work.
- A 30 study score scales to 28, with neutral scaling.
- A 35 scales to 33, while a 40 reaches 38.
- A 45 study score scales to 44, meaning higher scores still benefit from scaling.
This subject is ideal for students aiming for sports science, physiotherapy, and health careers.
Data Analytics
Data Analytics scales similarly to Software Development, with moderate upward adjustments.
- A 30 study score scales to 27, with slight downward scaling.
- A 35 scales to 32, while a 40 reaches 38.
- A 45 study score scales to 44, meaning higher raw scores translate into stronger benefits.
This subject is useful for students pursuing careers in data science, business intelligence, and analytics.
Health and Human Development
Health and Human Development sees some downward scaling, but high scores remain valuable.
- A 30 study score scales to 26, experiencing a 4-point reduction.
- A 35 scales to 31, while a 40 reaches 37.
- A 45 study score scales to 43, showing that high raw scores still contribute well to the ATAR.
Despite its scaling, this subject is important for students entering healthcare, nursing, and health promotion fields.
VCE VET Subjects
VCE VET Integrated Technologies
VCE VET Integrated Technologies is the highest-scaling VET subject in 2024.
- A 30 study score scales up to 30, showing neutral scaling.
- A 35 scales to 35, while a 40 reaches 40.
- A 45 study score scales to 45, meaning high raw scores remain stable.
This subject is useful for students interested in electrical, automation, and technology-based trades.
VCE VET Laboratory Skills
Laboratory Skills scales moderately, benefiting students entering scientific and medical lab careers.
- A 30 study score scales to 29, with a slight downward adjustment.
- A 35 scales to 34, while a 40 reaches 39.
- A 45 study score scales to 44, showing higher raw scores benefit more.
This subject provides strong practical skills for students aiming for STEM-related pathways.
VCE VET Dance
VET Dance experiences slight downward scaling, though higher scores remain competitive.
- A 30 study score scales to 28, reflecting a small decrease.
- A 35 scales to 33, while a 40 reaches 38.
- A 45 study score scales to 43, meaning top performers still gain solid ATAR contributions.
This subject is ideal for students interested in performing arts and choreography careers.
VCE VET Music Sound Production
Music Sound Production scales slightly downward, reflecting a broader range of student abilities.
- A 30 study score scales to 27, losing 3 points.
- A 35 scales to 32, while a 40 reaches 37.
- A 45 study score scales to 43, meaning high achievers can still maintain strong ATAR contributions.
This subject is valuable for students pursuing careers in music production, audio engineering, and sound design.
VCE VET Creative and Digital Media
Creative and Digital Media experiences the largest downward scaling in VET subjects.
- A 30 study score scales to 26, reflecting a 4-point decrease.
- A 35 scales to 31, while a 40 reaches 36.
- A 45 study score scales to 42, meaning higher raw scores remain more competitive.
This subject is suitable for students pursuing careers in graphic design, animation, and multimedia production.
Popular VCE Subjects That Scale Well in 2024
Key Takeaways
- Mathematical Methods provides the highest scaling boost, making it a strategic choice for students aiming for STEM pathways.
- Chemistry consistently scales up and is a key subject for students entering medicine, science, and engineering.
- Biology is the most popular science but scales less than Chemistry, making high raw scores more important.
Popular VCE Subjects That Scale Down in 2024
Key Takeaways
- Health and Human Development scales down the most, meaning students need high raw scores to remain competitive.
- Business Management and Physical Education scale down slightly but remain essential for career pathways in business and health.
- General Mathematics scales down slightly, reinforcing the importance of high scores for ATAR success.
- English, Psychology, and Legal Studies remain competitive but experience minor downward adjustments.
Ranking the Highest to Lowest Scaling Subjects for 2024 VCE (Full List)
Final Thoughts
When selecting your VCE subjects for 2025, focus on your strengths—subjects you enjoy and perform well in will always be more beneficial than relying on scaling alone. High-scaling subjects like Specialist Mathematics and Languages can boost your ATAR, but strong raw scores matter more.
Also, consider your future pathways—check university prerequisites and choose subjects that align with your career goals, whether in STEM, humanities, business, or the arts. If you prefer hands-on learning, VCE VET subjects can provide practical skills and alternative pathways.
The best VCE subject selection comes down to a combination of strategy, interest, and ability. Choose subjects you enjoy, align them with your career goals, and ensure a balanced workload.
Good luck with your VCE journey in 2025!
