HSC Results 2015: NSW students get their ATARs

In case you missed it earlier, data journalist Inga Ting has done the deepest of dives into NSW schools. This is the best guide in the state to the top performing schools of 2015.

HOW YOUR SCHOOL PERFORMED This list includes the schools with students who achieved Band 6 (90 or higher) in a course. Students estimates the number of HSC students based on the students that completed English, the only compulsory subject. Entries is the number of merit list course completions. For example, a school with 100 HSC students sitting exams for 10 courses each, has 1000 entries (and 1000 chances of getting on the Honour Roll). A school must have at least 150 entries to be included on the Honour Roll. This cutoff has been chosen to be inclusive of smaller schools while minimising the large fluctuations in success rate that accompany low numbers of attempts. High Scores is the number of Band 6 scores. Success is High Scores expressed as a percentage of Entries, rounded to the nearest whole number. Rank is based on the precise success rate, so some schools with the same rounded success rate have different rankings. Only the top 150 schools are ranked. A rank below 150 is indicated by a dash (-). The data used to create the Honour Roll is supplied by the NSW Board of Studies.

Most people get their ATARs scrunched up in bed or on the couch in their pyjamas.

But dare I say, Deakin University in Melbourne has paid a pretty penny hauling three Victorian students out at dawn to see their ATAR results flashed up on screen.

The advertising campaign, which mixes kitchy sentimental horns with family and friends rushing onto the field, probably isn't most people's bag, but if you feel like getting revved up to go to war while you're finding out your ATAR, then look no further.

The biggest predictor of a school's UAI success is how many Band 6's their cohort received.

Type in the name of any school in NSW to see how they performed overall.

Sophia Henning of the Presbyterian Ladies College is looking forward to a bit of time off between the conclusion of her final exams and the beginning of University.

"I just want to spend some time with my family," she told the Herald's Samuel Roberts.

"The HSC takes over your life and restricts you from really seeing anyone," she said.

Sophia, who topped the state in Ancient History and received and ATAR of 99.4 has no intention of taking time off next year.

"I think I'd get bored if I had a year off," she said.

After scoring Band 6 in all of her subjects, Sophia wasn't nervous when she checked her ATAR results online.

Like many students, she had delays checking through the UAC website due to the amount of traffic flooding the system.

"It took a while for me to get through to my score, but I wasn't really nervous. I was resigned to the fact that it was out of my hands now," she said.

"After getting my scores though, I've been on cloud 9 all day!"

Sophia said she plans on studying medicine next year.

The #ImNotANumber hashtag has picked up some steam on social media with parents, students and mentors reassuring each other that the ATAR is just a small part of life after school.

DJ Tigerllily reminded students of just how quickly their life can change.

While the Year 13 organisation, a company founded to support students after school has oddly picked up actor turned performance artist turned motivational speaker Shia LaBoeouf as their unofficial mascot.

You can actually see the deep sigh of relief.

The Herald's Samuel Roberts and James Elton-Pym have pulled together this package that anyone who has ever gone through the experience of receiving an ATAR can relate to.

Watch as Waverley College student Tom Miletich finds out the four-digit combination that flashed up on his screen.

"First I stole your rank, then I stole your ATAR, finally I stole your university," that's what Karen Zhang wrote when her sister Kim posted her mark on her Facebook.

One year apart the Zhang sisters scored the same perfect score of 99.95, took home third in the state in English and are now off to Oxford to study at one of the world's most famous universities.

"She's way more chilled than I am," said Kim, who has just finished her first year at Oxford reading Classics and returned home for the holidays.

"She was at work when the ATAR was released. She didn't even know her UAC pin, I had to download the UAC app and call the call centre for the lost pin and I had to find out for her."

"I posted it on her Facebook wall, she just said please can you stop posting!,"

On the inspiration for her sisters application to read law at Oxford, Kim is blunt.

"I was her inspiration but I guess she'll never admit to that."

The study doesn't come cheap though, Kim and Karen's Zhang's parents will have to foot the bill of their overseas tutelage, estimated to cost up to $90,000 a year.

"I am really excited for her to join me next year," she said.

"Just being able to live in Australia and in the UK half the time and to be with my sister as well is great," she said.