VCE 2025 student honour roll reveals who achieved study scores above 40
Victorian students have defied expectations with their remarkable VCE results, including one teenager who proved hearing loss cannot silence academic excellence. Search the database to see who took top honours at your school.
Ethan Goktepe didn’t let his bilateral profound hearing loss get in the way of acing his exams.
The 18-year-old from St Mary’s College for the Deaf – a partner school of Aquinas College – woke up bright and early on Thursday morning, to open his ATAR with his friends while camping in Wilsons Prom.
Ethan was among 49,310 students who received the highly-anticipated rank this year, with 42 top achievers obtaining the highest possible result of 99.95.
The group of mates huddled together over their phones as they took turns reading each other’s study scores, holding their breath for the big ATAR reveal.
“I was in the tent with my friends and we were opening our results one-by-one,” Ethan said.
“When it was my turn, my friend read my study score and told me my ATAR. I was definitely happy with everything.”
Ethan achieved an ATAR over 95, placing him in the top five per cent of the state.
He was most proud of his English result, with a raw score of 45 – adding to the 45 he achieved in Unit 3 and 4 Psychology last year as a year 11 student.
“I think I did generally good with every subject, I was very happy with English and general maths. I was happy with those (exams),” he said.
Out of the students who gave permission for their results to be published, two students acquired four perfect study scores of 50 and three graduates achieved three 50s.
Forty other students got perfect scores in two subjects.
The ATAR is a tertiary grade based on the best possible combination of subject study scores which are marked out of 50.
Ethan, who spoke about his diagnosis at the Power of Speech event at Parliament House in Canberra a decade ago when he was just eight years old, hopes his incredible score secures him a position in a psychology course at Deakin or Monash University next year.
“I definitely want to become a psychologist — I was thinking either a child psychologist or clinical psychologist or neurology,” he said.
Several schools posted their best results ever, and higher levels of individual achievement than in previous years — a massive accomplishment considering the majority of those who sat Year 12 exams this year commenced their high school journey during the Covid-19 lockdowns.
Mount Waverley Secondary College graduate Jadon Tu was ecstatic to receive an ATAR of 99.85 with a study score of 50 in chemistry, specialist maths and biology.
“I was so nervous before I opened my VCE results but afterwards I was very happy,” he said.
“I got higher results than expected in every subject, so I could not be more overjoyed!
“I would like to thank all my teachers this year for all the support they’ve given. I also could not have done it without my parents and sister, who have supported me.”
Jadon said he would celebrate his stellar results at a “fancy” restaurant with friends.
He plans to study science at the University of Melbourne next year.
Haileybury College, Mac.Robertson Girls’ High and Melbourne High were the top three schools in the state where students achieved the highest number of 50 scores.
Other top-performing state schools included Nossal High, Balwyn High, Suzanne Cory High and McKinnon Secondary.
Haileybury has credited hard work, resilience and its dedicated teachers to its students achieving some of the best VCE scores in the state.
Five students were awarded a perfect 99.95 ATAR – the highest possible – while 94 per cent of the school’s year 12 cohort achieved ranks that put them in the top 40 per cent of the country.
Chief executive and principal Derek Scott paid tribute to the “brilliant” educators at the school whose “wealth of expertise” helped students thrive.
“They are generous in sharing their knowledge and their time and are key in inspiring our students to aim high, to never give up and to challenge themselves as they learn,” he said.
“Wherever they go next, we know that their determination and their ability to ask questions and remain curious will serve them well.”
As for subjects, the highest number of study scores over 40 were achieved in English with 3144 students obtaining a final result between 40 and 50.
This was followed by general maths, maths methods, psychology, business management and biology.
The nervous wait will now begin for university offers, with the first round scheduled for December 23.
International Baccalaureate results will also be released on December 18.
‘Honestly so surprised’: Student smashes ATAR goal
Banipreet Kang blew past her own expectations after a stressful VCE period, opening her results to a surprise 97.35 ATAR.
The remarkable rank is enough to launch the Caroline Chisholm College graduate into her dream law course.
“People would always say growing up, ‘You argue so well you should be a lawyer’,” she said.
“I think that field interests me because it plays to my strengths. I love English, reading, public speaking. I want to use my strengths.”
The 18-year-old from Sunshine North achieved a 46 study score in English and a 45 in Legal Studies.
Strong results in economics, history: revolutions, literature and maths methods, also helped launch her well above her hopes for a 92 ATAR.
“I’m honestly really so surprised. I got so much better than I expected,” she said.
Banipreet now plans to begin a commerce degree and transition into law, combining her academic strengths with the career she has long imagined.
“I knew this was where I wanted to go from volunteering with Victorian Legal Aid and visiting the magistrates court with school.”
“I like the idea of working with people and feel like I’m making a difference.
Despite her strong results, Banipreet admits the exam period tested her.
“I studied quite a lot but I do get stressed around exams so I didn’t think I showed my best,” she said.
“But the biggest challenge is it’s such a high stress time, and I’m proud of getting through it. “Honestly now I’m ready to start setting up for the rest of my life because I’ve been so school focused.
“The biggest advice I could give is trying to set up a support system, it can be hard given the circumstances, but it’s important to talk about things that weren’t school, and having someone there to crash out to.”
