Griffith's class of 2016 impress with HSC results

But on Friday, as students across the state received their ATAR scores, he couldn’t wipe the smile off his face as he wrapped up his schooling years with two university offers.

“I didn’t like coming to school back then, but today I am really proud of myself and of the courses I have gotten into,” he said.

The hard work and stress was abruptly all worth it for the 18-year-old who spent approximately 420 hours studying on a bus coming in from Goolgowi.

Ronald leaves with offers to study a Bachelor of Ag Science at the University of New England and Charles Sturt University.

“My dad is impressed, he can’t stop telling people I have gotten into university, it feels really good,” he said.

The good news didn’t stop there for Griffith High Students with Casey Brown’s leading top score of 85.95 still surreal even hours later.

“I am not sure yet what I am feeling, I didn’t have a mark in mind because I didn’t want to be disappointed,” she said.

Casey was accepted into law at Wollongong University, but is taking a gap year first to catch her breath.

Over the other side of town at Wade High School the smiles were just as big at the school’s annual ATAR morning tea.

Each student out of the 43 who attended the event received word that very morning they had been accepted into their first university preference, according to principal Kim Dixon.

“I am so proud of all of them and seeing so many happy, smiling faces was wonderful,” she said.

“They were all on top of the world and they are all really lovely kids.”

The school had eight students receive marks of 80 and above. 

Marian Catholic College’s Daniel Dunne was on cloud nine after waking up to news he had topped the city’s students with an ATAR of 96.95.

Six students from Marian scored ATARs over 90 with student Karl Panarello saying finding out his 94.5 mark had almost been too good to believe.

“I am pretty stoked,” he said.

“I was really shocked.

“I couldn’t really believe it I thought ‘did I really do this good? Is this right?’,” he said.

Similarly shocked was fellow peer Emma Zanotto whose 95.8 mark has seen her comfortably pursuing studies in engineering in the future.

“I was so nervous when I went to check and all of a sudden it just popped up on the screen,” she said.

“I yelled out to my mum to come and see and she was so proud.”

“I would have been happy regardless of what I got, but this is very exciting.”

Jacob Brooker – 89.25

Thea Bianchini – 89

Gabbi Smith 87.75

Isabelle Wood – 86

Casey Brown – 85.95

Aayush Chauraisa – 84.55

Alexander Martin – 84

Daniel Dunne – 96.95

Emma Zanotto – 95.8

Karl Panarello – 94.4

Andrew Seton – 94