Students spent today and yesterday holding their breath and waiting by their mobile phones and computer monitors to receive their subject and Australian tertiary admission rank (ATAR) results.

The five students who have been sharing their HSC journey with the Central Western Daily were pleased with their subject results.

“I was pleasantly surprised,” said Kinross Wolaroi School student Zara Rolfe, who achieved band six in biology, business studies, PDHPE and mathematics.

Orange Christian School student Megan Webster, however, did not feel as confident in her performance.

“I didn’t go as well as I hoped,” she said.

“I’m trying to rack my brain as to what went wrong.”

She is confident she will find an alternative pathway into studying psychology if her marks are not sufficient.

Most of the students accessed their results via computers early yesterday after a restless night, but the high amount of traffic added to their already anxious wait..

Megan and Orange High School student Mel Chapman chose the alternative method of receiving their results via SMS.

The five said they would be spending another nervous day waiting for the release of today’s ATAR results.

“I’m more nervous about the ATAR,” Canobolas Rural Technology High School student Emily Gough said.

The students admitted they used an ATAR calculator to estimate today’s result despite knowing it could be inaccurate. “I had to use the ATAR calculator, I couldn’t wait,” James Sheahan Catholic High School student Doug Whitton said.

Looking back, the students admit they could have prepared better but are generally happy with their efforts.