James Sheahan Catholic High School student Tom Stinson exceeded his ATAR goal of 95 to receive a score of 99.

"I was kind of stunned for about two minutes and then I started laughing," Mr Stinson said.

Having studied physics, chemistry, maths extension one and two, advanced English and studies of religion he plans to study physics at the Australian National University.

Mr Stinson was one of 139 students who sat the HSC at James Sheahan Catholic Highschool where there were 32 band 6s, requiring a subject score of 90 or above.

Fellow James Sheahan student Jaydh Gounden said he put post on his wall earlier in the year to remind him of his goal of 96 plus so he was delighted to achieve 96.55 and hopes to study medicine at the University of Newcastle.

Emily Wooding from James Sheahan scored 93.35 and and said she plans to study a combined law and arts degree at the University of Sydney with a long-term goal of becoming either a criminal barrister or human rights barrister.

"I just find it fascinating," she said.

"I think it's something you can do that can make a difference."

Kinross Wolaroi School had more than 100 band 6s or their equivalent from 130 students and was the 140th ranked school in NSW.

Among the high achievers were Sneha Srikanth who received an ATAR of 94, and Noah Baldwin and Hugh Aldersey who scored 96.3 and 96.95 respectively.

Orange Christian School had eight band 6s from a cohort of 30 students including Dylan McHatton and Aurora Kelly who were in year 11 and split their HSC over two years.

Orange Christian School student Mira Praveen scored high marks with a top ranking of an E4 in Extension English, which is equivalent to a Band 6 and said she already had an offer to study Medical Science at the University of Sydney.

Sidney Ewins was one of 30 HSC students from Canobolas Rural Technology High School and was also awarded an E4 for English Extension 1.

Orange Anglican Grammar School student Alicia Robinson also earned a band six.

There were 17 band 6s earned among a cohort of 87 students at Orange High School. Three of the band 6s were earned by Jacinta Smith who had an ATAR of 96.3, and Zac Giger had a band six and high scores in extension maths 1 and 2 and said he hopes to take a gap year then study civil engineering.

Georgia Beattie and Olivia Maksymczuk both got E4s.

However, university is not the only future pathway for this year's HSC graduates with plenty planing to take gap years, enter the work force or under take other training options.

Sarah King from James Sheahan scored an ATAR of 92.35 but said she wasn't sure what she would do with it.

"I'm moving to do full-time dance, that's on the Gold Coast, it's a certificate IV in dance," Miss King said.

Alex Emerson scored 94.25 and said she will stay in Orange next year but will play netball in Sydney for the Northern Territory.