VCE achievements

The efforts of all 2023 Year 12 students culminated in achievements that the College is incredibly proud of.

Beyond the remarkably positive results, this group of graduates characterise the aspirations that The Geelong College has for its students. The manner in which they participated in all aspects of College life has left a benchmark for all future graduates to aspire to.

Life beyond school can be a vexing prospect for many young adults.

On the one hand, leaving the defined, regimented structures and expectations seems challenging.

On the other hand, the anticipation of a blank canvas, with all its possibilities, is exciting.

To all 2023 graduates, irrespective of where you are currently sitting on this spectrum, know that you leave The Geelong College with an extraordinary experience in what life has to offer. You leave anchored with strong values and a sound sense of what it means to positively and proactively participate in the community around you.

Equally, each graduate benefited from the community that surrounded them as they grew into young adults and finished their schooling. The guidance, wisdom, and impact of parents, teachers, school support staff, extended family, and friends cannot be underestimated.

We graciously thank all of the people that supported our 2023 graduates through their time at the College and we are confident that the pride and satisfaction we feel towards this group is shared by each of their supporters.

Our students have achieved outstanding things in Year 12.

They balanced a range of commitments including their academic studies, community service, co-curricular activities and leadership roles. They did it with poise and grace.

The College sets the highest possible aspiration for every single student. In celebrating the wellrounded approach that has been exhibited by this group, we show future graduates what is possible and what we want every student to strive towards during their time at The Geelong College.

Agnes Ambrose, 2023 Dux

99.9 ATAR

The incredibly monumental experience of completing Year 12 is one which I have found to be deeply unifying.

It is a tribute to the College that in a year dominated by rankings and competition, a strong sense of camaraderie, teamwork and unity developed within our cohort.

I, like so many others, felt as though I was being dragged in opposing directions throughout the year. The conflicting demands of managing a large workload yet avoiding burnout, remaining focused on exams yet also planning for the future, seemed impossible to reconcile. However, it was the comradeship and support of the College community that allowed me to find the right balance. Chatting with friends, for example, proved vital to remaining sane in high-stress periods and retaining a sense of perspective. Likewise, the support offered by our teachers has been invaluable. More than simply teaching us what we needed to know for our exams, they went above and beyond to help us manage our stress and forge our futures beyond school.

In this sense, I consider the College’s uniquely strong community to be one of the keys to surviving and thriving in Year 12, because it prevents you from losing sight of your hobbies, passions and aspirations outside academic performance. Thus, I say to this year’s group of Year 12s, utilise the people around you to keep this year in perspective and seize the opportunities that present themselves to you, both in and out of the classroom. Remember, while the workload can often seem interminable and the stress too much to bear, your last year of high school flies by so fast. Why not challenge yourself and see what you are capable of?

Congratulations to the Class of 2023 for all we have achieved and the way we have supported each other throughout the year.