At the top of the list was Lachlan Moon who came away with a score of 99.05.

And he couldn't be happier.

"I was up and ready for work at 7am like I usually would and it was a nice to see the ATAR I got at the same time," he said.

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"I wasn't expecting to get that high, but it was good of course."

He said he was confident it would be enough to undertake a Bachelor of Science at the University of Melbourne next year.

Lachlan said choosing subjects you enjoyed made a huge difference when it came to succeeding in year 12.

"Just sticking with what you know and enjoy was a big help," he said.

"But even when things do get difficult, your teachers weren't far away if you needed assistance."

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Audrey Andrews was another high achiever from BSSC who received an ATAR of 96.1.

"I remember warning my mum not to be disappointed if I did get a low score, but thankfully that wasn't the case," she said.

"I'm hoping to do either business and engineering or optometry, so I hope these scores will get me there."

Lachlan Woodward was also among the top students with an ATAR of 96.

"Even after lockdowns, it was good to see the score this morning," he said.

"Being able to work inside the classroom again was really beneficial because you were able to work with your peers and bounce of each other really helped.

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"Keeping in contact is the one thing I would advise everyone to do, you're not alone."

Principal Dale Pearce said he couldn't be proud of his students.

"We know this is over in a flash for them, suddenly they're off getting offers and moving on with their lives, but we're proud of the time they have spent here," he said.

"It's a big build up and even after the tough two years they've just had, they've still managed to come out on top so we're very happy with their results."

SAMRATH Tiwari of Victory Christian College said he couldn't ask for more than his ATAR of 99.2, a score that meant he was named the Dux of his school.

He said he couldn't believe his eyes when his scores flashed up on his screen at 7am on Thursday morning.

"There were definitely a few surprises in there, a few subjects that I did better in than I thought I would," he said.

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"But it's safe to say I think I have enough to get into medicine at Monash University, but we'll see what unfolds."

Samrath said while he had a lot on his plate throughout the year, being named VCC's school captain also kept him out of trouble.

"I think it was important within that role to be a part of the year level and show the students it is possible to stay connected through lockdowns," he said.

"It really helped me maintain that balance between school work and socialising with my peers and family as well.

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"When we were allowed, it was good to be able to go to people's 18^th birthdays and enjoy each other's company."

Samrath said it was important to keep a level head throughout the year in order to succeed.

"You need to work consistently because it's not always about cramming at the last minute," he said.

"Little bits go a long way and if you're able to work smart, you'll get the result you're looking for."

AFTER getting up early to see their results, the top three students at Catherine McAuley College can rest easy knowing they can now take the paths they choose.

Toby Costigan took out Dux of the school with an ATAR of 98.95 and couldn't be happier.

"I was quite surprised really, I wasn't expecting to do as well in some of my subjects, but I'm grateful for these results," he said.

"I'm hoping to get in to do mechanical engineering now and I think this score will definitely help that."

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Another high achiever, Maya Flood who received an ATAR of 96.9, said a health scare had proven to be a minor set back during her year.

"I was diagnosed with a benign brain tumour before exams and have since started on medication to reduce the mass," she said.

"There were times when things did get a bit tough, but I'm proud to have been able to get this far and do so well.

"As a humanities student, you don't see many of us getting high ATAR scores, but I'm glad I stuck to my gut and did subjects I really enjoyed."

Maya plans to study a Bachelor of Music next year.

Deanna Duane, who received an ATAR score of 97.7, said her extra curricular activities were the highlights of her year.

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"We did miss out on a lot of them because of lockdowns, but when we were told events such as music camp were going ahead, I couldn't be happier," she said.

"I would tell students don't underestimate yourself and your abilities, it's a long year but it can be done."

Principal Brian Turner congratulated all students on their efforts throughout the year.

"These students have shown great dedication with their strong work ethic and thoroughness in their approach to all subjects," he said.

"They have demonstrated a humble approach to their achievements and are highly-respected by their peers and staff.

"They have all modelled our College's Mercy values over the past six years, including their contributions to the student leadership team this year.

"Their praxis has been evident in all aspects of College life, they have all made an enormous contribution to our school."

MARIST College's Abbey Evans has taken her struggled throughout her last year of school to come out as Dux with an ATAR of 96.2.

For her, completing a majority of the year from home proved to be a challenge.

"When you become so close as a cohort, it's quite difficult to not be able to bond and learn with your peers is quite difficult," Abbey said.

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"But all the hard work has paid off because my score means I have plenty of options for next year.

Second highest scoring student for Marist, Connor McGowan, said he was relieved to see his year finally finished.

"It honestly wasn't the best year we could have asked for, but my score will allow me to undertake a Bachelor of Science next year," he said.

Grace Binns reminds the year 12's of next year to look after themselves throughout the year.

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"You can't expect yourself to be working at 100 per cent for the whole year, so it's important to make sure you're okay physically and mentally," she said.

"Take your breaks, make sure you have that balance between life and school."

Principal Darren McGregor said he couldn't be more proud of the whole class.

"We are immensely proud, not just of their results but the students for working so hard over the last few years during the pandemic," he said.

"They have been great leaders and role models to all of our students and we can't thank them enough for all their effort."

THERE was excitement in the air as the students from Girton Grammar School gathered to celebrate their VCE marks.

Quite pleased with his results, Tai Hindson said his top score as Dux meant he had plenty of flexibility when deciding what he would be doing next year.

"It's more than enough to get in to the course I'm hoping to," he said.

"The high mark has opened a few options for me, but I've attended a few music auditions at Monash, so that could be a good way to go."

For the year of 2021, coming back to the classroom was the highlight for most students.

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"It was okay being at home studying on your own, but it did get old quite quickly," Tai said.

"It's a lot easier to learn when you're able to actually be in contact with your teachers and peers face-to-face rather than over the computer screen."

Another high achiever, Eliza O'Sullivan, said her ATAR of 99.8 meant she could have the opportunity to travel across the country.

"It was so unbelievable, I really didn't expect to get that high, but I'm so pleased I did," she said.

"I'm hoping to study medicine after looking at the GP shortage in regional and rural areas and with this score I can go to Sydney for University if I wanted to.

"It's really fantastic."

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With 31.76 per cent of its Year 12 VCE students ranking in the top 10 per cent of the State, Head of Girton Grammar School Clayton Massey said both teachers and students were delighted with what had been achieved.

"Our year 12 students have made us particularly proud this year, and like all students have shown resilience and persistence in difficult circumstances," he said.

"Perhaps more so than usual, these strong VCE results are an indication of the degree to which our teachers are prepared to support students.

"With 18 per cent of our students achieving Study Scores over 40, and a median ATAR of 82.18, we could not be prouder."

Earlier

The wait is finally over for almost 65,000 VCE and VCAL students across Victoria, with the release of results and Australian Tertiary Admission Rankings (ATAR) this morning.

The students' can now celebrate their results and achievements - completing their final years of schooling amidst the challenges of a global pandemic and remote learning.

This year, 50,723 students will graduate with their VCE - a completion rate of 98 per cent of students, while another 14,066 students will receive their VCAL. VCE results are available for students who registered to access their results online via the joint results website from 7.00am today.

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Victoria's top-performing VCE students were recognised for their outstanding academic achievements, with 13,935 students receiving at least one study score of 40 or more out of 50.

The 40+ high achievers list will be released on the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority website from 12.05am on Friday, December 17.

The release of VCE and VCAL results and ATARs means year 12 students can plan their next step - whether it's university study, TAFE or further training, or getting straight into the workforce.

In recognition of the unique - and in many cases profound - impact coronavirus has had on schools and individual VCE students across Victoria, the Consideration of Educational Disadvantage process has run as it did in 2020, making sure the only thing that counts towards students' scores is their effort and hard work.

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Students were also able to submit a student statement to be taken into account during this process, outlining the individual impact the pandemic has had on their physical or mental health and their VCE studies.

Special consideration was also available for final year VCAL students, with each school making a balanced judgement about the level of impact on each student and adjusting assessment activities or marks to reflect this.

Students are reminded that while their scores are a reflection of two years of hard work, their marks don't define them - there are many pathways and opportunities to achieve their goals, no matter how challenging their final years of school have been.

The state government has delivered support for students and school communities throughout the pandemic - with $480 million to deliver the Tutor Learning Initiative in 2021 and 2022, ensuring students from prep to year 12 have the individual support they need to catch up on their learning.

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