Karen: scaling 2026, assessment & grade cut-offs
official VTAC & VCAA data · 2026 forecastA raw study score of 40 in Karen scaled to 38.0 in the 2025 VTAC report, and is forecast to scale to about 36.9 in 2026. Karen scales down: a raw score is worth less than its face value; at a raw 40 its scaling has risen by 2.0 points since 2022. The 2025 mean study score was 23.3.
Karen scaling: raw to scaled study scoreOfficial VTAC scaling reports 2022–2025, plus the 2026 forecast (a recency-weighted blend of the last six reports).
| Raw study score | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 forecast |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 50.0 | 50.0 | 50.0 | 50.0 | 50.0 |
| 45 | 42.0 | 45.0 | 40.0 | 43.0 | 42.4 |
| 40 | 36.0 | 41.0 | 33.0 | 38.0 | 36.9 |
| 35 | 31.0 | 36.0 | 28.0 | 33.0 | 31.9 |
| 30 | 26.0 | 32.0 | 23.0 | 29.0 | 27.6 |
| 25 | 22.0 | 27.0 | 19.0 | 25.0 | 23.5 |
| 20 | 18.0 | 22.0 | 15.0 | 20.0 | 18.8 |
Scaled scores between VTAC's published anchor points are interpolated. See every subject's scaling curve and the method and accuracy.
How Karen is assessedDefault weights from the VCAA study design; the calculator lets you edit them.
| Assessment | Type | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 3 SACs | school-assessed | 25% |
| Unit 4 SACs | school-assessed | 25% |
| Oral exam | external | 12.5% |
| Written exam | external | 37.5% |
Karen grade cut-offs 2026: forecastThe lowest mark each grade starts at, forecast from the last three years' official VCAA cut-offs. Typical error is shown as "likely ±".
Coursework Unit 3 school-assessed · out of 50 · forecast state average 71%
| A+ | A | B+ | B | C+ | C | D+ | D | E+ | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 forecast | 46 | 39 | 35 | 27 | 23 | 19 | 15 | 11 | 8 | 4 |
| likely ± | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 0.8 |
| 2025 actual | 48 | 38 | 33 | 23 | 19 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 4 |
| 2024 actual | 46 | 42 | 38 | 33 | 30 | 25 | 20 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| 2023 actual | 41 | 38 | 34 | 33 | 27 | 24 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 3 |
Oral And Written Examination external · out of 400 · forecast state average 59%
| A+ | A | B+ | B | C+ | C | D+ | D | E+ | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 forecast | 359 | 319 | 281 | 249 | 207 | 175 | 138 | 97 | 59 | 29 |
| likely ± | 12 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 12 | 7.2 |
| 2025 actual | 360 | 320 | 280 | 240 | 200 | 160 | 120 | 80 | 40 | 20 |
| 2024 actual | 360 | 320 | 290 | 270 | 225 | 200 | 160 | 120 | 80 | 40 |
| 2023 actual | 350 | 310 | 270 | 245 | 200 | 185 | 165 | 119 | 90 | 45 |
Cut-offs change every year with how hard the assessment is, so a harder paper can move every grade together. See the full 2025 grade distribution for Karen →
Karen questions
What does a study score of 40 in Karen scale to?
In the 2025 VTAC scaling report a raw 40 in Karen scaled to 38.0. ATARtools forecasts about 36.9 for 2026, from a recency-weighted blend of the last six reports. Treat it as a guide: VTAC publishes the real 2026 numbers in December.
Is Karen scaled up or down?
Karen scales down: a raw score is worth less than its face value. In 2025 a raw 30 scaled to 29.0, a raw 40 to 38.0 and a raw 45 to 43.0. For 2026 the forecast is 27.6, 36.9 and 42.4. At a raw 40, scaling has risen by 2.0 points since 2022.
What mark do I need for an A+ in the Karen Oral And Written Examination?
We forecast the 2026 A+ cut-off at about 359 out of 400 (likely ±12 marks) and an A from about 319. For reference the A+ cut-off was 360 in 2025, 360 in 2024 and 350 in 2023. The forecast is the recency-weighted average of the last three years' official cut-offs.
How is Karen assessed?
Unit 3 SACs (25%), Unit 4 SACs (25%), Oral exam (12.5%), Written exam (37.5%). School-assessed marks are statistically moderated against the external exam results, then the study score is scaled by VTAC for the ATAR.