In 1995, Amber Glynn achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the only student from a comprehensive school to score a perfect 100 in the Higher School Certificate (HSC). Initially, she thought the congratulatory phone call was a prank. “It felt a bit surreal… I’m from Port Macquarie, and I knew I was competing with people from much bigger places like Sydney,” Glynn, a graduate of Westport Technology High School, recalled.
Glynn’s academic journey took her to the University of New South Wales (UNSW) to study pure mathematics, followed by further studies in London. Her career began as a web developer at a sports media start-up, which ended abruptly due to a mass lay-off. “They had a mass lay-off, and I’d only been there for about eight months when we all got made redundant. I was in pieces wondering where I was going to get another job,” she said. Her resilience paid off, and today she works as a business analyst at the Sydney Opera House, a role she describes as being at “the best place to work in the universe.” In addition to her day job, Glynn is a pianist and an artist who draws Australian wildlife. “There’s a lot of value in having an interest that’s totally different from your day job,” she emphasized.
Class of 2005: Ambitions Realized
Casey Handmer, a former Scots College student, realized a dream that many hold dear: working at NASA. Starting at NASA in 2018, Handmer found the experience both challenging and rewarding. “What an amazing place, what a privilege to work there,” he said. “The day-to-day was usually a pleasant grind with lots of interesting problems and colleagues.”
Handmer’s academic journey was marked by a UAI of 99.70, a score he celebrated with his friends. “It was the end of a very long push and we were all relieved to have gotten scores high enough for our preferred courses at university,” he reflected. He pursued advanced mathematics at the University of Sydney and completed a PhD in physics at the California Institute of Technology. After working at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, he founded Terraform Industries, focusing on creating synthetic natural gas from sunlight and air. “Physics is the most powerful set of cognitive tools to study and understand the universe,” Handmer stated.
Class of 2015: Navigating New Cultures
For Yanting Zhan, moving from Shanghai to Sydney in year 10 was a cultural revelation. The freedom to choose subjects for the HSC was a stark contrast to the rigid curriculum of China’s gaokao. “The most surprising thing for me was that maths is optional here,” Zhan said. Despite the challenge of adapting to a new education system, Zhan excelled, topping the state in Japanese beginners and achieving an ATAR of 98.65.
Her linguistic prowess led her to major in spatial design and ceramics at UNSW, followed by a master’s degree in urban design at the University of Sydney. Now working in urban research and communications, Zhan finds her language skills invaluable. “Communication in people’s own languages becomes very important,” she noted, emphasizing the importance of connecting with communities in their native tongues.
Balancing Passion and Profession
Sophie Alder’s journey through the HSC was marked by her love for fashion, which she explored through her textiles and design major work. The Wenona School graduate topped the state in her subject, scoring an ATAR of 99.35. “I remember I got my results on an online portal, opening it up with my parents, having a look and just being very, very excited,” Alder recalled.
She pursued law and economics at the Australian National University and now works as a lawyer at Clifford Chance in Sydney. Alder has found a way to integrate her passion for fashion into her legal career by contributing to a retail and fashion sector newsletter. “What was an academic interest for me has now turned into more of a side passion and a creative outlet,” she said.
These stories highlight the diverse paths taken by top HSC achievers, underscoring the varied ways in which early academic success can translate into fulfilling careers. From the arts to science and law, their journeys reflect a blend of perseverance, adaptability, and the pursuit of passions beyond traditional career boundaries.
