Bridget McGuckian has been named dux of Marian College Ararat after finishing among the top two per cent of VCE students in the state.
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Ms McGuckian started working towards her impressive ATAR of 98.4 in 2019 while she was in year 11.
She not only completed two year 12 subjects but received perfect scores in both.
Ms McGuckian continued to excel in 2020 and said she was delighted to receive her score.
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"I was really excited," she said.
"It was a huge relief to finally have it over after two years of studying for Year 12 VCE.
"It felt like the end of a chapter because it's finally done after a pretty hard year."
Marian College principal Carmel Barker said Ms McGuckian's scores were not just a testament to her academic ability, but to her character as well.
"Bridget's a very hard worker and deserves a lot of credit for not lose momentum during this time," she said.
"It's also about resilience and those who just kept on going."
Ms McGuckian said while learning from home had been a challenge, she was content doing so because of the role it played in the state's recovery from COVID-19.
"It definitely wasn't ideal, but it was a small price to pay for the difference it made in Victoria and how well we did with getting COVID under control," she said.
"So, as much as I found it really hard sometimes to keep studying at home, it was definitely worth it we saved so many lives."
Ms McGuckian said she was also grateful for the support she received throughout the year.
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"My teachers were amazing," she said.
"Just talking to my friends online also just kept me grounded. That was the most important thing: having your teachers and your friends going through it with you."
Ms Barker said Ms McGuckian's achievement will also help create opportunities for other Marian College students.
"We've had some really high achievers the last few years, particularly in the STEM areas, and it tends to encourage the next ones," she said.
With a clear idea of what she wants to study, Ms McGuckian is now waiting to hear back from the universities she has applied for.
"I'm hoping to get into medicine," she said.
"I've just had the medical interviews to try and get in, hopefully getting into either Queensland University or Monash University."
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