With the new syllabus, there are new rules regarding scaling for mathematics. Let's see how this affects you.
ninjalearning.com.au
" From HSC 2020, NESA will begin reporting HSC marks for Mathematics Standard and Mathematics Advanced on a common scale. This change was introduced by NESA in part to "[disincentivise] capable students who deliberately choose easier courses for a perceived ATAR advantage". "
" The relative scaling between Mathematics Standard and Mathematics Advanced is now only determined by the cohort's performance in the common sections of the Mathematics exam, rather than the cohort's overall performance in all other courses. Due to a range of factors, the performance of Mathematics Advanced students in the common exam sections will likely be significantly better than those studying Mathematics Standard. "
what this means for those who are considering dropping to standard is that how scaling used to work ---> assessing performance of certain scores of people in maths to other subjects is now comparing maths against maths to scale on a common scale.
i.e. the common section of both subjects will be compared and then an appropriate alignment will be deducted, these scores will then be scaled.
e.g.
say that standard maths has 14/20 common section average with a 86% exam average, and those that score 18/20 in common section in standard maths are scoring 95%.
say that advanced maths has 18/20 common section average with a 80% exam average.
advanced 80% = 95% in standard exam. perhaps not the most realistic example, but you should understand what I mean.
Most likely, the scores won't match up at described above, but instead NESA will make a distribution curve, match up the distribution curve of standard to advanced, such that standard's top possible mark will not match advanced's top possible mark.
in other words, nesa has made maths standard scaling even worse with the common scale.
TLDR; take advanced maths, standard is scuffed.
@Trebla may be able to correct what I have written/provide a better explanation.
But the takeaway is that they are scaled on a common scale, but in actuality, standard's raw mark conversion into the common scale makes its overall "scaling" worse, particularly, to the high end of scores.