That was 10 months ago, when Jack Arnott received his long-awaited ATAR - the number that thousands of VCE students pin their hopes and dreams on.

In a world where schools feverishly celebrate and spruik results in high 90s, Jack was proud of his achievement.

"Some people were ashamed of me, saying it was bad," the 18-year-old former St John's Regional College student said.

"I was pretty excited, I got a 50, it was all right."

As more than 85,000 students prepare to sit their VCE exams, we caught up with four students who last year agreed to film the nerve-racking moment they received their results.

Jack is now completing a chef's apprenticeship at Cargo restaurant in the Docklands - training he started while in year 12.

"I'm doing what I love. At the end of the day, that's all that matters," he said. "It doesn't matter about a number."

Former Aquinas College student Natasha Kennedy has no regrets about how she handled year 12.

"You have no control over what's going to be [in the exam], you can study everything and it could still trip you out," she said.

She was among more than 2000 students who received their ATARs five days early last year due to an embarrassing technical glitch.

She resisted the temptation of opening the text containing her ATAR of 80.2 until her classmates received their results.

"In the end I didn't get as high as I thought, but I look back now and ... I wouldn't change how I studied," she said.

The Swinburne University film and television student has a few words of advice for this year's crop of VCE students. Write as many practice essays as possible, even on the most absurd topics.

"VCE prepares you for university," she said.

"You are taught discipline and how to self-motivate. When it comes to university, there are no mentors or teachers to aid you and encourage you to do your work, study for SACs [school assessed coursework] and try harder. It is all up to you once you graduate."

Former Thornbury High School student Jakob Cobby received an ATAR of 94.65, becoming the first person in his family to finish high school and enrol at university.

He's now studying law and global studies at Monash University.

"I was confident because I had worked hard but nervous because sometimes you hear of hard work not being reflected in the ATAR," he said.

He said that the VCE helped prepare him for the independence of university, although it was initially "a bit of a shock".

Lachie Collie said he was a "little bit disappointed" when he received his ATAR of 87.15.

"The waiting for a year and the combination of all your schooling, no matter what you get, it's just a scary moment," the former Brighton Grammar School student said.

But there was no need for disappointment. Lachie was accepted into the course of his choice - advertising at RMIT.

"We cover everything from graphic design and creative stuff, to media strategy," he said.

"It's all really interesting."

Does the VCE prepare students for the real world?

"No matter what you do in exams it won't apply to the real world," Lachie said.

"But the VCE does a good job of putting you under pressure ??? [it's an] experience that really grows you up."