Some of the city’s high achievers gathered in central park to talk about their experiences with the HSC.

Domenico Favotto from Armidale High School took out the top in the state in Information and Design Technology Examination while Erin Bourke from Duval High School received an ATAR of 99.7.

Ms Bourke’s marks were high enough that she gained early entry into a pharmacy course as her backup in case she didn’t get into her preferred medicine course.

But not only were there some impressive students, but the New England Girls’ School as a whole is this year’s top ranked school in Armidale based on HSC results.

The school ranked 158 out of 590 schools in NSW according to the Sydney Morning Herald’s School Ranking List, higher than any other Armidale school.

That is an improvement of 139 ranks from last year.

But not everyone was pleased, with Callan Roff from O’Connor Catholic College saying a lot of his friends were disappointed with their results.

Mr Roff will is looking forwastudy engineering next year.

While all the students The Express spoke to plan on going to university The Armidale School’s Patrick Williamson is still figuring out what he wants to do.

“I wish I knew, there’s a course at ANU that’s a Bachelor of Philosophy,” he said.

“I just want to hang around university for like 15 years.”

Mr Williamson attained five band 6s.

On the other hand some Armidale students will be taking their next step in life abroad.

Emma Tindale from Presbyterian Ladies College and Shannon Neeson from NEGS will both be heading to school in England for a year.

More than 76,000 students sat at least one HSC subject this year.