As the best Irish dancer in Australia, she had a better chance then most.
But the five-time Australian Gaelic dancing champion was found dead in her Sydney home by a relative the night before her first HSC exam.
The 18-year-old's friends at Our Lady of Mercy college, Parramatta have been rocked by the tragedy, with many confronted with the news of her shock death as they arrived to sit their first HSC exam last Friday.
Many received a distressing SMS text message, which was forwarded on to many students.
It was such a shock, school friend Alibhinn Gallagher said.
Everyone at school went crazy - wailing and crying.
It was horrible. A lot of people were too upset to sit the exam. I did but I couldn't concentrate at all.
There were people crying during the test.
I got a phone call and couldn't believe it. I tried to call the house but couldn't get through.
I can't believe she is gone.
Elizabeth's mother Anne said yesterday her daughter could have become a world-renowned dance star.
She was an amazing, talented and gifted girl, she said.
Everyone just loved her. Her life was short but spectacular. She was just out there.
She came seventh in the world Irish dancing championships this year. She was just a natural dancer.
We don't know what happened to her.
We can't work out why. She had her life mapped out and was so happy.
Hundreds of tributes to Elizabeth have been posted on a dancing website.
They have come from all over the world.
Elizabeth's friends were struggling to come to terms with her death just a week after celebrating her 18th birthday.
It's so hard to comprehend it, Janelle Knowles said.
It's just a tragedy. She was a great friend and we will all miss her. She lived life to the max but it was too short.
A spokeswoman for the NSW Board of Studies confirmed all students at the school who were traumatised by the death of their colleague would be given exam concessions.
The Board of Studies is aware of the tragic sudden death of a Year 12 student last week and has been working closely with the school to give students every possible consideration during the examination period, the spokeswoman said.
The board joins with the school in asking the media to respect the private grief of students, staff and their families at this time.
Elizabeth's funeral will be held at St Michaels church, Meadowbank at the end of the week.
The family are planning on burying Elizabeth in a bright green coffin adorned with orange flowers.
Police said the death was not being treated as suspicious.
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