Demystifying the ATAR & understanding the UAC process

1. Demystifying the ATAR & understanding the UAC process The Sydney Morning Herald HSC and Careers Expo June 2010

2. What is UAC? • to Year 11 & 12 students: - provides advice and information - receives and processes applications for  uni  EAS  equity scholarships - administers and notifies  ATAR  STAT

3. What is UAC? • to Year 10 students: - provides information about subject selectionincluding prerequisites, assumed knowledge and recommended studies for uni coursesand effect of subject choice on ATAR

4. What is the ATAR?

5. The ATAR is all about POSITION • your ATAR is a NUMBER that shows your position relative to other students • for example, Ann’s overall academic performance was good enough to place her in the top 15% in the HSC ATAR = 85.00 The ATAR is a number between 0.00 and 99.95. ATARs above 30 are reported in increments of 0.05.

6. Busting the myths MYTH: My school or postcode matters. FACT: The ATAR calculation is based only on marks provided by the Board of Studies. Regional bonus points may be awarded by some institutions based on postcode areas. __________ MYTH: The percentage of students in band 6 counts. FACT: Scaling is calculated using raw marks, not HSC marks (HSC marks are aligned to bands). The percentage of students in performance bands has no effect on the calculation of the ATAR.

7. MYTH: It is impossible to get a high ATAR if you take a VET course or English Standard. FACT:

8. MYTH:If I do more than 10 units I’ll get a higher ATAR. FACT: There’s no direct cause & effect.

9. MYTH:Some courses are always scaled up … some are always scaled down. FACT: Scaling is carried out afresh each year. If the ability of the candidates changes the scaled mean will also change. __________ MYTH: I can work out my ATAR from my HSC marks. FACT: Scaled marks, not HSC marks are used to calculate the ATAR. The ATAR is not an average mark, it is a rank that indicates your position.

10. MYTH: If I choose certain courses I will get a high ATAR. • FACT: Only if you do really well in all those courses – so well that you are ranked ahead of most other students. _________ • MYTH: If I get HSC marks in the 70s then my ATAR will be in the 70s too. • FACT: An “average” student will get HSC marks in the 70s. The “average” ATAR in the 2009 HSC was 70.25. Lots of students have marks between 70 and 80, so ranks can be very different at either end.

11. Fred and Laura Course HSC mark Percentile HSC mark Percentile Biology 70 39 80 71 Business Studies 70 35 80 65 English Advanced 70 13 80 53 Mathematics 70 31 80 60 Modern History 70 24 80 63 Visual Arts 70 12 80 51 ATAR 57.80 81.20

12. The UAC process

13. step 1 – prepare step 2 – research step 3 – apply step 4 – manage step 5 – check & accept

14. step 1 – prepare •  PINs •  name •  prerequisites •  TFN

15. PINs • Board of Studies (BoS) student number • BoS PIN • UAC PIN • you need your UAC PIN and BoS student number to apply Your UAC PIN is different to your BoS PIN!

16. Name • register for the HSC and apply to UAC using your legal name. - uni enrolment - ATAR reprint Security/privacy procedures require photo ID.

17. Prerequisites • STAT • UMAT (register by 4 June, late registrations until 18 June with fee) Include your candidate number when you apply for uni. • check other requirements including subject prerequisites and additional selection criteria

18. Tax File Number • apply through school – even if not intending to work • needed for uni enrolment if choosing HECS-HELP option

19. step 2 – research •  UAC Guide •  choosing courses

20. UAC 2011 Guide • general information about the 17 participating institutions • table of courses available with last year’s cut-offs • detailed course descriptions You will receive your free copy at the beginning of Term 3.

21. Choosing your courses • up to nine courses – at up to 9 institutions • uni Open Days • choose courses that interest you, with subjects you are good at • preference-based system Changeyour course preferences later – as many times as you like!

22. step 3 – apply •  uni •  scholarships •  EAS

23. Applying for uni • APPLY online at www.uac.edu.au • PAY processing charge of $25.00 (late fee $113 + if you apply after 30 September – so apply on-time!) • LIST 1 to 9 courses in your order of preference • PRINT confirmation and payment • CHANGE course preferences at any time but check closing dates

24. Scholarships • Equity - apply online through UAC - check closing dates • Merit - direct application to uni • Commonwealth - Centrelink

25. Educational Access Schemes (EAS) • to be eligible you must:- be an Australian citizen,a New Zealand citizen, orPermanent Resident of Australia- demonstrate that your educational performance during Year 11 and/or Year 12 has been seriously affected by disadvantage arising from circumstances beyond your control • applications open early August – booklets sent to your school

26. Educational Access Schemes (EAS) • types of disadvantage:- disrupted schooling- financial hardship- home environment/responsibilities- English language- personal illness/disability- school environment- refugee status - unable to live at home

27. step 4 – manage your application  selection rank - ATAR - bonus points - EAS - additional selection criteria  changing preferences

28. Selection rank • university offers are based on a selection rank • for most HSC students, your selection rank is your ATAR • bonus points and EAS points can change your selection rank for a particular course - they do not change your ATAR • some courses have additional selection criteria

29. Bonus points • bonus points can increase your selection rank for a particular course so remember when choosing courses • universities allocate bonus points based on different criteria examples include: - subject bonus points - regional bonus points - EAS

30. Bonus points and cut-offs • Example – Bachelor of Sandology 6 applicants for 3 places 1. 89 (ATAR of 89) 2. 88 (ATAR of 83 plus 5 bonus points) 3. 87 (ATAR of 85 plus 2 bonus points)---------------------------------------------------------- 4. 86 (ATAR of 86) 5. 85 (ATAR of 76 plus 9 bonus points) 6. 84 (ATAR of 84) XX = selection rank (Course cut-off = 87) Bonus points DO NOT change your ATAR

31. Other selection criteria • tests eg STAT & UMAT • personal statement • interview • portfolio • audition

32. After you apply-Check & Change • www.uac.edu.au • view/print your Confirmation of application • check/change your contact details • check/change your course preferences • change your UAC PIN, or get a reminder • print tax invoice • view correspondence from UAC • add or modify qualifications eg STAT / UMAT

33. Change of preferences • closing date for change of course preferences for Main Round Thursday 6 January 2011 • after Main Round offers (19 Jan) can change preferences for later rounds

34. step 5 - check & accept offers • accept Main Round offer • keep options open • deferring

35. Offers • Main Round offers released 9pm Wednesday 19 January 2011 • most offers are made in the Main Round • accept Main Round offer – follow institution instructions carefully • can change preferences for next round (Early February)

36. Deferring • each institution has its own policy • follow instructions in offer letter • deferred place is guaranteed the following year • apply again direct to uni or through UAC • if through UAC, you can list other courses above deferred course

37. Summary • your ATAR will take care of itself • don’t lose your UAC PIN! • apply on time • attend university Open Days • list your course preferences in the way you want them considered – your favourites go firstDO NOT LIST THEM IN ANY OTHER ORDER! • choose a degree that you will enjoy studying