When you’re looking at the world through HSC goggles, it’s easy to think your ATAR is the most important thing ever. But the truth is it’s not the end of the world if you miss out on the mark you were aiming for.
What do those letters stand for?
A-T-A-R. Those four scary capitals stand for Australian Tertiary Admission Rank. The first thing to remember is it’s a rank, not a mark. Your ATAR (a number between zero and 99.5) ranks you against your peers. An ATAR of 70 doesn’t mean you got 70 percent. It means you’re in the top 30 percent of your year group.
Doesn’t everything depend on your ATAR?
Not everyone believes the ATAR is a reliable measure of your potential. UTS College, for example, is more interested in your subject average. This is calculated using your results in English and your three best board developed courses. There’s more about this under ‘entry requirements’ in our How to Apply Easy Guide.
Sally Payne, Dean of Studies at UTS College says, “It’s often the case that students who didn’t achieve a high ATAR will still have strong results and genuine aptitude is certain subjects. That’s why we prefer to use their average HSC mark. This way, if a student’s results were affected by scaling or personal problems, we can give them an opportunity to study their preferred course. We know this works. We’ve seen many talented students fulfil their potential and go on the achieve success at university and beyond.”
There’s always a way
Here’s what a few UTS College graduates have to say about life after a disappointing ATAR:
Tahlia: “After the HSC I thought ‘I’ve done so badly. How can I ever get into medicine?’ But there are so many ways to get to where you want to go. I’m determined to get into med school after my undergrad degree. I know it’s competitive, but I think with the skills and mindset I developed at UTS College, I can get to where I want to be.” (Tahlia’s studying the pre-med stream of Bachelor of Advanced Science after completing a Diploma of Science at UTS College.)
Gloria: “I just wanted to study Fashion and Textile Design at UTS. When I didn’t have the ATAR, I went looking for another way and found UTS College. I’m glad I chose this pathway. I got credits towards my bachelor’s degree. UTS College helped me prepare for university life and taught me to see and think like a designer.” (Gloria’s studying her Bachelor of Design in Fashion and Textiles after completing a Diploma of Design and Architecture at UTS College.)
Megan: “Your ATAR doesn’t define who you are. You might not have your best run in your HSC year, but that’s okay. There are so many ways of getting into uni. Just don’t give up hope. Find what you really want to do. Whether your passion is science, engineering, IT, or anything else, there are many ways to get there.” (Megan completed a Bachelor of Forensic Science after her Diploma of Science at UTS College.)
Enjoy some peace of mind
A Diploma of Animation Production, Business, Communication, Design and Architecture, Information Technology, Engineering, or Science could be the perfect backup plan to help you into your dream degree. We also offer pathways to Law, Artificial Intelligence, Criminology, Cybersecurity and many more. Don’t you deserve some peace of mind while you wait for ATAR day?
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