What do I do if I got a low ATAR and still want to go to university? Your NSW uni guide
While some Year 12s woke up to find they had ATARs over 90, for those feeling disappointed the Vice-Chancellors of NSW’s top universities are urging students to consider a road that may be ‘a little different’. Here’s your guide.
Education
Don't miss out on the headlines from Education. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Amid the highs of finding their names on the merit list or opening up their results to reveal a rare 99.95 rank, hundreds of NSW Year 12s are today experiencing the low of an ATAR less than the one they expected or dreamt of.
The Universities Admissions Centre has confirmed 68.4 per cent of the 57,194 students eligible for an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) achieved a rank of 60.00 or higher, leaving almost one in three school-leavers with a rank near impossible to directly enter into popular degrees with.
But for those feeling dismayed, the Vice-Chancellors of NSW’s top universities are urging students to consider a road that may be “a little different” to their classmates’.
Below is your guide to getting in to your favourite university – even with a lower ATAR.
UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY
While this university does have a range of admission pathways and programs, students who don’t meet those criteria can also consider starting a degree elsewhere and transferring in, or starting with a recognised vocational qualification.
“The ATAR is not the be all and end all,” University of Sydney Vice Chancellor Mark Scott said.
“A lower ATAR only means the pathway to a dream course might be a little different.
“Countless students every year make transitions in their university career – into different degrees and to other universities. Often students don’t discover their passions and interests until they are through the doors.”
The MySydney Scholarship and Entry Scheme offers places to around 750 students who live in low-socio-economic areas on a reduced ATAR, who also receive $8,500 a year in financial support for their studies.
UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY SYDNEY (UTS)
UTS is one of the many NSW universities that now offers a “college” for uni hopefuls with low ATARs to gain a diploma in their first year out of high school, and (in many cases) allows students to hop across into the second year of a Bachelor degree.
Formerly called UTS Insearch and now simply called the UTS College, this pathway provider assesses applications based on your HSC subject averages, not your ATAR.
“Receiving an ATAR that isn’t what you had hoped for is not the end of the road for your university aspirations,” UTS Pro Vice Chancellor Jacqui Wise said.
“I strongly recommend exploring the various all the options available before making a decision … find out about what bonus points you may be eligible for, pathway courses through UTS College, other UTS courses that you might not have considered studying and more.
“While some courses do fill up fast, universities make offers where places are available in January and February too.”
WESTERN SYDNEY UNIVERSITY
Western Sydney also has a diploma-based pathway provider - also called “The College” which provides students with a direct route to a university degree.
There are no exams or lecturers and students instead learn in smaller, workshop-style classes and there is a dedicated “Student Success Coach” on hand to support anyone who’s struggling.
After gaining a diploma through The College students can than transition into the second year of a Bachelor degree related to the subjects studied.
The College’s CEO Glenn Campbell said the “modular-style learning” now available through WSU and other unis can help guide you on the path towards a degree.
“Whether you get the ATAR you hoped or not – or maybe you’re not 100% sure of what you want to do – there’s alternative first year experiences to explore,” he said.
“You can also find courses that give you a great overview of most work destinations within a given discipline like science.
WSU also has a “True Reward” program that - if you apply before January 2 - offers entry for 2025 based on HSC results rather than the ATAR.
UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE
UON has a “range of options” if you don’t get the ATAR you wanted or don’t meet a course’s entry requirements for other reasons.
Back-up degree: This pathway involves studying another degree with a lower ATAR that you do meet the entry requirements for, and if you choose program that has something in common with your desired degree, after completing two units you may be able to apply for a degree transfer into the degree you really wanted to study.
Open Foundation: This pathway program offers guaranteed entry to over 70 University of Newcastle degrees - when you complete it, your Grade Point Average (GPA) can be converted to a selection rank (like an ATAR). Open Foundation can be completed in as little as a single semester or over two years depending on your study preference, and allows you select four or six subjects from a list of around 30.
Yapug: If you are an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander student you can complete the one year Yapug pathway program, which includes preparatory courses to gain tertiary study skills plus faculty-specific subjects.
AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY
For those who score an ATAR 50.00 (including adjustments), ACU offers one-year diploma courses including Biomedical Science, Business, Criminology, IT and Nutrition Science. Successfully completing one of these diplomas give you credit for your first year of an undergraduate degree allowing you to transfer straight into the second year.
“Our diploma students study course content that mirrors the academic concepts taught in the first year of undergraduate studies which provides them with the learning and skills they need to move into the second year of their chosen degree – it’s like a stepping stone to success,” a spokeswoman said.
For those with ATARs under 50 or who didn’t finish Year 12, ACU’s ‘Foundation Studies Program’ is designed to give students some tertiary study skills over eight months and guarantees entry to most undergraduate degrees at the end, provided you meet some GPA and English language proficiency requirements, without further testing.
Private school takes on British A-levels to bypass HSC ranking
A small group of students at one of Sydney’s priciest private schools are the guinea pigs in an educational experiment - can Aussie students master the British A-Levels, and avoid the HSC’s scaling sting in the process?
Sydney’s Newington College struck with dual lawsuits over co-ed move
A current student of elite inner-west private school Newington College is suing his school over its decision to introduce girls, while parents have moved to launch a class action over what they claim was “deceptive” conduct.