Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre sends out first round of offers to future Gold Coast pupils

The futures of many local high school graduates have been secured as prospective students accept offers of ­placements in Gold Coast ­universities

THE futures of many local high school graduates have been secured as prospective students accept offers of ­placements in Gold Coast universities.

The Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre sent out the first round of offers to future pupils yesterday morning, using graduates’ Overall Position score to determine a place in their preferred degree.

Merrimac State High School dux Caleb Cuddihy accepted an offer from Gold Coast Griffith University to study a double degree in engineering and computer science.

“That was my first preference and I accepted it,” the OP1 student said. “It feels really good and rewarding after all these years of schooling.”

Mr Cuddihy was attracted by the university’s location and potential employment opportunities provided by the double degree.

GOLD COAST SCHOOL OP RESULTS REVEALED

OP1 student Caleb Cuddihy accepted his first offer for study at Gold Coast’s Griffith University. Picture: Jason O'Brien

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“I know other people have gone from the Gold Coast to Brisbane to study, and they all ended up either not liking it or transferring to Griffith over the course of a few years,” he said.

“I’m staying at home, it’s only 15 minutes’ drive away. It will really help with study and flexibility.

“I’m looking at (employment) based on electrical engineering in the field of building machinery, or anything that allows me to utilise electrical engineering or computer science, based on the robotics and AI.”

Griffith University sent out the majority of its December round offers yesterday, with a spokesperson describing the response as “excellent”.

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St Hilda's 2019 dux Caitlin Boyle, 17, from Broadbeach Waters. Picture: Supplied

Griffith’s most popular 2020 degree applications include bachelor of education, bachelor of nursing, bachelor of dental health science, bachelor of music and bachelor of business.

Southern Cross University senior student manager Paul Robinson said the Tertiary Admissions Centre application process will make up about 10 per cent of total school-leaver enrolment figures for the start of 2020.

“Early offers have been sent to applicants in Queensland and NSW with students beginning to accept their offers now,” Mr Robinson said.

Courses that have seen an increase in popularity at SCU include engineering, marine science, environmental science, speech pathology, occupational therapy and psychology.

QTAC will send out a ­second-round of offers next month.