Mystery mark recipients share words of wisdom as 2024 ATARs handed down
They flunked their own HSC exams over a decade ago, but these three have found success later in life. Read their pearls of wisdom for those who haven’t received the ATAR they dreamt of.
NSW
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“This is not the end.”
That’s the message three men and women who flunked their own HSC exams — only to later become a teacher, a researcher and a tech whiz — want all Year 12 school leavers to hear as their results and ranks are revealed.
On Wednesday, students will receive their final raw marks as well as their Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR), with fewer than 50 are expected to be eligible for the top score.
Afifa Fahez, Sarah Fletcher and Cameron Mitchell were a few marks shy of receiving a ‘mystery mark’ ATAR in their high school days – scores of less than 30 are grouped together and not further described in a student’s results package.
All three fought their way into university regardless, and over a decade on have multiple qualifications under their belts.
For 33-year-old Minchinbury primary school teacher Ms Fahez, memory of the exact number she received has faded, but the single mother remembers the day she opened her results “vividly”. And it was “devastating”.
“I was at home, my parents were present, I was logging in and I remember opening up the screen and getting the results,” she recalled.
“It was in the 50s range … and I remember my mum, specifically, she was devastated.”
Extended family members and her parents Zakia and Qurban – Afghan refugees who lost their own educational opportunities after fleeing Soviet invasion – placed a “lot of pressure” on their daughter to succeed in school, spending what they had on fees for a private Islamic college.
“There was a lot of that emphasis on ‘you have to go to university – you have no other choice’,” she said.
“I did put effort in at school, but not enough.”
Western Sydney University had that year established its pathway provide,r The College, which “was a godsend” for Ms Fahez who immediately enrolled, gaining a diploma in social science and transferring straight into the second year of a Bachelor of Social Science.
She graduated in the top two per cent of her cohort, was awarded a Dean’s Medal for her efforts, and has worked casual and temporary positions across a number of Western Sydney primary schools ever since.
“I haven’t struggled in the (financial) department – I’ve had plenty of work thrown at me … and I’m very blessed in that way,” Ms Fahez said.
The teacher now finds herself regularly explaining to her “intrigued” students how she was able to make success of such a low ATAR.
“When I look at (the HSC) now I think kids should take it seriously, but also, it isn’t the end,” she said.
“Even if you get a mystery mark, you’ve got so many different options now … I was basically the guinea pig for The College, but now there are so many avenues that a mystery mark means nothing anymore.”
‘MY HEART SANK’
Newcastle-based tech analyst Cameron Mitchell shares a similar story, having finished high school in 2011 with an ATAR of just 44.
“I was sitting at the computer, and I remember just looking at that score and my heart kind of sank,” he said.
“It was awful … I remember thinking I was going to get around 70, but my subjects scaled poorly … and I just felt hopeless.
“All my friends got into uni, and I just thought, ‘what did I do wrong?’”
At age 20 Mr Mitchell found his way into the University of Newcastle through the uni’s Open Foundation program and 11 years later works alongside the CEO of a Perth-based carbon credit and reforestation company.
Graduating with honours in his Bachelor of Physiotherapy and with a Masters in Environmental Management also added to his resume, he no longer regrets his poor performance in the HSC – “it’s formed me into who I’ve become today”.
With the gift of hindsight, Mr Mitchell said he would tell his 18-year-old self to “take the pressure off”, and offered similar advice for the HSC students of 2024.
“There’s a lot of hype around the HSC that there doesn’t need to be,” he said.
“The HSC is not your only hope – if you don’t get the mark you want, it’s natural to feel disappointed, but it’s definitely not the final stage.”
‘COMPLETELY GUTTED”
PhD candidate Sarah Fletcher now lives and breathes university life, juggling her scientific research improving photosynthesis in agriculture with work as a student services officer on the future admissions team at Western Sydney University.
This time ten years ago however she was left “completely gutted” when she opened up her ATAR of 51.
“(Year 12) was quite stressful because at the time I didn’t have a clear goal about what I wanted to do, so it was hard to motivate myself to study, but at the same time all the people around me were telling me the HSC is going to make or break your future,” Ms Fletcher said.
“When I got (that ATAR) I kind of panicked, I realised I needed to look at all my options … and then I found the pathways through The College at Western Sydney University.”
Entering her Bachelor of Science in the second year after successfully completing a diploma of science, Ms Fletcher then undertook a Master of Research where she met her current PhD supervisor.
“There are so many pathways into university now, even more so than when I got my ATAR,” she said.
“Even for students who get okay ATAR marks, I recommend that they look into pathways – they’re often much more supportive and have smaller class sizes.
“I’d just like them to know that the HSC is not the ‘be all, end all’ of their life, and there’s always heaps of different things that they can do.”
Western Sydney University Vice Chancellor George Williams said he regularly finds that those people who achieve the most in life are those who don’t receive the highest scores, forced to work harder to reach their goals.
“The ATAR does one thing – it’s a university admissions rank, and it’s not a true measure of someone’s ability, or their likelihood of success, or where they’re going to head in life,” Professor Williams said.
“Put in perspective – it is what it is, and I’d say to students that your best years lie ahead.”
University of Sydney Vice Chancellor Mark Scott said his institution is “full of people” who have taken paths that are “a little different”, urging students not to be discouraged if their marks are lower than they hoped for.
“As you wait for the outcome of weeks of exams, months of study and over a decade of education, it’s easy to feel as though the number you’re soon to receive will determine your future,” he said.
“Let me assure you that’s not the case.
“If you have decided to study at university, whatever the ATAR and wherever you start, you can change your path.”
UNSW Vice-Chancellor Attila Brungs congratulated school graduates on their milestone achievement, urging them to embrace “many exciting new experiences … whether it be study, work, travel, or something entirely different” while UTS’ Deputy Vice-Chancellor Kylie Readman encouraged students to “consider education as a continuous journey, and be open to a range of avenues and opportunities”.
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Originally published as Mystery mark recipients share words of wisdom as 2024 ATARs handed down
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