VCE results guide 2017: How ATAR is calculated
WE all know Study Scores are important. But how do the contribute to your overall ATAR result? And why are some studies scaled up while others are scaled down?
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THE following process is used to calculate each student’s ATAR.
All Study Scores are scaled to adjust for the fact that it is more difficult to obtain a high Study Score in some studies than others. This is NOT because some studies are inherently harder than others.
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This IS because some studies attract a more competitive cohort of students than others. Once they have been scaled, they are referred to as VTAC Scaled Study Scores.
An aggregate is calculated by adding:
● A student’s best VTAC Scaled Study Score in any one of the English studies, plus the VTAC Scaled Study Scores of their next best three permissible studies, plus
● 10 per cent of the VTAC Scaled Study Score for a fifth study (where available), plus
● 10 per cent of the VTAC Scaled Study Score for a sixth study (where available).
As described above, certain other studies (for example approved Higher Education units) may be used for the fifth and sixth contributions to the aggregate in place of a fifth and sixth study. These are described above.
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The Scores contributing to the aggregate are subject to the study restrictions described above.
The aggregate is a number between 0 and a value that can reach over 210.
All eligible students are then ranked in order of their aggregate, and a percentage rank is assigned to distribute students as evenly as possible over a 100-point scale.
All students with the same aggregate receive the same percentage rank. If a number of students are tied on a particular Aggregate the number that receives the corresponding percentage rank may increase.
Finally, the percentage rank is converted to an ATAR, which is the estimate of the percentage of the population in the relevant age group that the student outperformed, taking into account the students who have successfully completed VCE as well as those who moved out of Victoria or left school before Year 12.
The ATAR is a number between 0 and 99.95 in intervals of 0.05.
The highest rank is 99.95, the next highest 99.90, and so on. The lowest automatically reported rank is 30.00, with ranks below 30.00 being reported as “less than 30”.
The complete list of studies and VTAC Scaled Study Scores used in the calculation of each student’s ATAR is included on their ATAR statement.
in the current year (January to December).
NOTIONAL ATAR
An ATAR is calculated for all students who have successfully completed VCE
in the current year (January to December).
The ATAR is calculated using only VCAA-approved studies. These students will have completed at least four scored VCE studies at the Units 3 and 4 level, at least one of which must be from the English group.
A “Notional ATAR” is calculated for any student who differs from the above.
This includes such variations as:
● Students completing at least one Unit 3 and 4 study outside of a January to December timetable.
● IB students (an ATAR is only calculated for those IB students who complete the GAT).
● Students with interstate studies and any other variations.
A Notional ATAR is treated the same way as a normal ATAR, the “Notional” label simply indicates that the ATAR was obtained in a slightly different way. For course selection and all other purposes they are treated as equivalent.
Interstate use of the ATAR
If a student has applied to institutions in other Australian states they will be considered on the basis of their ATAR. Each state recognises the ATAR of other states as equivalent. This is achieved by the states by using a similar methodology and a statistical cross-checking process.
Interrupted study status
Applicants granted official interrupted study status by the VCAA should seek advice from VTAC about the rules and provisions in this supplement. The rules that require completion of Units 3 and 4
in the one year may be waived for applicants granted interrupted study status in the studies concerned.
Further VCE study
Students who have previously obtained an ATAR, but have undertaken further study resulting in an additional Study Score or Increment, are eligible to have their ATAR recalculated. The higher of the two will be recorded and reported as their ATAR. Ranking for courses will be based on the highest ATAR achieved. But VTAC does inform course selection authorities of all of an applicant’s VCE results, including those not contributing to their ATAR.
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