ATAR scores explained: Why the Asian Studies results matter for Tasmanian students

The calculation of a student’s Australian Tertiary Admission Rank is a ticket to university placements and affects scholarship offers — here’s how it works. SEE THE VIDEO

THE calculation of a student’s Australian Tertiary Admission Rank is a ticket to university placements and affects scholarship offers — here’s how they system works.

Every Tasmanian student who studies in years 11 and 12 will receive a score for their Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE) based on the subjects they study and the marks they receive in those subjects.

TASMANIAN ATAR SCORES REISSUED

The subjects are graded according to a complex series of criteria based on such factors such as the difficulty of the subject and past results. These gradings are reviewed across the country.

They determine the maximum amount of points a student can achieve in a particular subject.

For example, a subject such as chemistry is scaled so the highest achieving students will receive a maximum of 23.4 points, whereas in a subject such as food and nutrition the highest achievers will get a maximum of 19.5 points.

Students can count five subjects across two years of study in Tasmania, which gives them an overall score in the TCE.

Their overall score is then compared with every other student and ranked in order to give them an ATAR ranking.

STUDENTS LEFT FUMING OVER ERROR

Here is how it works.

For simplicity, let’s say student A achieves 20 points in each of their top five subjects across years 11 and 12 for a TCE score of 100. Student B achieves 18 in each of their subjects for a TCE score of 90. Student C scores 16 in each of their subjects for a score of 80. Student D scores 15 in each of their subjects for a score of 75. This would mean the students are ranked ATAR order A, B, C, D.

The ATAR rankings are given in percentage terms, with the top students receiving an ATAR of 99.95.

Anyone with an ATAR of 90 or above is ranked in the top 10 per cent of students, those ranked 80 and above in the top 20 per cent, and so on.

IMPROVED EXAM RESULTS FOR TASMANIAN STUDENTS

Universities use ATAR rankings to determine who they offer university placements to.

Popular courses at Australia’s top universities such as medicine, engineering and law usually require a minimum ATAR ranking of 90 and above.

University scholarships worth tens of thousands of dollars are also offered according to a student’s ATAR.

WHY THE ASIAN STUDIES RESULTS MATTER

Because everyone is ranked according to their TCE results, if a group of students are re-scored to be given a higher TCE mark, they will be ranked higher in the ATAR percentages.

That means any student below any of the re-scored students will receive a lower ATAR ranking, while anyone with a score above the re-scored students will remain unchanged.

However, it is important to note that Tasmania’s first ATAR scores released yesterday were incorrect because of the initial error, so no one has actually lost any actual ATAR positions — they have simply been re-issued their correct ATAR ranking.

This has the potential to affect university placement offers and the awarding of scholarships.

Students in the past have missed out on university placements by fractions of percentage rankings.