ATAR Received – Now What?

Wednesday, December 14, 2016
4 Tips to beginning your successful Next Step

Receiving your ATAR or OP can be exciting, overwhelming and a little scary. The ATAR and OP have the power to determine the university you get accepted to and what you study. It can even determine the scholarships that you receive and are eligible for. But only you can determine your future.

Tip 1: Don’t sweat it
The ATAR is a rank not a mark. The Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) explains what the ATAR really is: “The ATAR provides a measure of a student’s overall academic achievement in relation to that of other students. It’s calculated solely for use by institutions, either on its own or with other selection criteria, to rank and select the school leaver for their courses.” The Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority (QCAA) says, “An OP is a student’s position in a statewide rank order based on their overall achievement in Authority subjects.” UAC and QCAA are good places to start if you have any questions about the ATAR or OP.

Tip 2: Get organised
Being organised about your future can help alleviate some anxiety. Have some options after you finish school. A lot can happen during your Year 12 experience right up to receiving your ATAR or OP. Some people change their mind on what they would like to study, and some are still deciding when classes start in the new year.

Be prepared for changes in your study preferences and changes in your life. Research the rules and procedures of changing study preferences but don’t be afraid to start a degree and see where it leads you. Different paths and opportunities can open up while you study and you may find your ideal course while you’re studying something else.

Tip 3: Your ATAR could get you a scholarship
If you get the right ATAR or OP it can even earn you a scholarship. At Avondale we offer the Academic Excellence scholarship for students who receive an ATAR of 90+ or an OP of 6 or less. That is worth up to $6,500 towards your degree studies over the duration of your course.

Every little bit of financial assistance is advantageous while you are studying. At Avondale we believe you should be awarded for the hard work you put in during school. Hard work and good grades should not go unnoticed. During the course of your study at Avondale there are also yearly academic prizes awarded to students who continually put in hard work to get good grades.

Tip 4: Now to consider your options
You will find across different institutions, the ATAR and OP will be different for the same or similar course. Remember not just universities offer degrees. There is a whole range of private providers and some TAFE institutions that offer bachelor degrees with the same academic quality as universities.

Avondale is one of many private providers offering a range of bachelor degrees. Our highly practical degrees allow our students to graduate with a government accredited degree, dual badged with Charles Sturt University, with plenty of employment opportunities. From the graduate survey conducted in 2015, 82% of our graduates gained employment. ATAR entry into our bachelor degrees range from 60 – 63 or an OP 17 or less.

If you want to chat further, our Avondale Admissions team are available on [email protected] or live chat them!

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Ursula Scale
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Ursula Scale

Ursula Scale is People and Culture Officer at Avondale University. She also studied a Bachelor of Arts (Communication) at Avondale. As a former a former events and marketing officer, she is passionate about sharing her Avondale experience with others.