Avondale’s high graduation employment rates reflect ATAR entry requirements

Get to know the ATAR requirements for Avondale

There are a lot of things to consider during your final years of school – what career path to take, which courses to study and where to continue your studies, for instance. But one thing your focus should still be on is obtaining the best academic result you possibly can.

With talk recently around some educational providers offering places to students with considerably low academic results, it’s important to note that some published details may be “old and misleading” and various improvements have been made since certain statistics were gathered.

In response, to the report on ABC radio news earlier this month, the quality of entry and exit standards of initial teacher education programs have significantly improved over the past few years. Some of these changes include the following expectations of students looking to study education, for example:

1. A skill and personality trait assessment has been introduced to ensure those admitted into education degrees have the right aptitude and mindset for this type of career.
2. Prior to final placement in school, all students must pass the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE). This is needed in order to become a Graduate Teacher and a registered teacher and ensures graduates are in the top 30% of the Australian population for literacy and numeracy. Test yourself here. Avondale also has a custom designed literacy and numeracy test that our Teaching graduates must complete in addition to the LANTITE.
3. In 2018, a new nationally approved and validated Teaching Performance Assessment (TPA) was implemented. This thorough assessment measures a students’ ability for classroom readiness and their ability to make a “positive impact on student learning”. All graduating students will need to pass this assessment prior to graduating with a teaching degree.

At Avondale, direct entry for studying a Bachelor of Education or Teaching degrees require an ATAR of 63+ (or equivalent e.g. OP of 15 or less). Our Bachelor of Nursing, Ministry and Theology and Science degrees all have the same ATAR requirements, whilst degrees in Arts and Business require an ATAR of 60+ (or equivalent e.g. OP of 16 or less).

Avondale’s entry requirements have been at this level for many years and have not changed in response to the ABC article or by any other influence. As such, we have seen consistently high employment outcomes, often exceeding the national average. According to the 2016-2017 Graduate Outcomes Survey (GOS):

• 87.4% of Teacher Education Graduates were employed within 4 months of completing their degree
• 92.7% of Nursing Graduates were employed within 4 months of completing their degree
• 89% of Graduates overall were employed within 4 months of completing their degree. This exceeded the national average of 87.5%.

We are very proud of our highly educated, connected and passionate lecturers who get to know students by name and not just by number. We are also just as proud of our graduates who are kicking a multitude of goals since successfully graduating with a degree from Avondale.

Lachlan Rogers graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Avondale and was the first person to measure the dark decay channel in diamonds leading to spin polarisation which is an important step in understanding quantum-computing, secure cryptography and biomedical sensing. He has also pursued postdoctoral studies in Germany on Quantum-optics and completed a PHD at ANU, but it all started at Avondale.

Jacob Windle decided to study a Diploma of General Studies when he left school. He used this as a stepping stone to study Primary Teaching and graduated with a Bachelor of Education from Avondale. Since graduating he has won National Teacher of the year for innovation, leadership and development in Science Teaching. This led to an invitation to attend the NASA Space Camp in Alabama, USA.

To learn more about entry requirements for Avondale visit our website or contact our friendly Admissions team on (02) 4980 2377.