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Come mid-July Year 12 students across Australia will receive their University Admissions Guide as they look towards life beyond the gates of school.
Big questions like whether to pursue secondary education, which university, what course and where, are just some of the major decisions involved at a time which is not only thrilling and exciting, but potentially overwhelming.
Here’s a guide to making the university selection process a little easier…
In mid-July all Year 12 students will be issued a UAC guide. This critical document outlines how to select a university course and the application process involved. Students can select up to nine courses, ordering their preferences.
This single application is then used to apply for individual courses at universities, who will assess and then release position offers to eligible students based on their ATAR and course prerequisites.
While many students have a fair idea of the future they’d like to pursue, for others the university course and career decision is not as clear cut.
If in doubt, consider the subjects that interest you and the ones at which you do well. Then factor in the activities you enjoy, whether that’s interacting with people, working with figures, writing, creating or helping others.
Take the time to investigate the fields that involve these skills. A key component of selecting your university course involves mapping out you career afterwards. So speak to people in the professions that intrigue you, asking them about the day-to-day activities, and the qualifications involved.
It’s also worthwhile to seek assistance in this research, talking to your careers advisor, your teachers and attending career expos to gain an insight into jobs.
Importantly, universities also open their doors to help you in your decision making, with open days scheduled throughout July, August and September. These open days give you information about course offerings, along with an experience of what that institution would be like to attend.
For many, university offers the opportunity to spread your wings and move away from home, but for others the comforts of remaining close to a support network like family and friends is preferred. If you are looking to move interstate or travel for university, consider how you will fund your lifestyle and education.
In addition to investigating what a university is like, research the student accommodation, support services and expense involved.
Your ATAR, or Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank, is a critical key to what courses you will be eligible to attend. Importantly this figure is calculated differently to your general HSC result.
The ATAR is a rank that denotes your position against other students in your year. It is calculated out of 100 and allows you to be compared to all other students while factoring in the variable that each individual has completed a different combination of subjects.
Universities use this rank to formulate their cut-offs, which change from year to year depending on interest in their courses, and the reputation of their organisation.
For example, to apply for Bachelor of Economics, the University of New South Wales last year required a minimum ATAR of 93, the University of Sydney required 90, the University of Technology, Sydney required 86, and the Australian National University required 86.
Meanwhile, some courses may also require that pre-requisite studies were completed in Year 11 and 12. This particularly applies to fields like engineering, medicine and health which require mathematics and science-based knowledge.
There are a host of resources available for students and parents alike as this year’s school leavers embark on this important decision making process.
These include:
For over 25 years Chalkwall has been assisting students attain their academic goals to give them the greatest option of university and course choices. You can learn more about our services here or contact us directly for further advice.
