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ATAR
ATAR
Australian Tertiary Admission Rank
Australian Tertiary Admission Rank
The ATAR is used for selection purposes for entry into tertiary courses. It takes into account your score in Units 3 and 4 English or equivalent, as well as your best three other scores, plus 10% of your remaining one or two scores. English and the best three other scores are known as the 'primary four' studies. (Note: Units 3 and 4 of Literature and Units 3 and 4 of English or both could be in the primary four).
The minimum requirements for university entrance are the satisfactory completion of the VCE and Units 3 and 4 of English. For most TAFE courses (Diploma level), the entrance requirement is the satisfactory completion of the VCE. Some, but not all courses, have specific prerequisites.
No more than two sequences of Units 3 and 4 Mathematics and no more than two LOTE subjects can be counted in your primary four studies. If you repeat a Unit 3 and 4 study, there is no longer a penalty of 10% deducted from your study score.
Scaling (a brief explanation)
Scaling (a brief explanation)
The scores for all Units 3 & 4 studies (Year 12 subjects) are standardised so that their average is 30 out of 50, but because some subjects are harder and some easier, study scores are then 'scaled' by VTAC — the body processing applications to go to university - so that the ATAR score reflects the performance of the student. Students should not, however, expect that their overall ATAR would be affected by their choice of subjects.
Example:
Mia
Mia completed a VCE Language in German and the scaling process added 5 points to the mean of the initial German scaled score, giving her a scaled score of 36.84. As a result, her VCE Language Scaled Study Score was included in the primary four. Choosing a language does not guarantee 5 extra ATAR points. The 5-point adjustment is made to the average or means sscaled score, prior to finalising the scaled score for the language. Interestingly, German was one of only two studies which were scaled up and Mia still achieved an ATAR in the top 11% of the state.
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