ATAR result not good enough? Switch to plans B, C, D or E

As I covered previously, in the article headed ‘The ATAR disappointment—exactly how it happens’ the ATAR result of many students can be less than expected, and I outlined the reasons for this. School reports and gradings can be misleading because school assessments and comments are generally very positive, and the vast majority of children are reported as performing at an average or above average level. This is not the real world so many children will find that their ATAR result is unlikely to get them into the course they want. So they need to switch to plan B, C, D or E.

Emergency plans need to already exist

What if these alternative plans don’t exist? In December it is very hard to get any type of sensible information out of an educational institution. It’s no good speaking to the cleaner— in fact you’ll be lucky if anyone answers the telephone. Forget about university lecturers—they’re on holidays or hiding in a quiet cave somewhere trying to do some of their own research. So these emergency plans need to already exist, and this is what this article is about.

When faced with a disappointing ATAR most students simply go into a panic and choose an alternative career area, or something similar. Right at the beginning though students must realise that the university published ATAR cut-off levels are not realistic. In reality universities continue to fill courses, going down the list of ATARs, and down still farther. How far down? That used to be secret university business but a recent article in The Sydney Morning Herald by Eryk Bagshaw and Inga Tin, published on 27 Jan 2016 found that “students with marks up to 40 points below the advertised course cut-off are being accepted into fields such as business, teaching and engineering…”. This sounds like extreme magic but remember that bonus points, perhaps even up to ten points, and a variety of special circumstances, and most importantly of all the extent of demand for the course are all involved. So don’t get too excited. But things can be better than they seem, and thus students should apply for courses for which there is some hope, even remote hope, and of course take full advantage of any special pathways on offer by the university.

But even so there are limits so many students are still in trouble—real trouble. Some students think that if they for example will not qualify for a professional accounting course, they might try business studies. Nearly every student I speak to has this approach, which is the result of not really thinking things through in senior high school. Many students just mostly fish around, seeing what their ATAR will buy.

Actually serious career planning and course selection needs to start in Year 10, not at Christmas time in Year 12. Read the next article entitled “Getting your child career smart…” Here I assume that the course selection is appropriate, and the issue is how to gain entry. I put aside the viewpoint that if entry is not gained easily then perhaps the students shouldn’t be doing it.

Plan B

Plan B involves gaining entry on the basis of an ATAR which is vaguely close to the cut-off, on the basis of personal representation to the university. It is assumed here that for this course demand is such that entry levels are quite to close the university’s published ATAR figure. Now all university administrators know that within the first two or three weeks of any course between five to even 15 per cent of students will simply walk out, and some do it within the first two or three days. They have been hit with a dose of reality which violently clashed with their understanding and expectations. Law school is a good example of this—new students are half expecting to learn how to scream at judges, uncover the truth because everyone else is too stupid, and actually save the world. No, that’s not usually covered in the first few lectures. Indeed there is room in almost any course to add more students.

So our low scoring student, with a disappointing ATAR, has to approach the university faculty, perhaps speaking directly to the dean. The student then presents a case for entry based on demonstrated commitment and ability to succeed. This could be argued for example on the basis of subject scores and on successful work experience in the area—not something that you can suddenly do at Christmas time.

And how will you know about whom to see and how to go about it—well that’s a question that you ask the university lecturers during open day. Your son or daughter simply leans across the table, and says in a low anxious voice: “I don’t think I’ll get the ATAR needed—should I commit suicide?” Now most lecturers, even if they hate students, probably won’t advocate student suicide, so they may come up with some ideas. And this is where your son or daughter needs to pay attention. This is the sort of conversation that actually needs to be had with a variety of people, even including existing university students, who out of the goodness of their heart, or actually for some other reason, turn up at open day to lend a hand. You see all this takes preparation, thinking, and of course there are things like successful work experience and references to have.

Many variations of Plan C

Let’s move now to Plan C. Here the student takes a similar course, and then changes over to the first preference course later. There are many variations of Plan C. The reason this is possible is because of outstanding performance in the similar course. An example of this occurred with the brother of one of my students, whom I never taught. This boy wanted to gain entry to medicine, but was refused, and so undertook a physiotherapy course, not his first choice. But after brilliant performance, after showing what he could really do, he gained entry.

Let’s take an easier version of plan C. Another real life example, again from one of Sydney’s major universities. The student wanted to get into a professional level business course but the ATAR—which he had so this story took place in early January—was too low. Taking advice from one of the university economics lecturers on open day the student enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts course.

The entry standard for arts is lower, and there is far more freedom to choose subjects. The student gained entry and simply chose some of the same subjects being done in the business course he originally wanted. Actually the same lecturers and the same lecture theatre. At the end of the first year the student simply applies to change over to the degree course he first wanted. Done!

So plan C can be effective, very effective, but there are risks and disadvantages. The student has to perform, of course. Plan C is especially for students who are obsessed obtaining a particular qualification at a particular university.

Plans D and E—more difficult but good things can still happen

Plan D, and now we are getting more worried, but good things can still happen. This plan involves studying a ‘preparation’ or ‘foundation’ lower level course, and then transferring to the course of choice, although in reality is not that easy, and there are disadvantages. There is usually a time penalty but sometimes students can gain direct entry to the second year of the course they wanted in the first place.

Overseas students take this general approach regularly—if they cannot gain direct entry to the course of their choice they simply undertake a foundation or preparation program, usually of a very low standard, and then gain entry. It’s actually part of how universities make money out of foreign students, but we won’t go there today. Perhaps another time.

Plan E involves doing the same course but at a different university—one with lower entry standards. The student must be willing to travel. Again, using the example of medicine, students who do not obtain admission to one of the major medical schools in NSW, are faced with the prospect of doing medicine at another place, for example in Adelaide, or in Armidale. The possibility also exists of later changing to the institution of first preference, but there will always be a penalty—credit may not be given for many of the courses studied. This plan is risky, and the student must consider the strong possibility that he or she will always remain at the institution not preferred.

Let’s take two examples which could apply to Australian students. Suppose that student wants to gain entry to let’s say a business course at the University of Technology Sydney (and by the way the comma is no longer used). But suppose that the student fails to obtain the required ATAR which used to be in the 80s, and instead scores an ATAR in the 50s. Hmm, a little short. But no worries, a business diploma, or similar credential can be done through Insearch, which is part of UTS. This takes 12 or 18 months and costs a great deal of money. Last time I checked about 90 per cent of the students were from overseas. But if our Australian student works hard direct entry can be gained to the business course at the university. There can certainly be a happy ending here.

Some universities are offering a similar business course pathway, but without the high fees. Even better! One such, at the time of writing, is the University of Western Sydney. As you can see all this takes research—ideally done personally by the student, not by the parents while the students is out playing with their friends.

The TAFE option—one of the variations

Let’s take another version of this. The strategy is to enrol in one or possibly two TAFE courses in the same or similar area. Some subject areas, at some colleges of TAFE, are accredited for entry to various universities. Ironically, the same subject, taught at a different TAFE college, may not be accredited. But of course there are limitations in all this. You can only enter some types of university course.

If your son or daughter wishes to take the TAFE option be aware that the TAFE is really an alternative universe. It works totally differently from the university entry system. So if enrolment is desired in a particular course at a particular college your child must apply specifically to that college. Furthermore, the application must be done quickly. Even though the application period would extend perhaps two months, and then close, your son or daughter does not have two months to make the application. The TAFE administrators, in their wisdom, simply fill up the course, beginning with the first applications. Once the course is filled, and this might be in a few weeks, then effectively anyone else applying, even though they may be better qualified, are placed on a waiting list. So it then might be necessary for your son or daughter to enrol in the second semester, losing six months of time.

There are many other wonderful things to understand about the TAFE system, and my advice is to wait until you’ve got one or two days with absolutely nothing to do, wander down there, find the teachers’ staffroom, drag a teacher out, tie him or her up and don’t let the teacher go until everything has been explained. Asking for information at the counter is likely to lead you on a wild goose chase from floor to floor, and from building to building, until you collapse, dehydrated, exhausted, and thinking about dialling 000. I know all this because I have done it and experienced it, so good luck, you will need it. Remember, you must capture a teacher, somehow.

Special university information sessions on alternative pathways

So in summary a low or even very low ATAR is most certainly not the end of the world. There are many indirect pathways. And besides this, universities do admit students to courses with ATARs significantly below the published cut-offs. Try to get some ideas about these options before Santa sets off from the North Pole. The good news is that each year universities seem to invent even more of these alternative pathways. And the even better news is that universities themselves are now holding special sessions on this, usually on information days. All that is necessary is for students to get up and go there. And if they can’t even manage that how will they ever be successful at university. So get them out of the house.