The Learning Success Blog

The 2017 New South Wales Higher School Certificate (HSC) results were released on 14th December.  For those who wish to attend a university in 2018 – or perhaps 2019 if they take a gap year – the ATARs  (Australian Tertiary Admission Ranks) were released the following day. 

For many, their efforts and high hopes will have been rewarded.  For others, feelings approaching despair in some cases! More than once I have answered knocks at my office door, fielded phone calls, text messages or e-mails saying something along these lines: “I didn’t get the ATAR I need to get into my course.  My life might just as well be over!”

This year, some 70,000 New South Wales Year 12 students sat for the Higher School Certificate.  Many of these students will have university aspirations and of those who do apply, most will receive an offer.  The offer may not be to their highest preference, although Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) statistics indicate that 70% of those who apply will receive an offer to one of their top three preferences.

Understanding the options

Young people need to understand however, that, depending on what they want to do, university is just one way to achieve their career goal. 

Do you have a child has just finished their secondary education? Or one that will be doing so in the next few years?

Or perhaps you have sat your HSC in NSW or VCE in Victoria (or the equivalent in other Australia states) a few years ago and now you want to go to University? Will your ATAR be enough or are there other pathways ways to uni?

But what is an ATAR anyway, and what does it really mean? Career Counsellor, Gordon Doyle explains in a conversation on The Learning Capacity Podcast:

Listen to the Podcast

Many students find the final year of high school can be particularly challenging.

As well as the pressure of preparing and sitting for their final exams, students can become anxious about what happens after they leave school.

The Learning Capacity Podcast spoke with career counsellor, Gordon Doyle about the most common causes of this anxiety, and what students, their parents and teachers can do to help reduce it.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

Gordon Doyle has been a career counsellor in schools and private practice for over 20 years and has seen first hand how students react to the stresses involved in transitioning from school.