Sometimes, it can feel like your whole life depends on those grades that you get at the end of year 12, your Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR). This result is based on your ranking across all year 12 students in Australia, and it is used to help Universities select students for entry into their courses.
If you don’t get the ATAR that you were expecting, it can feel like your chance of getting into your dream course is ruined. But do not worry! That is not true at all.
There is no need to stress if the ATAR you get does not match the required entry score to get into your university degree, there are many different ways to help you to get a foot in the door.
Alternative Pathways
Alternative pathways are different ways to get into university and there are many different options to choose from such as:
- Bridging courses
- Vocational education training (VET)
- Foundational Studies
You can do one of these pathways if you didn’t meet the ATAR requirements for a course, you haven’t completed the prerequisite subjects for a course or if it has been a while since you left school.
A bridging course is a course at university that you can apply for, and then transfer into your desired degree after completing first year topics. Many courses at university have the same first year foundation topics, which means that if you perform well, you can often transfer your credits into a different degree.
VET courses are usually linked to specific entry pathways, and completing your Certificate III or IV could lead you into the diploma, university and beyond! This also means that you can gain skills and knowledge in your field before even entering university.
Many universities now run foundation courses that let you study for a semester to gain entry into university. In these courses, you will study english and maths, which are essential skills needed to succeed in a degree.
There are so many opportunities that will present themselves after you finish highschool, and your ATAR does not control your future. Whether you take a bridging course, a VET course or a foundation course, there are many ways to get your foot in the door to your dream career. If you don’t want to jump straight into study, why not take a gap year to really find your passion?