Year 12 can be really tough on parents.
There are the usual requirements cooking, washing, paying the Netflix and Kayo bills and being a parental taxi; but on top of that is the pressure of the Big Year.
The combination of impending adulthood, an end to formal schooling and the pressure of school and peers to perform can make Year 12 into a pressure cooker environment, not just for the student going through it, but also for the parents trying to live with / support them.
Is he studying enough? Should she be seeing her boyfriend this Friday when there’s an exam coming? Can I remember calculus from 30 years ago to somehow help?
When the year is over, many parents share an anxious wait for Results Day with their offspring – and inevitably, thousands of families end up disappointed each year. For some, disappointment will be a 95 instead of a 97, for others it will be a 51 instead of a 70.
While ATARs are important to calculate which students will be offered a place in their chosen degree, your child (and you) need to remember that they will never be defined by their ATAR, whatever the number is.
If you are a bit worried that the score might be lower than the scores promoted as cut-offs right now, here are five points which hopefully help.
- Universities often accept students below the expected ATARs. The universities aren’t lying about their expected ATARs, they just have no way of knowing how many students will choose each of their courses. Many universities then take students below the expected ATAR for courses without much demand – as much as 20% below last year.
- Choosing a course with no ATAR or a lower ATAR can be a pathway. Students can underperform in Year 12 for a host of reasons – it doesn’t mean they won’t thrive at uni. Enrol in a no-ATAR or low-ATAR course and look into options to swap into your child’s preferred degree later on, or simply wait and specialise with a Masters.
- There are plenty of no ATAR and bridging programs. No ATAR no longer means courses are low quality. In fact some of the highest ranked courses for student satisfaction require no ATAR to get in.
- Great student support is a game change for your first degree. Even if your child can get into a course, take a moment to look at student support and how they will fit in. The course may have a low ATAR or low fees, but will your child get lost in the crowd? Check out the quality and availability of support for students early, to make sure they are setting themselves up for success, not another academic blowout.
- Choose a course, not a brand. High ranked universities are prestigious, but most of the reason they get their rank is due to factors like research and international engagement. QILT which is the only nationally recognised measure of student satisfaction, provides more of an insight into student experience, and tells the story of what your child can expect when they step on campus.
The ACPE team are well versed in identifying the best ways to support students as they transition from Year 12, gap years, or at later stages in life.
Chat to the team this week about how to support your child as results day approaches.
