VTAC Seminar [July/August 2014]

About VTAC VTAC administers application services for: Tertiary courses SEAS (Special Entry Access Scheme) Scholarships Admissions tests (STAT and ALSET) VTAC also: Calculates and issues the ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) for VCE students. Provides information and enquiry services including telephone, , blog, Facebook and Twitter.

Course types through VTAC VET courses Certificate II Certificate III Certificate IV Diploma Advanced Diploma Under 20 – govt. subsidised Over 20 no qualification – generally govt. subsidised Over 20 with qualification – fee determined by provider

Course types through VTAC Higher Education courses Undergraduate Advanced Diploma Associate Degrees Bachelor Masters Graduate entry teaching

Applicant groups Year 12 defined Current year 12 students Previously completed year 12 with no post-secondary studies or have post-secondary studies up to Cert III Other applicants defined Previously attempted or completed post secondary study at certificate IV or above, or Currently enrolled in Year 12 but also have cert IV or above, or Has no secondary studies and no post-secondary studies at certificate IV or above.

What to consider when reading the course entry Course types through VTAC Course codes and fees Applicant groups Selection data table Selection criteria table Prerequisites Selection requirements Additional considerations Enrolment considerations

Course entries

Top tips for reading a course entry Applicants answer the questions and they will be told whether or not to read Year 12 or Other applicant information. All applicants should read the detail to identify exemptions e.g. no CY12 has to sit STAT for Victorian courses through VTAC Only some applicants may be required to complete specific requirements or considerations Selection data – last year’s info and applies to current year 12s.

Understanding the application processes Courses, Special consideration (SEAS) Scholarships, VTAC Personal Statement

Register as a VTAC user Get VTAC ID and PIN Submit a course application Receive offer advice by Submit SEAS if applicable SEAS reviewed and ranked Complete selection requirements and additional considerations Pay processing and audition fees Submit scholarships application Receive scholarships advice Scholarship submissions are reviewed and allocated based on criteria

Registration as a VTAC User Once registered an individual can: apply for courses apply for scholarships book admissions tests change personal details change PIN access messages from VTAC view ATAR (current Victorian Y12 only)

Registration – Registration – are you a current year 12? Applicants need to verify whether or not they are currently studying a year 12:

Registration: Registration: Residency status – Eligibility to apply through VTAC?

Top tips for registration Register once Use a personal address Ensure the is correct and that VTAC s don’t go to Spam or Trash Australian address Include a four digit PIN

The VTAC User account

The course application

After you apply for courses Applicants can: view or change the course application as many times as they like – no additional fees pay the fees associated with processing the application apply for SEAS complete and submit the VTAC Personal Statement print a documentation cover sheet view your offers

VTAC Personal Statement Should only be completed if required by the course as part of: Selection requirements Additional consideration If not required by the course, the course isn’t required to consider the information.

VTAC Personal Statement Completed once a course application is submitted. Tips for submitting personal statement: Only one personal statement to address all course preference requirements Applicants can preview and edit all information on their personal statement up until the closing date. Blank forms are not accepted. Only complete if a requirement

Preference and permissions Can be changed and updated Main round deadline: 14 Jan 2015

Preference and permissions Can be changed and updated Main round deadline: 14 Jan 2015

Payment is online via debit or credit card or PayPal. Processing fees: $28.00 CY12 timely $42.00 timely $93.00 late $ very late Payment

Not just for year 12 students Allows consideration for disadvantage that has affected education Consideration granted depends on: Level of disadvantage Impact Supporting evidence Does not guarantee an offer Quality not quantity is the key We advise everyone to apply for Category 1 (it’s a tick) Special Entry Access Schemes (SEAS) – Special Consideration

Key Messages Impact on Education Short-term disadvantage Short-term disadvantage Long-term disadvantage Long-term disadvantage Evidence is the key

SEAS categories

Scholarships through VTAC Merit Access Equity Commonwealth Merit Access Equity Commonwealth Encourage all to apply Not just academic No application, no chance!

Scholarships not through VTAC Apply directly to institutions Keep checking, new ones are available continually Further information at

Impact statements and Statements of Support Prepare now by booking appointments and the like Impact statements in own words Be honest Describe the situation Describe the impact on education Statements of support Personal and linked to impact Generic disadvantage everyone Complete statements Last minute rush use the VCAA process First time you’ve heard about it? You’re not the right person for support. First time you’ve heard about it? You’re not the right person for support.

Electronic evidence Can only be collected if: The CRN belongs to the person claiming The applicant’s name is on the Benefit statement If the number provided is not the student’s, Centrelink will not release information. Include relationship with person on the statement.

Paper evidence If the document provided is not the student’s, they must detail the relationship to person on statement. If your name is included as a dependent, you must detail your relationship.

Top tips for evidence Statement of support Timeline of condition or circumstance Knowledgeable comments about the condition or circumstance Must support and reinforce the circumstances Comments on how the condition of circumstance has affected the applicant’s educational performance Impact statement Honest, heartfelt, unscripted

Admissions Tests

Admissions Tests through VTAC STAT STAT Multiple Choice – consists of 70 questions to test your ability to read and interpret information. Written English – two short essays ALSET Aptitude test that tests your ability to think critically about an issue. Only used for Deakin Law.

Other Admissions Tests UMAT ISAT VETASSESS Others as specified These are not run through VTAC – visit the relevant website for more information.

Who needs to sit? Required to sit STAT if: Listed in selection criteria Applying under SEAS Category 1 for courses at La Trobe, ACU, Navitas, Uni of Melbourne Sat the test before? STAT results from May 2010 are valid for 2015 courses. ALSET results from May 2011 are valid for 2015 courses.

Check exemptions carefully

Admissions Tests Fees STAT - $94.00ALSET - $ Check requirements carefully Terms and conditions apply to refund requests

STAT Preparation Workshop

Scaling and the ATAR

The ATAR Is not a score Is not out of 100, it is a rank between 0.00 and An ATAR of means in the top 25% of the Year 12 age group. Very few courses select only on the ATAR.

Calculating the ATAR Primary 4: English plus three other permissible scorable studies + 5 th and/or 6 th increment

With scored assessment: Treated as a ‘traditional’ VCE study Cannot choose not to sit a scored assessment to get an increment Without scored assessment: May be counted as increment Increment will be 10% of the average of the primary four How studies are used in the calculation of the ATAR: VCE VET

How studies are used in the calculation of the ATAR: Higher Education increments Can count as a 5 th or 6 th increment only Where the average mark over all the HE units awarded is: at least 90 = 5.0 at least 80 but less than 90 = 4.5 at least 70 but less than 80 = 4.0 at least 60 but less than 70 = 3.5 at least 50 but less than 60 = 3.0

Restrictions on subject use in the ATAR calculation Only one of the following combinations can be used in the best six English/English as an Additional Language (EAL) Chinese (FL)/Chinese (SL)/ Chinese SL Advanced) Indonesian (FL)/Indonesian (SL) Japanese (FL)/Japanese (SL) Korean (FL)/Korean (SL) Mathematical Methods/Mathematical Methods (CAS) In each of the study areas of English, mathematics, history, Contemporary Australian studies, information technology, languages and music: At most: two results contribute to the primary four three results contribute to the ATAR.

VFE and beyond: VFE only used in ATAR if fewer than 6 VCE or VCE VET studies available. If 6 or more VCE or VCE VET studies (scored or unscored) available VFE Block Credit will not be used. Further information is available on the VCAA website:

Scaling - Background The VCE study score is not a score out of 50. A 40 – individual performed better than 91% Middle student – study score of 30 This means a 30 in one study isn’t equivalent to a 30 in another VTAC scales studies to take into account the strength of competition. Strength of competition is measured by how well the students in that study performed all studies. Fair comparisons can be made regardless of the studies taken

How studies are scaled Scaling adjusts the study scores in each study is an accurate measure of performance across all studies. The strength of competition in each study is measured Where more competitive – the study scores are scaled up Where less competitive – the study scores were scaled down. VCE studies are always scaled in the year in which they were undertaken.

Doing studies scaled up doesn’t guarantee…

Doing studies scaled down doesn’t mean…

ATAR release to Victorian students VCE ATAR released at 7am Monday 15 December 2014 SMS Internet Mail delivery beginning next day

ATAR release to Victorian secondary providers 3pm 14 December 2014 For the primary purpose of counselling Identifying students who may be at risk The ATAR owned by VTAC and student Cannot be distributed to other teachers or staff, parents or anyone else without the express WRITTEN permission of the student New Commonwealth privacy legislation – potential $1.7m fine

Terms and conditions of release of data Prior to 10am Monday 15 December 2014: ATAR may not be used or distributed to anybody not directly involved in course and careers counselling Nobody may contact a student for any purpose including: the use of the data for marketing, promotional purposes or determining school based awards seeking permission for advising media; teachers or any other persons After 10am Monday 15 December 2014: anonymous, aggregated data may be used by the school for whatever reason they see appropriate

Responsibilities The user or person with access to CourseLink has responsibilities when: Downloading the file Forwarding the file There are consequences for breaches including: The matter will be referred to the Privacy Commissioner The immediate withdrawal of the early release of ATARs for a minimum of two years.

Change of preference and offers

Change of preference Open from 4 August – 24 October (5pm) As many times as you want No additional charges Reopens 24 November – 22 December (12noon) As many times as you want No additional charges

Other Change of Preference dates Graduate-Entry Teaching (GET) 5pm Monday 1 December Early year 12 international closes: 4pm Tuesday 16 December All other courses: 12noon Monday 22 December IB closes: 3pm Monday 5 January 2015

Selection requirements Things to consider for change of preference Additional considerations Can the course be added?

Offer rounds Offers are conditional to: meeting eligibility requirements providing full and correct information attending enrolment After receiving an offer, applicants are still eligible for offers to higher preferences Didn’t receive an offer in Early round or Round 1? Still eligible in other rounds

Offer rounds Early offers available to Other (NY12) applicants: Applied by 5pm 30 September Paid the course processing fee by the earlier payment date Applicants enrolled in a VCE are not eligible for an early offer.

Offer dates Early offers: 21 November via GET Offers Round 1: 14 January via Round 1: 19 January via Round 2: 5 February via Available from user account also from 2pm

Negotiated offers Available after Round 1 offers are made Can be used to apply for courses: Lower than the preference already offered Not included on preference list Apply through VTAC User Account

Negotiated offer status Pending While ‘Pending’ applicants can remove or submit another request for a different course. Users can only have one negotiated offer request ‘Pending’ at any one time. Approved Offered a place in that course in the next round of offers. Overrides all preferences listed on course application. Won’t be offered from that course you will not be offered a place in that course. Permitted to submit another request for a different course. Wait to be considered for higher preferences. Rejected

Supplementary offers For applicants who have given permission and: Not received an offer Great last chance option

Resources for Applicants and Careers practitioners

Resources Social Media for applicants Social media for careers practitioners

Resources Year 10 and Year 11 students

Resources: Year 12 and Non Year 12 applicants

Resources Resources – VTAC CourseSearch

CourseSearch shortlist Creating a shortlist of courses and sending them to yourself for record or the individual A shortlist facility will also enable users to shortlist courses from CourseSearch and the list or search

Application demonstrations Available from 7 August Available from:

Reminder about social media and contacts