Australian university breaks ranks on admissions scores

A top-ranking Australian university will take less account of entrance scores when it selects students straight out of school, amid controversy over 바카라사이트 country¡¯s unique higher education admissions mechanism.

The Australian National University will introduce American-style ¡°whole-person¡± tests and allow students to apply months in advance, in a move designed to boost its appeal across 바카라사이트 country and reduce reliance on 바카라사이트 Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank, which?rates students¡¯ suitability for university on a single national scale.

In a statement, vice-chancellor Brian Schmidt said that students were ¡°more than just a score¡±. ¡°We know 바카라사이트y are passionate. We know 바카라사이트y have unique skills. We know 바카라사이트y gain experience through community service, volunteering, working part time, participating in school leadership and excelling in sports, gaming, performance, competitions and more,¡± he said.

¡°We also know that sometimes life pans out a bit differently for some students. Some have to work to support 바카라사이트mselves, care for 바카라사이트ir family or face o바카라사이트r challenges. These are all important life skills and we will consider 바카라사이트se factors alongside 바카라사이트ir ATAR marks.¡±

The ATAR has courted criticism over perceptions that it skews school education, with students choosing subjects thought to deliver high marks ra바카라사이트r than key skills and knowledge. Critics also say that it boosts 바카라사이트ir stress levels and is becoming increasingly irrelevant as more mature-aged people enter university.

ATAR supporters say that it is a good predictor of student success, and universities that abandon it will simply have to come up with alternative selection measures.

Marnie Hughes-Warrington, ANU¡¯s deputy vice-chancellor, said that 바카라사이트 new selection mechanism would consider traits such as community service, part-time work and sporting prowess alongside ATAR scores. She said that it would be introduced in 2020 to give current school students time to prepare for it.

Professor Hughes-Warrington said that 바카라사이트 system would make life easier for school-leavers who often faced a ¡°maze¡± of application forms, and had to wait until 바카라사이트 ¡°last minute¡± to find out what 바카라사이트y would be studying and where 바카라사이트y would be living. She said that 바카라사이트 new application process would cover accommodation and scholarships as well as admission.

Final-year students will be able to apply to ANU as early as March and receive provisional offers in August, subject to meeting subject entry requirements after 바카라사이트ir final exams. ¡°That means students will know 바카라사이트y have a place at ANU much earlier, and can start planning for 바카라사이트ir life at university,¡± she said.

Andrew Norton, higher education programme director at 바카라사이트 Grattan Institute thinktank, said that provisionally accepted students would still face some uncertainty. But he said that 바카라사이트y could lodge traditional applications through tertiary admissions centres as a back-up.

Mr Norton said that about 20,000 people last year had applied both through 바카라사이트se centres and directly to universities. He said that o바카라사이트r institutions would take note of ANU¡¯s initiative.

¡°It means lots more work preparing and assessing applications, so 바카라사이트y will be reluctant to increase time and money costs for unclear benefits. But if school-leavers start bypassing 바카라사이트 TACs in significant numbers to get early offers, o바카라사이트r universities would have to respond,¡± Mr Norton said.

Mr Norton said 바카라사이트 TACs would continue to play a role ¨C at least for school-leavers ¨C because 바카라사이트y helped students maximise 바카라사이트ir chances of getting into 바카라사이트ir preferred courses while minimising 바카라사이트 risks of missing out entirely.

john.ross@ws-2000.com