What if my teen doesn’t get the ATAR they want/need?

As your teen's journey through high school comes to a close and the ATAR release date approaches, you may find yourself worrying about their final results.

It’s important to remember that an ATAR is just a number and doesn’t reflect your teen’s worth or value in the world. It does, however, affect how they get to university.

If your child receives an ATAR lower than they were anticipating, they may need to reconsider the programs in their QTAC preference list and/or investigate different pathways to their desired program.

Your teen may be feeling disappointed and panicked. Feeling like your dreams are slipping away from you is, understandably, stressful. But there's more than one way to access university.

This article will outline how to get to university with a low ATAR, so you can transform your teen’s exam result anxiety into one of the year’s most impressive low ATAR success stories.

Finding answers to their questions

So, your teen has confronted you with the question “I have a low ATAR, what do I do next?”, and you’re not sure how to answer. Your first point of call should be consulting the experts.

Attend an ATAR advice event

Most universities will hold ATAR advice events soon after results are released, which usually takes place in December.

An ATAR advice event will give you and your child the opportunity to speak with university admissions professionals about the best pathway to university for your teenager’s individual needs. They'll be able to offer guidance on next practical steps and clear information on what to expect going forwards.

If your teen is feeling stressed or unsure about their ATAR, it's a good idea to attend an ATAR advice event. It'll help them explore their pathway options and get connected with people who can support them on their journey to university.

How to get into university with a low ATAR

What happens if you get a low ATAR depends on how proactive you are about the situation. If your teen doesn’t get the ATAR they needed to get into their preferred program at university, the first thing to remember is to stay calm and offer reassurance. There are multiple pathways to university, so your teen shouldn’t give up on their hopes and dreams just yet.

We asked the UQ Admissions team to share with us the two most common ways for high school leavers to pursue their desired program even though they received a lower ATAR than expected.

Tertiary studies pathway

A tertiary studies pathway involves:

1. enrolling in a program that will accept your teen’s ATAR
2. completing a year of study, and then
3. applying for the desired program the following year.

This way, your teen’s entry to their desired program (the one they didn't have a high enough ATAR to get into originally) will be based on their university grades over the 12 months of undergraduate study, rather than on their ATAR if their university grades convert to a higher rank than their ATAR.

While your teen may not be studying their preferred program while undertaking a tertiary studies pathway, they are usually able to select courses relevant to their desired area of study. They may be able to gain credit for these courses and transfer them to their desired program once enrolled.

The tertiary studies pathway is often the most straightforward pathway for students who received a lower ATAR than they anticipated, but still wish to commence university study the year following high school graduation. It may add a semester or two (depending on the course credits they're able to secure) onto their overall time at university, but it means they'll be starting uni studies with their high school peers.

Bridging studies

If your teen's ATAR is significantly lower than they anticipated, they might consider bridging studies, which can improve their overall selection rank (this is the rank QTAC uses to assess their entry into university programs – it could be your teen's converted ATAR, IB, university grades, or a combination of these). Bridging studies can also help them fulfil subject prerequisites (particularly in the sciences, maths and english at UQ) for their desired program. 

Two popular bridging programs approved by UQ that will help your teen improve their selection rank are:

• UQ College's 30-week, fully funded Tertiary Preparation Program, delivered face-to-face at St Lucia campus. 
• TAFE Qld's Certificate IV in Adult Tertiary Preparation, which can be studied in-person, online or a combination of both over 6 months to 1 year, depending on whether a student chooses a part-time or full-time workload. 

Keep in mind, however, that the maximum selection rank that can be gained from bridging studies varies. If your teen’s desired degree requires a high selection rank, the tertiary studies pathway may be more suitable for them.

What if my teen's ATAR is just shy of what they needed?

If your teen is a few ranks off the ATAR they needed for their desired program, they could make up those additional ranks through adjustments (sometimes called 'bonus ATAR points'). See if the universities your teen is applying to award rank adjustments and whether they are eligible for these.

If your teen preferences a UQ program in their QTAC application, they may be eligible for a maximum of 5 adjustments. As an example, this would bring an ATAR of 80 up to a selection rank of 85 and give the applicant a competitive rank to gain entry into more UQ programs. 

When we asked the Admissions team what their number one piece of advice would be for parents of teenagers who didn’t receive the ATAR they hoped for, they were quick to offer reassurance.

“Don’t stress! There are more pathways to university than you think. Your teen might have to be flexible and change their initial plans, but they can still get to where they want to be.”