tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/low-atars-14507/articlesLow ATARs – The Conversation2018-09-08T11:26:14Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1028412018-09-08T11:26:14Z2018-09-08T11:26:14ZViewpoints: should universities raise the ATAR required for entrance into teaching degrees?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/235347/original/file-20180907-190662-11zmcvz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">How much does ATAR matter when selecting teacher education students?</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">www.shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Shadow education minister Tanya Plibersek has announced a Labor government would raise the ATAR required for entrance into a teaching degree if elected at the next election. Plibersek said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I don’t want people with ATARs of 35 going into teaching, I just don’t.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The effectiveness of ATAR as an entrance criteria has been heavily debated for some time. Some say to improve teacher quality, we need to raise the entrance criteria. Others argue ATAR doesn’t tell us all we need to know about a person’s suitability for teaching.</p>
<p>So is raising the ATAR for teachers a good idea, or will it simply exclude potentially great teachers?</p>
<hr>
<h2>The case for no minimum ATAR</h2>
<p><strong><em>Tania Aspland, Professor in Teacher Education, Dean, Education Policy and Strategy at Australian Catholic University and President, Australian Council of Deans of Education</em></strong></p>
<p>We all want to attract and retain the best teachers and move away from the singular focus on ATAR scores. Earlier this year, the Mitchell Institute released a <a href="http://www.mitchellinstitute.org.au/papers/crunching-the-number/">report</a> which stated only one in four domestic undergraduate students was admitted to courses based on an ATAR. This does not match the message reinforced by schools, families and the media that ATAR is everything.</p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/235353/original/file-20180907-190639-1mocoxx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/235353/original/file-20180907-190639-1mocoxx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/235353/original/file-20180907-190639-1mocoxx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/235353/original/file-20180907-190639-1mocoxx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/235353/original/file-20180907-190639-1mocoxx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/235353/original/file-20180907-190639-1mocoxx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/235353/original/file-20180907-190639-1mocoxx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Many students with average or comparatively low senior secondary results also do well once at university.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
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<p>In 2014, the Teacher Education Ministerial Advisory Group <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/teacher-education-ministerial-advisory-group">report</a>, which has underpinned the raft of recent reforms in teacher education, found:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>research indicates ATAR is a good predictor of success for students entering university with strong secondary school performance, but loses predictive capability for those entering university with lower scores. Many students with average or comparatively low senior secondary results also do well once at university</p></li>
<li><p>while rankings are clearly a very good predictor of performance in engineering, agriculture and science, the relationship is low for education.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>The argument about ATARs ignores the range of <a href="https://www.acde.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/final-report-siite-project.docx.pdf">selection methods</a> universities use to choose teacher education students with the right mix of academic and personal traits. These include looking at prior experience, interviews or psychometric tests.</p>
<p>It ignores the clearly defined <a href="https://www.aitsl.edu.au/teach/standards">professional teaching standards</a> and the <a href="https://teacheredtest.acer.edu.au/">new numeracy and literacy test</a> teaching students must pass before they graduate. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-we-need-to-review-how-we-test-for-teacher-quality-95074">Why we need to review how we test for teacher quality</a>
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</em>
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<p>It also strikes at the heart of whether or not we want to provide multiple pathways to attract a diverse cohort to teach in our increasingly diverse classrooms. This includes those from marginalised and disadvantaged groups, such as students from rural or regional areas and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. </p>
<p>Teacher education students accepted with lower ATARs need to be viewed in context. They may be selected because:</p>
<ul>
<li>they have gained further experience and qualifications that supersede their ATAR, as their ATAR may have been acquired years before their university entry</li>
<li>they’re given special consideration due to personal circumstances (such as the death of a parent) as their low ATAR doesn’t reflect prior academic performance</li>
<li>as a member of a disadvantaged group, they’re granted access to a pathway course during which they would have to prove they’re capable of undertaking teacher education.</li>
</ul>
<p>Research does not support the move to mandate ATAR entry scores. </p>
<hr>
<h2>The case for setting benchmarks</h2>
<p><strong><em>Anne-Marie Morgan, Professor and Associate Dean, Teaching and Learning at the University of New England</em></strong></p>
<p>ATARs provide a visible measure of standard to the public, prospective students and their families. They’re also used by politicians as an indicator of confidence in producing quality teachers. But the reliance on ATAR levels as a predictor of success is insufficient on its own, and is tied up <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0161956X.2018.1449800?scroll=top&needAccess=true&journalCode=hpje20">with complex equity issues</a> around location (especially for regional and rural students), socioeconomic status, family dynamics and unequal access to educational opportunities. </p>
<p>In the Teacher Education Ministerial Advisory Group <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/teacher-education-ministerial-advisory-group">report</a> which has guided national education policy on initial teacher education, the relationship between ATARs and student success in education courses was acknowledged to be low, and is the reason why other processes are included for entry, within programs and at graduation.</p>
<p>There is <a href="https://researchoutput.csu.edu.au/en/publications/predicting-the-academic-achievement-of-first-year-pre-service-tea">research</a> that indicates an ATAR of 70 supports successful outcomes. It found ATAR scores were significant, but scores on a scale which measured motivation and engagement were a much stronger predictor of first year marks results. This indicates students’ motivation and how they’re taught in their first year are more important than ATAR, but so is setting an appropriate benchmark for ATAR, for students who enter using this pathway. </p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/235351/original/file-20180907-190662-170q4rc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/235351/original/file-20180907-190662-170q4rc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/235351/original/file-20180907-190662-170q4rc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/235351/original/file-20180907-190662-170q4rc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/235351/original/file-20180907-190662-170q4rc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/235351/original/file-20180907-190662-170q4rc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/235351/original/file-20180907-190662-170q4rc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Setting an ATAR benchmark is prudent, while also allowing for other entry pathways.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
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</figure>
<p>UNE currently has an ATAR requirement of 77 for its education courses. Historically, competition for places in our teacher education programs has justified this level. This is higher than most NSW and interstate universities. </p>
<p>We are currently considering lowering this to 70 in line with confidence in our students’ results, the literature, and to open opportunities for teaching to a wider range of students and to compensate for pathways lost through changes such as removal of Principals’ recommendations of year 12 students considered to have the right attributes for teaching.</p>
<p>The Victorian state government currently requires an ATAR of 65 for teaching courses, which will be <a href="https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/raising-the-bar-top-30-per-cent-of-students-for-teaching/">raised to 70</a> in 2019. This will be done so teacher education students in Victoria are from the top 30% of year 12 graduates, but there are also opportunities in this policy for entrance pathways other than ATAR.</p>
<p>So, setting an appropriate ATAR benchmark is prudent, while also ensuring there are other entry pathways that uphold our commitment to equity of access. The programs we provide, and how we teach students are other critical factors in ensuring we prepare great teachers.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-get-quality-teachers-in-disadvantaged-schools-and-keep-them-there-71622">How to get quality teachers in disadvantaged schools – and keep them there</a>
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<h2>Tania Aspland</h2>
<p>I appreciate that we are both largely on the same page that the best research doesn’t supports the case for minimum ATARs. Setting minimum ATARs may make the public feel more confident, but that confidence stems largely from perceptions based on the narrow focus on ATARs by public figures. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/should-we-scrap-the-atar-what-are-the-alternative-options-experts-comment-55501">Should we scrap the ATAR? What are the alternative options? Experts comment</a>
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<p>I also appreciate the valuable contributions made by the diverse range of great teachers who have have come into teacher education through different pathways and graduated with high professional academic standards. </p>
<h2>Anne-Marie Morgan</h2>
<p>We agree on the conclusion that the research to date does not support the obsession with ATARs as the only source for entry to an initial teacher education course. But it will be important to continue to collect data to demonstrate this conclusion, and to show how both other entry pathways <em>and</em> what happens during a student’s preparation to be a teacher influence their chances of success, and suitability to be a great teacher.</p>
<p>As Tania says, governments, communities, parents, teacher educators, and the wider community all want to attract and retain the best teachers. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/your-atar-isnt-the-only-thing-universities-are-looking-at-93353">Your ATAR isn't the only thing universities are looking at</a>
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<p>Our teachers are recognised as some of the best in the world. We should continue to provide opportunities for our teachers to come from diverse communities and backgrounds to work with children who are also diverse. We need to talk about the complexity of the profession and the needs of students in more nuanced terms.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/102841/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Anne-Marie Morgan is the Immediate Past President of the Australian Federation of Modern Language Teachers Associations (AFMLTA) and consults for this association with government and education departments. She is also a member of ALEA, LCNAU and PETAA. Anne-Marie receives funding from the Western Australian Department of Education to develop an online Indonesian program and one from DFAT to work with Presidents of Philippines Normal (education) universities.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tania Aspland does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Some universities accept students into their teaching degree programs with an ATAR as low as 35. Do we need to raise the bar, or are other factors more important than a high ATAR for teachers?Anne-Marie Morgan, Professor and Associate Dean, Teaching and Learning, Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, and Education, University of New EnglandTania Aspland, Professor in Teacher Education and Dean, Education Policy and Strategy, Australian Catholic UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/881522017-12-15T01:43:02Z2017-12-15T01:43:02ZSo you’ve got your ATAR, now what? Here are some options<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/199344/original/file-20171215-16428-3p3xwd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Regardless of your ATAR, it's important to keep vocational pathways in mind, not as a lesser option, but as a way of getting experience in an industry you're interested in. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Over the last week, year 12 students around the country received their Australian Tertiary Admissions Ranking (<a href="http://www.uac.edu.au/atar/">ATAR</a>). For many students, these results are accompanied by celebration and relief. </p>
<p>However, for those whose results are not what they were expecting or hoping for, there may be frustration and disappointment. </p>
<p>The release of ATAR results is a chance for all students who have put in a preference to study at university in 2018 to review their preferences, and think about where they want to go.</p>
<h2>Why do students receive an ATAR?</h2>
<p>The ATAR is a ranking used by universities to sort potential students for admission to their courses. </p>
<p>The ATAR has support from many experts and universities for three main reasons:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>it’s an efficient way to sort students quickly for admission to high demand courses</p></li>
<li><p>it uses a student’s final year subject scores, which makes it reasonably reliable</p></li>
<li><p>it’s fairly transparent, in that students can see what the minimum “cut off” score was for a particular course for the previous year. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>But there have been a number of complaints in recent times.</p>
<p>First, there’s <a href="https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/publications/completing-university-in-a-growing-sector-is-equity-an-issue/">evidence</a> the ATAR is not equitable for disadvantaged students. It’s well regarded ATAR results are biased toward high socio-economic students. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/should-we-scrap-the-atar-what-are-the-alternative-options-experts-comment-55501">Should we scrap the ATAR? What are the alternative options? Experts comment</a>
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<p>Second, universities have been <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/nsw-universities-taking-students-with-atars-as-low-as-30-20160125-gmdvr6.html">accused</a> of gaming the system by admitting students below the published cut off scores. </p>
<h2>What to do now you have your ATAR</h2>
<p>Whether you got the score you were hoping for or not, it’s important to keep in mind the ATAR is just one measure you will receive in your life. It does not determine your <a href="https://www.vu.edu.au/sites/default/files/cses/pdfs/the-academic-performance-of-first-year-students-at-VU-by-entry-score-and-SES-2009-2013.pdf">future grades</a>. </p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/atar-found-to-be-a-poor-predictor-of-how-well-students-do-at-uni-41677">ATAR found to be a poor predictor of how well students do at uni</a>
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<p><strong>Consider all of your options</strong></p>
<p>If you have your heart set on attending a particular university, the first step is talking to the admissions office. A number of universities now offer bridging programs for students who are not eligible for direct entry.</p>
<p>For example, if you wish to study Engineering at Monash University, you may be eligible to apply for <a href="https://www.monash.edu/engineering/future-students/how-to-apply/pathways-to-monash-engineering">Monash College</a>. Students who are successful in that program are guaranteed entry into the second year of the Bachelor of Engineering degree.</p>
<p><strong>Have a look at different institutions</strong></p>
<p>There are two main options if you’re set on a particular course:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>look at different institutions to see if they offer a similar course</p></li>
<li><p>look at different types of qualifications that match your interests.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>The tertiary education landscape has more options than ever before. There’s no longer a neat distinction between what is offered at TAFEs and universities. </p>
<p>Just as many universities now offer Advanced Diplomas and online credentials, many TAFE providers now offer industry-focused training that may be a bridge to employment, or to further study.</p>
<p><strong>Most of all, the ATAR is just one measure</strong></p>
<p>University isn’t the best option for everyone straight out of school. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01596306.2016.1173650">Studies</a> have shown <a href="https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/reigniting-higher-education-admissions-reform">many students</a> choose a university pathway because they feel they’re expected to, not because they really want to pursue that field. Too often, <a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/review_of_the_demand_driven_funding_system_report_for_the_website.pdf">these students don’t complete their degrees</a>. </p>
<p>In Australia, a large number of university places are supported through the <a href="http://studyassist.gov.au/sites/studyassist/helppayingmyfees/csps/pages/commonwealth-supported-places">Commonwealth Supported Places</a> scheme. Recently, there’s been significant pressure placed on universities to improve completion rates, particularly for young people admitted with ATARs below 60.</p>
<p>Regardless of your ATAR, it’s important to keep vocational pathways in mind, not as a lesser option, but as a way of getting experience in an industry you’re interested in. </p>
<p>The premium placed on university entrance has been said to have contributed to a <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-30/concern-over-trade-skills-shortage-as-university-enrolments-rise/9210254">skills shortage</a> in many industries. Many of these industries offer <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-29/university-students-dropping-out-in-record-numbers/9203636">good prospects</a> for employment and personal growth into the future.</p>
<h2>Does the ATAR have a future in university admissions?</h2>
<p>There’s a lot of misinformation about what future employers look for in graduates. Recent <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/mapping-australian-higher-education-2014-15/">research</a> shows most employers aren’t particularly concerned about what institution you went to. </p>
<p>Many industries are relying <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ryancraig/2016/10/01/competency-based-hiring-10-signals-the-shift-is-happening/#10c5758b14b0">less and less</a> on formal qualifications and more on relevant experiences, a good fit with their culture, and characteristics like <a href="http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_FOJ_Executive_Summary_Jobs.pdf">emotional intelligence</a>.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/demand-for-people-skills-is-growing-faster-than-demand-for-stem-skills-86754">Demand for people skills is growing faster than demand for STEM skills</a>
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<p>With the release of this year’s result, high profile CEOs such as <a href="https://twitter.com/toddsampsonOz/status/941078168689041408">Todd Sampson</a> have hit out against the ATAR, suggesting factors such as the ability to make a difference are more important than scores.</p>
<p>It’s worth keeping in mind a young person graduating school today is <a href="https://www.fya.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/The-New-Work-Mindset.pdf">likely</a> to have around 17 changes in employers across five different careers. </p>
<p>As a graduating student in 2017, it’s also likely you’ll have multiple recurrent interactions with different types of education. Undergraduate university entrance is just one of those possibilities.</p>
<p>Receiving your high school certificate is a huge achievement that should be celebrated. </p>
<p>While there’s a tendency for the media to focus on the ATAR, it’s important to remember it’s just one number, and it doesn’t determine where you will go in the future.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/88152/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Shane Duggan receives funding from the Australian Government, Department of Education and Training. </span></em></p>Students should consider all their options and remember the ATAR is just one measure that doesn’t necessarily dictate how well they will do in future.Shane Duggan, Vice Chancellor's Postdoctoral research fellow, RMIT UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/584142016-05-01T19:53:26Z2016-05-01T19:53:26ZA more transparent university admissions process? Here’s what we should be talking about<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/120657/original/image-20160429-20160-g4xeuo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">In 2014, less than a third of undergraduates were offered a university place on the basis of their ATAR score alone. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>It’s been a tough year for the Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR). </p>
<p>First, a <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/nsw-universities-taking-students-with-atars-as-low-as-30-20160125-gmdvr6">Fairfax Media investigation</a> showed that large numbers of students are being admitted to university programs with scores well below the cut-off. </p>
<p>Then, federal Education Minister <a href="http://www.senatorbirmingham.com.au/Media-Centre/Media-Releases/ID/2951/New-member-directions-for-Higher-Education-Standards-Panel">Simon Birmingham told</a> the Higher Education Standards Panel that he is keen to explore “greater transparency measures” in university admissions processes.</p>
<p>Perhaps unsurprisingly, Birmingham’s call has won support from <a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/group-of-eight-8-move-for-transparency-on-admissions/news-story/ac1ad28787027a5e7a477abbca03286d">Group of Eight (Go8) universities</a>, with University of New South Wales vice-chancellor Merlin Crossley <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/comment/university-admissions-aim-to-level-the-playing-field-says-unsw-20160412-go4f0m.html">suggesting</a> that the ATAR is, at best, a “finishing-line photo” of a student’s future ability. </p>
<p>It is worth noting, however, that according to the Fairfax investigation, Go8 universities were among those that offered the <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/nsw-universities-taking-students-with-atars-as-low-as-30-20160125-gmdvr6.html">fewest places</a> below published cut-offs.</p>
<h2>Transparency really about choice?</h2>
<p>In the minister’s <a href="http://www.senatorbirmingham.com.au/Media-Centre/Media-Releases/ID/2951/New-member-directions-for-Higher-Education-Standards-Panelhttp://www.senatorbirmingham.com.au/Media-Centre/Media-Releases/ID/2951/New-member-directions-for-Higher-Education-Standards-Panel">own words</a>, there is a need to “ensure that Australian students are provided real information on what they need to do to be admitted to a course at a particular institution”. </p>
<p>However, the language of transparency obscures pressing truths for the young people in our university system.</p>
<p>It masks the reality that the young people <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/comment/we-need-to-scarp-the-atar-as-the-main-judge-of-student-potential-20160127-gmf87v.html">most likely to be admitted</a> below the published cut-off are also often the most disadvantaged. </p>
<p>It ignores recent <a href="https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/publications/completing-university-in-a-growing-sector-is-equity-an-issue/">research</a> highlighting how these young people are also the most likely to face irregular study patterns and that this reduces their eligibility for many courses. </p>
<p>It disregards that for those outside all but the most prestigious sandstone institutions, there is a depreciating return for these students in particular around <a href="https://theconversation.com/ideas-for-australia-degrees-are-more-necessary-than-ever-before-but-the-rewards-arent-as-great-56912">how useful many degrees are</a>. </p>
<p>It neglects that, in 2014, <a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/hesp_admissions_transparency_consultation_paper_april_2016.pdf">under one-third</a> of all undergraduate offers were made on the basis of ATAR alone. </p>
<p>The moniker of “greater choice” is less useful for many of these students, as their “choice” is already hamstrung by myriad social and economic factors.</p>
<p>Birmingham’s use of transparency here is code for making judgements about the capacity of those who are admitted to university degrees. </p>
<p>It mobilises the logic of the market as a fix-all for the continued <a href="https://theconversation.com/which-students-are-most-likely-to-drop-out-of-university-56276">poor retention</a> rates among those most vulnerable in our university sector. <a href="http://www.voced.edu.au/content/ngv%3A11782">It isn’t</a>, and it won’t be.</p>
<h2>A post-ATAR world</h2>
<p>Greg Craven, vice-chancellor of Australian Catholic University, has <a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/call-for-transparency-in-postatar-world/news-story/57f2e146863665b556c3f61e3ecba1ff">suggested</a> that we live in a “post-ATAR environment”. </p>
<p>In 2014, special entry or non-ATAR admissions made up 30% of those offered to school leavers.</p>
<p>There are countless institution-specific variations of these in place across the country. </p>
<p>Most are focused on providing access for particular equity groups. These are relatively effective at raising participation among target groups, though it is <a href="http://www.voced.edu.au/content/ngv%3A11782">generally agreed</a> that more could reasonably be done to support these young people once they have been admitted.</p>
<p>A smaller number of special entry and <a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/wa-unis-agree-maths-bonus-adds-up/news-story/10d888eea7c7574812744c2193b19b54">bonus point</a> schemes also exist for students studying in particular subject areas.</p>
<p>However, non-ATAR schemes are commonly <a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/atar-bonus-schemes-misunderstood-nsw-uni-chiefs/news-story/80cee1a52046b88770e22fe7e40f9624">misunderstood</a>. Perhaps most significantly, young people’s access to them too often hinges on the quality of individual <a href="https://cica.org.au/wp-content/uploads/CICA-Infographic-A-Snapshot-of-Career-Practitioners-in-Australia-2.pdf">careers counsellors</a> in schools.</p>
<p>A souped-up version of the now-redundant MyUniversity website for comparing university courses — which seems to be the <a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/hesp_admissions_transparency_consultation_paper_april_2016.pdf">minister’s preference</a> — won’t address these issues.</p>
<p>With the continued fallout from the Fairfax investigation, there are calls for non-ATAR admission measures to be extended well beyond those identified above. </p>
<h2>Re-thinking admissions</h2>
<p>Some have proposed the entire ATAR be <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/comment/we-need-to-scarp-the-atar-as-the-main-judge-of-student-potential-20160127-gmf87v.html">scrapped</a>. In partnership with a local university, at least one school has <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/school-dumps-cutthroat-vce-ranking-20160226-gn4gk0.html">already done so</a>.</p>
<p>It’s sensible for minister Birmingham to call for a review of admission processes and the place of ATARs in these. But it is unclear how this will interface with the anticipated increase in <a href="https://theconversation.com/government-still-wants-to-increase-students-contribution-to-university-funding-56041">student contributions</a> in this week’s budget.</p>
<p>However, we need to ensure we are having the right debate around the transparency of admissions processes, and the readiness and capacity of those who are admitted.</p>
<p>A sensible debate around transparency would focus on the quality of <a href="https://theconversation.com/careers-education-must-be-for-all-not-just-those-going-to-university-49217">careers advice</a> in schools that young people receive for making decisions about tertiary pathways. </p>
<p>A sensible debate around capacity would include an <a href="http://www.mitchellinstitute.org.au/reports/educational-opportunity-in-australia-2015-who-succeeds-and-who-misses-out/">expansive view</a> of the factors that limit young people’s ability to engage in education, and it would enshrine <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/comment/ranking-the-best-and-brightest-for-varsity-intake-no-simple-operation-20151218-glqy2t.html">principles of equity</a> in the selection of students and ongoing support provided to them.</p>
<p>We should be talking about what makes students <a href="https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/why-atar-averages-are-poor-measures-of-school-performance">ready</a> for tertiary study. These measures must form the basis of an open and equitable admissions process for all young people. Such a system must also expand the support provided to those admitted through equity measures throughout their degrees. </p>
<p>It sorely remains to be seen if either side of government is up to the task.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/58414/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Shane Duggan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The government wants to make the university admissions process more transparent as a way to provide greater choice. But this fails to recognise how the system currently works.Shane Duggan, Lecturer in Youth Studies and Teacher Education, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/555012016-03-02T19:02:09Z2016-03-02T19:02:09ZShould we scrap the ATAR? What are the alternative options? Experts comment<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/113325/original/image-20160301-4110-2r690m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Should universities ditch the ATAR and use other ways to select students onto courses?</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>The value of the ATAR is being called into question. Many Australian vice-chancellors have urged for the university admission system to be <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-universities-can-redress-inequality-55158">scrapped</a>, saying it’s <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/universities-move-away-from-clearlyin-atars-20160119-gm98lh.html">“meaningless”</a> and <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/lets-end-the-atar-says-unsw-vc-ian-jacobs-20160127-gmerue.html">“too simplistic”</a>.</em></p>
<p><em>Universities set an ATAR cut-off according to what they believe is the minimum academic standard required to complete a course. But a <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/nsw-universities-taking-students-with-atars-as-low-as-30-20160125-gmdvr6.html">Fairfax Media investigation</a> revealed that some universities were selecting students with much lower ATARs than required – as low as 30 in some cases – raising questions about the ethics behind enrolling students with such low scores.</em></p>
<p><em>But is scrapping the ATAR the answer? Does it really penalise disadvantaged students? And what are the alternative options? The Conversation speaks to experts from across the sector to debate how best to select students.</em></p>
<hr>
<h2>The ATAR system is efficient but doesn’t highlight students’ full potential</h2>
<p><strong>Andrew Harvey, director of access and achievement research unit, La Trobe University</strong> </p>
<p>Admissions processes typically aim to meet four principles: efficiency, transparency, equity, and <a href="http://aed.sagepub.com/content/58/2/167">predictive validity</a>. The main advantage of ATAR is its efficiency. For courses of high demand, sorting rankings is a lot quicker than sifting through hundreds of portfolios or interviews. </p>
<p>ATAR itself is fairly transparent, but universities game the system by publishing a high ATAR cut-off and then <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/nsw-universities-taking-students-with-atars-as-low-as-30-20160125-gmdvr6.html">accepting many students on different criteria</a>. The equity of ATAR is limited, with a well-known bias towards high socio-economic students. Subject selections and weightings influence the ranks in ways that many students do not understand. </p>
<p>Finally, ATAR is a moderately good predictor of success, particularly at the extremes. However, many students have potential not captured in the rank, and many outperform their rank once at university.</p>
<p>Alternative admissions schemes are growing rapidly. Notably, several universities now provide early offers to school students based on principal recommendations. While such schemes often appear more equitable in isolation, there is a risk to efficiency and transparency at a system level. </p>
<p>Students and their parents now have to navigate multiple admissions schemes at multiple universities. Reform needs to focus on the students rather than just the institutions. </p>
<h2>There is little evidence to suggest that a more flexible model is more reliable than ATAR</h2>
<p><strong>Andrew Norton, higher education program director, Grattan Institute</strong></p>
<p>In the US, school leavers often need much more than their school results when applying for university. Many sit <a href="https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat">standardised admission tests</a> and submit personal statements to multiple universities. </p>
<p>In Australia, students can apply for <a href="http://www.actac.edu.au/">many courses</a> at once using <a href="http://www.vtac.edu.au/results-offers/atar-explained.html">ATAR</a>, which just re-uses school results. It’s a very efficient system for students and universities, if it selects well. At the higher levels, ATAR <a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/documents/completion-rates-domestic-bachelor-students-2005-2013-cohort-analysis">robustly predicts</a> course completion. Less than 10% of 90+ ATAR students drop out. </p>
<p>Auditions and specialised aptitude tests are sometimes used, but 95% of 90+ ATAR students are admitted based on secondary school results (which can include more than ATAR). </p>
<p>ATAR can under-state a student’s true potential. But history suggests that for people with ATARs below 60, <a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/documents/completion-rates-domestic-bachelor-students-2005-2013-cohort-analysis">four or more </a>of every 10 don’t complete. </p>
<p>Universities are offering alternatives to ATAR, from <a href="http://www.uac.edu.au/stat/">admissions tests</a> to <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/school-dumps-cutthroat-vce-ranking-20160226-gn4gk0.html">including personal characteristics</a> in admission decisions. About 30% of under-60 ATAR students are admitted based on something other than secondary education. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, universities rarely provide evidence that these alternatives predict success more reliably than ATAR. The <a href="http://www.teqsa.gov.au/">higher education regulator</a> needs to check that universities are genuinely helping students make good post-school choices.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/113465/original/image-20160301-31020-1hmd7is.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/113465/original/image-20160301-31020-1hmd7is.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/113465/original/image-20160301-31020-1hmd7is.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/113465/original/image-20160301-31020-1hmd7is.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/113465/original/image-20160301-31020-1hmd7is.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/113465/original/image-20160301-31020-1hmd7is.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/113465/original/image-20160301-31020-1hmd7is.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">ATAR can under-state a student’s true potential.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Grades for subject areas should replace a single overall score</h2>
<p><strong>Gabrielle Matters, principal research fellow, ACER</strong></p>
<p>The construction of a single rank order of all students seeking entry to a university course is a peculiarly Australian practice. </p>
<p>Universities around the world use students’ senior secondary results in their selection processes rather than attempting to construct a single ranking (such as ATAR) that is devised from the combining subject results.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.acer.edu.au/queensland-review">Research by ACER</a> argued that a ranking that masks performance in specific subjects should not be used for all applicants for all courses. </p>
<p>Rather, students should be selected on the basis of evidence relevant to individual courses (including the possibility of specifying prerequisites and giving preferential weighting to results in subjects or particular relevance to a university course).</p>
<p>ACER recommended that the universities get students’ results on a fine scale (not ABC like the middle of last century but 1 to 60) and universities use these rather than a general measure like the ATAR. The universities could then look at results in specific subjects that match the demands of a particular course.</p>
<p>For high-demand courses, universities could produce a simple ranking of applicants,
rankings tailored to the nature of the course. For example if only three subjects, English, high-level mathematics and physics were required for engineering, students who applied to enter engineering would be ranked on the basis of their three subject scores (from 180 to 0).</p>
<h2>Scrapping the ATAR would improve equality in universities</h2>
<p><strong>Tim Pitman, researcher at Curtin University</strong></p>
<p>Scrapping the ATAR could be an important step towards ensuring that both the quality and equality of our higher education sector is improved. The use of any single test, number or calculation as a definitive measurement of academic readiness, or merit, is fundamentally flawed. </p>
<p>The trap to avoid would be searching for a “superior” replacement – as in just one or even a preferred one - but to use a wide range of diagnostic tools to select students. </p>
<p>What counts as fairer depends on the particular course, plus how much competition and how many places are available, plus social agendas of trying to target particular students. </p>
<p>Ultimately, however, the answer to the question “what is the best way of selecting students?” does not lie in more precise assessment by the universities, but in delivering higher-quality education on a needs basis in the primary and secondary years. This was a fundamental message delivered in the 2011 Review of Funding for Schooling (aka the Gonski). </p>
<p>Another was that until a society has equality of education at the compulsory level, there will be continued need to provide some form of special access to higher education for specific groups of disadvantaged students.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/55501/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrew Harvey receives funding from the Australian Government Department of Education through the National Priorities Pool, to lead a research project on The Adaptation of Australian Tertiary Admissions Practices to Growth and Diversity. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Gabrielle Matters co-led with Geoff Masters a 12-month review into the assessment and tertiary entrance processes for ACER which was funded by the Newman through a public tender process.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tim Pitman receives funding from The Australian Government Department of Education and Training to lead a research project on the use of Enabling Programs as an alternative pathway to higher education studies.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrew Norton does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The ATAR system is cheap and efficient, but it means students are selected to go to university on the basis of a single score which some have claimed is too simplisitc. Is it time for a new system?Andrew Harvey, Director, Access and Achievement Research Unit, La Trobe UniversityAndrew Norton, Program Director, Higher Education, Grattan InstituteGabrielle Matters, Adjunct professor (faculty of education) at the Queensland University of Technology; principal research fellow (assessment and psychometric research), Australian Council for Educational ResearchTim Pitman, Researcher, Curtin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/491382015-10-27T19:18:03Z2015-10-27T19:18:03ZFour barriers to higher education regional students face – and how to overcome them<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/99267/original/image-20151022-15424-17rlhp6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Regional students won’t necessarily be able to access the course they want to study. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">www.shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Regional students face major challenges studying in higher education. While over the past five years overall <a href="http://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/review_of_the_demand_driven_funding_system_report_for_the_website.pdf">numbers have increased</a>, regional students remain underrepresented in Australian universities.</p>
<p>So why is it so tough for regional students? What are the main obstacles and how can we tackle these issues?</p>
<p>Here’s what the research tells us: </p>
<h2>Smaller campuses and less choice</h2>
<p>Regional universities have been established to bring higher education to regional Australia, recognising the importance of local delivery. </p>
<p>While regional universities maintain high levels of student <a href="http://www.qilt.edu.au/">satisfaction and strong employment outcomes</a>, regional campuses servicing smaller population catchments cannot offer the breadth of courses that are available in major cities. </p>
<p>Getting those regional school leavers with high grades to stay in regional areas is also a challenge. These students tend to <a href="http://m.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/melbourne-uni-study-finds-spend-effect-can-cost-students/story-e6frgcjx-12267163603540">move to the city</a> to pursue courses with entry cut-offs that match their ATAR grade. Greater competition for courses in major cities generally results in higher thresholds for entry.</p>
<h2>Cost of living</h2>
<p>Even when a campus is nearby, many students will need to relocate, commute long distances, or undertake distance education to access their course of choice. </p>
<p>Distance education has always played a role in regional higher education, but recent work highlights that students who study online are <a href="http://research.acer.edu.au/higher_education/43/">less likely to complete their degrees</a>. </p>
<p>For those who relocate, <a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/campaign-to-give-rural-students-greater-support/story-e6frgcjx-1227567913997">cost-of-living expenses are a major barrier</a> and are shouldered by communities where wages are on average lower and capacity to pay is constrained.</p>
<p>As a guide to what these living costs are, the Australian government requires <a href="https://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/global/live-in-australia/living-costs">international students to demonstrate funds of around $18,600 per year</a> to meet costs of living. </p>
<p>For Australian students over the age of 18 who live away from home, the full rate of Youth Allowance paid <a href="http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/enablers/centrelink/youth-allowance/payment-rates">is around $426 per fortnight</a>, equating to $11,000 per year. This amount begins to taper when annual parental income exceeds around $51,000. </p>
<p>Clearly there is a significant gap between what is considered a minimum cost of living for international students and the full rate of student income support. </p>
<p>For regional students transitioning to residential colleges or the accommodation rental market, living on $11,000 is a serious challenge. The challenges are markedly different to city counterparts who can continue to live at home. </p>
<p>Adjustments to student income support policy to provide more viable financial support would assist many students, as would improved access to affordable accommodation. </p>
<h2>Higher transport costs</h2>
<p>Many regional students will commute to undertake study and face considerably higher transport costs. </p>
<p>In recognising this, a recent National Centre for Vocational Education <a href="http://hdl.voced.edu.au/10707/352409">report</a> recommends replacing public transport subsidies with fuel subsidies for regional students where there are no public transport options. This would provide more equitable support for transport. </p>
<h2>Poor investment in regional schools</h2>
<p><a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4102.0Chapter6002008">Australian Bureau of Statistics data</a> shows that fewer students complete year 12 in regional communities when compared with students nationally.</p>
<p>As with most forms of educational disadvantage, the major long-term solution to regional university participation lies with improving earlier levels of education – this is the key to helping more students <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1475-4932.2009.00570.x/abstract">be in a position to apply to university</a>.</p>
<p>As the 2011 <a href="http://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/review-of-funding-for-schooling-final-report-dec-2011.pdf">Gonksi report</a> revealed, we do not invest nearly enough funds in regional schools to drive higher levels of school achievement. </p>
<p>The preliminary findings of our research into the <a href="http://www.latrobe.edu.au/aaru/external-grants/national-priorities-pool">adaptation of tertiary admissions practices</a> highlight that regional school students are often unsure of how to navigate the complex admissions process. </p>
<h2>What are the solutions?</h2>
<p>Early childhood and school-based interventions may improve school achievement and higher education participation. Universities can work closely with these lower levels of education to raise student awareness, aspiration and achievement.</p>
<p><a href="http://m.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/john-dewar-lift-participation-with-sub-bachelor-degrees/story-e6frgcjx-1227549540806">Opening up sub-bachelor places</a> (such as associate degrees) for regional students could provide more flexible and supportive pathways into higher education. </p>
<p>Where local study, commuting or relocation are not possible, blended and online learning must also be part of the solution. However, we need to improve support for students who undertake blended and online education if we are to improve retention and completion rates. </p>
<p>The Coalition <a href="http://www.liberal.org.au/latest-news/2013/02/28/tony-abbott-press-release-coalitions-online-higher-education-working-group">consulted extensively on online education when in opposition</a>. More online provision would expand the breadth of course offerings and assist some regional students who cannot afford to travel. </p>
<p>Increasing the supply of education will only work, however, if the demand is there.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/49138/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Matt Brett works for La Trobe University which has campuses based in regional Victoria.
Matt is also involved in Department of Education and Training Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Programme (HEPPP) National Priorities Pool Projects that included consideration of regional higher education issues, including: Critical Interventions Framework II; The Adaptation of Tertiary Admissions Equity Practices to Growth and Diversity; and, Enabling courses for SES student groups.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Alison Sheridan works for the University of New England, based in Armidale, NSW. She is a member of the project team involved in the Department of Education and Training Higher Education and Participation and Partnerships Programme (HEPPP) National Priorities Pool project 'The Adaptation of Tertiary Admissions Equity Practices to Growth and Diversity', which includes consideration of regional higher education issues. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrew Harvey works for La Trobe University which has campuses based in regional Victoria. Andrew is also involved in Department of Education and Training Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Programme (HEPPP) National Priorities Pool projects that include consideration of regional higher education issues including: Critical Interventions Framework II; The Adaptation of Tertiary Admissions Equity Practices to Growth and Diversity; Gloablisation and Student Equity, and; Enabling courses for SES student groups. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Buly Cardak works for La Trobe University which has campuses based in regional Victoria. He receives funding from the National Center for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE) and the Department of Education and Training, Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Programme (HEPPP) National Priorities Pool Projects.</span></em></p>High school drop-out rates combined with costly travel and living expenses puts regional students at a disadvantage when applying to universities in Australia.Matt Brett, PhD Candidate and Senior Manager, Higher Education Policy, La Trobe UniversityAlison Sheridan, Head, UNE Business School, University of New EnglandAndrew Harvey, Director, Access and Achievement Research Unit, La Trobe UniversityBuly Cardak, Associate Professor, Department of Economics and Finance, La Trobe UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/364782015-01-20T19:25:06Z2015-01-20T19:25:06ZThe ATAR debate: students need to be able to finish uni, not just start it<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/69486/original/image-20150120-24465-jz3g3s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Students with low ATARs are less likely to graduate from university, but very likely to leave with debt. So is it ethical to give places to all-comers?</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Controversies surrounding university courses with <a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/universities-ramp-up-offers-to-lowest-tier/story-e6frgcjx-1227188986104">low ATAR admission requirements</a> have become a January ritual. Once universities make their offers to potential students, debates start over whether widening opportunities to attend university are a sign of declining standards in Australia’s higher education system.</p>
<p><a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/node/36743">Statistics released last week</a> show a steady increase in offers to lower-ATAR university applicants. In 2010, fewer than 2000 applicants with an ATAR below 50 received any university offer. By 2014, more than 7000 such applicants received an offer. If <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/firstround-vtac-offers-decline-as-more-students-apply-direct-to-uni-20150119-12tawz.html">early reports of the 2015 offer round</a> are a guide, that number will grow this year.</p>
<p>The policy trigger for the latest decline in ATARs was the full lifting in 2012 of previous caps on the number of undergraduate university places. While some universities set minimum ATARs based on academic requirements, most ATAR cut-offs reflect supply and demand. In this academic auction, the price of entry has dropped because universities offer more places.</p>
<p>Sometimes this trend is framed as evidence of falling standards. The <a href="https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/truth-about-atars/">main response to this</a> is that what matters is how well a student does at the end of their course, not the start. Minimum ATARs would deny opportunities to people who could successfully complete a course.</p>
<p>Last summer, I worked with David Kemp on a policy review of the <a href="http://education.gov.au/report-review-demand-driven-funding-system">demand driven funding system</a> that led to these decreasing ATARs. This was one of the most difficult issues in the review. While we rejected proposals for a minimum ATAR, we also found considerable evidence that there is a problem.</p>
<p>A study tracking students who started their courses in 2005 found that only a little more than half of students <a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/completion_rates_of_domestic_bachelor_students_-_a_cohort_analysis_1.pdf">with ATARs of 59 or below</a> had completed a degree by the end of 2012. Some were still enrolled, but the vast majority of the rest had dropped out. By comparison, for students in the top ATAR ranges completion rates were 90% or more. There is a clear pattern in the data: the lower the ATAR, the lower the completion rate.</p>
<p><a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/review_of_the_demand_driven_funding_system_report_for_the_website.pdf">Shorter-term attrition data</a> gives little reason to believe that things have improved for later low-ATAR students. Nearly a quarter of students with ATARs below 50 are not re-enrolling for their second year, although some will come back after time off. </p>
<p>The dilemma here is not so much opportunity versus excellence as opportunity versus likely outcomes. We do not want to deny people a potentially life-changing chance at a degree and more interesting work. The argument has an equity angle, as students from disadvantaged backgrounds are over-represented among lower-ATAR school leavers. But nor do we want to waste a student’s time on a course that has a high risk of not leading to a degree, but a near certainty of leaving them with student debt. </p>
<h2>So how do we fix it?</h2>
<p>The first step to improved completions is better decision-making by prospective students. It would be wrong to think that lower-ATAR applicants are naive about their prospects. More than half of the applicants with an ATAR of 50 or less who receive an offer <a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/node/36745">reject it</a>. </p>
<p>But with data on the high rate of non-completion hidden in obscure government reports, people who do accept their offer may not realise the risks they are taking. With better information, they may make different decisions.</p>
<p>The second step is making universities more accountable for their admission policies. In theory, <a href="http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2013C00169/Html/Text#_Toc330548949">regulation of admissions</a> has been tightened in recent years. Universities need to be able to prove that they: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>… ensure that students have adequate prior knowledge and skills to undertake the course of study successfully.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>They are also supposed to have measures in place to identify and assist students who are struggling academically. In practice, it is not clear how the <a href="http://www.teqsa.gov.au/">Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency</a> is enforcing these requirements. </p>
<p>Public reporting on attrition rates by basis of admission at each university, rather than just the <a href="https://docs.education.gov.au/node/35983">aggregate numbers that are published now</a>, would help. It would inform potential students, and if the rates are poor this could prompt regulatory action. Universities shown to have effective programs would get public credit for their success. </p>
<p>The third step is to think through our institutional provision of post-secondary education. One recommendation of the <a href="http://education.gov.au/report-review-demand-driven-funding-system">demand driven review final report</a> was to expand the use of pathway colleges. These colleges typically offer the academic equivalent of first-year university, but taught differently. They aim to build some of the study skills that led to lower ATARs, and without which students are likely to fail at university. </p>
<p>The government <a href="http://education.gov.au/other-higher-education-institutions">accepted this recommendation</a>, but the controversies surrounding <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-few-embrace-higher-ed-changes-but-many-more-have-reservations-29043">fees and funding cuts</a> look likely to sink the entire higher education reform package. </p>
<p>While institutional reform will probably have to wait for another time, improved information could be done fairly easily. It does not have to go to the Senate and would not cost very much money. It would save money if more lower-ATAR applicants decided not to accept their offers.</p>
<p>Reform needs to be geared towards not just increasing enrolments, but to what is in the best interests of students and prospective students. We want to give them a chance to complete a degree, not just to start one.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/36478/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrew Norton was a government-appointed co-reviewer of the demand driven system. </span></em></p>Controversies surrounding university courses with low ATAR admission requirements have become a January ritual. Once universities make their offers to potential students, debates start over whether widening…Andrew Norton, Program Director, Higher Education , Grattan InstituteLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.