Media Releases
The 2022 ATAR Report was released on 31 January 2023. You can download copies of the annual ATAR Reports using the links below.
The annual QTAC ATAR Report provides an overview of the calculation of the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) for the respective Queensland Year 12 student cohort.
The report includes a summary of subject enrolments, the outcomes of the inter-subject scaling process and the allocation of students to ATAR bands.
When reading this report and interpreting the data, it is imperative to observe the following:
- Inter-subject scaling is the process undertaken to map each QCAA subject and completed VET qualification to a common scale. This allows raw results in different subjects to be compared fairly.
- Subject Scaling is a comparative measure based on actual subject achievement data and is expected to be different from one year to the next based on the capability of the student cohort for each year. QCAA subject results are the true achievement levels.
- The performance of students in each subject, each year determine the scaling of a subject. Students should not select subjects based on predicted scaling outcomes but should choose subjects they enjoy, are good at and which meet any prerequisites for courses they want apply for.
- QTAC does not endorse any ATAR calculators to help identify whether a student is on track to receive a particular ATAR. Calculating the ATAR is a data-driven process and schools need to be wary of calculators, as those calculators will not have access to the actual data which is used to calculate final ATARs. Although trends will form, schools, students and parents are advised not to use historical scaling data to predict future outcomes.
For more information on the ATAR calculation process, we invite you to read the ATAR resources, including Calculating the ATAR in Queensland Technical Document available on the QTAC website.
If you have any questions about this report, please email atar@qtac.edu.au
Friday, 9 December 2022
Click here to download the PDF media release.
TOP OF THE CLASS: LAST YEAR’S ATAR HIGH ACHIEVERS SHARE ADVICE FOR 2022 GRADUATES ON THE EVE OF RECEIVING THEIR RESULTS
TAKE a deep breath, celebrate your achievements and keep an open and positive mindset about what comes next. That’s the advice for Year 12 school leavers as they prepare for the release of their ATAR results on Friday, December 16.
Aditya ‘Adi’ Neurgaonkar and Samantha Atherton both lived the excitement and stress of the ATAR countdown last year as their secondary schooling came to a close.
While both were thrilled to secure the highest ATAR of 99.95, the different paths they’ve travelled during the past year showcase ATAR as an avenue of excitement and possibility, rather than the single defining moment of a young life.
Samantha, who attended Brisbane Girls Grammar School, is looking to become a doctor.
She decided not to go straight into her top preference of medicine, but to first study a three-year Bachelor of Health Sciences at Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra, with significant financial support through a Tuckwell Scholarship.
“I chose ANU in the end because I wanted to have the experience of college and moving out of home,” she said. “I’m from a big family so having that independence was a pretty big drawcard.”
Adi, who attended Brisbane State High School, did accept his first preference and is now studying engineering at University of Queensland (UQ). With his eye on a career in aerospace, and a list of desirable employers including Airbus and NASA, he’s also training for his pilot’s licence.
“It’s really fun, but it’s not nearly as epic an adrenalin rush as Top Gun, as I’m only flying a single-engine propellor aircraft,” he said with a laugh.
Adi, who had always wanted to study at UQ for its facilities and access to research, didn’t need his 99.95 ATAR for entry as his combined Honours and Masters program in engineering had a cut-off of 97.
But the result did see him secure both a Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship and a scholarship with the Liveris Academy, which helps future leaders develop in areas such as critical thinking.
It’s meant he has spent his first year of tertiary study keeping his options open and enjoying the experience for what it is, an attitude he encourages among graduates ahead of their ATAR release.
“The first thing I would say is that these Year 12 students should be incredibly proud of themselves for putting in an enormous effort, not just for Year 11 and 12, but during all of primary and high school,” he said. “Also, just to take in the experience, as it’s pretty unique and something that will never come again.”
Samantha agreed. “In the end you’ve done all you can, so have fun and recognise that this is also the end of your schooling.”
She also noted an ATAR score was not the be all and end all, with QTAC available to talk students through their options moving forward.
“I have plenty of friends who were concerned with their ATAR initially but have had amazing experiences this year,” she said.
“A lot of people also don’t realise there are so many opportunities to change your degree later on – many of my friends transferred to a different degree in their first semester.”
Adi said while ATAR might understandably seem like “everything” at the moment, students should remember it wasn’t the only pathway to tertiary study.
“One of my friends is looking at getting into engineering next year,” he said.
“He’s currently studying at TAFE and is doing similar content to what we’ve covered this year. So there are alternate pathways if you don’t get the ATAR you were hoping for.”
It’s all about treating the result as a starting point and then talking to QTAC about potential options and pathways to tertiary study.
ATAR results for Queensland Year 12 students will be released on Friday, December 16 from 8am.
For more information visit qtac.edu.au
For more details contact Lisa Chant at Vaxa Group on 0439 757 686 or lisa.chant@vaxagroup.com.au or Chrissy Catalani, Customer Experience Marketing Manager at QTAC on 0421 081 784 or media@qtac.edu.au
Thursday 13 January 2022
Wednesday 23 December 2021
Thursday 21 October 2021
Click here the access the joint national statement released by the Australasian Conference of Tertiary Admissions Centres regarding the COVID-19 disruption to year 12 student applications to universities.
2023 QTAC Guide to Further Study
The 2023 QTAC Guide to Further Study has now been distributed to Queensland schools and the allocation of our printed stock has been exhausted.
Our online eBook is available below and can be downloaded free of charge.
If you are a Queensland school and haven’t received your copies yet, please email presentations@qtac.edu.au.
While a valuable tool for all applicants, the Guide‘s focus is on information relevant to Queensland Year 12 students.
Non-Year 12 applicants can find more information on tertiary study here.