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Elite unis lower ATARs in favour of special entry schemes
A top university has introduced new early entry schemes that offer ATAR reductions amid a wider trend of institutions moving towards “US-style” admissions experts fear could undermine the HSC.
University of NSW is considering a new “critical thinking” scheme which would require students to complete a “critical reflection assessment”, with successful applicants offered ATAR discounts and early entry.
Universities are increasingly moving away from ATAR admissions.Credit: Oscar Colman
The university also expanded its “portfolio entry” for this year’s first-year cohort to make early conditional offers for some degrees – including engineering, design, media and arts – with ATARs up to 10 points below the cut-off.
Students from low socioeconomic backgrounds applying to UNSW are also eligible to receive early offers in September – some with a minimum ATAR and others which are only conditional on completing year 12 – which are based on year 11 academic performance and a personal statement.
“UNSW is committed to ensuring broad participation, including low SES students, and made over 700 early offers and 3500 early conditional offers for 2024 admission as part of our inclusion strategy, which seeks to improve access and the success of under-represented students,” a spokeswoman said.
Early entry schemes have become widespread in NSW with Western Sydney University, University of Wollongong, Australian Catholic University, Macquarie University among institutions which make offers only conditional on completing year 12 exams.
The prestigious Australian National University has made early offers based on year 11 results since 2020, and ATAR was not a factor in the admission of almost half of new undergraduate students in 2022.
It received 6767 early offer applications this year, on par with last year’s figures when it made 4900 offers.
“ANU early offers are made on an academic rank, which includes adjustments for equity, elite performance and academic results,” a spokeswoman said.
“We don’t just consider academic performance; we also consider co-curricular service and recognise the achievements of students from all socioeconomic backgrounds and experiences.”
An increase in early offers amid an increasingly competitive domestic student market prompted a crackdown which stopped institutions from making offers before September. But it means students can still receive offers for university well before they sit their final HSC exams.
Universities’ early offers require that the HSC is successfully completed but is often based on year 11 results instead of ATAR scores and can include portfolios and other assessments.
Glenn Fahey, research fellow at the Centre for Independent Studies, said the move towards US-style portfolio entry was not an effective way of improving post-school outcomes for students from equity groups.
He said the move towards alternative entry schemes was driven by an increasingly competitive domestic student market for universities and a wider movement which is sceptical about the ATAR.
“We’ve got a system that largely works and tinkering with the way we screen students through ATARs can have unintended consequences,” he said. “Early offers can make year 12 more difficult for schools because students can reduce their commitment to study, but it also doesn’t serve those students well.
“The formative experience of preparation for exams at HSC level is an important milestone for many students.”
Fahey said universities that offered ATAR discounts needed to provide extra support for students who may then struggle with the coursework.
Before 2023, UNSW generally did not make early offers to students before HSC exams.
A UNSW spokeswoman said the university introduced the early entry pathway for lower socioeconomic students to provide high-performing students from underrepresented backgrounds with early assurance and additional preparation time for effective transition to university.
She said the portfolio early-entry scheme provided students with the opportunity to showcase their passion and talent alongside their ATAR.
UNSW had told students as recently as a few weeks ago that it would be introducing a “critical thinking” early-entry scheme this year but it now says it’s under consideration for future years.
Under the scheme, students would complete a reflection relevant to their chosen degree and successful applicants would be offered early entry on a significantly lowered ATAR.
University of Sydney does not generally make early offers but does offer significant ATAR discounts for students from low socioeconomic or disadvantaged backgrounds. Like other universities, it also offers bonus points for high scores in certain HSC subjects.
Higher education expert Professor Andrew Norton said UNSW may be trying to improve their share of equity students which they know will be favoured under new policy settings from the federal government.
“Possibly, they are also interested in overall enrolment share,” he said.
Norton said the move towards US-style admissions undermined one of the major benefits of the traditional Australian system – the low-cost and time investment of ATAR-based admissions both for students and universities.
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