ATAR - Australian Tertiary Admission Rank Selection Rank vs. ATAR Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Priya has an ATAR of 91.00. She applies for a Bachelor of Engineering at University A and a Bachelor of Arts at University B. University A calculates her Selection Rank as 95.00, while for University B her Selection Rank remains 91.00. What is the most likely reason for this difference?
- The Tertiary Admissions Centre (TAC) made a specific adjustment for University A.
- University A's Engineering faculty has a subject adjustment scheme for high-level mathematics, which Priya completed. (Correct answer)
- Priya's school has a partnership with University A but not with University B.
- Bachelor of Engineering courses have a universally higher Selection Rank calculation than Bachelor of Arts courses.
Correct answer: University A's Engineering faculty has a subject adjustment scheme for high-level mathematics, which Priya completed.
A student's Selection Rank is their ATAR plus any adjustment factors. These factors are determined by each university and can be course-specific. It is common for faculties like Engineering to offer adjustments for strong performance in relevant subjects like advanced mathematics or physics, raising a student's Selection Rank for that specific course preference.
Question 2: Which of the following statements accurately describes the fundamental relationship between an ATAR and a Selection Rank?
- The ATAR is calculated by universities, while the Selection Rank is calculated by a state's Tertiary Admissions Centre (TAC).
- A student has one ATAR, but may have different Selection Ranks for each university preference. (Correct answer)
- Educational Access Scheme (EAS) adjustments directly increase a student's ATAR.
- A student's Selection Rank is always equal to their ATAR.
Correct answer: A student has one ATAR, but may have different Selection Ranks for each university preference.
An ATAR is a single, nationally recognized rank calculated by the relevant state TAC. However, universities independently apply adjustment factors (for subjects, location, equity, etc.) to the ATAR to derive a Selection Rank for each specific course preference. This means a student's Selection Rank can vary from one course or university to another.
Question 3: A university advertises a course with a "Guaranteed Entry" rank of 85.00. A student achieves an ATAR of 82.00 but is eligible for 5 adjustment factors due to living in a regional area. Assuming all other prerequisites are met, what is the student's status regarding this course?
- The student is not guaranteed an offer because their ATAR is below 85.00.
- The student's application will be considered competitively but a place is not guaranteed.
- The student must re-sit their exams to raise their ATAR to 85.00.
- The student is guaranteed an offer because their Selection Rank is 87.00. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The student is guaranteed an offer because their Selection Rank is 87.00.
Guaranteed Entry thresholds are based on the Selection Rank, not the raw ATAR. The student's Selection Rank is calculated as their ATAR (82.00) plus any adjustment factors (5.00), resulting in a Selection Rank of 87.00. Since this is above the guaranteed threshold of 85.00, the student will be guaranteed an offer.
Question 4: Which of the following factors would be used by a university to calculate a student's Selection Rank but would NOT be used by a Tertiary Admissions Centre (TAC) to calculate the student's ATAR?
- The student's raw examination marks.
- The overall performance of the student's cohort in a particular subject.
- The student's successful application to an Educational Access Scheme (EAS). (Correct answer)
- The student's scaled marks from their best-performing subjects.
Correct answer: The student's successful application to an Educational Access Scheme (EAS).
The ATAR is calculated by the TAC based on a student's scaled academic results. The Educational Access Scheme (EAS) provides adjustment factors for students who have experienced long-term educational disadvantage. These adjustments are applied by the universities to the ATAR to create a Selection Rank; they do not change the ATAR itself.
Question 5: A Selection Rank is best described as:
- A student's raw aggregate score from their final year of secondary school.
- The national average ATAR for a specific university course from the previous year.
- A rank calculated by a Tertiary Admissions Centre to measure a student's overall academic achievement.
- A rank used by an institution for admission, calculated by adding any eligible adjustment factors to a student's ATAR. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: A rank used by an institution for admission, calculated by adding any eligible adjustment factors to a student's ATAR.
The Selection Rank is the tool universities use to assess applicants. It starts with the student's ATAR and is modified by adding any 'bonus points' or adjustment factors the student is eligible for under that university's specific schemes.
Question 6: Under what circumstances can a student's Selection Rank be lower than their ATAR?
- If the student applies for a highly competitive course with many applicants.
- A Selection Rank can never be lower than the student's ATAR. (Correct answer)
- If the student performed poorly in subjects that are prerequisites for the course.
- If the university applies negative adjustments for attending a high-performing school.
Correct answer: A Selection Rank can never be lower than the student's ATAR.
Adjustment factors, often called 'bonus points', are designed to assist students and are always either a positive value or zero. Therefore, a student's Selection Rank will either be equal to their ATAR (if no adjustments apply) or higher than their ATAR, but it cannot be lower.
ATAR - Australian Tertiary Admission Rank Selection Rank vs. ATAR Questions and Answers
Priya has an ATAR of 91.00.
She applies for a Bachelor of Engineering at University A and a Bachelor of Arts at University B.
University A calculates her Selection Rank as 95.00, while for University B her Selection Rank remains 91.00.
What is the most likely reason for this difference?