QTAC ATAR Presentation Brisbane School of Distance Education, Coorparoo 10 September 2018 Topics 1. What is QTAC? 2. Terminology in the New QCE System 4. Inter-subject Scaling 5. How are ATARs calculated from scaled subject results? 6. Subject Prerequisites 7. ATAR as the Standard Pathway to Tertiary Study 8. VET and Performing Arts Qualifications for 2021 Admissions 9. I heard a rumour. 10. ATARs and OP Bands 11. Questions Page 2 1
1. What is QTAC? QTAC is: A not-for-profit organisation Owned by seven Queensland universities What do we do? Provide information about tertiary study and courses Receive and process approximately 75,000 applications per year Make offers in 1,700 tertiary courses on behalf of 16 institutions From 2020: calculate and award ATARs. Page 3 2. Terminology in the new QCE System Subjects in the new QCE System - TITLES and TYPES of subjects will be changing to reflect National Curriculum! General subjects will replace Authority subjects General (Extension) subjects will replace Authority Extension subjects Applied subjects will replace Subject Area Syllabus (SAS) and Authority-registered subjects 4 Page 4 2
2. Terminology in the new QCE System Subjects in the new QCE System - TITLES and TYPES of subjects will be changing to reflect National Curriculum! What we will see in English: English > English English Extension > English and Literature Extension English for ESL Learners > English as an Additional Language new subject > Literature English Communication > Essential English 5 Page 5 2. Terminology in the new QCE System Subjects in the new QCE System - TITLES and TYPES of subjects will be changing to reflect National Curriculum! What we will see in Maths: Mathematics A > General Mathematics Mathematics B > Mathematical Methods Mathematics C > Specialist Mathematics Prevocational Mathematics > Essential Mathematics 6 Page 6 3
2. Terminology in the new QCE System The GRADING SYSTEM in the new QCE System General subjects reported: Numerical Result (0 to 100) Letter Grade (A to E, A highest) Applied subjects reported: Letter Grade (A to E, A highest) 7 Page 7 2. Terminology in the new QCE System Units of Study replace Semesters of Study Unit 1 and Unit 2: Abbreviated as Units 1&2. Represent the formative years of study. Developmentally less complex than Units 3&4. The results in Units 1&2 will not be provided to QTAC. Will not be included in the calculation of the ATAR. 8 Page 8 4
2. Terminology in the new QCE System Units of Study replace Semesters of Study Unit 3 and Unit 4: Abbreviated as Units 3&4. Represent the summative years of study. Students undertake the 3 internal and 1 external assessments in Units 3&4. This will lead to the overall raw subject result to be provided to QTAC, and from which the ATAR will be calculated. 9 Page 9 What is the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR)? Primary mechanism used nationally for tertiary admissions Indicates a student s position relative to other students 2,000 point scale from 99.95 down to 0.00 ATARs less than 30.00 will be expressed as 30 and below Will be calculated by QTAC for entry into courses in 2021 Will be the new standard pathway to tertiary study in QLD Page 10 5
Comparing the OP to the ATAR Overall Position (OP) Calculated by QCAA Measure of a student s overall position compared to other students ATAR Calculated by QTAC Measure of a student s overall position compared to other students 5 Subjects (20 semester units) 5 Subjects (inputs) Subject scaling applied Subject scaling applied Common test (QCS) No common test English subject not compulsory English subject compulsory 25 point scale (1 to 25) 2000 point scale (99.95 to 0) OP-ineligible schedule No ATAR-ineligible schedule Only relevant in Queensland Relevant throughout Australia Page 11 ATAR - Requirements 5 General Subjects ATAR 4 General Subjects + either: Applied Subject Completed Cert III or Higher VET Qual Page 12 6
Examples of Study Patterns for ATAR English Mathematical Methods Specialist Mathematics Physics Chemistry Essential English Accounting Modern History Japanese Music English Dance Visual Art Study of Religion AQF Certificate III in Business Page 13 English Compulsory Subject Students must successfully complete one of the following: English English as an Additional Language English & Literature Extension Literature Essential English Successfully complete = C letter grade. No specific subjects are mandated inclusions in the ATAR. Page 14 7
Accumulating Results Most students will follow a traditional pattern of accumulating their results over two years of study in Grades 11 and 12 ATARs can be calculated based on results from five consecutive years One eligible subject a year over a five year period would qualify for an ATAR Page 15 Adjustment Factors (Bonus Schemes) ATARs will be based on the actual subject results achieved by students which have been scaled Adjustment Factors (EAS, subject, etc) will continue to be applied after the ATAR is calculated QTAC will continue to administer Adjustment Factor schemes which have been determined by individual institutions Page 16 8
Precluded Subjects and Subject Combinations 1. Only General English subjects or Applied English subjects can be included in the ATAR, but not both. 2. Only General Maths subjects or Applied Maths subjects can be included in the ATAR, but not both. 3. Within General subjects: Only onetypeoflanguagesubject can be included in the ATAR either General or assessed via Senior External Examination only, but not both. Page 17 Precluded Subject Clarification There are no other restrictions on the inclusion of subjects in the ATAR. For example, a student may count the following General subject results in their ATAR: both English and Literature both Mathematical Methods and Specialist Mathematics both Chinese and Chinese Extension. Page 18 9
Accessing the ATAR Students will access and print their ATAR Result Notice via a secure online facility in mid to late December Page 19 Overview of the ATAR Sequence of Events QCAA COLLECTS UNIT 3&4 SUBJECT RESULTS & COMPLETED VET QUALIFICATIONS QTAC SCALES RESULTS QTAC RELEASES ATARs QTAC RECEIVES RESULTS ATARs CALCULATED ON A RANKED SCALE 99.95 TO 0.00 20 10
4. Inter-subject Scaling Scaling Overview Scaling is necessary so that student results in different subjects can be compared fairly. If a student of a given ability studies a less challenging Mathematics subject they might get a 90 / 100. But if the same student studied a more challenging Maths subject they might only get a 80 / 100. However, if scaling works, they should end up with the same scaled score for inclusion in their ATAR. Page 21 4. Inter-subject Scaling Let s recap Scaling The video showing scaling is accessible from: www.qtac.edu.au/atar-my-path/atar Page 22 11
Click to edit Master title style Page 23 4. Inter-subject Scaling Scaling Documents www.qtac.edu.au/atar-my-path/atar For: Non-technical readership What is in it: Technical definitions The need to scale The how of scaling Page 24 12
4. Inter-subject Scaling Important Students should continue to choose subjects they enjoy, that they are good at, and that are prerequisites for the courses they want to apply for Page 25 5. How are ATARs calculated from scaled subject results? 4 Steps: Step 1: Add up the best 5 scaled subject results for each student = Best 5 Subject Aggregate Step 2: Place students in a descending order of merit based on their Best 5 Subject Aggregates Step 3: Determine how many students are to be in each of the 2000 ATAR bands (eg 30 students) Step 4: Identify the top 30 students with the highest Best 5 Subject Aggregates => 99.95 Identify the next 30 students with the highest Best 5 Subject Aggregates => 99.90 Identify the next 30 students with the highest Best 5 Subject Aggregates => 99.85 And so on down to 0.00 Page 26 13
5. How are ATARs calculated from scaled subject results? Student Best 5 Emily 500 James 499 Harry 499 Jessica 499 Emma 498 Daniel 498 Jack 498 Kelly 498 Brian 498 Emma 497 Chloe 497 Liam 497 Jake 497 Georgia 497 Sophie 497 Hannah 496 Students Best 5 Count Cumulative Emily 500 1 1 James, Harry, Jessica 499 3 4 Emma, Daniel, Jack, Kelly, Brian 498 5 9 Emma, Chloe, Liam, Jake, Georgia, Sophie 497 6 15 Hannah, Clare, Olivia, Tom, Dylan, Lucy, Grace 496 7 22 Kate, Lily, Jess, Kate, Caitlin, Ryan, Lachlan, Henry 495 8 30 Jordan, Chris, David, Josh, Hugo, Laura, Ella, Adam, Mark 494 9 39 Holly, Erin, Katie, Mia, Ruby, John, Zac, Nick, Thomas, Ali 493 10 49 Ava, Lisa, Anna, Bree, Tim, Gus, Rose, Ben, Amy, Zoe, Jo 492 11 60 Brianna, Bonnie, Tristan, Anthony ATAR 99.95 ATAR 99.90 Page 27 6. Subject Prerequisites Current QCE Subjects New QCE Subjects Maths A General Mathematics Maths B Mathematical Methods Maths C Specialist Mathematics English English Physics Physics Page 28 14
6. Subject Prerequisites Subject Prerequisites Course Entries Subject (Semesters, LoA) Subject (Units 3&4, Letter Grade) English (4, SA) English (Units 3&4, C) Physics (4, SA) Physics (Units 3&4, C) Maths B (4, SA) Mathematical Methods (Units 3&4, C) Page 29 6. Subject Prerequisites The English subject prerequisite can be satisfied by one of the following General English subjects: English Literature English & Literature Extension English as an Additional Language Institutions yet to confirm: Bond University and Southern Cross University Page 30 15
6. Subject Prerequisites Science for initial teacher education programs in early childhood and primary can be satisfied by one of the following General subjects: Agricultural Science Biology Chemistry Earth & Environmental Science Marine Science Physics Psychology Institutions yet to confirm: Bond University and Southern Cross University Page 31 7. ATAR as the Standard Pathway to Tertiary Study The ATAR is currently the standard pathway to tertiary study in all other Australian states and territories. From 2020, the ATAR will replace the OP as the standard pathway to tertiary study in Queensland for courses commencing in 2021. From 2020, QTAC will be withdrawing its schedules which derive rankings for: Vocational Education and Training qualifications (eg AQF Certificate III) Performing Arts qualifications (eg AMEB). In addition, the OP-ineligible ranking process will be discontinued in 2020. There will not be an ATAR-ineligible rank calculated by QTAC for: QCE students not qualifying for an ATAR International Baccalaureate students not qualifying for the IB Diploma. Page 32 16
8. VET and Performing Arts Qualifications for 2021 Admissions VET for tertiary entrance Completed Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses will continue to be used for tertiary entrance in two ways: 1. VET incorporation into ATAR; and/or 2. VET as the basis of admission Page 33 8. VET and Performing Arts Qualifications for 2021 Admissions How will VET be included in the ATAR? Each VET qualification level will have a single scaled score that can be included in the student s ATAR Cert III in Hospitality and Cert III in Lab Skills will have the same scaled score, regardless of duration or content A scaled score for a VET Diploma will be higher than a Certificate IV, which in turn will be higher than a Certificate III Page 34 17
8. VET and Performing Arts Qualifications for 2021 Admissions VET as a Standalone Qualification QTAC will be withdrawing its VET Schedules from 2020. Institutions will determine if, and how, VET will be considered for tertiary entry. Following are Institution Policies as at 1 June 2018 Page 35 8. VET and Performing Arts Qualifications for 2021 Admissions VET as a Standalone Qualification Policy Institution-Specific Schedules Institutions yet to advise policies Institutions Australian Catholic University (Certificates for Year 12 only) Australian Maritime College Bond University Christian Heritage College CQUniversity Griffith College Griffith University James Cook University Queensland University of Technology (School leavers must also qualify for ATAR. See QUT webpage for more information.) TAFE QLD University of Queensland (For non-current school-leavers) University of the Sunshine Coast University of Southern Queensland Southern Cross University University of New England Page 36 18
8. VET and Performing Arts Qualifications for 2021 Admissions Performing Arts Qualifications as a Standalone Qualification Policy Institution-Specific Schedules Institution will not accept Performing Arts qualification as a basis of admission for any category of applicant Institutions yet to advise policies Institutions Australian Catholic University Christian Heritage College CQUniversity Griffith College Griffith University James Cook University TAFE QLD University of Queensland (For non-current school-leavers) University of Southern Queensland Australian Maritime College Bond University Queensland University of Technology University of the Sunshine Coast Southern Cross University University of New England Page 37 9. I heard a rumour Rumour: In the ATAR, QTAC will be using students External Assessment result to scale their Internal Assessment results. Reality: QTAC is not going to be provided with the External Assessment or Internal Assessment results. There will be no scaling of the Internal Assessment results by the External Assessment result in Queensland. Page 38 19
9. I heard a rumour Rumour: The Queensland ATAR can include other inputs like IB subjects, Music and Dance qualifications, Certificate I and II qualifications Reality: The ATAR can only include: General subjects Applied Subjects, and Completed AQF qualifications at Certificate III level and higher. The ATAR must include 4 General subjects. Page 39 9. I heard a rumour Rumour: Less challenging Mathematics subjects scale better for ATARs. Reality: The difficulty of a subject has nothing to do with how well it will scale! How a subject scales is dependent on the achievement of students in all their subjects (including their Mathematics subject). 20
9. I heard a rumour Rumour: It is possible to game the system to get the highest possible ATAR. Reality: The ATAR is entirely data-driven. ATAR is a rank, so if a student s results places them in the top percentile then they will get the top ATAR. Page 41 10. ATARs and OP Bands Page 42 21
Your notes here Page 44 22