How ATAR and Study Scores are Calculated

One of the most asked questions from VCE students is about how ATAR and Study Scores are calculated, and that’s to be expected. They’re the numbers that will determine your options going forward into uni. So, whether you’re a Year 12 student waiting for their scores, or a future Year 12 student, this is for you.

How is ATAR calculated?

Before we get into how it is calculated, we must first understand what ATAR really is. The ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) is a percentile ranking compared to all other Year 12s in Australia. It is NOT the average of your scores

An ATAR of 90.00 means that you scored in the top 10% of all Year 12s in Australia. It does not mean you had an average of 90% in all your SACs and exams

It is calculated by taking the aggregate (total) of your top 4 scaled study scores and 10% of any fifth or sixth study scores. More information on scaled study scores below.

Additionally, at least one of your English study scores will always be calculated in your top 4 and a max of 2 math subjects will be included in your top 4. Any extra math subjects will automatically be set as your bottom 2 subjects.

e.g.    

Even though Specialist Maths was higher than Chem and Psych, only 10% of the scaled study score was considered towards the aggregate.

Your aggregate is then ranked among everyone else’s aggregate and the ranking, and hence ATAR, is determined. You can look at the VTAC scaling reports from previous years to get an estimate for what ATAR you may get for different aggregates.

How are study scores calculated?

Now that you have an idea of how ATARs are calculated, we can take a look at study scores. Study scores are the individual scores you get for each subject. Similar to the ATAR, they are a percentile ranking compared to all other Year 12s in Australia, however the score is out of 50 and it is determined differently.

Study scores are based on three ‘Grades’. For most subjects, the grades are based on:

• Grade 1 – Unit 3 Coursework
  • This is mainly determined by SAC performance and ranking, but it also includes topic tests and S tasks. This grade is also scaled based on your own and your school’s performance on the final exams
• Grade 2 – Unit 4 Coursework
  • Same as above
• Grade 3 – Exam Performance

For each grade you receive a letter grade (e.g. A+, A, A-, B+, …) which reflects your score.

For math subjects, Grade 1 is for Unit 3 & 4 Coursework, Grade 2 is for Exam 1 performance and Grade 3 for Exam 2 performance.

Following this, your grades are then ranked among everyone else’s grades on a bell curve similar to the one below:

(for those of you familiar with normal distributions, study scores are approximately normally distributed with a mean of roughly 30.6 and a standard deviation of 7.01)

Among all the students approximately

• 2% of students get a study score at or above 45
• 9% of students get a study score at or above 40
• 26% of students get a study score at or above 35
• 53% of students get a study score at or above 30
• 78% of students get a study score at or above 25
• 93% of students get a study score at or above 20

Does the GAT affect my ATAR or study scores?

Whether or not your GAT score will affect your study scores is a common concern among students. The short answer? No, for most people. Your GAT results will only play a part in the case that you get a derived exam score if you cannot sit your exam for an approved reason.

What is the Special Entry Access Scheme (SEAS)?

SEAS provides the opportunity for students who have circumstances that have impaired their studies to get a fair chance at further studies and scholarships. On institution sites, you may see ‘Selection Rank’ or ‘adjustment factors’ which refer to the additional considerations put towards you being accepted into that course. Think of it like boosting your ATAR so that you have better chances of being accepted into a course.

SEAS does not exempt you from meeting any entry requirements for your course of interest.

There are four categories in SEAS that you can apply for:

1. Personal information and location
2. Financial hardship
3. Living with a disability or medical condition
4. Difficult family and life circumstances

Your teachers will guide you with applying for SEAS in early August when you are Year 12.

Conclusion – what does this mean for you?

Now that you have a clearer understanding of how ATAR and study scores work, what should you do? Do whatever you can within your control. That means genuinely focusing on your studies and maintaining a healthy study-life balance.

Additionally, working together with your friends in study groups can benefit everyone involved in a positive feedback loop. Teaching others is one of the best ways to consolidate learning for yourself, and if both parties’ scores improve, your school’s overall performance improves, which comes back to improve your scores.

Don’t waste time worrying about the things you can’t control. Keep pushing forward and trying your best and the results will follow. You got this 🫡.