Top 5 ways to prepare for receiving your ATAR
As many 2021 Year 12 students eagerly wait for their ATAR results to be released here are five ways to best prepare for receiving your ATAR rank.
- Be kind to yourself
While this can be a particularly stressful time, it is important to be kind to yourself and maintain a positive outlook. Reflect on the last year you have had and all the hard work you have put into your studies. It is a huge achievement to have finished high school – even more so during a pandemic!
2. Keep yourself busy
Although it’s easier said than done, try as much as possible to push your looming results out of your mind. Spend time doing the things you enjoy most whether that be hanging out with family, friends, or going out. Filling your day doing things you love can also help settle your nerves
3. Think of a potential backup plan if your ideal plan doesn’t work out
If you haven’t already, it might be a good idea to spend some time thinking of a backup plan in the event that you do not receive the ATAR rank you were hoping for – Griffith expert study advisors will be able to help you with this (see tip #5 for more details). This doesn’t have to be a super detailed plan, but it should include well thought out steps of how to get onto the pathway you want if your ATAR has brought you onto a different route. Your backup plan could be as simple as knowing how to re-reorder or change course preferences – remember to keep track of dates for making changes so you don’t miss any cut-off dates!
4. Know what bonus factors you are eligible for
Similar to tip #3, it is good to be aware of the many pathways you can take to get into your dream course. Adjustment factors are one of the ways that can boost your selection rank and can improve your chances of gaining a place in your preferred university or course. There are many different adjustment factors schemes that many students might not be aware of. Did you know you may be eligible for location or Year 12 subject adjustments?
Check out this webpage for more information on how adjustment factors work at Griffith.
5. Speak with Griffith’s expert study advisors
The day ATAR results are released, and in the days that follow, Griffith expert study advisors will be available to chat online with you one-on-one and discuss pathway options.
You can find out more and chat to a study expert here from Thursday 20 January – Friday 21 January.
As a final comment, remember that your ATAR is a rank, not a mark! You’re not defined by that number and to be honest, once you are in university no one asks about ATARs. Just like a GPS there are many roads that will lead you to the same place – some might take a little longer to get there but you’ll end up where you want to be.
Lily Ben Dekhil is a second year Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/ Bachelor of Environmental Science student at Griffith University and is also a recipient of the 2022 New Colombo Plan Scholarship.