Persuasive essay -eng U2

ATAR

Stands for the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank, a three digit decimal point score that has controlled the senior schooling system for decades.

$42$ per cent

The percentage of students who started university using alternative criteria other than their ATAR for admission, according to a recent ABC News report.

Melanie Perkins

The multibillionaire Canva founder who built a global tech empire based on raw creativity and leadership, rather than a test score.

Scaling system

The process that pressures students to choose subjects that scale up rather than subjects they are interested in or that relate to their future career goals.

Excluded Skills

Real-world qualities the ATAR fails to evaluate, such as managing a workplace team, resolving an emergency, or designing a creative project.

Low-scaling Subjects

Subject areas such as Visual Arts, Music, Drama, and Health that often scale down, limiting students' ability to showcase their strengths.

EC Gildersleeve-Morris

A graphic design student who described traditional ATAR classes as "too narrow-minded" and "very rigid."

Rebecca Clarke

A Perth high school principal who stated that because universities are opening different pathways, the ATAR alone is not as transparent as a form of entry as it once was.

Mission Australia’s Youth Survey

Reports that consistently reveal academic pressure and achieving a high ATAR are among the top sources of severe stress and anxiety for young Australians.

$200$ thousand

The approximate number of students currently entering university through alternative pathways.

Holistic entry methods

Alternative admission criteria that universities should embrace, including interviews, auditions, and portfolios alongside academic results.

Anna

An engineering student who stated: 'You’re not defined by that number, you’re defined by what you make from it.'