What is the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR)

The ATAR is not a score out of 100 – it is a rank. It shows a student's achievement in relation to other students.

The ATAR is calculated by VTAC solely for the use of tertiary institutions to compare the overall achievement of students who have completed different combinations of VCE studies. VTAC forwards the ATAR along with application information to selection authorities at institutions.

How is the ATAR calculated?

VTAC uses VCE results issued by the VCAA (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority) to calculate the ATAR. The ATAR is a percentile rank, so it shows the relative performance of each student compared to everyone else in their age group.

The ATAR is a rank based on each student’s aggregate (or total) produced by adding:

• The VTAC scaled study score in one of English, English Language, Literature or English as an Additional Language (EAL)
• The next best three VTAC scaled study scores permissible; and
• 10% of the fifth and sixth permissible scores that are available.

What is a study score?

A study score shows how well a student has performed in a study at Unit 3 and 4 level, compared to everybody else in Victoria who took that study. Study scores calculated by the VCAA will be used by the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) to calculate the ATAR. The maximum study score is 50.

A median study score is the average across all subjects from all students at Mount St. Joseph Girl's College.

What is the Vocational Major (VM)?

The VCE Vocational Major (VCE VM) is a two-year applied learning program that is part of the VCE.

It provides skills for work and life and hands-on experience in one or more industries, finishing school with an employability edge.