1. VTAC/CEAV Webinar [26 November 2014]

2. What we are going to cover ATAR – Your common questions answered. Student access to the ATAR including case studies. Change of preference – about, access, tips and timeframes. Careers practitioners – access to the ATARs, terms & conditions.

3. How does a student qualify for an ATAR? 1.They must qualify for the VCE 2.If an international student pay VCAA fees 3.Achieve study scores in at least four permissible Unit 3 and 4 VCE studies including one from the English group (English, English language, Literature or EAL) plus three other scoreable studies

4. VET Studies VET programs with scored assessment are treated identically to other scored VCE studies. Unscored VET studies may be counted as fifth and/or sixth studies the increment will be 10% of the average of the primary four VTAC scaled study scores.

5. Languages Bonus is not 5 added to the ATAR i.e. ATAR of 55 going to 60 All students doing a language receive an adjustment Adjustment is not uniform 5 is applied to the mean i.e. average of each study The bonus decreases as it moves away from the average The language is treated as all other scaled VCE study scores.

6. Higher Education Studies Can be used as a fifth or sixth study An increment is calculated based on performance in the HE study If the average over all the HE Study units is at least 90% gets a 5.0 added to the aggregate least 80% but less than 90%, gets 4.5 added to the aggregate least 70% but less than 80%, gets 4.0 added to the aggregate least 60% but less than 70% gets 3.5 added to the aggregate least 50% but less than 60% gets 3.0 added to the aggregate

7. Other things to consider Legitimate one year – if not approved by VCAA then VTAC doesn’t treat as such - Incomplete units or not enough scored studies to get a primary four Incorrect results recorded on VASS – International students don’t pay fees, no results available or sent to VTAC. Contact VCAA not VTAC

8. Student access to the ATAR The ATAR is available to all eligible students via SMS or resultsandatar.vic.edu.au to: resultsandatar.vic.edu.au All applicants and non-applicants who have qualified for the ATAR Unpaid applicants Who gets an ATAR statement in the mail VTAC registered who have have applied for a course through VTAC paid processing fees by 8 December 2014.

9. Case Study 1 Case study 1 : A student comes to you and says they did a study last year and are not sure it’s been included in the ATAR calculation or claim it hasn’t been included in the ATAR calculation. What do you do?

10. Case Study 1 Answer 1.Check out that the VCE study score is included in the study program on CourseLink. 2.If the VCE study is listed there it has been considered for the calculation of the ATAR. 3.Then you can confirm which studies were used in the ATAR calculation. If the study is not included in the ATAR calculation it will be because of scaling i.e. it wasn’t one of the best six or possibly because of a permissible rule. How to access an individual’s study score program. How to access an individual’s ATAR calculation.

11. Case study 2 A student comes to you and shows you a printed screen shot of the website and/or their phone. They claim that when they went back in, their ATAR had changed and that VTAC has made a mistake. What do you do?

12. Case Study 2 Answer Check what you have recorded on CourseLink. If an amendment was posted the time and date will be available from your ATAR calculation screen VTAC keeps a record of the date and time of any changes to the data this is also include on this screen for your information. Whatever is recorded there is what was presented online and/or via SMS Suggest that the student may have made a mistake and if they haven’t then you will contact VTAC who will refer the matter to the police because one of their friends may have done this. Try to be supportive

13. Go to Student Data - CourseLink

14. Open Study program and check out the list of studies and the VCE study score

15. Open ATAR calculation and check out the list of studies included in the ATAR. The VCE study score and the scaled study score are on this screen

16. Change of Preference Access, tips, timeframes

17. Accessing student preferences Student data is a summary screen that lists a summary of all students from here you can: link to the individual’s file or check preferences from 11am Monday 15 December 2014 check when students have changed their preferences To view an individual student’s profile select the surname – you will then have access to the preferences. Check out www.vtac.edu.au/careers/demos for instructions on how to print each students’ preferences.www.vtac.edu.au/careers/demos

18. Preferences, offers, receipts

19. Change of Preference Change of preference is open now, but for most VCE students it will be relevant from Monday 15 December 2014 at 11am. All students are able to change their course preferences up until 12noon Monday 22 December 2014. Institutional change of preference days are in the VTAC Gazette and blog.

20. Top Tips for COP Never change a preference based on something a parent tells you. If the parent is legitimately a nominee, then get them to a) provide you with a copy of a letter or b) log into VTAC User Account to confirm the details Always get any advice when asked to change preferences on someone’s behalf in writing! Be careful not to delete a preference but instead move the preference up or down!!!!

21. Careers practitioners Access to the ATARs

22. CP CourseLink Access Students have the right to withdraw permission Do a test run of your username and password before 15 December. To assist with speed of access: Don’t hit refresh, it increases congestion Also, VTAC will unlock all accounts that haven’t been used for three months.

23. ATAR Release Day to Schools All data, irrespective of permissions is embargoed until 10am Monday 15 December 2014 Passwords are retrieved automatically and go to the email address on VASS. Don’t call VTAC.

24. Terms and Conditions Terms and conditions sent to all Victorian school principals. Overview: Data must be accessed privately – not at dinners, lunches, or any public spaces!! The data is owned by the student and VTAC. ATARs can never be used for anything but counselling without permission. The permission must clearly state what the student allows the data to be used for and who it can be shown to.

25. Responsibilities The user or person with access to CourseLink has responsibilities when : Downloading the file Forwarding the file There are consequences for breaches including: The matter will be referred to the Privacy Commissioner The immediate withdrawal of the early release of ATARs for a minimum of two years.

26. Breaches of T & C All breaches will be referred to the privacy commissioner All incidents deemed to be breaches by VTAC will result in a two year ban for the early release …………………………………………………………… When forwarding the ATARs it is the sender’s responsibility to include the Terms and Conditions When directed to use the early release for anything other than counselling it is the senders responsibility to keep copies of the direction.

27. When is ATAR available on CourseLink? 3pm on Sunday 14 December. CourseLink will be closed from 6am until 11am Monday 15 December Full instructions on how to download the ATAR will be available from Friday, 12 December.

28. Contacting VTAC schoolsliaison@vtac.edu.au Include name of student Screen shot of issue What you’ve checked to assist us to know what and where to look Staff not available on Sunday 14 December 2014 but will be checking speed of program.