Life After ELTHAM
Moving on….Decision Making
• Several career changes during working life
• Making the right decisions at the time with the
information available
• Possibly not long term decisions
• Initial steps don’t have to be the ones you follow
for the rest of your life!
Where to next?
There is nothing pre-ordained or inevitable about
next year. You have choices, such as:
• Full time study at Uni, TAFE, Independent Tertiary Colleges
in Victoria, interstate & overseas
• Part time study/part time work
• Full time work/Apprenticeship
• Deferred studies/GAP year
Is deferment for you?
• Money/Work
• Exchange (now offered by most Unis & some TAFEs)
• Travel
• Volunteering
• Time out (remembering you will have several months
between November and March)
NOTE:
― Make sure it is a productive deferment
― Not all courses allow deferment
Important Dates – 2009
September 30
Timely applications close 5pm
November 30
Change of Preference opens
December 14
VCE results & ENTER
available from 7am
(In the mail on December 15)
December 21
Change of Preferences
close at noon
Important Dates – 2010
Jan 12 (2pm) Offers for overseas students
Jan 18 (9am) Round 1 offers
Feb 5 (2pm)
Round 2 offers
VTAC – What do they do?
• Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre
• The ‘middle man’ that connects applicants
with tertiary institutions and administers
the application process
• They do not select students for courses –
that is done by each institution
• Questions about courses need to be made
direct to the institutions
Course Selection – How does it
work?
Range of selection modes:
• ENTER (about 50% of courses are selected using
only the ENTER)
• RC (Range of Criteria) – E.g. ENTER, interviews,
pre-selection kits, folios, auditions
Using the VTAC Guide
Researching Courses
• Different tertiary institutions have different
strengths.
• It is not true that, for example, every course
at one University is better than every similar
course at another University.
• Check the subjects you will study within
similar courses – they may be very different!
• Open Days!
• Institution Course Guides and websites
A Great Urban Myth
MYTH :
“If a course has a high ENTER,
it must be a good course, and
is the best course for you.”
REALITY : ENTER Scores do not
necessarily define what is
best for you. Other courses/institutions may
suit you better.
Using the VTAC Guide
Understanding Course Codes
• Ending with 1 – CSP (Commonwealth Supported Places)
Students defer payment of their course until they earn
$41,594 per year (08/09 financial year).
• Ending with 2 – Full Fee at some Independent Tertiary
Colleges and TAFE colleges (FEE-HELP loan scheme
available to assist with payment of fees – 20% interest)
• Ending with 3 – Overseas Fee Paying
Using the VTAC Guide
Understanding Terminology
•
CY12 – Current Year 12 (You!)
•
NONY12 – Non Year 12 (Not you!)
•
Clearly In ENTER – score at or above which
you are guaranteed a place in the course
•
Fringe ENTER – score at or above which you
will be considered for that course based on
other criteria (e.g. subjects you studied)
i.e. You are in the ‘middle band’
Using the VTAC Guide
Noting Extra Requirements
• Check them carefully
• If you haven’t met them you won’t get an
offer regardless of your ENTER!
• Check dates in the VTAC guide
• Don’t leave them until the last minute –
some take quite a bit of time to complete!
VTAC Applications – What
you’ll need!
Payment
• $23 – timely applications (Aug 3 – Sept 30)
• $82 – late applications (Sept 30 – Nov 13)
• $106 – very late applications (Nov 13 – Dec 12)
Payment Options:
• Pay online (credit card)
• Invoice at the Post Office (slightly more
expensive)
Don’t forget to print your
Acknowledgment of Application!
VTAC Applications – Getting
Started
You apply for and deal with applications online at
www.vtac.edu.au (not available until Aug 3!)
Step 1: Register as
a VTAC User
Click on Register
You’ll need your
personal details
(address, date of
birth etc) and your
VCAA student
number
VTAC Applications – What
you’ll need
VCAA Number
Pin Number – chosen by you when registering for
VTAC
Record these details in a safe place!
You’ll be given a handout with tips on the
application process soon
VTAC –
Making your application
Step 2:
On the VTAC homepage
click on Login
You’ll need to provide
information about
yourself and where you
are studying Yr 12 so
that VTAC can match you
with information on VASS
You will then enter up to
12 course preferences.
Can change as many
times as you like up until
Sept 30th 5pm
VTAC Online Applications –
Your Preferences
• Think VERY carefully !!
• Allocate in order of your preference - not
simply in order of the ENTER
• Per state, you may select a maximum of 12
preferences
• Second and Third Round offers are scarce
and only made if a first round offer has been
rejected by another student
• You must have a guaranteed course!
• You can be offered ONE CSP and ONE Fee
course per state.
Plan B
• Similar course at a different institution
• Transfer strategy





Course to course
One institute to another
Campus to campus (within the same institute)
TAFE to University
University to TAFE
You must be happy to graduate from the original
course in the event that you may not be able
to transfer
Transfers are possible but not guaranteed
Plan B
(cont)
• Use Open Days as an opportunity to ask about
the best courses to do with a view to transferring
• Some courses offer specific advice.
The Uni. of Adelaide Faculty of Medicine :
“Unsuccessful applicants (for Medicine) should
consider a Bachelor of Health Science or Science,
with a view to graduate entry into Medicine.”
Plan B
Wider thinking:
•Variety of alternative career
pathways in your interest areas
•Investigate similar jobs
•Investigate possible transfer
options
(cont)
Graduate Medicine Program
Science/Biomedical Science
Physiotherapy
Medicine
Osteopathy
Myotherapy
Massage
Health Science
Nursing
Scholarships
• 3 kinds of scholarships
▫ Access and Equity  apply through VTAC
▫ Commonwealth  apply through VTAC
▫ Merit  apply through VTAC for Monash,
RMIT and Swinburne (others apply direct to
institution)
Download the application booklet at
www.vtac.edu.au/scholarshipstemp.html
See Bec or Jo for help/information on this!
Scholarships
Institutions who accept scholarship
applications via VTAC:
• Charles Sturt
• RMIT
• Deakin
• Swinburne
• LaTrobe
• Ballarat
• Monash
• Vic Uni
SEAS & Scholarships - Dates
• Applications open August 3rd – October 9th
(no excuses if you miss the date!)
• Start early as some applications require
supporting documentation that can take
quite some time to gather!
VTAC Applications
- Summary
Step 1: Register with VTAC
Step 2: Apply for courses
Step 3: Apply for SEAS
Step 4: Apply for
scholarships
VTAC – Advisory letters
• Sent to you prior to Change of Preference
indicating whether you will be offered a
place.
• Allows you advance warning of the
likelihood of you getting an offer in a
particular course
• Is not a definite confirmation of an offer!
(This will come in January 2009)
VTAC – Advisory letters cont.
3 kinds of Advisory Letter
▫ A – you will be given an offer if you meet all
requirements (VCE, study scores, extra
requirements)
▫ B – may get a 2nd Round offer dependant
on your ENTER
▫ C – Thanks, but no thanks!
Offers
ALWAYS ACCEPT YOUR ROUND 1 OFFER !!
Accepting an Offer
• Enrol in the course within the set time frame
• If you accept a Round 1 offer you are still eligible for
a Round 2/Irregular Offer.
Rejecting an Offer
• Do nothing (at your peril!)
• Not a good idea as you may not get a 2nd Round offer
• Always have a back-up plan!
Irregular Offers
• Can be applied for after 1st Round offers are
made
• Overrides all other preferences
• Only one chance
• Apply direct to the tertiary institution
(NOT to VTAC)
• The form must be signed and approved
personally by the relevant Selection Officer.
• Forms can be downloaded from the VTAC
website.
Irregular Offers
You can apply for:
• A course lower on your preference list than
the one offered to you in the 1st Round (if
you’ve changed your mind)
• A completely new course not listed on your
original preferences
NOTE:
Tertiary institutions do not normally approve
significant numbers of Irregular Offers
Offers
An example for a student with an ENTER of 73.65 in 2009
1. RMIT Public Relations
RC
X / Round 2
2. Deakin Media & Communications
79.85
X / Round 2
3. RMIT Marketing
77.05
X / Round 2
4. Deakin
66.60
Offer
54.05
X / Irregular
Offer
6.Monash (Berwick) Communications 70.05
X / Irregular
Offer
7. Box Hill Marketing
RC
X / Irregular
Offer
8. Swinburne Communications
70.55
X / Irregular
Offer
(Geelong)
Public Relations
5. RMIT TAFE Public Relations
Interstate Applications
• Process is the same as for Victoria
• Not included in your VTAC preferences
• Can be made online
• You can receive offers from all States.
Interstate tertiary guides are available in
the Lifework Centre
VTAC Application Demonstration
Held in S08 so that you can actually start
the process with a LifeWork Counsellor to
help you!
•Sign up with Annie in the LWC
•Only 24 places per session
•More sessions to come depending on
demand
VTAC Application Demonstration
Local Students:
• Thursday August 6th Period 1
• Thursday Sept 3rd Period 1
International Students:
• Tuesday Sept 1st Period 1
Any Questions?
Drop in and see us for more information or
advice regarding VTAC applications.
Our door is always open
Bec & Jo