Marymede Catholic College
2014 Subject Information Evening
Year 12 2005
Victorian Certificate of Education
and
Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning
Marymede Catholic College
Speakers
Prayer
Judeline Wadhwani
Welcome
Julia Wake
Subject Selection
Andrea Agnew
VCE Information
Laura Hill
Pathways
David Adamson
Marymede Catholic College
Victorian Certificate of Education
Students graduate with the VCE by satisfactorily completing
a minimum of:
- 16 units (semesters) of VCE studies
- three of which must be from the English group
- plus three Unit 3 and 4 sequences in studies other than
English
- Students undertake 5 subjects in Year 12 (10 units) to
maximise their ATAR score
- All students will sit exams in November
- All subject outcomes must be satisfactorily completed but
in addition, school grades count towards the Study Score
/50 which is submitted to VTAC
Marymede Catholic College
Unit 1 and 2 Subjects in 2015
Accounting
Biology
Chemistry
Drama
English
English Literature
Further Maths
Geography
History – Revolutions
Information Tech
Japanese
Legal Studies
Music Performance
Media
Psychology
Studio Arts
Visual Communication & Design
Business Management
Economics
Food Technology
Health &HD
Italian
Mathematical Methods
Physical Education
* All students will also study Unit 2 Texts and Traditions
Marymede Catholic College
How to Achieve a Satisfactory VCE Unit
A student must:
 Produce work that demonstrates achievement of the outcome/s
 Observe school and VCAA rules
 If a teacher judges that all outcomes are achieved, the student
satisfactorily completes the unit.
 The decision to award an ‘S’ for the unit is distinct from the
assessment of levels of achievement.
 The grades awarded for student work are based on rubriks
provided by VCAA
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Importance of Year 12
Subject Decisions
• When deciding which subject to drop in Year 12
remember that his is a key decision to direct future
pathways
• It involves research, careful consideration and mature
decision-making
• Support and counselling will be provided along the way
but all students are advised to visit the careers Advisor
regularly
Marymede Catholic College
THE VCE and VCAL Subject Information Handbook
2015
Marymede Catholic College
Subject Selection Process
25 June, 2014
Year 11 and 12 Subject Expo
VCE Information Evening
16 July, 2014
9:00 – 9:30am
Year 11 Students Assembly
Web Preferences
16 July, 2014
10:00 – 10:30am
Year 10 Students Assembly
Web Preferences
21 July, 2014
9:00 – 4:00pm
VCE subject selection individual student interviews.
25 July, 2014
Web Preferences Close
September, 2014
Re-counsel students who have clashes or chosen subjects not going
ahead in 2015
Prospective VCE students receive subject confirmation letter.
October, 2014
Marymede Catholic College
VCAL
Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning
Marymede Catholic College
Special Provisions
• VCAA and Marymede Catholic College
are committed to ensuing that the VCE
is accessible to all students.
• Special Provisions can be put in place
to support students who are
experiencing circumstances which
negatively impact upon their studies, in
the short and long term.
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• There are various forms of provision
which can be made for students,
dependent on their individual needs.
• Students must see their VCE
Coordinator as early as possible in
order to discuss their needs as VCAA
has stringent requirements which
must be met and documentation may
be required to support the
implementation of provisions.
Marymede Catholic College
VCE Student Handbook
Marymede Catholic College
Mr David Adamson
Careers Coordinator
Marymede Catholic College
Keeping options open
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The journey …..
University
VCE
Yrs 11 & 12
TAFE &
Apprenticeship
Employment
VCAL
Gap Year
Extension Studies /
Enhancement
Programmes
• University Extension Studies – for
extremely able students these studies
can be undertaken as part of the second
year of VCE able e.g VCE Plus at Latrobe
University, also Monash and Melbourne
University
Marymede Catholic College
I don’t know what I want to do when I leave
School.
• Don’t worry, many students don’t, many students do.
Students are all different.
• Student’s do need to be aware of their strengths and
weakness. Do subjects you enjoy and do well. This may
lead to a career.
• Students will enter into careers that have not yet been
invented.
• Technology is rapidly changing.
• Students need employability skills.
• Explore, investigate and speak to the careers counsellor
Students need to do their best
Regardless of whether students know what you want to do
after year 12 doing well opens up opportunities.
A Bachelor Degree qualification on average increases average
earnings by about 30%. The effects slightly higher amongst
women
Apprenticeships increase average earnings by 20%, slightly
higher amongst men
A TAFE Diploma increases average earnings by about 14%
A Traineeship increases earnings by about 8%
A TAFE certificate increases earnings by about 5%
But ALL provide better opportunities for employment and
developing a career
Marymede Catholic College
Pathway Planning
• Student’s are beginning to develop individual pathways
to a career. This pathway will be different for different
individual students.
• There are often many pathways to a particular career.
• Students need to develop their own self awareness and
awareness of career opportunities.
Pathways
Pathways to University and TAFE continue to expand.
•Many TAFE courses have pathways into
University and give students credit towards a
University course.
•There are a number of Independent Tertiary
Colleges providing pathways to University e.g.
MIBT, Monash College, Latrobe Melbourne.
•Some Universities have bridging programs into
University for students who do not quite get the
ATAR e.g. Victoria University “foundation
degrees”.
Marymede Catholic College
Access and Equity
Do not let adversity whether it be financial,
illness, etc put students off going to
University. Government and Universities are
putting significant financial resources into
providing University accessibility for all.
Examples are:
• VTAC SEAS program
• Government scholarships for students on
Centrelink benefits.
•18% youth unemployment in the region
•The longer students stay at school the better their
opportunities.
•Regardless of pathways, students getting jobs have a
good set of school reports, references, can communicate
and present well (dress, attitude, initiative.
•Outcomes for girls in particular who have not
completed year 12 are not good, boys a bit different as
still can access a traditional trade.
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What is a good ATAR?
• A good ATAR is a subjective outcome
• To some a good ATAR is 99.95, to others it’s anything
over 50.
• Students should consider what ATAR they need to
• Pursue their career dreams
• Keep their options open for courses, they may change
their mind
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Typical questions from students
• How do I know what I will want to do in two years?
Study? Work? Travel?
• What if I change my mind?
• What if I don't get the ATAR I need?
The Facts:
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• Scaling is not predetermined
• Doing a language won’t add 5 points to your ATAR.
• Doing a mathematics won’t automatically guarantee a
higher ATAR.
• Doing studies based on scaling patterns won’t guarantee a
‘good’ ATAR unless you are good across all of your studies.
• A humanities based curriculum does not guarantee a low
ATAR.
• All studies are treated equally, which enables students to choose the studies they enjoy
and are good at.
Marymede Catholic College
Choosing studies is not a one way street
• Students should think smart and consider all their
options:
• Check out courses not individual institutions
• Use online search engines to explore the different types
of courses
• Talk to people in their dream jobs to see what they did
to get where they are
• Work experience or job shadow
• Explore different paths to achieve objectives:
• VET programs at TAFEs and other Colleges
• Pathway programs between Certificate/Diploma courses and
university degrees
Marymede Catholic College
Resources
• Marymede Careers website and Newsletters
• Job Guide
• myfuture
• VTAC Course Search
• Course Camel
• Robert Career Report
• University and TAFE Websites
• Specific Career websites e.g. Victoria police
• Also open and experience days
• WIRL
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BREAKING DOWN THE BUDGET
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THE GOVERNMENT WILL
CONTRIBUTE LESS
• From 1 January 2016, students will pay more towards the
cost of their degree, and the government will pay less. The
Commonwealth contribution will reduce by 20 per cent
overall.
• University fees will go up by about 25% for majority of
University.
• Better funding for TAFES but will cost students more.
• More affordable pathways. E.g. Latrobe Melbourne
Marymede Catholic College
EXTENDING THE DEMAND DRIVEN
SYSTEM
• The demand driven system has been extended
to provide Commonwealth Supported Places
(ie government funding) for any
undergraduate qualification offered by a
university – including diplomas and associate
degrees. Government funding has also been
extended to students studying at registered
higher education providers including TAFES,
colleges and private providers.
Marymede Catholic College
HELP DEBT
• The HELP loan will still be available, so students will not have to
pay their fees upfront. However the government has reduced the
income threshold so graduates will start making their repayments
sooner – when they are earning approximately $50,638.
• From 1 June 2016, all HELP debts will be indexed by the Treasury
10 year bond rate (currently 4 per cent) to a maximum of 6 per
cent per annum rather than the CPI, which is currently 2.6 per
cent. This will apply to current and future students.
• Larger debt, repay sooner, higher interest rate, but no upfront
payment
Marymede Catholic College
FEES
 Claims in the media that degrees could cost as much as
$200,000 are alarmist.
 Most degrees will be around $38000, up from current
$30000
 Top 8 will charge a premium $80000-100000 most likely
Marymede Catholic College
Finally
• Focus on –
• Studies students would like to do.
• Breadth to keep options open
• OK if you change your mind
• Utilise all resources
• Attend open and experience days
Marymede Catholic College