Is it possible to achieve a good ATAR?

[quecola]

I'll make this short and sweet: I'm severely behind in all my classwork, achieve barely passing marks in most of my classes, and my mental health has taken a turn for the worst. Is there any chance I can get an ATAR that would get me into a journalism course, or should I just save myself the pain and drop out? I feel like there's no chance I can turn it around before the end of the year.

[a weaponized ikea chair]

I'll make this short and sweet: I'm severely behind in all my classwork, achieve barely passing marks in most of my classes, and my mental health has taken a turn for the worst. Is there any chance I can get an ATAR that would get me into a journalism course, or should I just save myself the pain and drop out? I feel like there's no chance I can turn it around before the end of the year.

Do not give up!

You must put your head down and ask yourself; what is causing my poor marks? How can I resolve this issue? If you put your head down you should be able to turn it around. I am not going to be wishy washy and say that all you gotta do is study harder or be determined. This will be a tough road. But giving up is not the way to go.

If you give up, you will regret not trying, and you will never know what could have been. We tend to regret things we didn't do rather than things we did. Tell yourself that you will succeed and that you will try your best to achieve your goal. Do not give up. You will regret it.

Best of luck 

[K888]

Hey there, sorry to hear that things have been tough for you.
First off, I just want to let you know that we're here for you and will support you to our best ability. If you're concerned about your mental health, I recommend making an appointment with your GP and having a chat with them, they can organise a mental health care plan for you. There are also resources such as Kids Helpline, Lifeline, Beyond Blue, etc. as well as any resources your school might have available (eg: counsellors).
Year 12 is difficult enough without adding on the stress of having to transition to online learning, so it's very understandable that you're finding things hard - you aren't alone <3

I'd recommend persisting with year 12. It's important to graduate high school, as it's a requirement for most jobs in the future. If you want to get into uni, it's also important to finish VCE as you would know. You can always chose to do unscored (not sit exams and just receive a certificate of completion) VCE if you wish to.
A quick google tells me that there are journalism courses with a wide range of ATAR requirements - some in the 50s, some in the 70s. I definitely think you can achieve that if you try your best
However, if you don't get the ATAR necessary to enter into journalism, you can consider other pathways - diplomas, other degrees, pathway courses that will then allow you to enter into the journalism degree.

I'd have a chat to your teachers about your concerns, see if they can help you with some study strategies and help you turn your performance around. Overall, though, the most important thingthat you should do first is look after your mental health!!

All the best