Applying For Special Consideration

[Matt The Rat]

This morning I fractured my writing arm's elbow during training. With exams coming up, I was wondering what the go is?

I know that I can apply for a scribe if I'm unable to write but is special consideration also given? For example, it'd take a hell of a longer time telling someone, who doesn't know Chemistry, how to draw out compounds etc.

Thanks in advance for any info

[cara.mel]

You'd be given extra time so that you can communicate with said scribe. People get extra time for all sorts of things, eg needing to stand up and exercise for 5 mins/hour or whatever.

In any case, this is best discussed with your school asap, rather than us. They're used to dealing with these things. Ie ring them now if you're not there atm.

Anyway, hope you get better soon =)

[jess3254]

As well as a scribe, you could also arrange to use a computer if you are able to type. Talk to your VCE coordinator, you will need to arrange a doctor's letter and a personal statement to be sent off to the VCAA ASAP.

Good luck, hope your arm recovers swiftly!

[Matt The Rat]

Thanks caramel and jess!

I'm going into school tomorrow morning so I'll organise everything then. Made sure that I got the necessary paperwork at the hospital today so should be alright.

Thanks again

[costargh]

Reviving dead thread but its acceptable because it saves making a new thread.
Wanted to know if I am eligible for special consideration. From the lecture we got today on applications, apparently special consideration can be for sorta longer term things that have affected your ability to perform in Year 11 and 12 in VCE. I noticed on the lecture that it said two things that may or may not apply to me.
1) Long term illness of a family member
2) Death of a close family member/friend etc

I'll just give you my situation:

Last year (2007), August 14th my grandfather passed away, I don't know how much it affected me but it was kinda hard for a while.
But the one that sorta might be more appropriate was that this year my grandma moved in with us. What ended up happening was that I'd usually come home and I'd be the only one home with her, and I kinda had to look after her for a few hours until everyone got home, usually cooking dinner every 2nd night or so, collecting clothes, getting medicines and stuff for her. Again, I sorta worked around this and my mid-year mark was very good for accounting so I don't know how much it affected me, Um but yeh this was for about 3 months leading up to midyears, then she passed away just after mid-years and so I havent been as hard on myself the last month or so as I was before (even though I as helping out and stuff with my grandma)
um so yeh i dont know what to say, just want to know if i fit under any category. I kinda feel bad for even bringing it up, I dont want to be benefiting from a tragic event but I guess there are these things in place for a reason, but then again Im not sure how affected I was if I did well on my mid-year ( but my other subjects may have suffered as a result on focusin on my mid year ... I dont know)

What sorta documentation do youu need for these sorta things?
Meh any info would be appreciated. kthanx

[costargh]

Also, what does special consideration mean,. What effects does it have for me
 
I also found this on the special consideration page.

" The key to providing quality information is to ensure that you concentrate on the impact of your disadvantage and that supporting documentation substantiates this impact. "

Does this mean that you basically have to perform badly to be considered? I can't say that I have been doing badly this year, but I think I could have done better on some SAC's and stuff. Studying for SAC's at hospital is a really inefficient way of studying. Like... does me gettin A+ on a mid-year exam in effect make me too high performing to be considered to have been affected?

[beezy4eva]

I'm pretty sure to apply for it you need to have been seeing a councellor (could just be a school one or one you've seen outside of school). I think the councellor needs to write a report that goes in with your application.

[Chocoholic]

Hey costargh,
First of all I'm sorry about your loss.
From my understanding Special Consideration does not affect your VCE results but I think some uni's take it into consideration when your applying.

The following unis use it:
Australian Catholic University
Deakin University
La Trobe University
Monash University
RMIT University
The University of Melbourne

Basically, all you have to do is write up a 'impact statement' saying how this situation has affected you and you also have to select 'special consideration' on your vtac enrolment. I'm not sure how accurate my advice is as I literally read it on the VTAC site now. But you can check it out yourself here:

 http://www.vtac.edu.au/seas/special-consideration.html#about

and here........

http://www.vtac.edu.au/seas/special-consideration.html


EDIT: You also have to have a 'statement of support' which can be written by any of your teachers. Its basically supporting what you said in your 'impact statement'. And I'm preety sure your teachers would be more than happy to help!!

[costargh]

Thanks. I did a bit of reading myself. I don't know how I can show that I have been impacted. Impacted on my results... it's not like I can say that I've got shit marks. That would be lieing...

I dont know what 2 do. I might talk to the careers person, shes better then the VCE co-ord. She knows her shit lol

[Chocoholic]

yeah, even though you've recieved good marks I think it can still affect you. Yes, it hasn't lowered your marks because clearly you havn't stopped studying b/c of these personal circumstances, but it still would of made a difference emotionally which would affect your Yr 12 study life. If your grandparents both pass away in the space of less than a year than that would be hard to take. The best thing to do is speak to your VCE co-ord and get her/him to help you write your impact statement to increase your chances of being 'granted' special consid, seeing as though you feel it really has affected you. So yeah, go for it!!

[AppleThief]

Does this mean that you basically have to perform badly to be considered? I can't say that I have been doing badly this year, but I think I could have done better on some SAC's and stuff. Studying for SAC's at hospital is a really inefficient way of studying. Like... does me gettin A+ on a mid-year exam in effect make me too high performing to be considered to have been affected?

I think it just means that they want you to describe how exactly the event disadvantaged you. So basically, the adverse effects that the event had on your life/study.

Also, just apply. It doesn't hurt. The worst that can happen is that they won't accept the application.

[costargh]

I guess the way I see it, it has made my VCE years, especially this one A LOT harder than it could have been. Not that I wanted a bludge, but it was pretty stressful and stuff at one point. It even got to a stage where I couldn't do homework because my grandma didn't want to be alone while I went and did my hw, so Id'd have to bring my stuff downstairs to be with her but then she would want me to do things for her to help her and stuff so I never really got work done until parents came home to take over.

I think I'll just talk to someone of authority at school.
If anyone has done this process before, please let me know what its like etc.
Thanks

[costargh]

Does this mean that you basically have to perform badly to be considered? I can't say that I have been doing badly this year, but I think I could have done better on some SAC's and stuff. Studying for SAC's at hospital is a really inefficient way of studying. Like... does me gettin A+ on a mid-year exam in effect make me too high performing to be considered to have been affected?

I think it just means that they want you to describe how exactly the event disadvantaged you. So basically, the adverse effects that the event had on your life/study.

Also, just apply. It doesn't hurt. The worst that can happen is that they won't accept the application.

Yeh thanks. I just think 'impact' is open to interpretation. My marks are/were still good but they might have been even better, or my study/life balance would have been better otherwise and would have had a less stressful year 12 etc

[Chocoholic]

btw costargh you count yourslef lucky that you have a proper VCE-Coordinator. Our school's VCE-Coord and careers councillor is the same person, talk about 2 in 1, but he can't do his job. He admits it himself!! and to top it of i think he's a pedo...so I don't ever want to go to him. If only I can get special consid for that

[costargh]

Unlucky you!

One other question, can I apply for scholarships like "Monash University Scholarships for Excellence and Equity"
under the "Difficult family circumstances" category
here are the examples that might be applicable that they have on the site:
Some examples of long-term difficult family circumstances are:

    * carer responsibilities (ill children, parent, siblings etc.) <----- I wasn't a 'carer'... I just helped
    * death of parent/guardian/relative/close friend/classmate/teacher
    * excessive family responsibilities <----- although I wouldn't call them excessive

I don't know.. I think Ill apply anywya