How did/do you 'play the system'?

[Gloamglozer]

Although it only works for SEAS financial disadvantage and/or rural areas in this example, an ATAR of 88 with a SEAS of one of those 2 categories would guarantee a place in Biomedicine at UoM. Should give you a rough idea at how influential SEAS can be.

I think there was talk earlier to increased the ATAR of 88 just for biomed.

[Zien]

I think there was talk earlier to increased the ATAR of 88 just for biomed.

I've read that article too. I think they'll just reduce the number of spots they reserve for SEAS applicants instead of increasing it for those 2 category SEAS applicants. Last year, I heard that local students without SEAS hitting above the cut-off mark of 95 but below the ridiculous clearly-in of 98.35 were mostly rejected by UoM; the spots were offered to other SEAS category students instead (e.g. disadvantaged school). Now they're planning to reduce the target 40% of students as SEAS entry down to 30% or something like that. My memory's a bit hazy.

[onur369]

To what I heard SEAS cut off for biomed is 91 or 92

[sam.utute]

My friend got in with 83ish.

[Russ]

The atar for those specific categories is now 92. It's projected to reduce the number of SEAS entrants from 50% to 35%

[Zien]

Hm. I was under the impression that they were reducing the number of spots reserved for SEAS instead of increasing the clearly-in ATAR score. Is the new score of 92 a cut-off mark or a guaranteed entry?

[Russ]

Aren't they the same thing?

And it's definitely going to 92, which will reduce the number of spots

[Zien]

Well guaranteed entry imply that, although you got less than the requirements, they still have a chance of getting in through still. A cut-off is black and white; you have to get this score or else you won't even be considered.

I'm disappointed that they decided to increase the ATAR requirement instead of just cutting down on reserving spots for SEAS applicants. : /

[Bonifacio]

Aren't they the same thing?

And it's definitely going to 92, which will reduce the number of spots

Whend does this come into effect Russ?

Surely, it won't affect current year 12s?

[luken93]

http://union.unimelb.edu.au/farrago/uni-news/biomedicine-to-take-fewer-disadvantaged-students

[Bonifacio]

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As if this will come into affect so quickly!!!! Drats!

[Russ]

I approve of the change tbh, the old system clearly wasn't working

[Bonifacio]

I don't think it's fair that they will make the change official half way through the year though. But then again, if you're not studying to your maximum potential anyway, you don't really deserve assistance for your apathy. I anticipate an ATAR > 92 anyway so it doesn't change the equation for me.

[Bonifacio]

Russ, to be fair, the ATAR in general doesn't work. Although you can quote the power of the VN or whatever for helping people score highly in their VCE, the vast majority from that list of high VN achievers went to MGS/Scotch/Macrobs/MHS, so I honestly think if anything that list is a testament to the inequality in VCE, I am for the previous SEAS system, regardless of my personal background. I don't see how on earth someone educated at one of those private or selective schools can be beaten by people at public schools and I'm all for any advantage us regular kids get. As far as I'm concerned, if you went to one of the aforementioned schools that dominate entrance into medical degrees, you had absolutely every chance in your education to score 99+ and if you didn't, that is your own fault. Compare that with some of the public schools where teachers are as clueless as kids on some matters. At my friends school, the teacher opened their Specialist Mathematics class with, 'I'm going to be honest with you, we're learning this course together.'

[pi]

The thing with selective schools, they are for 'us regular kids' and there are many routes to get there if at first one does not succeed (although the routes get successively more difficult as years pass). That is the reason the government opened up John Monash, Cory and Nozzal, to give more opportunity to kids who were especially living in the outer regions of Melbourne (stereotypically the most disadvantaged areas). In addition, selective school teaching isn't as great as people make it out to be (MGS, Scotch, PLC, Ivanhoe, etc. usually leech most of our/MacRob good teachers after a few years) usually, it is the private tutors and the fierce student competition getting most of us through. There are a lot of 'dud' or 'clueless' teaches too (in areas of maths too), as with any government school.