Choosing the right degree
While your teen might already have an idea of what they want to study, they might also still be considering their options. Fortunately, there’s plenty you can do to help them.
Get started by discussing what your teen is good at, what they’re interested in and the sort of career they want to pursue. This can help inform their thinking, both about their immediate future at university and where they’re headed after. Try to encourage your teen not to be overly influenced by peer pressure, family expectations or misconceptions—like if they receive a better ATAR than they expect, they’ll be ‘wasting’ it by choosing a degree with lower entry requirements.
You and your teen should also check out our Degree Finder, which lists all the information you’ll need about our degrees, including entry requirements, majors and potential career outcomes. For up-to-date guidance on career pathways, employability rates and job growth areas, you can also check out Australian government sites like:
Doubling your options
If your teen is torn between a few options, a double degree might be the perfect solution. They can combine two related degrees to become a specialist or choose from different areas to broaden their knowledge and career options. And while it might seem counterintuitive, a double degree does not necessarily mean double the work. In fact, they’re generally cheaper and faster to complete than the two single degrees they’re comprised of.
There are plenty of other benefits to choosing a double degree including:
- a future-proofed career with the flexibility to work in different fields and industries
- a wider and more diverse network of student, academic and industry contacts
- a greater understanding of the requirements and ways of thinking required in other disciplines
Demystifying the applications process
The applications process has plenty of moving parts, and it’s easy to get caught up in all the jargon. Here’s what you need to help your teen skip the confusion and sail through to success.
What’s an ATAR?
An Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) is a number between 0.00 and 99.95 that indicates a student’s position in relation to their peers. It’s expressed as a number on a 2000-point scale from 99.95 to 0.00 that progresses in steps of 0.05. An ATAR of 80.00 does not mean a student got 80 per cent. Instead, it indicates they placed within the top 20 per cent of their age group.
What are QTAC and UAC?
Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC) and Universities Admission Centre (UAC) are state authorities, known as TACs. They administer the application and offer processes for places at tertiary or higher education providers, such as Griffith. QTAC and UAC administer the majority of our undergraduate degrees.
How do TAC preferences work?
Preferences are designed to help keep students’ options open as they decide what they want to study. When they apply, your teen will be asked to select up to six preferences, with their first preference being the degree they want to study most.
When your teen chooses preferences, it’s important to remember:
- some degrees have earlier offer rounds than others—so make sure to check, so they don’t miss out
- adjustment factors might mean your teen’s ATAR is better than expected, allowing them to aim higher with their first preferences
- pathway options—such as undergraduate diplomas—make a great choice for fifth and sixth preferences as they can help your teen transfer into their desired degree without adding time or cost.
What’s an offer round?
Offers for undergraduate degrees are released on specific dates, known as offer rounds. These dates are listed on the TAC websites. As a general rule, the earlier your teen applies, the more offer rounds they’ll be considered for.
Applicants will only receive one offer per round—generally their highest eligible preference. Once they’ve received an offer, your teen will need to respond to it by a certain time.
What’s an adjustment factor?
Adjustment factors are a way for universities and other tertiary institutions to account for Year 12 students’ various academic achievements and personal circumstances when considering their application. They don’t actually change an overall ATAR—instead they act like a one time only offer that can increase a student’s selection rank to help them get into their degree of choice.
It’s important to note that students are only eligible for adjustment factors if they apply to university for the year after they finish Year 12. For example, if your teen graduates from Year 12 with an ATAR of 65.00 and applies to Griffith, they could receive up to 8.00 adjustments to bring their ATAR up to 73.00. If they choose not to accept an offer but apply again next year, their effective ATAR reverts back to 65.00.
What’s the difference between a prerequisite and assumed knowledge?
Prerequisites are subjects your teen must have studied previously as a condition of entry. Assumed knowledge is knowledge that your teen is expected to have gained through certain subjects at school—and while it’s not required as a condition of entry to a degree, it will make the material more accessible.
Except for a few exceptions, most degrees at Griffith only have assumed knowledge, not prerequisites, but you can check on the relevant degree page. If your teen doesn’t meet the prerequisites for a particular degree or they need extra support, we offer Griffith Bridging English and Foundations of Academic Writing.
What’s the Year 12 Early Offer Guarantee?
The Year 12 Early Offer Guarantee provides certainty to eligible students by allowing them to receive an offer before they get their ATAR or IB diploma results. This eliminates the anxious wait for results and offer rounds, so your teen can enjoy their break before starting at university.
What’s the Guaranteed Admission Scheme?
We give increased opportunities and greater certainty about future study choices by offering a range of guaranteed admission options. These include schemes for teens who attain an ATAR of 80.00+ or an IB of 28+ or have completed a VET qualification.
There’s always time to change
It’s important to remember that no matter what your teen chooses to study, it’s never too late for them to reconsider—whether they’ve just applied or they’re already enrolled.
Once they’ve made an application through QTAC or UAC, they can change their preferences up to three times for free. After that, they can continue to change their preferences, but they’ll have to pay a fee. For the most up-to-date information on how to change preferences and the associated deadlines, check the relevant QTAC and UAC websites.
Even after your teen enrols, changing degrees—particularly within the same institution—is still relatively straightforward. In fact, if they decide early enough into the trimester, they’ll even be able to transfer into another degree without financial or academic penalty.
For more information about the process, check out our article on how to change degrees.
You may also be interested in
5 Minutes
Finding the right degree and career
When it comes to helping your teen with what to do next after high school, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the study requirements and institutional jargon that comes with the territory.
5 Minutes
Preparing for careers expos and open days
Each year there is an influx of events to help teens think about their future. In this article, you’ll learn what these events are, what to expect and how to get the most out of them.
5 Minutes
Parents' and guardians' guide to uni
Need a hand supporting your teen as they apply to university? This article is packed with plenty of handy hints. You’ll find out how to help them choose the right degree—or double degree—and get…
5 Minutes
Helping with exam stress
Find out how to effectively support your teen’s study efforts and exam success. Our guide will take you through time management tips, handling high expectations, encouraging your teen to keep up…
5 Minutes
Pathways and support
No matter how your teen is planning to enter university, Griffith offers a range of pathways to ensure our education remains accessible for everyone. Learn the ins and outs of tertiary entry and…
5 Minutes
Getting your teen university ready
There’s plenty to consider before your teen heads off to university for the first time. To help, we’ve put together some helpful hints to take the stress out of those first few weeks, covering he…
