How fast can you get out of high school?

If you don’t get the place you want in university, don’t have a meltdown because it’s not the end of the world. There’s more than one way to skin a cat (not that you’d want to unless you were enrolling in a taxidermy course), and there are several different paths you can take to reach the same destination.

You could enrol in single subjects (bridging units) which usually have fewer eligibility requirements and can count towards a diploma or degree. Or, you could undertake a course at another institution and then transfer to your preferred course at a later date. With this option, you could also study part time, online or as a mature age student with the ultimate goal of getting into your dream university course.

And you never know, not getting into your preferred course could turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Trying other alternatives could unearth areas of study that you may find you like more than your initial preference.

So remember that your ATAR score does not define you and don’t be afraid to try new things.

VET programs

There are thousands of courses available through the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector which can qualify you for a variety of exciting careers.

VET courses offer Certificates, Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas, which are designed in consultation with relevant industry bodies and are recognised pathways into a range of careers.

They are offered through RTOs, TAFEs and some universities and as well as providing training for the workforce, they can often be used to provide credit towards higher education courses.

TAFE courses

Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutes offer practical hands-on courses (including a wide range of VET courses) designed to prepare you for vocational careers such as hospitality, child care or design. And they use industry-standard equipment, meaning you graduate ready for employment.

Compared with the more theory-based courses typically offered by universities, TAFE courses have a practical focus, lower entry requirements, lower cost and a shorter completion time. It’s often believed that doing a TAFE course in a vocation you’re interested in can greatly improve your job prospects in that field.

Registered Training Organisations

There are Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) all over Australia (currently around 5,000) offering quality-assured and nationally recognised training and qualifications.

RTOs offer accredited VET qualifications, providing training in the specific skills you need to succeed in your chosen industry. They are required to adhere to standards and guidelines set by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) to ensure that their courses are a high quality and relevant to future employers and the industries involved.

Apprenticeships

Another career pathway other than through university is an apprenticeship, which is a great way to learn your craft while getting paid at the same time.

Australian apprenticeships are provided through a cooperative arrangement between Federal and State governments, industry bodies, employers and RTOs and they offer a range of great benefits including;

• A head start in your chosen career

• Paid work and structured on-the-job training

• Reduced training time through recognition of existing skills and prior experience

• The option of full time, part time or school-based training

• Nationally recognised qualifications which can be used here or overseas

Thinking about the future?

Get your super sorted today.

If the Outcome is showing as ‘Reserve’ it means your child is on the reserve list (waiting list) for that school (or schools). You may be made an offer later if your child’s position on the reserve list is reached before all vacancies are filled.

View the progress of reserve bands for each school at the bottom of the page.

What do the reserve bands mean?

From 2022, instead of a reserve list number, parents are given a band A to F next to the relevant school choice.

The ‘Reserve band’ column provides a general estimate for how long it might take to receive an offer from your child’s position on the reserve list for that school. This is based on when students in a similar position were placed during the previous year’s placement process. The bands are estimates only. The number and timing of declined offers is not necessarily the same from year to year.

Reserve list numbers are not published and are not generally released, as the band is a better indication of possible timing and likelihood.

Reserve list bands

Declining a reserve outcome

If your child is on a reserve list but you are sure you do not want your child to be placed in that school, please select ‘Withdraw’ and confirm that, yes, you do want to withdraw from the reserve list. You cannot change this decision later.

Notification of a subsequent or further offer

If your child's position on a reserve list is reached, the Team will contact you by an email alerting you to log in to your application dashboard to view the updated outcome. Make sure you check your email junk folder regularly.

If you get a subsequent or further offer, you must either accept it or decline it by the response due date shown or it will lapse.

If you already had an offer, you can choose to accept the new offer or decline it and keep your original offer. If you accept the new offer, the original offer is automatically declined.

Students on reserve lists are not guaranteed an offer.

Aurora College does not have a reserve list as all offers are made to allow the College to work with host schools as soon as outcomes are released.

End of year removal from reserve lists

You may accept an offer and also remain on a reserve list or lists for a higher choice school (or schools) until the last day of the school year.

At 3:00 pm on 19 December 2022, the names of students holding an offer to a selective high school are removed from any higher choice school reserve lists. To remain on a reserve list for a higher choice school, you must decline the existing offer before the 'locking' date of 19 December 2022. From this date until the end of Term 1 in the year of placement, offers will be made only to those remaining on reserve lists who have declined their previous offer or who have not yet received an offer.

After reserve lists close, any vacancies are held over for the Years 8 to 12 placement process.

Progress of the reserve lists

This table shows which reserve band is currently being offered for each selective high school. The list is updated when there is movement from one band to another.

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