You’ve probably heard it said so many times now: “Year 11 is just a practice run for Year 12!” or “Your Year 11 marks don’t actually contribute to anything”…
Well, we hate to break the news to you, but your Year 11 grades could be the difference between university entry and sitting there on ATAR day in total disarray!
Confused? We’re going to break down all the details you need to know, so give this article a read, and you’ll be 10x better off than before.
Here’s what no one tells you about Year 11 results and uni entry!
Your Year 11 Results
But I thought your Year 11 marks didn’t count towards your ATAR!
About University Entry Schemes
Why Should I go for Early Offers?
Your Year 11 Results
Your Year 11 results refer to the marks you get on “official assessments” across the year in Year 11 – including FIA1, FIA2, FIA3 and the FIA4 – or the “External Exam equivalent”.
In Year 11, you complete Unit 1 and 2 of every subject you have chosen! Upon completion of each “semester” or Unit, as QCAA terms it, you will receive either a “S” for satisfactory, or “U” for unsatisfactory, depending on if you passed the entire unit.
For Unit 1, you will complete FIA1 and FIA2. For Unit 2, you will complete FIA3 and the FIA4/FEA.
Now here’s the important part! For each unit that you pass, achieving an “S”, you will receive one point towards your Queensland Certificate of Education – of which you need 20 points to attain!
Your Year 11 marks directly contribute to your ability to attain a “Queensland Certificate of Education” – the basic qualification given to all successful Year 12 graduates.
A QCE Certificate is needed to get into almost all Universities, and many employers look favourably upon those who hold one.
But I thought your Year 11 marks didn’t count towards your ATAR!
It’s true!
Your Year 11 grades will not directly affect your scaling, final Year 12 results, or ATARÂ – BUT, they still really matter!
You see, the whole point of the “ATAR” is in it’s name – “Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank”!
It’s about giving students a rank to admit them into a university course!
But what if I told you that your Year 11 results can directly affect your ability to get into university too!
Not sure about Uni entry? We’ve made an ultimate guide for applying to QTAC!
About University Entry Schemes
Here’s the thing, many universities offer early entry schemes to attract Year 12 students before the External Exams have even started.
That literally means you can get into university before externals – and before your ATAR has even been calculated!
But how? Your Year 11 marks.
Universities will look at, and consider, your Year 11 marks to be indicative of how you will perform in Year 12, and that includes the End of Year “FIA4” results you will get.
Many early entry offer schemes take into account how well you performed in Year 11 to determine your entry eligibility!
Using your Year 11 marks, many universities will offer “conditional early entry”, which means you are guaranteed a place within their course, so long as you meet a minimum ATAR entry requirement on release day.
That means NO COMPETING with other student’s for spots – you simply have to achieve an ATAR goal that they set for you, and your spot is yours, guaranteed.
Lucky for you, we’ve got an entire guide on how to apply for early entry university offers!
Why should I go for early entry offers?
I knew a few people who went for early entry offers in Year 12, and guess what? Come external exams they were completely non-anxious. Why? Because they knew their spot was secured.
All they had to do was trust in their study and the work they had put in to meet the ATAR requirement their university had set for them. There was no stress and anxious competitiveness!
But here’s the catch – they all treated Year 11 seriously, so they had the marks to pull it off!
Almost every single major tertiary education provider – QUT, UQ, Griffith, USC, USQ, and more offer early entry, so I would 100% advise that you research available courses, and see if your dream course has an early entry option to aim for next year!
Here’s a list of all our favourite early entry schemes:
| University | Offer Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| The University of Queensland | ATAR Guarantee Program | Whilst UQ does not have a traditional early offer program, they do have an ATAR guarantee - that means if you score the minimum ATAR required for a course, you are guaranteed a place! |
| Queensland University of Technology | Year 12 Early Offer Scheme | QUT has the most traditional style of early entry program. You are offered a place with the university before you graduate, given you meet the conditional requirements of your offer upon ATAR release. |
| Griffith University | Year 12 Early Offer Guarantee | A mix between UQ and QUT, Griffith offers an early entry guarantee program based on the outcome of your ATAR result. |
| The University of the Sunshine Coast | Early Offer Guarantee | USC offers an early entry guarantee program, where you may apply and get into a program before ATAR release. Offer dates will continue until late November. |
| Australian Catholic University | ACU Guarantee Program | Similar to UQ, ACU has a guarantee program that is entirely based on the outcome of your ATAR. If you meet the threshold ATAR requirement, you are guaranteed a place in the course of your choice! |
Stuck with what uni degree you want to do after school? Here’s 3 steps to choosing the right uni degree!
But remember, it all starts now. It all starts with how you apply yourself across Year 11 with your formative assessments!
Remember, you don’t have to face school alone! We offer a wide range of support with a tutor who is studying your dream degree, so you can get personalised support and top tips to secure your uni spot!
There you have it!
Now that you understand how Year 11 results can affect your university entry, why not take the time to read some of the other articles we’ve created about the QCE system, assessments, and achieving your ATAR goal!
Our tutors have experienced exactly what you’re going through right now — the same IAs and externals you’ll be sitting at the end of Year 12 — so we’ve got all the right tips and knowledge to share with you, to help you improve your marks!
We’ve also got an ENTIRE library of QCE study note summaries and practice questions, to get you as ready as possible before your next assessment!
To find out more and get started with an inspirational tutor and mentor get in touch today!Â
Give us a ring on 1300 267 888, email us at [email protected] or check us out on TikTok!
