…It’s the end of the world as we know it…Michael Stipe is one of my favourite musicians. But sometimes his lyrics are as offbeat as his hair is thick and full. It’s not the end of the world! Stop this nonsense right now – you have alternatives, you really do.
“Well, I’m still funnier than you. And I have street smarts. That HAS to count for something.”
Meet my lovely brother. I’ve always said that, in any other family, I would be the ‘good kid.’ In my family, this is not the case. Nope, he is the golden child, he who can do no wrong. I’m not bitter, mind you. Not at all. I was just wondering when people put such a high premium on being FUNNY…But I digress.
He finished Year 12 this year, and like all of you, received his UAI on Saturday. Unfortunately, he didn’t receive the UAI he will probably need to get into the course he has chosen (hence, the above comment, directed at yours truly.)
Like many of you, perhaps, he’s trying to plot his next move (I stress the term ‘plot.’ He has an uncanny knack for falling on his feet through pure scheming. If only he could use his powers for good instead of evil!) He’s looking at his preferences, searching the UAC guide and researching courses. Ob-la-di, ob-la-da, life goes on…
I spoke to some other HSC students on the weekend who were absolutely devastated by their UAIs. Many of them were really confused, as some of you might be. They couldn’t work out why their exam marks were as high as 76, but they got UAIs between 50 and 60. This is because the UAI is not a mark, it’s a rank. So you and all the other HSC students are competing against each other. Your UAI isn’t just based on how well you do, it’s also about how well everyone else does. It also takes into account subject choices. Some subjects are considered more demanding than others, and so they are ‘scaled’ higher. If you and your friend both got 75 in English, but she did Advanced and you did Standard, her mark would be ‘scaled’ because her course is said to be more challenging.
I know none of this is very fair and it’s not what you want to hear. But it really is not the end of the world. There is no need to dress Ben Affleck in an orange space suit and get him to sing some God-awful song to poor Liv Tyler. Your UAI might determine your immediate future, but it won’t affect the course of your entire life.
Firstly, if you think you might have missed the cut-off for your first preference, you might be eligible for flexible entry. Keep in mind this will only apply if you’re within 5 UAI points of your preference. To find out more about flexible entry, go to www.info.usyd.edu.au/dontpanic/flexible.shtml
There is also the option of transferring after your first year. I’ve known quite a few people who have done this. Transferring works like this: you start a degree and after a year you can apply again through UAC (like you did this year) for the course you missed out on. You’ll be given a new UAI, based 50% on UAI and 50% on your uni marks. You will need to get a distinction average, usually. Beware – do not start a course solely with the intention of transferring. If you are unsuccessful, you will have to finish the degree you started, so make sure you can see yourself doing this!
Another option is to pay full-fees. There are two ways to pay for your degree – as a Commonwealth-supported student, or as a full-fee paying student. Commonwealth-supported students used to be called HECS students. Basically this means that the Government covers the bulk of the cost of your degree. You can pay the rest of it upfront, or you can defer payments until after you’ve finished your degree, when you are earning over $36 000. If you pay full-fees, you pay for all of it and the Commonwealth Government doesn't contribute towards it. You can apply for a FEE-HELP loan. A FEE-HELP loan will cover $50,000 of your fees only and some courses can cost more than this. It can be an expensive option. Each degree has a certain number of places for fee-paying students, and the UAI cut-off can be a little lower than it is for Commonwealth-supported students. If you have missed the cut-off and you have the means to pay full-fees, this might be suitable for you. Don't go into it lightly though. Check out our website on the fee-paying option: www.info.usyd.edu.au/dontpanic/fee_option.shtml. I also recommend you visit the Government site as well: www.goingtouni.gov.au/
If you have missed the cut-off quite considerably, don’t despair. Sylvia Plath you ain’t. You might like to start thinking about mature-age entry. This is when you begin uni after you’ve turned 21, when you are no longer classed as a ‘recent school leaver.’ For more info on mature-age entry, go to www.usyd.edu.au/fstudent/undergrad/apply/scm/mature.shtml
I know it’s a bit rich, coming from the girl who won the “Best Tantrum Award” in high school, but your life is not over if you missed the cut-off. You might still be able to study what you’ve always planned on studying, you might just have to take a different path to get there. That’s ok. Go ahead and rant and rave as much as you want. Get those Alanis Morrissette and Avril Lavigne CDs out (what is it about angry Canadians??) But after you’ve polished off a few packets of Tim Tams and enough Krispy Kremes to bring on a coronary, start thinking about your destination. Taking the regular flight is overrated. Make your own way there!