Australian Tertiary Admission Rank Research Articles

Causes and outcomes of at-risk underperforming pharmacy students: implications for policy and practice

ObjectiveThis study aimed to understand the key determinants for poor academic performance of students completing a Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm), Bachelor of Pharmacy and Management (BPharmMgmt), or Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) degree.MethodsData were collected on pharmacy students who had not met academic progression requirements between 2008 and 2018 at The University of Sydney, Australia. This included: age at the start of pharmacy degree; gender; whether they transferred from another university; whether they were a domestic or international student; Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank upon entry, previous studies in biology, chemistry, or mathematics; show cause triggers (units of study failed); number of show causes; students’ written show cause responses; weighted average mark at last show cause or graduation; whether they graduated and were a registered pharmacist; and, the number of years they spent studying the degree. Descriptive studies were used to analyse student characteristics using SPSS software, and student self-reported reasons for poor performance were analysed reflexively using thematic analysis procedures using NVivo.ResultsThis study included 164 pharmacy students enrolled in a BPharm (79.3%, n = 130), BPharmMgmt (1.2%, n = 2), or MPharm (19.5%, n = 32). Of the students, 54% (n = 88) were men, 81% (n = 133) were domestic students, 15% (n = 24) transferred from another degree program, and 38% (n = 62) graduated from the course. Show cause students were less likely to graduate if they transferred from another degree program (P = 0.0002) or failed more than three units of study (UoS; P < 0.0001). The most commonly failed UoS were related to organic or pharmaceutical chemistry, and the top student self-reported reasons for poor performance was stress/anxiety, physical health, and depression.ConclusionPharmacy schools should aim to address student foundational knowledge in chemistry, identify at-risk students early using pre-subject testing, and provide better services to address student mental health.

Student access to higher education through alternative pathways and differences by equity group and discipline

ABSTRACT Widening participation in higher education for under-represented groups is a priority internationally. In Australia, the most common entry pathway for domestic undergraduate students is by obtaining an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) in the final year of secondary school. The ATAR system, however, has been criticised as disadvantaging certain equity groups. Consequently, widening participation policy has encouraged alternative entry pathways into university, including enabling/bridging courses, vocational education qualifications, or portfolio entry based on demonstrated skills and experience. There is, however, relatively scarce evidence of student use of these pathways, including those from equity groups. Drawing on national enrolment data and institution-specific pathway data for 16 Australian universities, this study’s examination of admission data found increasing use of alternative pathways among most student equity groups, with variations by discipline. The findings inform stakeholder understanding of the relative success of alternative entry pathways in widening participation, informing strategies for improvement and future policy.

Medical student selection process enhanced by improving selection algorithms and changing the focus of interviews in Australia: a descriptive study

The study investigates the efficacy of new features introduced to the selection process for medical school at the University of New South Wales, Australia: (1) considering the relative ranks rather than scores of the Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test and Australian Tertiary Admission Rank; (2) structured interview focusing on interpersonal interaction and concerns should the applicants become students; and (3) embracing interviewers’ diverse perspectives. Data from 5 cohorts of students were analyzed, comparing outcomes of the second year in the medicine program of 4 cohorts of the old selection process and 1 of the new process. The main analysis comprised multiple linear regression models for predicting academic, clinical, and professional outcomes, by section tools and demographic variables. Selection interview marks from the new interview (512 applicants, 2 interviewers each) were analyzed for inter-rater reliability, which identified a high level of agreement (kappa=0.639). No such analysis was possible for the old interview since it required interviewers to reach a consensus. Multivariate linear regression models utilizing outcomes for 5 cohorts (N=905) revealed that the new selection process was much more effective in predicting academic and clinical achievement in the program (R2=9.4%–17.8% vs. R2=1.5%–8.4%). The results suggest that the medical student selection process can be significantly enhanced by employing a non-compensatory selection algorithm; and using a structured interview focusing on interpersonal interaction and concerns should the applicants become students; as well as embracing interviewers’ diverse perspectives.

The Variables that Predict Science Undergraduates’ Timely Degree Completion: a Conceptual Model

Science undergraduates’ timely degree completion (TDC) has become increasingly important for students themselves, universities, and society, due to issues such as cost, efficiency, and productivity, respectively. This study investigated the potential effect of several variables on TDC of Bachelor of Science (BSc) students at an Australian research-intensive university. Results showed that two time-dependent variables (TDVs)—gender and Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR)—predicted TDC. Two time-independent variables (TIVs)—the number of discipline majors and specific year level academic achievement—also predicted TDC. Students who completed on time had a significantly higher mean weighted average mark (WAM) than non-TDC students, for each year of study, and more females than males completed their BSc in a timely manner. The primary determinants of TDC were gender, number of discipline majors, and WAM at each of years 2 and 3. Our conceptual model of TDC indicates the predictive interrelationships among these TIVs and TDVs. A more informed understanding of the study’s outcomes among university stakeholders has considerable potential to enhance the engagement, scaffolding, achievement, and TDC of science undergraduates.

Development of self-regulated learning: a longitudinal study on academic performance in undergraduate science

ABSTRACT Background Self-regulated learning (SRL) encompasses the strategies and behaviours that allow students to transform cognitive abilities into task-specific academic skills. Research in higher education has found a relationship between SRL and academic outcomes. However, whether SRL improves as students gain educational experience in undergraduate science has not been adequately studied. It is also unclear whether traditionally strong predictors of academic performance, such as the Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR), and science background, remain strong in the later stages of a science degree. Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate whether SRL changes over time in undergraduate science, and whether SRL, the ATAR, or a student’s science background predicted their academic performance. Sample The sample comprised a cohort of agricultural science students (n = 213) from a large Australian University followed longitudinally from 2018 to 2020. Design and methods Students completed a questionnaire to assess SRL in their first and third years of undergraduate study. They also completed a knowledge survey at the start of first year to assess confidence in scientific material. Analyses revealed that students’ SRL increased over the degree, but not over a single semester of first year. Additionally, it was found that students’ average semester marks were related to knowledge survey scores, and with students’ ATARs, but not with their SRL. Conclusion These results indicate that the academic aptitudes that contribute to academic success in high school continue to be advantageous through to the end of undergraduate study, but also suggest that students’ initial scientific confidence may be particularly important to long-term university success.

Does the ATAR Predict Pre-service Teacher Capacity for Inclusive Classroom Practice? Classroom Practice?

In this study, we examined whether the Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) predicted pre-service teachers' schema development for inclusive classroom teaching. Where previous studies have employed grade point average (GPA) as a criterion measure, this study employed a validated measure linked to standards-based classroom practice. The study was conducted in the final semester of the teacher education programs at three Australian universities. The results showed the explanatory power of the ATAR was close to zero for the students studied. The implications of the findings for teacher education and for using the ATAR as an indicator of teacher quality are discussed.

Does the Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank score (ATAR) predict academic performance in a podiatry course?

Introduction: Universities within Australia use the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) score to guide student selection into degrees. This process assumes that students with higher ATAR scores are more capable of the academic requirements of tertiary study. This study investigated whether ATAR predicted grades in individual subjects within a university podiatry course. To our knowledge, this research is novel within this discipline in Australia.Methods: The academic records of four intake cohorts into the podiatry program (2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012; total n = 328) were retrospectively analysed. Whether student ATAR scores predicted grades achieved in each subject was examined using multiple linear regression analysis, with secondary schooling type, entry type, gender, socioeconomic status and year of course commencement considered as potential covariates.Results: Higher ATAR score was predictive of stronger academic performance in 21 of 29 podiatry subjects, although the strength of the relationship varied from weak to moderate across year level of subject and subject type. The strongest associations were in second year bioscience subjects for Microbiology (r = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.32–0.77), Normal and Pathological Movement (r = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.35–0.66) and Human Bioscience B (r = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.32–0.69). Three of the six clinical subjects (Podiatric Practice A, D and E) did not produce statistically significant associations. Conclusion: This study identified that ATAR score moderately predicted grades of biosciences subjects, however it did not predict grades in clinical subjects. Provision of academic support targeted at bioscience subjects may be useful to improve the performance of students with lower ATAR scores.

(In)equality of opportunity: educational attainments of young people from rural, regional and urban Australia

Since 1990, the Australian higher education system has experienced ongoing reform resulting in the number of universities and student populations more than doubling. Despite this expansion, inequalities in access to higher education related to family background and location persist. Due to the concentration of higher education campuses in the capital cities of each Australian state, inequalities related to geographic location may be as important as those related to socio-economic status. Our analysis of data collected by the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research programme shows that students from regional and rural areas are less likely than their urban peers to enrol at university. Furthermore, this trend persists when levels of academic achievement at age 15 and Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) are accounted for. Given that demand for highly educated workers is increasing and that workers with no post-school qualifications are the most likely to experience unemployment or underemployment, the inaccessibility of educational opportunities may consign the current generation of non-metropolitan youth to extended periods of precarious employment.

An Investigation of Secondary School STEM Subjects as Predictors of Academic Performance in Tertiary Level Health Sciences Programs

Tertiary institutions are experiencing an increased number of enrolments, with students varying in their demographics, previous education, and academic achievement. This relative increase in undergraduate enrolments in Australia has not translated to an increase in student retention or graduate numbers. This prompts the need to explore predictors of academic performance for tertiary students to identify those most at risk of underperforming. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between secondary school subject completion and undergraduate grade point average (GPA). A cohort of 709 secondary school students entering undergraduate health science courses between 2012 and 2015 at an Australian university were investigated. Completion of Mathematics 3C3D, Physics, Chemistry and Physical Education Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) subjects were significantly associated with GPA. In a subset of 458 students, longitudinal analysis revealed completion of secondary school Mathematics 3C3D was a significant predictor of academic performance over the duration of the tertiary health science courses. The results suggest that completion of advanced secondary school mathematics, but not physical sciences, is predictive of student achievement. This outcome further supports the need for improved uptake and completion of advanced mathematics in secondary school.

Trajectory of performance: The role of selection criteria on student achievement in a Bachelor of Oral Health programme.

To determine whether discontinuing the Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admissions Test (UMAT) in 2011 for selection and changes to the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) requirements in 2012 when the new Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) was introduced impacted on students' accumulative level of achievement and performance in the Bachelor of Oral Health (BOH) programme. Board of Examiner's course results for end of year performance were collected for BOH cohorts from 2006 to 2017 (n=347). Overall performance and achievement level attained were calculated and formed the dependent variables, Performance and Achievement. Group-based trajectory modelling (GBTM) characterised trajectories of yearly academic achievement and the likelihood of each case belonging to the latent group classified as individual group membership. Chi-square (or Fischer's exact) tests were conducted on groups and selected independent variables, using SAS 9.4. A 2-group academic Performance trajectory was selected as Consistent (n=290; 83.6%) and Inconsistent (n=57; 16.4%), and Achievement level (credit number) trajectory as Low (n=154; 44.4%) and High (n=193; 55.6%). Statistically significant findings in relation to achievement level were found; female students, those who enrolled after UMAT was discontinued, students enrolled since SACE changes, and those who nominated BOH as their first career preference, were more likely to achieve higher grades than their counterparts. Discontinuing the UMAT for selection and SACE changes have shown no adverse changes in students' level of achievement in the BOH programme, although enrolling in a course not their first preference was shown to affect performance level.

Selecting top candidates for medical school selection interviews- a non-compensatory approach

BackgroundMedical schools apply a range of selection methods to ensure that admitted students succeed in the program. In Australia, selection tools typically include measures of academic achievement (e.g. the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank – ATAR) and aptitude tests (e.g. the Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admissions Test – UMAT). These are most commonly used to determine which applicants are invited for additional selection processes, such as interviews. However, no previous study has examined the efficacy of the first part of the selection process. In particular, are compensatory or non-compensatory approaches more effective in evaluating the outcomes of cognitive and aptitude tests, and do they affect the demographics of students selected for interview?MethodsThis study utilised data from consecutive cohorts of mainstream domestic students who applied to enter the UNSW Medicine program between 2013 to 2018. A compensatory ranked selection model was compared with a non-compensatory ranked model. Initially, ATAR marks and UMAT scores for each applicant were ranked within each cohort. In the compensatory model, the mean of the ATAR and UMAT ranks were used to determine the outcome. In the non-compensatory model, the lowest rank of ATAR and UMAT determined the outcome for each applicant. The impact of each model on the gender and socioeconomic status of applicants selected to interview was evaluated across all cohorts.ResultsThe non-compensatory ranked selection model resulted in substantially higher ATAR and UMAT thresholds for invitation to interview, with no significant effect on the socioeconomic status of the selected applicants.ConclusionsThese results are important, demonstrating that it is possible to raise the academic threshold for selection to medicine without having any negative impact on applicants from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Overall, the evidence gathered in this study suggests that a non-compensatory model is preferable for selecting applicants for medical student selection interview.

Struggling with strugglers: using data from selection tools for early identification of medical students at risk of failure

BackgroundStruggling medical students is an under-researched in medical education. It is known, however, that early identification is important for effective remediation. The aim of the study was to determine the predictive effect of medical school admission tools regarding whether a student will struggle academically.MethodsData comprise 700 students from the University of New South Wales undergraduate medical program. The main outcome of interest was whether these students struggled during this 6-year program; they were classified to be struggling they failed any end-of-phase examination but still graduated from the program. Discriminate Function Analysis (DFA) assessed whether their pre-admission academic achievement, Undergraduate Medicine Admission Test (UMAT) and interview scores had predictive effect regarding likelihood to struggle.ResultsA lower pre-admission academic achievement in the form of Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) or Grade Point Average (GPA) were found to be the best positive predictors of whether a student was likely to struggle. Lower UMAT and poorer interview scores were found to have a comparatively much smaller predictive effect.ConclusionAlthough medical admission tests are widely used, medical school rarely use these data for educational purposes. The results of this study suggest admission test data can predict who among the admitted students is likely to struggle in the program. Educationally, this information is invaluable. These results indicate that pre-admission academic achievement can be used to predict which students are likely to struggle in an Australian undergraduate medicine program. Further research into predicting other types of struggling students as well as remediation methods are necessary.

Comparison of Chinese Gaokao and Western university undergraduate admission criteria: Australian ATAR as an example

ABSTRACTThis is the first study that examines the comparative validity of the Chinese National College Entrance Exam (known as Gaokao) to a Western end-of-secondary-school performance measure, Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR), as admission criteria to an Australian undergraduate degree programme. The study offers a strong warning about using just an aggregate Gaokao score as a sole admission criterion. However, the findings suggest that with adjustments for gender and time, Gaokao is found to be as good an admission criterion as ATAR, hence justifying its use for selection purposes if such adjustments are made. Supplementing selection criteria by also using the Gaokao English result is found to be a further improvement. The findings can help inform the admission policy relevant to Chinese international students into undergraduate degree programmes globally.

Towards a neoliberal education system in Queensland: Preliminary notes on senior secondary schooling reforms

Neoliberalism is often understood as being both an epoch of capitalism and a zealous ideological commitment to the primacy of private property and free markets. In practice, it has tended towards mobilising state power in the interests of capital, remaking societies and individuals in this process. Perhaps inevitably, education systems, the world over, have been reformed in light of neoliberalism’s overarching imperatives. It is in this light that we can best understand and make sense of recent reforms to Queensland’s senior secondary schooling system. While some details continue to be ironed out, the reformed system will revolve around three main planks: (a) an assessment model combining school-based and common external assessment, (b) a process that quantifies and standardises school-based assessment through external review processes and (c) a transition away from the Overall Position (OP) rank towards an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR). These changes to assessment and tertiary admission represent a pivot away from Queensland’s historical commitments to school-based assessment and teacher and curriculum flexibility towards a standardised national system of curriculum and external assessment. Ultimately, the reforms embody the ideological commitments of neoliberalism, perpetuating schools as producers of human capital. Hence, Queensland’s senior secondary schooling reforms ought to be understood through two different frames: firstly, as embodying the dominant ideological imperatives of neoliberalism and, secondly, that education is, within this context, being reconstituted to meet the perceived needs of capital.

Does advanced mathematics help students enter university more than basic mathematics? Gender and returns to year 12 mathematics in Australia

Students in many jurisdictions can study Mathematics at different levels in their final 2 years of secondary education. The levels of Mathematics range from standard (not involving calculus), through basic calculus, to more advanced treatments of calculus and algebra. In this context, some students can elect to study Mathematics at a level below their ability. We consider the situation in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, where most Year 12 students who apply to university are awarded a percentile ranking, namely the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR). The ATAR reflects students’ results in the final 2 years of secondary education and frequently determines what they can study at university. As the study of Mathematics is often segregated by gender, it is of interest to explore how boys’ and girls’ choices about level of Mathematics study affect their ATAR. We analyze administrative data for 46,000 senior secondary students in NSW who completed their Year 12 in 2011 and the Longitudinal Survey of Australian Youth (LSAY) for the same cohort. Using two-level regressions that control for relevant student and school characteristics, we find that, for a given level of performance in Mathematics in Year 10, girls see greater improvement than boys in Year 12 for all levels of Mathematics except the most advanced course. Girls who study basic Mathematics achieve ATAR increments as high as girls in some advanced courses. We discuss how awareness of these results may influence students’ decisions on what level of Mathematics to study in Years 11 and 12.

Pathways to performance: an examination of entry pathway and first-year university results

Although diversity at universities has increased dramatically over the past 150 years, many groups are still under-represented relative to their proportion in the general population. Initiatives to improve diversity have included the increased use of entry pathways other than direct admission from secondary school. As admissions via these alternative entry routes have increased, concerns have grown that alternative-entry students are not well prepared for university study. Here, we describe the outcomes for students entering university via one alternative entry pathway and compare them with those of students entering from secondary school. We used quantile regression with restricted cubic splines to examine the relationship between secondary school performance (quantified by the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank; ATAR), pathway of entry to university, and performance during first year university. Entry pathway significantly affects the conditional distribution of first-year marks. Outstanding performance is largely confined to students entering university from secondary school (Year 12 entry), rather than from an institution for technical and further education (TAFE). Concomitantly, for any given ATAR, the risk of failure is higher amongst Year 12 entry students than among TAFE entry students. The results have substantial implications for changes in admission criteria and for the public funding of universities.

The Association between Environmental Lead Exposure and High School Educational Outcomes in Four Communities in New South Wales, Australia.

The associations between environmental lead exposure and high school educational outcomes in four communities located in New South Wales, Australia, were examined in this ecological study. A mixed model analysis was performed to account for each school’s results being more similar than results for other schools. The effect of environmental lead exposure on mean results for five educational outcomes was examined. ‘Leaded’ schools with more than five per cent of students living in the highest lead risk areas were tested against non-leaded ‘comparison’ schools that were matched by a pre-defined socio-educational advantage rating. A small disadvantage was found for leaded schools for four out of five outcomes, which was statistically significant for three outcomes: Higher School Certificate English (p < 0.01), School Certificate Mathematics (p < 0.05), and Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank eligibility rate (p < 0.01). This study adds to the large body of evidence in Australia and elsewhere supporting the importance of primary prevention to protect health at multiple stages of development.

Selection and rejection in teacher education: qualities of character crucial in selecting and developing teacher education students

ABSTRACTThe focus of recent Australian political and media reports on the selection of candidates for initial teacher education programs has focused on the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) score as one of the key indicators of worth. This narrative study conducted in an Australian regional university focuses on the life stories of twelve pre-service teachers (PSTs) who received lower ATAR scores and who may well have been rejected by other universities. The PSTs’ narratives highlight that low achievement levels in the final years of schooling did not prevent them from being able to succeed in teacher education programs. We argue that high stakes tests as gatekeeping devices are simplistic measures that fail to recognise important qualities of character crucial to effective teaching. We suggest that qualities of character such as these are hard to quantify but are central to both selecting entrants to, and developing PSTs during, their teacher education programs.

Have we got the selection process right? The validity of selection tools for predicting academic performance in the first year of undergraduate medicine.

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Content: There remains much debate over the 'best' method for selecting students in to medicine. This study aimed to assess the predictive validity of four different selection tools with academic performance outcomes in first-year undergraduate medical students. Methods: Regression analyses were conducted between admission scores on previous academic performance - the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR), the Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test (UMAT), Multiple-Mini Interview (MMI) and the Personal Qualities Assessment (PQA) with student performance in first-year assessments of Multiple Choice Questions, Short Answer Questions, Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE) and Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Tutor ratings in four cohorts of students (N = 604, 90%). Results: All four selection tools were found to have significant predictive associations with one or more measures of student performance in Year One of undergraduate medicine. UMAT, ATAR and MMI scores consistently predicted first year performance on a number of outcomes. ATAR was the only selection tool to predict the likelihood of making satisfactory progress overall. Conclusions: All four selection tools play a contributing role in predicting academic performance in first year medical students. Further research is required to assess the validity of selection tools in predicting performance in the later years of medicine.

Selecting for a sustainable workforce to meet the future healthcare needs of rural communities in Australia.

An undersupply of generalists doctors in rural communities globally led to widening participation (WP) initiatives to increase the proportion of rural origin medical students. In 2002 the Australian Government mandated that 25% of commencing Australian medical students be of rural origin. Meeting this target has largely been achieved through reduced standards of entry for rural relative to urban applicants. This initiative is based on the assumption that rural origin students will succeed during training, and return to practice in rural locations. One aim of this study was to determine the relationships between student geographical origin (rural or urban), selection scores, and future practice intentions of medical students at course entry and course exit. Two multicentre databases containing selection and future practice preferences (location and specialisation) were combined (5862), representing 54% of undergraduate medical students commencing from 2006 to 2013 across nine Australian medical schools. A second aim was to determine course performance of rural origin students selected on lower scores than their urban peers. Selection and course performance data for rural (461) and urban (1431) origin students commencing 2006-2014 from one medical school was used. For Aim 1, a third (33.7%) of rural origin students indicated a preference for future rural practice at course exit, and even fewer (6.7%) urban origin students made this preference. Results from logistic regression analyses showed significant independent predictors were rural origin (OR 4.0), lower Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) (OR 2.1), or lower Undergraduate Medical and Health Sciences Admissions Test Section3 (non-verbal reasoning) (OR 1.3). Less than a fifth (17.6%) of rural origin students indicated a preference for future generalist practice at course exit. Significant predictors were female gender (OR 1.7) or lower ATAR (OR 1.2), but not rural origin. Fewer (10.5%) urban origin students indicated a preference for generalist practice at course exit. For Aim 2, results of Mann-Whitney U tests confirmed that slightly reducing selection scores does not result in increased failure, or meaningfully impaired performance during training relative to urban origin students. Our multicentre analysis supports success of the rural origin WP pathway to increase rural student participation in medical training. However, our findings confirm that current selection initiatives are insufficient to address the continuing problem of doctor maldistribution in Australia. We argue for further reform to current medical student selection, which remains largely determined by academic meritocracy. Our findings have relevance to the selection of students into health professions globally.