Complete This One Year Pathway To Jump Straight Into Second Year Uni
By
Year13
So the big day has come and gone. ATAR results are out and if you didn’t get the result you wanted, you’ve probably spent the past couple of days dodging messages from hopeful relatives and offering half-hearted congratulations to your successful mates. But inside you’ve been kicking yourself. Maybe you were just a few points off the course requirement, or maybe you really bombed – either way, it can feel super deflating.
While it’s alright to feel terrible for a few days (and eat your body weight in Doritos), you’ve also got to remember that a less-than-perfect ATAR doesn’t mean the end of the line. Not by a long shot. In the end, the ATAR is just a four-digit number that only has as much power as you allow it to. So you really shouldn’t let it dictate your future.
There’s still plenty of ways to get to the course you planned on. And no, that doesn’t mean spending twelve months taking bridging classes and ending up a whole year behind your mates. In fact, it doesn’t have to mean losing any time at all, at least not when you go through Western Sydney University’s (WSU) The College.
The College is a branch of WSU and a pathway into university for those who didn’t get the ATAR they needed (or didn’t actually get an ATAR at all). They know that during high school, life happens and things get in the way, but you shouldn’t have to sacrifice what you want to do because of that. Here’s how it works:
Integrated diploma and degree courses
WSU The College won’t set you back or have you tracking behind your uni friends. In fact, with their diploma courses you’ll be doing the same units as first-year students, you’ll just be doing it in a more supportive environment. Plus, you’ll have a bunch of services such as academic writing workshops and counselling at your fingertips.
If you’ve got an ATAR of 55, you can complete a Standard Diploma course (12 months), and if you have a lower ATAR or no ATAR at all, you can complete an Extended Diploma course (16 months).
After you’ve successfully completed this course (that’s a 50% pass in all units) and spent your time actually working towards a qualification, you’ll move straight into second year uni and into the related degree. Yep, that’s guaranteed entry if you finish the diploma, for everyone.
What courses are on offer?
The College’s diploma courses give you the opportunity to get into practically any degree WSU offers. You can study Arts for pathways into education, psychology and law, as well as Building Design Management, Business, Communication, Construction Management, Criminal & Community Justice, Design, Engineering, Health Science, Information & Communications Technology, Science, Social Science and Policing.
If you’re still keen on university but you think you need a little more time and help to get into the swing of academic life, you can also complete The College’s Foundation Studies. These will take between four and 12 months to complete and will set you up for either a first-year undergraduate degree at WSU, or entry into a diploma course.
Alright, so what now?
If you’re interested in courses at The College, you can find out more information here, or you can always jump on the phone and give them a ring to tell them your story. Catch them on 1300 897 669.
