Other things I might like to know
Extension studies
Extension studies are university subjects taken with the VCE. If you are a high achiever and looking for an additional challenge, they are a great way to extend your interest in a subject a step beyond the VCE. They are not VCE units and cannot be counted as part of the 16 units needed for satisfactory completion.
Who can do extension studies?
Extension studies are meant for high achieving students who have shown outstanding results. About two per cent of VCE students each year will be eligible. Students apply directly to the university that offers the study of their choice. Students should seek the advice of their school before beginning an extension study. Your school will have the guidelines set by the universities that help to ensure that selected students are capable of completing their VCE and an extension studies program. All extension studies programs are at least 20 per cent of a full-time first-year program at university.
A key to selection is your achievement in the VCE preparatory study for the extension studies program you want to do. The preparatory study will give you the necessary background for the university subject in your extension studies program. You will normally need to have completed a Unit 3 and 4 sequence in a preparatory study that gives you the necessary background for the university subject. Some preparatory studies can be done at the same time as the extension study. You should seek advice on this from the school and university. Your school will also need to be satisfied that you have achieved or will achieve a VCE study score of at least 41 in the preparatory study (for information about study scores see ‘How are my results reported to me?’).
What are the benefits?
If you successfully complete an extension study the results will be reported on your Statement of Results (see 'How are my results reported to me?) and may contribute to your ENTER (see ‘How are my results reported to me?’) as a sixth VCE study. It may gain you an additional 4.0, 5.0 or 5.5 points to the aggregate in the calculation of your ENTER, depending on your results in the extension study. If you pass an extension studies program you will ordinarily be able to take up your subject at second-year level at university if you are selected for the course to which the subject belongs.
You must remember that enrolling in an extension study means that you will have a bigger workload as well as more advanced work, but the rewards are also great.
If you think that this program is for you, please make initial contact with the universities to find out more details of the extension studies that they offer. The subjects being offered by each university and their mode of availability may change from year to year and it is important that you realise this if and when you make your decision to enrol in the Extension Studies program.
How can I get into university or TAFE?
The VCAA calculates your study score from the three graded assessments in each study. The maximum score for each study is 50.
The Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) is responsible for calculating the Equivalent National Tertiary Entrance Rank (ENTER). Using the study scores for Units 3 and 4, calculated by the VCAA, VTAC determines your ENTER. Other studies used in the calculation of your ENTER can include VCE VET programs and extension studies.
The ENTER is developed by comparing students across all of their studies and involves a statistical treatment of study scores, converting them to ENTER subject scores. This means that all studies are treated equally allowing them to be added together to derive an aggregate, that is then converted into an ENTER. The ENTER is used as the primary source of selection in almost 50 per cent of courses. The remaining course selection authorities use a range of criteria that may include the ENTER and folio presentations, auditions, interview etc.
For further information about the types of selection criteria institutions use, refer to the VTAC Guide at www.vtac.edu.au
Further details about this process and tertiary selection are given in the following VTAC publications:
Enter into Tertiary Study (VTAC website only)
ABC of Scaling (a copy is mailed with the ENTER statement in December)
Choice! (Year 10 booklet available through schools)
VTAC Guide 2009 (available at newsagents $12.95 rrp, and on the VTAC website)
Victorian Tertiary Entrance Requirements (VICTER) 2010 or 2011 (Year 10/11 booklet available through schools)
VTAC website: www.vtac.edu.au
Recognising achievement in the VCE
There are many ways in the VCE for students to display their efforts and talent. The contribution of students to their school and community is recognised through the VCE Achievers Award. The excellence of the work that is produced by students each year is recognised through the VCE Season of Excellence which includes Top Designs, Top Class, Top Screen, Top Acts, Top Arts and Top Sound. There are also the Premier’s Awards, VCAA Plain English Speaking Award, the Lord Florey Student Prize (previously the Australian Students Prize), and the Australian Vocational Student Prize.
For more information on these awards check the following websites:
www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/excellenceawards/seasonofexcellence/index.html
www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/excellenceawards/vceachiever.html
www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/excellenceawards/australianstudentprize.html
www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/excellenceawards/premiersaward.html
www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/excellenceawards/plainenglishspeaking/index.html
www.dest.gov.au/sectors/school_education/programmes_funding/
programme_categories/key_priorities/vocational_education_in_schools/M
national_student_prize_for_vet.html