[Oz-gifted] Uni entry was scholarships

[Fly]

> can u approximate a SAT for a UAI?My best friend is American and can't 
> get
> her head around our UAIs ,so if I send her an equivalent she might1
>>
SAT is a standardised ability test. It is not like the tests that 
determine a score for entry to uni--- it depends less on specific 
knowledge of subjects. You sit for the tests for this and can redo it.

UAIs are a statistically based measure drawn both from the tests like 
HSC and from in class performance measures eg assignments or major 
works. This is used to rank students for entry to Uni.

In NSW, the BOS has a short description  the UAI and how it relates to 
the HSC.
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/hsc/hsc_update_2002_04.html

This article might also be of use
www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/ manuals/pdf_doc/tognolini.pdf

There are also sites that discuss SAT and how they work and many sites 
that help students prepare for it.
Research (in USA) indicates that home educated students score higher 
than average on the SAT and other tests.

see Fraser Institute (Canadian public policy institute)
 From extreme to Mainstream
www.fraserinstitute.ca/admin/books/files/homeschool.pdf

Courses at Unis, distance ed facilities (like Open Uni , and DEET 
distance ed departments), TAFEs and community colleges now have 
equivalencies to help standardise coursework comparisions (check the 
TAFE  handbook for more details); ie you can study a course at TAFE and 
it has equivalencies that make it possible to compare the results with 
similar coursework at other institutions and, therefore, this makes it 
possible for people to transfer between institutions and to get advanced 
standing if appropriate.

A TAFE Certificate IV is equivalent to an HSC for example. So, if your 
child was interested in a course that is taught through a TAFE, they can 
start at 15 yo, be finished a Cert IV (usually done over 2 years) and 
then apply for entry to a degree course at UNi. If they are studying the 
same coursework they will then also be able to get advanced standing and 
*not* have to do similar entry level coursework at uni.
Tafe's also can be good if the child is mature enough to handle a more 
adult learning environment. This is an option  home educated dc often 
take. There is also more support in the TAFE system when people have 
learning difficulties or any area of weakness. (although of course the 
effectiveness of this still depends on individual institutions). TAFEs 
are also great entry points for  more hands-on practical learners.  TAFE 
gives practical skills-based training . Friends I know who have done 
TAFE courses in fine arts find Uni work more academic and theoretical 
(when they transfer) but they also are more equipped to undertake the 
practical assignments because of their broad base of skills in 
techniques---school leavers find it much harder because they lack those 
skills. same with IT, design etc.

Some home educated children do open uni to *prove* their ability---much 
as mature age students *prove* themselves in bridging courses. It also 
gives them advanced standing.

Some of them do course work overseas via the net---also proof of ability 
for admission to tertiary studies. These can be relatively 
inexpensive--(and a lot of fun as we are discovering this year).

Portfolios of work can also be used to prove ability and interest, along 
with interviews for admission to Uni or other tertiary studies.
some do SAT and more recently STAT.  I know people who did not get a 
good enough UAI for admission to their course of choice who then 
succeeded via SAT or STAT. Their conclusion was, why did I waste time on 
the HSC doing courses I really had no interest in just to get a score.

Alternative entry is a great option for students who are motivated and 
focussed and show ability in an area and who just want to get on with 
studying their area of choice.

HTH
Louise