UNSW LAW - ATAR below cutoff of 99.65 and still got in??? (1 Viewer)

[sarah jones]

Hi

I know some people that got into UNSW Law and was wondering how they managed to get in with an ATAR of 99.3 and 99.5 which is below the cutoff?
It can't be any sort of bonus points can it because I thought they don't apply to law??


EDIT:Both are

*not athletes in any way!!!
*not dux of school or anything like that
*from priveledged school.....living in elite suburb...

definitely did not recieve AAA as there is only one per school and someone else at their school was nominated.
does UNSW bend the requirements by any chance?

 

[Shadowdude]

The Academic Achievement Award is +5 points and can be used towards Law.


So I got just over 95, but because I got my school's AAA - I could've done law if I wanted to.

 

[sinawi]

And like Shadowdude said, (which I forgot to mention), AAA and HSC plus can get you in as well.

 

[lawstu]

http://www.law.unsw.edu.au/future-students/undergraduate/entry/bonus-points

And like Shadowdude said, (which I forgot to mention), AAA and HSC plus can get you in as well.

HSP Plus apparently doesn't apply: http://www.unsw.edu.au/domestic-undergraduate/hsc-plus


Whilst it's rather ridiculous and an awful way of trying to make higher education any fairer or accessible, I wouldn't get sour grapes about this yet. Getting into combined laws at UNSW isn't the end all and be all of one's existence.

 

[Shadowdude]

You can always transfer in. There's 100 spots available each year, I believe.

 

[lawstu]

Considering the OP turned down MQ combined law, it seems that there's more to the doing of law than doing law.

MQ isn't that bad (is it?), and law isn't that awesome.

 

[Trans4M]

Hi

I know some people that got into UNSW Law and was wondering how they managed to get in with an ATAR of 99.3 and 99.5 which is below the cutoff?
It can't be any sort of bonus points can it because I thought they don't apply to law??


EDIT:Both are

*not athletes
*not dux of school or anything like that
*from priveledged school.....

not neccesarily privledged family. Could come from a disadvantaged family in some ways e.g. single parents

 

[lawstu]

not neccesarily privledged family. Could come from a disadvantaged family in some ways e.g. single parents

What does having attended a 'privileged school', whatever that means, or having had the good or unhappy fortune of having been reared in a privileged (though not expressly wealthy) family have anything to do with it?

Single-parent families are on the rise, so I'm not sure how that could be construed as a disadvantage or one significant enough to warrant additional consideration upon the part of universities. Not to be cynical but it also seems unduly unfair to other people and their parents for sticking together.

 

[Trans4M]

What does having attended a 'privileged school', whatever that means, or having had the good or unhappy fortune of having been reared in a privileged (though not expressly wealthy) family have anything to do with it?

Single-parent families are on the rise, so I'm not sure how that could be construed as a disadvantage or one significant enough to warrant additional consideration upon the part of universities. Not to be cynical but it also seems unduly unfair to other people and their parents for sticking together.

well it has nothing to do with me but UAC views such situations as a disadvantage. The sad reality is that life is never fair and we just got to deal with what we are faced with.

 

[studyhappy]

could be EAS. I know someone from a private school with 98 that got into UNSW Comm/law this year with EAS

 

[master_mind1]

could be EAS. I know someone from a private school with 98 that got into UNSW Comm/law this year with EAS

depending on situation, EAS can get you up to 10+ bonus points although i think usual number is about 2/3.

and i know OP said that the students weren't athletes, but things like Duke of Edinburgh silver/gold can get you a couple of bonus points.

 

[LoveHateSchool]

It was probably EAS or they had AAA.

Though I am a little sick of people whinging about EAS people getting in over them and being unfair-the ATAR is not the be all to end all and I think you will find most people that get EAS do deserve to get EAS. Let's don some compassion guys.

I do understand the AAA one more as it is awarded by school discretion(and sometimes a little dodgily) and the 5 bonus points is massive and I'm not sure if really merited if you are already lucky enough to be going to a top school...I get the idea of the scheme, but in practice I don't get it so much.

 

[kennyb22]

It was probably EAS or they had AAA.

Though I am a little sick of people whinging about EAS people getting in over them and being unfair-the ATAR is not the be all to end all and I think you will find most people that get EAS do deserve to get EAS. Let's don some compassion guys.

I do understand the AAA one more as it is awarded by school discretion(and sometimes a little dodgily) and the 5 bonus points is massive and I'm not sure if really merited if you are already lucky enough to be going to a top school...I get the idea of the scheme, but in practice I don't get it so much.

I don't agree that things like 'Financial hardship' and such are valid reasons to get extra ATAR points, I mean what's the excuse? "Oh I suffered from financial hardship and so couldn't afford to get any external tutoring, this disadvantaged my performance!".
By that logic I should get EAS points too, even if I did have the money to get external help.

It's not about giving compassion, people should learn to harden up.

 

[deswa1]

It was probably EAS or they had AAA.

Though I am a little sick of people whinging about EAS people getting in over them and being unfair-the ATAR is not the be all to end all and I think you will find most people that get EAS do deserve to get EAS. Let's don some compassion guys.

I do understand the AAA one more as it is awarded by school discretion(and sometimes a little dodgily) and the 5 bonus points is massive and I'm not sure if really merited if you are already lucky enough to be going to a top school...I get the idea of the scheme, but in practice I don't get it so much.

I'm very against AAA for law- 5 bonus points is wayyy too much considering that someone with a 95 ATAR gets in over a 99.5 and the gaps between those two levels is insane.

I agree 100% with EAS because there are people with legit reasons that deserve points- like if someone in your family dies, you should get points. BUT, I absolutely HATE it when people look through all the clauses for EAS and apply for everything they think they might possibly get and stretch everything to abuse the system- I think that is so low and I have minimal respect if you scam EAS and you shouldn't get into uni over someone who did better than you. EAS needs to be looked into to make it a fairer regime I think- its a very good idea and it is neccessary but now it is open to abuse

 

[RishBonjour]

EDIT: ^Speaks the truth.

I don't agree that things like 'Financial hardship' and such are valid reasons to get extra ATAR points, I mean what's the excuse? "Oh I suffered from financial hardship and so couldn't afford to get any external tutoring, this disadvantaged my performance!".
By that logic I should get EAS points too, even if I did have the money to get external help.

That isn't really financial hardship - not being able to pay for tutoring (although some students apply anyway and get 1-2 ATAR points). Some people are genuinely disadvantaged. E.g. some of them have to work more hours to support their family instead of lending time to school work. A friend of mine had to the day before his trials.

AAA is another story though. Quite a few UNSW law students are with AAA. 5 points is huge though! But at the end of the day, they probably deserve it. (quite a few on BOS )

 

[Kiraken]

I don't agree that things like 'Financial hardship' and such are valid reasons to get extra ATAR points, I mean what's the excuse? "Oh I suffered from financial hardship and so couldn't afford to get any external tutoring, this disadvantaged my performance!".
By that logic I should get EAS points too, even if I did have the money to get external help.

It's not about giving compassion, people should learn to harden up.

but what if a genuinely bright kid belongs to a very financially disadvantaged family and as such has to help support it by working as much as they can during their hsc year? Less hours to study, exhuastion from workin g and doing the hsc, more stress than a kid that age should be having, perhaps domestic issues etc. all these can impact very negatively on the performance of someone who otherwise could get a very decent mark if they had equal opportunities

 

[bladeys]

I don't agree that things like 'Financial hardship' and such are valid reasons to get extra ATAR points, I mean what's the excuse? "Oh I suffered from financial hardship and so couldn't afford to get any external tutoring, this disadvantaged my performance!".
By that logic I should get EAS points too, even if I did have the money to get external help.

It's not about giving compassion, people should learn to harden up.

lol this is one of the most ignorant comments ive ever read. Stop judging others when you have no idea what theyre going through.

 

[kennyb22]

but what if a genuinely bright kid belongs to a very financially disadvantaged family and as such has to help support it by working as much as they can during their hsc year? Less hours to study, exhuastion from workin g and doing the hsc, more stress than a kid that age should be having, perhaps domestic issues etc. all these can impact very negatively on the performance of someone who otherwise could get a very decent mark if they had equal opportunities

That makes sense, hence why I used quotations on the financial part.

I'm very against AAA for law- 5 bonus points is wayyy too much considering that someone with a 95 ATAR gets in over a 99.5 and the gaps between those two levels is insane.

I agree 100% with EAS because there are people with legit reasons that deserve points- like if someone in your family dies, you should get points. BUT, I absolutely HATE it when people look through all the clauses for EAS and apply for everything they think they might possibly get and stretch everything to abuse the system- I think that is so low and I have minimal respect if you scam EAS and you shouldn't get into uni over someone who did better than you. EAS needs to be looked into to make it a fairer regime I think- its a very good idea and it is neccessary but now it is open to abuse

Completely agree. UAC gives points out too easily.

lol this is one of the most ignorant comments ive ever read. Stop judging others when you have no idea what theyre going through.

I repeat, learn to harden up.
[Edit]
'Gender: Female'. Lol.

 

[asadass]

Once of the problems with eas is that private schools actively encourage their students to apply, effectively rorting the system in many cases.

http://johnkaye.org.au/elite-private-schools-continue-to-exploit-hsc-disability-provisions/

The table on that link is quite interesting.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-01-24/nsw-govt-urged-to-crackdown-on-hsc-exploiters/4481588

"When you look at the list of wealthy private schools that are getting more than 20 per cent of their students with special provisions, none of those schools advertise on their website they have any interest in special needs students."

 

[JohnMaximus]

I'm very against AAA for law- 5 bonus points is wayyy too much considering that someone with a 95 ATAR gets in over a 99.5 and the gaps between those two levels is insane.

I agree 100% with EAS because there are people with legit reasons that deserve points- like if someone in your family dies, you should get points. BUT, I absolutely HATE it when people look through all the clauses for EAS and apply for everything they think they might possibly get and stretch everything to abuse the system- I think that is so low and I have minimal respect if you scam EAS and you shouldn't get into uni over someone who did better than you. EAS needs to be looked into to make it a fairer regime I think- its a very good idea and it is neccessary but now it is open to abuse

Hey, it's their dream course, it's their future.

"Fair" and "low" have no meaning.