More WA students are getting top ATARs. Here’s why

3 hours ago 1

Hundreds more West Australian students scored an ATAR above 90 in 2024 than five years ago, data shows, with the number of students ranking above 99 in their university admission scores also increasing.

That is despite a declining proportion of people in the school-leaving age cohort of the WA population completing a course that makes them eligible for an ATAR.

In 2020, 3003 students – or 28 per cent of the cohort – scored an ATAR of 90 or more, compared with 3390 students, or 34 per cent of the cohort, receiving the same in 2024.

Professor Rod Yager, chair of the committee responsible for calculating the scores in NSW, said the academic strengths of school populations were unlikely to differ.

Instead, he pointed to broader demographic changes in candidates driving the uplift – as more students left the school system earlier, the proportion of high-achievers increased.

“In NSW and Victoria, about 55 per cent of this cohort are ATAR eligible, while in WA only about 27.5 per cent of the school-leaving age cohort take courses leading to an ATAR,” Yager said.

“An ATAR of 90 means that the student is academically stronger than 90 per cent of the school-leaving aged population in their jurisdiction.”

Tertiary Institutions Service Centre chief executive Andrew Crevald said the figures showed WA needed to encourage more young people to take on ATAR courses.

“The ATAR itself does not make judgements about who has passed or failed. It’s a rank not a score,” he said.

“ATAR courses are advanced courses that challenge our students and set them up for success. Students with ATARs between 45 and 60 are currently admitted to universities across the country.

“WA students with ATARs in their 40s, 50s and 60s are also capable of university study so, let’s welcome them into suitable courses at WA’s universities and increase our social capital for the challenges that lie ahead.”

The number of applications for exam adjustments increased again in 2024 across WA to a total of 1243 – 9.2 per cent of the number of candidates who were enrolled to sit at least one ATAR course examination.

That number has climbed since 2020, where the number of applications was 762.

The main reason given was attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

And 646 candidates applied for sickness or misadventure consideration in 2024.

Meanwhile, 70 candidates breached examination rules.

with Christopher Harris