doingHSC said:
wouldn't it depend on the people who don't apply for uni
Applying for a UAI is different to applying for a university place.
Obviously, if less people apply for uni there's going to be less demand. This could influence cut-offs.
But whether or not people apply for UAIs (i.e. whether or not they're told their rank) doesn't make a difference. I know a guy who applied for a well-regarded uni course - and was accepted - without him ever knowing his UAI. (He saw it as taking some kind of personal stance against the system... personally I don't think it achieved much.)
acmilan said:
UAI cut offs are determined by a number of criteria...i mean they are not gonna let people with a UAI <70 do something like advanced maths, even if no one with a UAI >70 applies for uni
This is correct. I believe many universities also have a general 'minimum cut-off', which is used in cases where there is insufficient demand for a course. I think this used to be around 60 or 65 at USYD - so if a specific cut-off dropped below that figure, the general cut-off would have overridden it.
Ultimately, it's up to the university to choose whether or not offers are made to students anyway. If there are no suitable candidates, then no offers will be made. I think this is fair.