Random questions regarding ATAR. (1 Viewer)

[AnimeX]

Ok, I have some questions:

1. so the ATAR counts the people who have dropped out (prior to year 12 / HSC)? [UAC quotes it, but I've heard otherwise..]

2. is this the reason why 17% of students receive an ATAR of 90+? and the reason why the median ATAR is just 69.55 and not 50?

"An ATAR of 80.00 indicates that a student is in the top 20 per cent of his or her age group.

This means that Elizabeth did well enough overall to perform better than 82.40 per cent of her Year 7 cohort."

Seventeen per cent of students received an ATAR of 90.00 or above, 33.5 per cent received an ATAR of at least 80.00, 49.3 per cent of at least 70.00, and 63.8 per cent of at least 60.00. The median ATAR was 69.55, slightly higher than in 2011.

Sources:
http://www.uac.edu.au/documents/atar/ATAR-preliminary-report.pdf
http://www.uac.edu.au/documents/atar/ATAR-FAQs.pdf
http://www.uac.edu.au/undergraduate/atar/

 

[moocow920]

I am not certain but heres my best go:

1. Yes, the atar is calculated from your year 7 cohort and includes people who chose not to recieve an atar

2. Yes, I would think so. I am not sure if that 17% also includes people who completed the hsc but chose not to recieve an atar, but if it only includes those who actually applied that may affect that percentage too, like I would think that as a generalisation, the people who choose not to recieve an atar would probably be getting lower atars overall than those who choose to get an one, therefore there is a higher percentage of high atars within the group that chooses to get atars? I know I am explaining it really badly but I hope that makes a tiny bit of sense

 

[AnimeX]

Oh ok, kind of makes sense.. that means a chunk of people dropped out prior to year 12!