ATAR Predictor

What is the ATAR?

The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) is a number between 0.00 and 99.95 that indicates a student’s position relative to all the students in their age group (i.e., all 16 to 20-year-olds in the state).

It is important to remember that the ATAR is a rank, not a score. If you receive an ATAR of 80.00, it means you performed better than 80% of your age group. Universities use the ATAR to select applicants for their courses.

How is the Aggregate Score Calculated?

While exact calculations differ slightly between states (VCE in Victoria, HSC in NSW, WACE in WA, QCE in Queensland), the general mechanism for creating your aggregate score involves scaling your raw marks to ensure fairness across subjects.

• Primary Four: Your top four scaled study scores (including a mandatory English subject in most states) are counted at 100%.
• Increments: Your 5th and 6th subjects (if you took them) are counted at 10% of their scaled score.

This creates a total aggregate score (typically out of a theoretical maximum of around 210). This aggregate is then plotted on a bell curve against the rest of the state to determine your final ATAR.

The Truth About Subject Scaling

Scaling is often misunderstood. Subjects are not scaled up because they are "hard" or scaled down because they are "easy." Subjects are scaled based on the competitive strength of the cohort taking them.

If a large number of high-performing students take Specialist Mathematics, the raw scores will be scaled up because it is mathematically harder to achieve a high rank in that specific cohort. Conversely, if a subject has a statistically weaker cohort, achieving a high raw score is comparatively easier, so scores are scaled down to ensure equity. You should always choose subjects you are good at rather than trying to "game" the scaling system.

Frequently Asked Questions