We will now show you a quick and easy way to estimate your ATAR. More importantly, you should be able to see which subjects are adding value (or ATAR points) so you can allocate your time efficiently between your subjects
STEP 1: Find the UAC score (out of 500) you need to score your desired ATAR
Use the UAC vs UAC score graph
to determine the score out of 500 you need to score your desired ATAR. We have already done this for ATARs of 99, 97 and 95. Divide this score by 10, to find out what average UAC score you need in each subject. E.g. an ATAR of 99 requires ~450, so this means 45 for every subject
STEP 2: Find the relative rank you need to achieve the required UAC score
Use the UAC vs Percentile graph
to determine what rank you need to achieve the desired UAC Score. For instance, in order to get 45 in Mathematics Ext 2, you will need to be in the op 46%, but to get 45 in Physics, you need to be in the top 5%. You now use this as a benchmark for your performance.
STEP 3: Find out what percentile or HSC mark your current performance will give you
You now know what you need to score to achieve your desired ATAR in each subject. Hence, you need to determine what percentile you are in to see if you are above or below that benchmark. The most accurate way is to ask your director of studies at school what someone with your current rank scored last year. Otherwise, you may need to guesstimate – so for instance if you are average in 4U Mathematics, and your school is about the state average, then you would need to be in the top 46%. If your school is twice as good as the state, you may only need to be in the top 70%.
STEP 4: Set the right goals and allocate your time accordingly
By step 3, you should know whether you are on target or not in each particular subject for your ATAR. By seeing where you are ‘over the bar’ or ‘under the bar’, you can see where best to allocate your time in order to maximize your ATAR. For instance, suppose you are aiming for 99. If you are already in the top 20% for Mathematics Ext 2, but only in the top 50% for English, you should spend more time in English than Mathematics for the next assessment. Improving further in mathematics provides decreasing marginal returns.