A few more important things to add:
- Get as much evidence for your disadvantage as possible, as early as possible
It adds conviction to your application. A few of my friends suffered from depression throughout yr 12, but weren't actually diagnosed until about 1-2 months before the end of term 3. Although their HSC was severely affected by their condition, they weren't eligible for Access. So make sure you find out if you are eligible early, and TELL YOUR TEACHERS. There is a section of the form where they have to say how long they have known about your disadvantage.
- Even if you're not sure about whether you have been disadvantaged, ask your Careers or Year Advisor for last year's booklet, so you can have a look at the different categories.
- It's not as simple as applying for Youth Allowance, then becoming eligible
You actually have to have been paid YA throughout years 11 AND 12, unless you had a good reason not to (eg you turned 16 halfway through yr 11), and you also have to have been paid the
maximum payment.
- 5 points are not "added" to your UAI
I think it may be more accuractely explained if I say that if you are eligible for the Access scheme, the cut-off for the course you wish to get into is lowered
UP TO 5 POINTS for you. That is, if you get 93, and your course cut-off is 95, you will get in, but if your UAI is 89, and the cut-off is 95, you will not.
- Even if you are eligible for Access, and your UAI is within 5 marks of the cut-off, you may not get into the course
At most Unis the quota of students enrolling in a course via the Access scheme is only about 5%. Hence if more than (whatever the quota may be) have UAI's below the cut-off, all the Access applicants are ranked according to UAI, and the top (however many) with the highest UAI's are taken until the quota is filled.
Also, as mentioned previsouly, you can't get into all the courses through Access (eg Medicine, Advanced Science).
- You are not "ranked" for the purpose of determining how many points the cut-off should be lowered for you.
Once you are eligible for Access, you are eligible, no matter how serious or trivial your disadvantage was. (It's unfair, I know, but that's the way it is) The only time you are ranked is by one of your teachers/the Principal, who has to estimate how much they think the disadvantage has affected you. (That's why you should tell them if you feel something is hindering your ability to complete your HSC, or if there are any other problems you are experiencing).
I'm not sure about this, so check up on it, but I believe that the only time someone will assess the degree of your disadvantage, other than your teachers in the form I mentioned above, is the UAC when 2 people on the same mark are competing for the same place. In that case I think that the person with the more serious disadvantage, or perhaps the person who is more likely to succeed despite experiencing ongoing advatage, will get the place.
- Finally, don't forget that if you are eligible for Access, you are also eligible for Access scholarships.
Uni of Sydney and NSW have special Access scholarships (at Sydney a whopping 60 were offered this year!), so make sure you apply. You still need a very good UAI but applications are also considered based on what disadvantage you had, so if you had not so good marks and a serious disadvantage, you may also get one.
Anyway, that's all for me for today (phew!). I hope I helped, in some way (Last year when I had to do this I wish someone could have told me all this stuff!). Good luck with your HSC!
Elspeth
