UAIs and ACER (1 Viewer)

[kini mini]

Scholarships to private schools

Just before the start of stuvac I got a letter delivered in tutorial period from one of the admissions staff at my school asking me to either give or deny permission for my UAI to be released to ACER. My school (Grammar) rings everyone up about their UAI by the way. Apparently ACER wants to track the performance of the people it assessed in year 6. They demanded an answer that day before we went home.

I decided to deny permission because I think that the UAI can never be the sole measure of academic success. What really disgusted me was that after ignoring me for the last 6 years, and all the things that could have happened in the meantime, they decided to come after me and pressure me for a decision. Of course, the school could have illegally given them my results as I went along, but I doubt it.

Did anyone else get this request, and if so what did you do?

 

[timmii]

What did ACER assess you for? selective school's test?

I wasn't asked (i didn't go to a selective school), but i find it interesting that they are following you up like that. How would you suggest they assessed you? In terms of HSC marks, internal tests, follow up ACER tests....or not at all?

Personally, I would find it a bit weird to be followed round like that - but i suppose all in the name of education!

 

[Weisy]

yes, I got that request as well. The scholarship holders at my school got a mail request after the HSC which we had to return to them. I guess they just want to track the academic progress of people who had performed well in their tests in year 6.

 

[Weisy]

oh, and to the answer the questions....

ACER devises an examination which is given by most private schools to candidates applying for their scholarships. The examinations are at year 6, 8 and 10 level, for entry in years 7, 9 and 11.

I gave them my consent. From what I read, all they're going to do is make my UAI a statistic in their research program.

 

[kini mini]

Originally posted by Weisy

I gave them my consent. From what I read, all they're going to do is make my UAI a statistic in their research program.

I didn't want to support ridiculous research like that though, as far as I'm concerned they can get stuffed. If they aren't going to do a proper job they shouldn't bother.

They seem to have given you a lot more time to do it than they gave us...hmmmm

 

[Weisy]

Fair enough. But why is tracking the progress of high-performing students at private schools through their high-school years ridiculous research? I suppose they haven't done anything in the past 6 years...but oh well. Although I don't agree with the UAI being the sole indicator of academic ability (I'm not even sure whether it is a meausre of academic ability), I'm not wholly against what they're doing. I guess we don't have the right to dictate what they do, and what they don't. But you were right to decline, if you felt so strongly against it.

 

[kini mini]

Originally posted by Weisy
Fair enough. But why is tracking the progress of high-performing students at private schools through their high-school years ridiculous research? I suppose they haven't done anything in the past 6 years...but oh well. Although I don't agree with the UAI being the sole indicator of academic ability (I'm not even sure whether it is a meausre of academic ability), I'm not wholly against what they're doing. I guess we don't have the right to dictate what they do, and what they don't. But you were right to decline, if you felt so strongly against it.

I don't mind if they track me all the way, but as far as I can see they were proposing to compare ACER scholarship scores with UAIs. The ACER test was a reasonable one I think, of course it wasn't a great measure of academic aptitude but I can't see that there is any other way to do it for year 6s. Trying to compare ACER scores (I got the impression that in our year they were weighted towards English because the maths & sci were too easy to differentiate) with UAIs...crazy. I know most people just said ok but I'm a stubborn person

 

[Weisy]

tee hee, well, noone's going to hold that against you.

 

[kini mini]

Originally posted by Weisy
tee hee, well, noone's going to hold that against you.