All things QCE and how this relates with the ATAR
| The QCE is the Queensland Certificate of Education and it is the pathway that our Senior students take in order to attain their High School Certificate. Simply attending High School doesn’t guarantee you a Certificate of Education. In order to attain a QCE you must pass and achieve 20 units of credit through Years Eleven and Twelve through the Senior pathway. Many people believe that a QCE and an ATAR are linked – they are not. An ATAR refers to a Tertiary Admissions Rank that is calculated by an external body called QTAC. It is a number from 100 down to 30 and it assigns a student a number in which they can enter different courses in university, for pre-requisites. So, the QCE is the number of credits in order to pass High School and the ATAR is then developed from the student’s results in their QCE to give them a rank to enter university. |
Why is the QCE important, especially for our international students?
The QCE is important for every student and it is recognition of, and a qualification, that the student has completed and passed Secondary School.
What is the best way for students to do well in a QCE?
John Paul College offers students a large support network, including Heads of Year, Subject Teachers, and Deans. Deputy Head of International Operations, Mr Ferguson, works with students as well. It is about students connecting with the right people and making sure they are acting on the feedback given. The single best thing that students can do is apply themselves in class and be really proactive in asking questions.
What is a considered a good ATAR?
What we should probably refer to is, what is a good ATAR for the student and where do they want to study when they finish Secondary School. Universities have pre-requisites each year to enter different courses, so it is really important that students work with our Careers Advisers and speak with them about what they might be interested in studying, and what the pre-requisites and ATAR requirements are for those courses of study.
What is our main tip for international students embarking on the QCE?
Units 1 and 2 of the QCE are really important. They are foundational to students' success in Units 3 and 4. Students need to make sure that they apply themselves in units one and two and lock those credits in so that they don’t find themselves in a situation where they are trying to play ‘catch up’ with their QCE points and maximise their ATAR.