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Early entry to uni reduces pressure on students

Year 12 graduates with head careers teacher Vicki Kenyon

Dubbo College Year 12 graduates Piper Dunlop and Victoria Prince with head careers teacher Vicki Kenyon.

Gaining early entry to university in Year 12 means many Dubbo College students are already guaranteed a place in the course they desire. According to college careers head teacher Vicki Kenyon, that knowledge helps to alleviate the pressure on those students.

“Gaining early entry is a relatively simple process for students who have worked consistently throughout Year 11 and 12,” Mrs Kenyon said.

“There’s a number of early entry programs including the Schools Recommendation Scheme (SRS), the Global Leadership Program and individualised programs like that promoted by the University of Armidale (UNE).

“In many cases students knew before the conclusion of the HSC about their success, and it worked well to take some of the pressure off those exams.”

Year 12 graduates Victoria Prince and Piper Dunlop both agree that early entry has saved them some grief.

The 18-year-olds both received five SRS unconditional offers, as well as three unconditional offers through the University of New England.

“At this stage I have already accepted and deferred two SRS offers for speech pathology and agriculture at Charles Sturt University, as well as agriculture and animal science at the University of New England,” Victoria said.

“I’m still waiting on the next round of SRS offers, but at this point I am motivated to take on the speech pathology course at the Albury campus of CSU.

“My interest in speech pathology has been heightened this year because I am working with a 12-year-old boy who has cerebral palsy and it’s given me an interest in allied health.

“I really like the idea of making a difference in people’s lives, in forming connections and relationships with people and seeing the rewards it brings.

“I also went to Albury for the CSU open day and realised there are so many areas you can work in as a speech pathologist.”

Among the SRS offers Piper has received is the option to study veterinary technology.

“I also received three unconditional offers to UNE, but at this stage I am happy to accept the vet technology course at CSU Wagga Wagga,” she said.

“My aim is to study the course and perform well enough to transfer across to the vet science course at some point in the future.

“The vet technology course will enable me to become a vet nurse, which would also be great, but at this stage I am hoping to become a vet and I will work hard towards that goal.”

Higher School Certificate results will be released next week, but Mrs Kenyon said the early entry schemes provided students with an important backstop.

“We actively encourage a large number of our Year 12 students to apply for early entry and it has always been a hallmark of our careers program at Dubbo College,” she said.

“There are at least 14 tertiary institutions that take part and this encourages the students to consider applying for a university they may not have previously considered.

“The early entry programs are not just about marks but also take into consideration a student’s suitability and aptitude.”