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Author Topic: VCE ATAR to IB  (Read 21961 times)  Share 

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LOVEPHYSICS

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VCE ATAR to IB
« on: December 28, 2010, 01:05:26 pm »
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Hey guys, I am just wondering if there's a website which allows you to convert your VCE Atar scores into IB equivalence. It is because I am thinking of going abroad to study in the (Uk), and thus need to convert the IB scores obtained from my ATAR into A Level Grades.

I did found a website in VTAC, http://www.vtac.edu.au/pdf/ib_notional_enter.pdf. But, I am not sure if you can take these converted IB scores abroad internationally, since it only an agreement between ATAC and IB. Looking from the table, I would probably be looking at an IB score of 37-38. Looking at UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UK)), their t table allocate 545 tarriff points to the IB score of 37, which is equivalent to A Level Grades of A+ A+ A+ A. That's really high, so I am wondering if I doing something wrong.

Thanks
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Eriny

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Re: VCE ATAR to IB
« Reply #1 on: December 28, 2010, 01:20:16 pm »
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I think that's actually right, or at least approximately right. The IB is a more blunt measurement than the ATAR and A levels are even more blunt.

LOVEPHYSICS

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Re: VCE ATAR to IB
« Reply #2 on: December 28, 2010, 01:31:11 pm »
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LOL, thanks Eriny! :) It seems as though the UK administration is essentially clueless about VCE, one of their university helpers actually thought that  VCE is only measured or ranked accordingly to the school the individual goes to...  From the many articles dissing A-levels I have just read, I think it is safe to say that the measurement is approximately correct, lol...

Funny, the standard of UK's A -Level English feels like a joke compared to VCE...
« Last Edit: December 28, 2010, 01:35:38 pm by LOVEPHYSICS »
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gossamer

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Re: VCE ATAR to IB
« Reply #3 on: December 28, 2010, 02:52:28 pm »
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I love you forever for making this topic <3

I want to go to the UK to for uni, but I've always wondered how, since my school doesn't do IB :(
If you don't mind me asking, what are tariff points? (obviously I'll look into this myself later on this/next year but if you don't mind explaining... :))

Thanks!

LOVEPHYSICS

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Re: VCE ATAR to IB
« Reply #4 on: December 28, 2010, 04:59:30 pm »
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Hey man, no worries.

Ok, step 1 you get your VCE result. Hope it is a good one! :p Then, go straight to the website below, which allows you to convert your ATAR into IB score. Obviously, this is the 2010 table, so it might change slightly in 2011.
http://www.vtac.edu.au/pdf/ib_notional_enter.pdf

Step 2, After you have attained your IB score, for example sake, say a 36, you then check out the UCAS tariff table.
The tariff table is created to cater for international (Non-UK) and local students. If you don't want the explanation of why the tariff table is created, go ahead to this site to check out the tariff points of your IB score. For 36, you will be looking around 523 points.
http://www.ucas.com/students/ucas_tariff/tarifftables/
                              
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The Tariff Table Explanation*
 For international students, it allows the student to gain an idea of their A-level score, when applying for courses in unis abroad UK. For local students, the tariff points establish a sense of equivalency, allowing them more flexibility when applying for courses. For example, an IB score of 36 is equivalent to a tariff point of 523, which in A-level terms, is an A+ A+ A A, or A A A A E or A+ A+ A+ E E etccc (around low 500s) Note: To check the value of each grades, check out the last table.

Since the tariff table establish the value of the respective grades, local students would not be stifled by the amount of subjects they need to take in order to meet the entry requirements. They can hence choose to take on a wider range of subjects and score decently, or specialise on a few and do awesome in those subjects.
                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                 ***
IB Diploma result      UCAS Points (2010)             A Level Equivalent                      
45                              720                                            A*A*A*A*A*                        
40                              611                                            A*A*A*A*D
36                              523                                            A*A*AA
32                              435                                            AAAD
28                              348                                            AAB
24                              260                                            BBD

A Level Grades          Points Allocated
A*                               140     
A                              120    
B                              100
C                              80    
D                              60    
E                              40

While many unis have now accepted tariff points as means of calculating entry requirements, many more prestigious ones, such as University of Edinburgh, Cambridge, Oxford, londondoesn't seem to be warming up to the idea anytime soon. For instance, law in Edinburgh requires an A level result of AAA and an IB score of minimum 34. An IB Score of 34(479 points) would give you around AAAB and more, considerably more than what you would require if you do A-levels. Hence, the ATAR -> convert to IB-> convert  to A-Levels only gives you a sense of equivalence or idea, so in no way are the unis enforced to take you in, given that they are also look at contextual factors, the subjects you do etccc

All in all, the UK universities are simply not accepting that their 'golden standard' the A-level is now dying, you just gotta do a google-search engine to find articles such as ' Teachers say that a monkey can be trained to pass the A-Levels,' so just take the Tarriff points as a guideline if you are an international student( VCE, HSC), since the many conversions(to IB then to A-Levels), as Eriny stated, seems to make the whole matter even more blunt.

Hope this helps in some way, mate!
Enjoy

Note: If you look at the tables I have provided closely enough, you ill see that IB and VCE outclass A-levels big time, no wonder they are sore. Just bear in mind, most academically selective unis in UK require around an ABB for engineering, accounting etccc, an AAA is truly excellent (only an Ib score of 29-30, atar of 81s and 85s), so technically, we shouldn't be afraid. Though the good unis would always impose both IB and A-Level Grade in their entry requirements , and the IB score (even when converted to A-Level grades through their own ' UCAS' way) is usually considerably higher than that of the A-Level, so sucks to be us internationals.

 We can only convert as far as to IB scores I think, so in a sense, the tariff table is useless to us.  Lets hope some other people may shed more light on this issue.
« Last Edit: December 28, 2010, 05:13:58 pm by LOVEPHYSICS »
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EvangelionZeta

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Re: VCE ATAR to IB
« Reply #5 on: December 28, 2010, 05:43:44 pm »
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Whilst not massively different, note that in the past, the IB to VCE conversion rates were a bit higher.  From memory, last year, 40->99.00, 42->99.75.
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LOVEPHYSICS

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Re: VCE ATAR to IB
« Reply #6 on: December 28, 2010, 05:56:22 pm »
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Seems as though VCE is catching up huh? EZ, any ideas whether ATAR conversion to IB, then to A-Levels a valid equivalency?
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gossamer

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Re: VCE ATAR to IB
« Reply #7 on: December 28, 2010, 06:20:03 pm »
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I see! Thanks for explaining that :)

Suppose that I wanted to go to one of those prestigious unis that you mentioned.. since I don't do A-levels, or IB, would they look at the VCE results for whatever subjects are the pre-requisites for the course I'm looking at?

(also, do you know anything about the BMAT?)

EvangelionZeta

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Re: VCE ATAR to IB
« Reply #8 on: December 28, 2010, 06:27:47 pm »
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Seems as though VCE is catching up huh? EZ, any ideas whether ATAR conversion to IB, then to A-Levels a valid equivalency?

Sorry, I have no idea! =/

I see! Thanks for explaining that :)

Suppose that I wanted to go to one of those prestigious unis that you mentioned.. since I don't do A-levels, or IB, would they look at the VCE results for whatever subjects are the pre-requisites for the course I'm looking at?

(also, do you know anything about the BMAT?)

I think they'd look at VCE results, but from what I can tell getting into Oxbridge is also very much dependent upon your personal application (I believe you have to do another series of Oxbridge-specific testing and also sit a few interviews).
« Last Edit: December 29, 2010, 01:55:39 am by EvangelionZeta »
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Russ

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Re: VCE ATAR to IB
« Reply #9 on: December 28, 2010, 06:29:29 pm »
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Whilst not massively different, note that in the past, the IB to VCE conversion rates were a bit higher.  From memory, last year, 40->99.00, 42->99.75.

Oh god, you have no idea how much rage I had to deal with when the 2011 conversion table was released. Damn high school kids I know :(


LOVEPHYSICS

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Re: VCE ATAR to IB
« Reply #10 on: December 28, 2010, 06:39:50 pm »
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To Gossamer,

Yes, they will look at your VCE results. They told me that the minimum enter/atar for law is 92 (Edinburgh). I believed that they also get their enter requirements through IB->Atar conversions, because it also specifically stated that the IB range score for Law is between 34-45, and a 34 in IB is an atar 92 according to the conversion tables I have linked you. 

Oh, they would also like to look at the subjects you do, as they want to be certain that you are competent in essay-based subjects like history, classics, literature etccc In a sense, it is ironic, given their own atrocious A-Level standard, esp with English.

Good Luck mate! :)
« Last Edit: December 28, 2010, 06:48:31 pm by LOVEPHYSICS »
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Eriny

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Re: VCE ATAR to IB
« Reply #11 on: December 28, 2010, 06:41:39 pm »
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Does this help? http://www.anu.edu.au/cabs/ucep/Minutes/2004ucepmtg2/1143a.pdf
(the relevant table is on the last page)

LOVEPHYSICS

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Re: VCE ATAR to IB
« Reply #12 on: December 28, 2010, 06:53:34 pm »
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Hey Eriny, nice find, though I m having difficulties reading the table. Care to explain?

Thanks :)
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thushan

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Re: VCE ATAR to IB
« Reply #13 on: December 28, 2010, 07:21:56 pm »
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VCE >> A Levels? Hmm that's odd...

Just anecdotal evidence here, but I have an A-level chem book which I'm using to study for olympiads, and the material in it (and in ChemGuide.co.uk) is FAR more advanced than VCE 3/4 chem. Having said that, you do VCE at age 17-18 whereas A-levels are done at age 18-19. Perhaps they take that into account when converting from ATAR to A-level grades?
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Re: VCE ATAR to IB
« Reply #14 on: December 28, 2010, 08:54:44 pm »
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VCE >> A Levels? Hmm that's odd...

Just anecdotal evidence here, but I have an A-level chem book which I'm using to study for olympiads, and the material in it (and in ChemGuide.co.uk) is FAR more advanced than VCE 3/4 chem. Having said that, you do VCE at age 17-18 whereas A-levels are done at age 18-19. Perhaps they take that into account when converting from ATAR to A-level grades?

VCE chem is getting easier and easier imo.. both 2010 were relatively easy and designed for more perfection compared to mid year 2009
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