Bridging Courses To University
Play to your strengths
Everyone does some things better than others; that's just part of being human.
So, when it comes to planning for your life after school, it's always a good idea to figure out what you like doing and what kind of life you want to live.
There's nothing better than doing something you enjoy and getting paid for doing it...just ask Kelly Slater. Okay, not everybody is going to be a 12 time World Surfing Champion but let's just stay with that thought for a moment.
If you love surfing and the ocean you might think it would be great to earn a living working close to the water in Marine Biology or Fisheries or Marine Engineering or as a Skipper…there are subjects at High School you can take to improve your chances of doing courses at Uni that will lead to these jobs.
If you think you might like to design surfboards or illustrate surfboards or work with fibreglass...again there are courses at school and at training organisations and at Uni for all these things.
Identify your interests and strengths and use what you discover about yourself to explore what careers might suit you in the future. When you have a goal, something to aim for or even just a dream, then you will do better in the HSC.
The important thing is to go for it.
Don't stress it
Okay, you've picked what you thought was the best course for what you want to do at Uni or at a training organisation or for an apprenticeship and your results don't quite get you there. OMG my life's over...err. ..NO, actually it's just beginning!
No matter what subjects you have chosen for years 11 and 12 and no matter how you do in them there's still a whole world of possibilities out there.
Stay positive! Things may take a little longer but time is on your side. If you dropped science and now regret it because you've decided that Interpretive Dance isn't really your thing then get straight back on that horse!
You can fill the Science gap or English gap or Art gap or Computer Sciences gap through taking some extra courses before you apply for the Uni spot you want.
Doing as well as you can in years 11 and 12 will give you more choices for the future but doing as well as you can in anything is always a good starting point.
The other thing you have to know is that the whole school system, the teachers, the principals, the career advisers are all there to help you. They're all working for you! So if you need help ask them, that's what they're paid to do.
And if you don't know what you want to do after school make sure you apply for further study at Uni or at a training organisation anyway. You can always defer, that is you can postpone further study until you feel confident enough to get stuck into it.
People who have been there
"I didn't know what I wanted to do and then I saw a documentary on TV where this guy was diving on a wreck for sunken treasurer. He was an archaeologist. That's when I decided what I wanted to do...and I spoke to my careers adviser about it and he gave me the subjects I should do to get into Uni…oh and I'm doing a diving course too."
- Jack, Year 12.
"I was slack at school and just couldn't get inspired so my HEC was pretty ordinary. But my old man got me a job on a building site over summer and I loved it. Now I'm going to TAFE doing a bricklaying course and I'll be earning $1000 a day when I finish."
- Amand. Training Organisation
"When I started at Uni I thought I enrolled in Law because that's what Mum and Dad wanted but I really want to be a Foreign Correspondent, so I've change courses. My Mum's a bit worried but I can't wait to get out there."
- Jenny, University.
Find out more
Everyone does some things better than others; that's just part of being human.
So, when it comes to planning for your life after school, it's always a good idea to figure out what you like doing and what kind of life you want to live.
There's nothing better than doing something you enjoy and getting paid for doing it...just ask Kelly Slater. Okay, not everybody is going to be a 12 time World Surfing Champion but let's just stay with that thought for a moment.
If you love surfing and the ocean you might think it would be great to earn a living working close to the water in Marine Biology or Fisheries or Marine Engineering or as a Skipper…there are subjects at High School you can take to improve your chances of doing courses at Uni that will lead to these jobs.
If you think you might like to design surfboards or illustrate surfboards or work with fibreglass...again there are courses at school and at training organisations and at Uni for all these things.
Identify your interests and strengths and use what you discover about yourself to explore what careers might suit you in the future. When you have a goal, something to aim for or even just a dream, then you will do better in the HSC.
The important thing is to go for it.
Don't stress it
Okay, you've picked what you thought was the best course for what you want to do at Uni or at a training organisation or for an apprenticeship and your results don't quite get you there. OMG my life's over...err. ..NO, actually it's just beginning!
No matter what subjects you have chosen for years 11 and 12 and no matter how you do in them there's still a whole world of possibilities out there.
Stay positive! Things may take a little longer but time is on your side. If you dropped science and now regret it because you've decided that Interpretive Dance isn't really your thing then get straight back on that horse!
You can fill the Science gap or English gap or Art gap or Computer Sciences gap through taking some extra courses before you apply for the Uni spot you want.
Doing as well as you can in years 11 and 12 will give you more choices for the future but doing as well as you can in anything is always a good starting point.
The other thing you have to know is that the whole school system, the teachers, the principals, the career advisers are all there to help you. They're all working for you! So if you need help ask them, that's what they're paid to do.
And if you don't know what you want to do after school make sure you apply for further study at Uni or at a training organisation anyway. You can always defer, that is you can postpone further study until you feel confident enough to get stuck into it.
People who have been there
"I didn't know what I wanted to do and then I saw a documentary on TV where this guy was diving on a wreck for sunken treasurer. He was an archaeologist. That's when I decided what I wanted to do...and I spoke to my careers adviser about it and he gave me the subjects I should do to get into Uni…oh and I'm doing a diving course too."
- Jack, Year 12.
"I was slack at school and just couldn't get inspired so my HEC was pretty ordinary. But my old man got me a job on a building site over summer and I loved it. Now I'm going to TAFE doing a bricklaying course and I'll be earning $1000 a day when I finish."
- Amand. Training Organisation
"When I started at Uni I thought I enrolled in Law because that's what Mum and Dad wanted but I really want to be a Foreign Correspondent, so I've change courses. My Mum's a bit worried but I can't wait to get out there."
- Jenny, University.
Find out more
- uac.edu.au - A website developed by the Universities Admissions Centre which helps answer frequently asked questions students have in relation to the ATAR, courses and subjects, scaling as well as calculating your final results.
- youtube.com - A video that helps explain all there is to know about the ATAR. It's a step by step guide which answers all your ATRA related questions.
- myfuture.edu.au (see Year 12. What next?), tafensw.edu.au - This site explores many different careers and is designed to help students to develop a better understanding of qualifications, salary, duties, career progression, and week to week life in that job.
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