ATAR ≠ Self-Worth: Why HSC Results Aren’t the End of the World

For many Year 12 students, the HSC can feel like the biggest thing in the world. Every conversation, every class, and every school assembly seems to remind them that the ATAR will "determine their future."

But here’s the truth: your ATAR is just a number. It is not your worth. It is not your intelligence. It is definitely not the only path forward.

The Myth of the Perfect ATAR

There’s an unspoken pressure to aim for a 90+, to get into a "top course," or to live up to someone else’s expectations. But what a lot of people don’t talk about is how most people don’t get a 99.95. In fact, only a tiny fraction of students do. And yet, thousands of students each year go on to university, TAFE, jobs, and amazing futures with much lower scores.

Take Australia’s leading universities like The University of Sydney or UNSW. Many of their courses accept ATARs in the 70s or 80s — not 95 or above. In fact, a 75 ATAR could get you into a great degree that leads to well-paying, fulfilling careers. Not everyone wants or needs to be a lawyer or doctor to make an impact.

What Really Matters After High School

• How you learn: Not whether you memorised a syllabus, but how you handle problems, take initiative, and keep learning.
• Your work ethic: Most successful people weren’t the smartest in high school — they just kept showing up.
• Your mindset: The ability to bounce back from setbacks matters more than a number on a screen.

The Back Doors Are Real

There are many ways to get where you want to go. Some students start in a different degree and transfer. Others go through foundation or pathway programs. Many use their first year’s uni marks to switch into their dream course. None of this is failure — it’s strategy.

Final Thoughts

Your ATAR might open a door. But it won’t close the rest of them.

If your number is lower than expected, remember: you are not behind. You are not a disappointment. You are not out of options.

And if your number is higher than expected, use it wisely — not to chase prestige, but to choose something meaningful.

In the end, the ATAR is just one moment. Your life is made up of thousands.

A Note from Waner

When I was in Year 11, my career advisor told me to aim for an ATAR around 85 based on my Year 10 and 11 marks. I trusted her advice — but I also believed that 85 wasn’t my limit. It was a great score to aim for, but I knew I could do more, even if no one else quite believed it at the time.

I worked hard, stayed consistent, and finished Year 12 with results that opened far more doors than I expected. I received multiple offers from top universities — including the University of Sydney, UNSW, Monash, and the University of Melbourne — and eventually enrolled in a degree within Medicine and Health at USYD.

Sidere mens eadem mutato. Looking back, I’m so glad I didn’t let others define what I was capable of — or let a single number shape how I saw myself. The HSC wasn’t the end. It was just the beginning.

Since then, I’ve graduated from the University of Sydney three times across three different degrees — and just last month, I passed my PhD confirmation. The journey didn’t follow one straight line, and it definitely didn’t end with my ATAR.