Admissions Centres Preferencing: General Discussion

[Henzells]

If Western Sydney and Newcastle were to offer to you in Jan and your preference was that order, would you still be able to accept Newcastle’s if you changed your mind?

 

[A1]

If Western Sydney and Newcastle were to offer to you in Jan and your preference was that order, would you still be able to accept Newcastle’s if you changed your mind?

In this case you only know you get WSU offer, nothing about JMP.

In previous years UAC would show a Status code next to your JMP pref saying like "Qualified but offered a higher preference". This code now seems no longer in use > Course preference status explanations

I guess you would have to ask UAC or JMP whether you qualified for JMP as well, and whether a swap is possible.

 

[clairebear]

Can anyone tell me whether I should be preferencing CSU dentistry for december offer round 1 and whether if I have JMP and WSU above CSU I will be offered CSU or if I need to preference CSU first (only for december first round)?

 

[A1]

Can anyone tell me whether I should be preferencing CSU dentistry for december offer round 1 and whether if I have JMP and WSU above CSU I will be offered CSU or if I need to preference CSU first (only for december first round)?

I can't say for sure whether you need to, but for simplicity just put CSU first for the Dec rounds then re-arrange to how you actually want for the January round. That won't cause you any disadvantages so why not.

 

[Ramnikk]

Hey guys, does anyone know how the UAC ranking system works? Like for example, if two people are applying to the same uni but one of them has it as a second preference and the other has it as first, will the person who has it in first have a better chance of being selected (assuming the other person did not receive an offer from their first pref.)? Moreover, if a person is a higher ranking applicant than another but only put a uni as second preference, will the other student have a better chance if they put the uni as first preference, even though they may not have performed as well as the second student?

Any info is appreciated, this stuff is confusing dude!

 

[Sherlock]

Hey guys, does anyone know how the UAC ranking system works? Like for example, if two people are applying to the same uni but one of them has it as a second preference and the other has it as first, will the person who has it in first have a better chance of being selected (assuming the other person did not receive an offer from their first pref.)? Moreover, if a person is a higher ranking applicant than another but only put a uni as second preference, will the other student have a better chance if they put the uni as first preference, even though they may not have performed as well as the second student?

Any info is appreciated, this stuff is confusing dude!

No. Selection is solely based on the admission requirements and ultimately, ranking of applicants. Preferences exist to make your life more easier with flexibility.

 

[Logic]

Hey guys, does anyone know how the UAC ranking system works? Like for example, if two people are applying to the same uni but one of them has it as a second preference and the other has it as first, will the person who has it in first have a better chance of being selected (assuming the other person did not receive an offer from their first pref.)? Moreover, if a person is a higher ranking applicant than another but only put a uni as second preference, will the other student have a better chance if they put the uni as first preference, even though they may not have performed as well as the second student?

Any info is appreciated, this stuff is confusing dude!

For UAC preferencing, the simple principle is you will get the highest offer on your preference that you qualify for. So how you preference unis doesn't give you any advantage or disadvantage in terms of getting an overall offer. Using your second example, if you put a uni as your second preference then provided you don't qualify for your first preference, you will still get the offer before the other student who has a lower overall ranking, even if they had it as their first preference. Does that make sense?

 

[A1]

will the person who has it in first have a better chance of being selected (assuming the other person did not receive an offer from their first pref.)?

First thing to remember is UAC does *not* decide whether you get an offer, it only determines *which* one you get if you qualify for multiple offers.

So assuming the other person does not receive an offer from their first pref, their 2nd pref is now effectively their 1st. Now between the two applicants (one with original 1st pref and one with "promoted" 1st pref) it solely depends on their relative ranking on the school's offer list.

 

[Advice Needed]

For UAC preferencing, the simple principle is you will get the highest offer on your preference that you qualify for. So how you preference unis doesn't give you any advantage or disadvantage in terms of getting an overall offer. Using your second example, if you put a uni as your second preference then provided you don't qualify for your first preference, you will still get the offer before the other student who has a lower overall ranking, even if they had it as their first preference. Does that make sense?

Just getting involve in this thread, let’s say I put JMP as a 1st preference and Bachelor of Arts USYD as a 2nd preference. Come Dec 1st round, provided I qualify for the Arts degree, UAC will then say an offer is made for Arts & ignore the JMP.

 

[A1]

Just getting involve in this thread, let’s say I put JMP as a 1st preference and Bachelor of Arts USYD as a 2nd preference. Come Dec 1st round, provided I qualify for the Arts degree, UAC will then say an offer is made for Arts & ignore the JMP.

Apparently that's correct.
In earlier years it wasn't though, UAC would indicate you qualified for Arts but would not make an offer until JMP's outcome was known (i.e. you would then get either JMP or Arts). It's why some schools are still in the habit of saying you need to put Arts first to get it offered in Dec.

 

[Misa]

Hey Guys,
I'm sorry if this has been asked before. I have a question about QTAC that I have heard so many conflicting opinions about. Do the Unis actually know what preference you have them? I have heard that for example JCU won't give you an offer unless you have them as first preference. I would prefer to stay in the Gold Coast though so I want to put Griffith first, but if I don't get the ATAR I don't want to miss out on JCU. Can someone shed some light on this? Has anyone received an offer for JCU even if it wasn't first preference? Also just out of laziness, when do QTAC offers come out? Thanks peeps

 

[Crow]

Hey Guys,
I'm sorry if this has been asked before. I have a question about QTAC that I have heard so many conflicting opinions about. Do the Unis actually know what preference you have them? I have heard that for example JCU won't give you an offer unless you have them as first preference. I would prefer to stay in the Gold Coast though so I want to put Griffith first, but if I don't get the ATAR I don't want to miss out on JCU. Can someone shed some light on this? Has anyone received an offer for JCU even if it wasn't first preference? Also just out of laziness, when do QTAC offers come out? Thanks peeps

The JCU rumour is completely false, yet somehow gets brought up every year. I’m not sure why - perhaps it’s circulated by people who are shocked to find out they didn’t get an interview and need some other explanation than “your application wasn’t strong enough”. As for your laziness, it will take me just as long to go on the QTAC website as it’ll take you (probably about 15 seconds through a Google search), so I’ll leave that to you

 

[Misa]

The JCU rumour is completely false, yet somehow gets brought up every year. I’m not sure why - perhaps it’s circulated by people who are shocked to find out they didn’t get an interview and need some other explanation than “your application wasn’t strong enough”. As for your laziness, it will take me just as long to go on the QTAC website as it’ll take you (probably about 15 seconds through a Google search), so I’ll leave that to you

Hahahah thanks Crow. So I can preference them in what order I want them with no issues of missing an offer (Just making sure cuz you said interview). Also for all the other lazy people, its 15th of Jan

 

[Crow]

So I can preference them in what order I want them with no issues of missing an offer (Just making sure cuz you said interview).

Correct. The only reason you'd miss out on an offer if you were eligible is if you received an offer from a higher preference instead.

 

[A1]

I have heard that for example JCU won't give you an offer unless you have them as first preference.

Adding to Crow's replies, JCU is actually the opposite of this^. Not only JCU will give you an offer when it's not 1st preference, they also give you one even when you are getting your 1st pref offered as well (which normally JCU is not supposed to do).

We have seen it reported on MSO - JCU rang told the applicant of an imminent JCU offer despite him having UQ as 1st pref. On QTAC offer date he got UQ, then a few days later got a JCU offer in the mail.

 

[Misa]

Adding to Crow's replies, JCU is actually the opposite of this^. Not only JCU will give you an offer when it's not 1st preference, they also give you one even when you are getting your 1st pref offered as well (which normally JCU is not supposed to do).

We have seen it reported on MSO - JCU rang told the applicant of an imminent JCU offer despite him having UQ as 1st pref. On QTAC offer date he got UQ, then a few days later got a JCU offer in the mail.

Wow okay that sounds good then I’m gonna change my preferences

 

[Smelly Boy]

Just called UAC regarding the preference system and how we can’t put (for example) unbonded spots over bonded spots in our preference list since UAC only allows you to preference unis as a whole.

The lady who answered said that she wasn’t aware of bonded/unbonded spots. She said that since the unis got me to indicate whether or not I’d like to be in the running for a bonded spot, the uni would be the one to know if I’m eligible for a bonded/unbonded spot (UAC apparently doesn’t have that information). She told me to try calling the unis up regarding this and see if they let me know and then changing the preference list accordingly.

might do it later but I gotta go now

 

[A1]

The lady who answered said that she wasn’t aware of bonded/unbonded spots. She said that since the unis got me to indicate whether or not I’d like to be in the running for a bonded spot, the uni would be the one to know if I’m eligible for a bonded/unbonded spot

This sounds to me like she has not understood the dilemma. You should call explain to her again it's not about bonded/unbonded at a particular school; it's about unbonded A > unbonded B > bonded A. This is under UAC's controls but UAC doesn't give any option to indicate so.

 

[Crow]

This sounds to me like she has not understood the dilemma. You should call explain to her again it's not about bonded/unbonded at a particular school; it's about unbonded A > unbonded B > bonded A. This is under UAC's controls but UAC doesn't give any option to indicate so.

But it’s the university that gives UAC the information for what course codes they’ll offer, right? So UAC can’t really do anything under instruction of the applicants, only the university’s directions.

 

[A1]

But it’s the university that gives UAC the information for what course codes they’ll offer, right? So UAC can’t really do anything under instruction of the applicants, only the university’s directions.

That's true. I was thinking that when the uni/school gives UAC the course code they offer it might include the info whether it's unbonded or bonded. With this info UAC could elevate unbonded B to higher than bonded A for the applicant before releasing.

If applicants only learn of unbonded/bonded later from the school's offer email then we have to try to fix it after the event. Say after receiving bonded A they need to call UAC to ask if they would have got B, then call school B to ask if it would be unbonded.