GPA ATAR Conversion/Equiv Rank by UAC

[A1]

Anyway, I thought people should know about it ... I wouldn't want people to be disadvantaged just because they didn't know something.

What a legend x3!!!!!!!

Haha when I did similar I got zero "What a legend x3!!!" feedbacks. Only rebukes for suggesting to abuse the system

Anyway though UAC converts SAT to a Selection Rank i don't think every med school accepts it. Example for int'l applicants UNSW lists several accepted qualifications including SAT, for domestic only ATAR / IB / A Levels.

 

[ucat3300+]

Haha when I did similar I got zero "What a legend x3!!!" feedbacks. Only rebukes for suggesting to abuse the system

Ohh were you aware of this epic loophole??

Example for int'l applicants UNSW lists several accepted qualifications including SAT, for domestic only ATAR / IB / A Levels.

Ahh I see, kudos to UNSW for having a more well thought out entry process.

A1 replies: No it was a different move, all legal though. Anyway possibly thanks to me pointing it out it has now been closed off. Better closed off for all rather than some knew about it some didn't.

 

[JeydinNewWon]

Ohh were you aware of this epic loophole??

Ahh I see, kudos to UNSW for having a more well thought out entry process.

A1 replies: No it was a different move, all legal though. Anyway possibly thanks to me pointing it out it has now been closed off. Better closed off for all rather than some knew about it some didn't.

Ah, that’s good at least so UNSW is being quite fair.

 

[DrDrLMG!]

Haha when I did similar I got zero "What a legend x3!!!" feedbacks. Only rebukes for suggesting to abuse the system

Assuming this is a reference to what I think it is: Trying to equate this to what you were advocating is ridiculous. But I’m not going there again beyond this.

 

[A1]

Trying to equate this to what you were advocating is ridiculous. But I’m not going there again beyond this.

I did not suggest students falsely became disadvantaged.
I suggested they attended a disadvantaged school and the school itself qualifies the cohort for UES. I wish people can distinguish the difference between disadvantaged individual vs disadvantaged school.

If one can distinguish that and be critical of me - they better criticize the UES process for allowing it in the first place.

 

[A1]

I wish people can distinguish the difference between disadvantaged individual vs disadvantaged school.
If one can distinguish that and be critical of me - they better criticize the UES process for allowing it in the first place.

To illustrate this point^ further I like to show this data



- School on left Reynella East is in the SATAC list of UES schools, school on right Aberfoyle Park is not
- Note 27% of R.E. cohort are above Australia-wide median socio, including 6% in the TOP quarter. They all get the UES bonus
- 64% of A.P. cohort are in the middle two socio quarters, lower than the R.E. top socio. Yet they don't get UES bonus

It's a quirk in the UES system that
1) top socio students get UES
2) a school like Reynella East gets UES for all including ~40 students above Aus median socio. I didn't see anything "immoral" with suggesting to attend these schools irrespective of where one is on the socio scale.

 

[raju]

Haha when I did similar I got zero "What a legend x3!!!" feedbacks. Only rebukes for suggesting to abuse the system

Anyway though UAC converts SAT to a Selection Rank i don't think every med school accepts it. Example for int'l applicants UNSW lists several accepted qualifications including SAT, for domestic only ATAR / IB / A Levels.

Hello, has UNSW confirmed that they won’t be accepting SAT this year? Also would EAS be applied to ones SAT selection rank if they were to use it?

 

[Kosi]

Hi everyone,

I would really appreciate some honest advice regarding my GPA situation and what the best pathway would be to satisfy Australian graduate-entry medical school requirements.

I am 42 years old and currently working full-time as a Registered Nurse in Queensland with over 15 years of experience. I have finally decided that I want to pursue medicine and my first preference would be UQ, although I am open to any Australian medical school.

My academic history is a bit complicated:

- Bachelor of Nursing completed in 2008 – estimated GPA around 4.2
- One year of Medical Science completed in 2011 – GPA around 6.2
- Graduate Certificate in Telehealth completed in 2014 – GPA 7.0

I am now considering enrolling in a new qualification in 2026, possibly a Graduate Diploma in Public Health or Health Sciences, with the goal of achieving a GPA of 7.0.

My concern is that my old nursing GPA may still drag my overall GPA down too much, even if I do very well in a new graduate diploma.

I would be very grateful for honest opinions on:

1. Would a new Graduate Diploma with a GPA of 7 realistically be enough to make me competitive for any Australian medical schools?
2. Would an Honours year be a better option than a Graduate Diploma?
3. Which universities are most likely to place more weight on recent study or use only the most recent three years of full-time equivalent study?
4. Are there any universities that might still consider me despite my older low GPA?
5. If you were in my situation, what would you do?

I am willing to work extremely hard and sit the GAMSAT again, but I want to make sure I choose the right academic pathway before investing the time and money.

Thank you very much to anyone willing to share their experience or advice.

 

[A1]

I am willing to work extremely hard and sit the GAMSAT again, but I want to make sure I choose the right academic pathway before investing the time and money.

1. Unless USyd's selection criteria have recently changed, they use GPA 5.0 hurdle (i.e. higher doesn't give better chances). UAC does the GPA calculations, I think they combine all tertiary studies into one GPA but best you confirm with UAC directly.
The relatively low 5.0 hurdle means you'll need a near-top GAMSAT to be successful.

2. I'm not sure how Flinders calculates GPA, please check its website.

All other grad-entry schools are in the GEMSAS consortium > Graduate Australian Medical Schools Medicine Admissions Guide 2026
Among them

3. UQ uses the GPA of the most recent 1+year post-Bachelor qualification, like Grad Dip or Masters/PhD but not a Grad Cert.

4. From memory (please verify in GEMSAS link above) other GEMSAS schools use the most recent 3 years of study for GPA,
so your case would be 1yr Grad Dip + 0.5yr Grad Cert + 1yr MedSci + 0.5yr (the last semester) of Nursing

As far as this GPA is concerned it doesn't matter Grad Dip or Honours year, choose the one that you think "easier" to get 7. All the best.

 

[DrDrLMG!]

Hi everyone,

I would really appreciate some honest advice regarding my GPA situation and what the best pathway would be to satisfy Australian graduate-entry medical school requirements.

I am 42 years old and currently working full-time as a Registered Nurse in Queensland with over 15 years of experience. I have finally decided that I want to pursue medicine and my first preference would be UQ, although I am open to any Australian medical school.

My academic history is a bit complicated:

- Bachelor of Nursing completed in 2008 – estimated GPA around 4.2
- One year of Medical Science completed in 2011 – GPA around 6.2
- Graduate Certificate in Telehealth completed in 2014 – GPA 7.0

I am now considering enrolling in a new qualification in 2026, possibly a Graduate Diploma in Public Health or Health Sciences, with the goal of achieving a GPA of 7.0.

My concern is that my old nursing GPA may still drag my overall GPA down too much, even if I do very well in a new graduate diploma.

I would be very grateful for honest opinions on:

1. Would a new Graduate Diploma with a GPA of 7 realistically be enough to make me competitive for any Australian medical schools?
2. Would an Honours year be a better option than a Graduate Diploma?
3. Which universities are most likely to place more weight on recent study or use only the most recent three years of full-time equivalent study?
4. Are there any universities that might still consider me despite my older low GPA?
5. If you were in my situation, what would you do?

I am willing to work extremely hard and sit the GAMSAT again, but I want to make sure I choose the right academic pathway before investing the time and money.

Thank you very much to anyone willing to share their experience or advice.

In addition to what A1 has said, I’d recommend Late to Med School on Facebook. Another handy group, particularly re. practicalities.

Good luck!