Careers
Claire Pech – Careers Advisor
Macquarie University – Careers Advisors Day 2018 
Last month I attended the Macquarie University (MQ) Careers Advisors Day. Each year I visit the main universities to hear about what is new and current for each institution. It is a great opportunity to hear about new courses, new internship opportunities and tailored strategies to meet industry needs.
One of the common objections when I speak to students about Macquarie University is about travel and distance. Students who are used to the close proximity of UNSW, find the distance of Macquarie a mental hurdle to overcome. I drove from Maroubra, and it took me 28 minutes door to door, (as long as peak traffic is avoided). They also have a train station on the University campus itself.
Fiona Reyerink – Corporate Engagement and Advancement
Fiona discussed the close connections the University has with their industry partners, all of whom are 300m down the road. Internships for Macquarie Partners are run on a different level to other universities, due to this close proximity for example, Cochlear, Optus and Cyber Security.
The China Malaysia Millennial Project is a project using 50 students from each country, working 100 days between the 3 countries. This scholarship is an example of multi-disciplinary learning but also country engagement and team work.
MQ Health is launching the new Bachelor of Clinical Science. This is a new two-year degree includes GAMSAT preparation (as part of the program). It is intense, but gears students very well for post graduate Medicine.
Hearing Initiative– the Cochlear headquarters are on the University campus. This relationship is very deep, and the Hearing Hub has world leaders in their field sharing knowledge.
Macquarie Entry – Lara D’Arcy
Students from the GLEP (Global Leadership Programs) programs and the SRS (Schools Recommended Scheme) early entry programs tend to perform better than the normative students.
Global Leadership Entry Program – GLEP – Macquarie University has now opened this program up to all courses (Clinical Sciences and Actuarial Studies are exempt). Students can now receive multiple offers, and choose 5 courses, rather than one. This year they are only looking at previous Year 11 results. Students are encouraged to apply early and can gain an offer as early as June this year. The GLEP application will award 5 students with $5,000 for their first year. This is a new initiative.
Gifted and Talented Entry Program – students completing subjects at a high level can receive an early offer.
Pathways Programs– students can complete diploma subjects that gain them access directly into Year 2 of their degree. Class sizes are small and nurturing and this is a great stepping stone between high school and university without losing out on a year of study.
https://www.mq.edu.au/study/international-students/how-to-apply/college-pathway-programs
UAC update – Key Changes – Kim Paino, UAC
Educational Access Scheme (EAS) applications will be going online this year. The written applications of the past will no longer exist and students will now be sending them in with their applications. Documents to prove cases (eg Doctor’s certificates) will need to be uploaded, and the school section will now be an email from the school directly.
The word ‘selection rank’ is now going to be called what was the ATAR cut off, so the selection rank equals the ATAR plus the adjustment factors (the old bonus points) and any additional selection criteria.
SELECTION RANK = ATAR + ADJUSTMENT FACTORS + ADDITIONAL SELECTION CRITERIA
The ATAR does not change for students, but their selection rank can change if they get awarded bonus points. For example, a student may get 3 points for adjustment factors for getting a Band 6 in Mathematics.
With a lot of commentary in the media at the moment about the ATAR, Kim addressed what she calls the ATAR debate. Some of her arguments were:
- that the ATAR is not dead, it does 1 thing and it does it very well
- that students should not choose subjects according to perceived ATAR advantages
- that students should not opt for doing “easier” maths just to benefit from a higher rank; as challenging yourself should be key and subject adjustments will not apply.
- to treat assumed knowledge the way you would a prerequisite
- that the ATAR is not the end goal; but success at University should be.
In 2019 for the 2020 admissions, UAC will be open for business in March/April 2019. This is to accommodate university trimesters and early entry schemes also and this will be a big shift in how UAC does business.
Brian Hurd, Scholarships at Macquarie University
MQ now have a new scholarships portal available for students throughout their time at university and also for future students. The most important part of the scholarships timeline is that they should be applying for scholarships at the same time they are applying for university. Some applications open in July and some are open now, but most are open after 18 August, and most will close after January.
In 2019 the Co-Op Program for Actuarial Studies and Accounting will begin. There is also the Asia Society Australia Mobility Scholarship to consider. This will be new in 2019 to enable more Asia mobility and build students’ skills for the Asia region.
What makes a good scholarship application?
Different schemes look for different students, it’s important to know what the University is looking for. If students are listing extracurricular activities, community engagement is highly valued, as is leadership experience. In personal statements, students should know their audience and plan in advance. Students should make it very personal, and make it passionate. And most importantly find an editor! Have someone with a critical eye to read your application before you submit it.