ATAR stars shine

By Ashleigh Fielding | posted on January 4, 2019

MORE than 10 of Albany’s brightest minds earned their stripes recently with Australian Tertiary Admission Ranks above 90.

North Albany Senior High School student Alex Blogg scored 99.75, just 0.2 off the highest possible score.

Hot on his heels were Great Southern Grammar pupil Holly Rost and Albany Senior High School graduate Peter Ebert, with ATARs of 98.5 and 98.35 respectively.

Medicine and law were the most popular university course choices among them.

“I’d just go home, walk the dog and study for at least three hours,” Peter said of his study regime.

“I’m hoping to get into biomedicine at the University of Western Australia to study immunology and microbiology.”

Alex is going to take a gap year and figure out his university plans later.

Albany Senior High School student Bryce Taylor (98.05) received his acceptance letter to the Australian National University to study art and science just moments before sitting down with The Weekender and discussing his post high school plans.

Fellow classmates Shiana Vanderheide (95), Jayden Simpson (93.35) and Jazmin Ferrell (92.4) are aiming for university too, targeting English and history, podiatric medicine and pharmacy.

Great Southern Grammar students Isabella Hendry (95.8), Ainslie Morris (96.95), Emma Turbill (97.85), Renae Johnston (96.55) and Matthew Ferreira (96.05) are heading on different paths.

Isabella wishes to study Japanese and journalism with her Curtin University Japanese Language scholarship, Ainslie wants to study business law to become a CEO rather than a lawyer, and Emma wants to partially follow in her mother’s veterinarian background by becoming a doctor or pathologist.

Renae wants to teach human biology and Matthew is considering psychology.

“I met with a journalism lecturer and they were really passionate about the importance of serious journalism,” Isabella said.

“Plus, I’d like a job that I can travel with.”

According to the Tertiary Institutes Service Centre, Year 12 graduates have until 11pm on January 15 to apply to be considered for the January round offers for all courses that are still open.

It is also the final closing date to rearrange or add preferences for the January round of offers for courses closing on January 15.

Applications won’t be accepted after this date.

January round offers will be available online on January 22.