Hi! My name is Michael and I am currently in my third year at Flinders University, but my second year of the Bachelor of Laws and Legal Practice.
From a young age I decided that when I grew up I wanted to be a lawyer. I knew what I wanted to do, and I did everything in my power to make sure I got there.
When I was in Year 12, I found that I started to get nervous every time someone mentioned “ATAR”. It can be stressful to think about and sometimes thinking and obsessing about the end result can have a negative impact on your grades. I found that the more I thought about my potential ATAR the more stressed out I became. I started learning about alternative entries into university, just in case. It was at this time that I learnt about the UniTest that Flinders University offered.
The UniTest is an aptitude test which you sit during Year 12 that requires no preparation. You seriously just walk in, sit down and take the test within the time limit. The content of the test itself is general and covers a range of fields and skills. If you do well in the UniTest, Flinders University will look 60% at your ATAR score and 40% from your UniTest score. This will sometimes mean that your UniTest adjusted rank could assist you in gaining admission into your course of choice. I for one can now thank the UniTest for helping me get into my Law degree!
Also, it’s important to know that the test cannot disadvantage you. If your results won’t help your ATAR, the University just doesn’t use it, and looks only at your ATAR. I highly recommend sitting the UniTest, even if you’re not sure if you’ll attend Flinders University or university at all.
While the UniTest looked promising, I also sought other pathways into Law. It was then that I discovered that Flinders University also offered the Bachelor of Justice and Society (Law Pathway). The Law Pathway is a one year course that, upon completion to a certain standard, guarantees admission into the Bachelor of Laws and Legal Practice the following year. So when I was filling out my SATAC application for university, I made sure that my second preference (after Laws and Legal Practice) was the Law Pathway.
When my ATAR results were released I was a bit disappointed. I did well, but not well enough to gain immediate entry into Law. I called Flinders University and they informed me that my UniTest scores would be taken into consideration. From this, my score was high enough for me to have guaranteed entry into the Law Pathway course, and I received an offer.
Today, after quite a journey, I am happily enrolled in the Bachelor of Laws and Legal Practice continuing my dream of becoming a lawyer. So remember, it’s always worth finding out everything you can about pathway options at university, and always consider your back up preferences in your SATAC application. Visit the UniTest page for more information on sitting opportunities this year, and also visit the course pathways page on the Flinders University website. Good luck with the rest of the year.