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The Class of 2017 saw 199 students successfully completing their VCE and all but three applied for tertiary study in Australia. By the end of the tertiary offer rounds, all applicants had successfully received an offer, many receiving multiple offers as more than 40 students had applied for interstate and/or overseas courses during the year.
In the first round of VTAC offers more than half (51%) of our students received offers for their first preference, and 168 (85%) received an offer in their top 3 preferences.
These are better figures than 2016 and 2015 (2016 – 44% received an offer for their first preference and 80% for their second; in 2015 it was 42% and 81% respectively).
It has been reported that, in Victoria this year, competition for courses has increased and some course entry scores have risen accordingly. The most popular singular destination university of Melbourne Grammar School students continues to be the University of Melbourne (28%), followed by Monash University (24.5%). There has been a slight decrease in these numbers compared to previous years as many students offered places at these institutions are accepting offers to interstate, predominantly ANU, and overseas universities.
Scholarships
Five students have been offered entry into the Chancellor’s Scholars programme at the University of Melbourne. Two other students have received scholarship offers from Monash University, two from ANU and two from Griffith University.
Interstate applications
It is known that 32 students were made offers to universities in New South Wales/ACT, predominantly ANU – with 26 offers, followed by UNSW (2), University
of Wollongong (2), Sydney University (1) and UTS (1). Two students are studying medicine interstate at University of Queensland and Griffith University. One student is attending the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA).
Overseas applications
In recent years, Melbourne Grammar School students have successfully gained admission at some of the most selective universities in the USA and UK, including Oxford University, Cambridge University, Imperial College London, Columbia University, Yale University, Princeton University, Harvard University and Stanford University.
At the time of publication, three Melbourne Grammar School 2017 VCE students had been offered a place at Cambridge University, and one at Oxford University.
Other students applied as far afield as University of California, Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania, Yale University, Harvard University, Stanford University and the University of Chicago. One student, who made an Early Decision application to Stanford in October, was offered a place commencing September 2018.
VTAC Offers by Fields of Study
The table below indicates the range of fields of study represented by the VTAC offers. It is interesting to note that there has been an increase in Creative Arts, Sciences, Health Sciences and Engineering with a slight decrease in the Management and Commerce and Architecture and Building courses for this cohort.
Heading overseas
Michael Biggs (OM 2017) is one of eight* Melbourne Grammar School graduates who will head overseas for their undergraduate studies this year.
Offered a place at three top tier UK universities, Michael will study a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) majoring in History and Politics at Cambridge University.
“I was struggling to find a (local) course that met my needs in terms of majors, structure and academic standing,” says Michael. “Ms Larn, the Director of Career Development, suggested I look overseas and everything turned on its head at that point. Looking back, I am very surprised, but really pleased, about how it has all turned out.”
Michael appreciates that there will be some challenges associated with the move. “I can’t not grasp the opportunity that has presented itself,” he says. “I know there may be difficulties ahead but, at the same time, I feel ready to handle them.”
As to what will happen after undergraduate study, Michael is not sure. “I’ll probably explore some postgraduate study options,” he explains. “But if my current situation is any indicator, who knows what will happen in the future.”
* at time of publication
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