Debunking The Myth That Life Is Over If Your ATAR Isn’t Up To Scratch


So you didn’t get the ATAR you were after? Eh, big-whoop. PEDESTRIAN.TV’s partnered with Careers Australia to tell ya it’s gonna be all good baby-baby. Unfortunately, it wasn’t all a dream. Your results weren’t fab. BUT, once your ego has recovered somewhat, have a look into all the courses Careers Australia are offering atm. They provide a vast range of short courses/apprenticeships/traineeships/certificates/diploma courses in (pretty much) every industry you can fathom – all of which focus on a hands-on experience. With 15 campuses located across Australia, and flexible online study options, they’ll have you geared up for career domination or prepared for future study in a jiffy. Know the journey and own the destination with Careers Australia by checking out their website here.

DEEP BREATHS, YOUNG ONES.

REMAIN CALM.
After all those sleepless nights, study sessions, notes taken and hand cramps; you’ve gotten your ATAR results and they’re not what you were after. 
Whilst you might not believe us right now, one day soon it’ll sink in that your mark isn’t the be-all-end-all that your parents/teachers/cohort have made it out to be. There’s plenty of ways to #killit without taking that giant leap straight into uni (which is often an overrated experience by the way). 
Like, if this is a thing in 2015:
Then surely you still have faith that you can get out there in the world and whip it into shape. 
We’ve compiled a basic guide to get you through this tumultuous period based on known remedies and sprinkled with a bit of insider knowledge (there’s plenty of us in the P.TV office who didn’t get the results we were chasing, BUT LOOK AT US NOW).  

PREPARE FOR ‘THE QUESTION’

The one thing that they refrain from telling you upon receiving your mark is that every dude and their dog is going to ask you what you scored. It’s an inevitability of human-nature. 
When we achieve something, we need that achievement validated by comparing it to the achievements of others. 
So, when Stacy asks ‘how’d you go in your exams, babe?’ know that she’s not asking from a place of legitimate interest, she’s hell-bent on knowing that she’s better than you. In short: Stacy’s a massive cow. 
Cow or not, don’t stoop to her level.
Show a bit of class instead.
The question of ‘what ATAR did you get?’ is going to be posed to you at every social occasion possible, so you have two options. 
1. Be honest. Tell whoever’s asking what you scored, that you’re not happy with it and your intentions of looking into alternatives.
2. Lie (what are they going to do? Hack into your computer and expose the truth to society at-large? Probs not, mate).
Do whatever you need to do in order to get through this period of interrogation – it may only be temporary, but it sure is a pain in the booty. 

GET YOUR JAMES BOND ON

You might start laughing when we say this BUT some would argue that not getting into the course/uni you wanted has actually placed you in a better position than everyone else. Most of them time when we choose a course to undertake, we’re doing so relatively blindly. Sure, you might have done all the research etc but how much does anyone REALLY know about a career (let alone be able to predict if they’ll enjoy doing for the rest of their lives) until they’ve actually worked in it. 
At this stage, you have nothing but free time on your hands. Put that free time to work and channel your inner 007. 
If you were planning on undertaking a particular course, then find the end-goal of that course (studying journalism = becoming a journalist) and attempt to get some work experience. It’ll be hard to convince an employer that you’ll be able to add value to their organisation without basic qualifications, but hit-hard on your passion and determination in your cover letter and you might just be able to lock something down. 
This option might not be possible (a hospital’s not going to let you have a crack at surgery just because you want to be a doctor) or there might not be enough organisations in your community that are in a position to offer you a trial-run. If this is the case, then you’re going to have to go nek-level Black-Ops. 
Find someone who holds your dream job, stalk them, contact them, and force them to have a pow-wow with you. They’ll be able to give you the DL of what’s actually involved in their role. Too often are jobs over-glamourised so this is the best way to cut the BS and figure out if it’s right for you. 

CREATE THE GAME PLAN

Once you’ve done your research, it’s time to figure out what you’re going to do for (potentially) the rest of your life. 
Even though all your m8s are all like ‘ERMERGARD COMMERCE ETC’ we know how that story usually ends.
You’ve given yourself a leg-up in ensuring you’re certain on what you want to do. Get your nose back to the grindstone and decide on how you’ll action your game plan. 
Will you need a degree? 

Can you enter the industry without any qualifications? 

What pathways are available for you to execute your ideas?
There’s no need to rush the journey to success, kids. Take it at your own pace, have a lil’ vay-cay if needed and gird your loins for global domination. Life’s to short to beat yourself up over a crappy score. 
If you’re looking for somewhere to facilitate/execute your game plan then check out Careers Australia. Their flexible study options and plethora of courses may just be exactly what the doctor ordered.  

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