A 70% is not directly an ATAR; an ATAR of 70.00 means you performed as well as or better than 70% of your age cohort (you're in the top 30%), not that you scored 70% in exams, as it's a percentile rank, with the average ATAR often sitting around 70.00 because it only ranks students undertaking an academic pathway.
The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR)
If you have an ATAR of 70.00, for example, it indicates that you've achieved as well as or better than 70% of the Year 12 school leaver age population in the state.
So an ATAR of 70 doesn't mean you got 70 percent – it means that you're in the top 30 percent of your year group. This information is for domestic high school students.
Just a reminder that the median ATAR is usually around 70 anyway. I landed on 63. I spent the morning feeling like a failure until I realized I'm literally just an average student.
17.3% of students received an ATAR of 90.00 or above. 34.6% of students received an ATAR of at least 80.00. 51.3% of students received an ATAR of at least 70.00.
Yes, getting a 70 ATAR is quite achievable for most students who complete Year 12, as it's close to the median ATAR (around 70) for completers, requiring roughly study scores of 30 in subjects, which is more attainable than a 50 average, though it depends on your cohort and scaling. It's considered the average performance for those who stay to get an ATAR, not necessarily an "easy" score, but definitely within reach with consistent effort, not necessarily top marks.
In the 2025 NSW HSC, 53 students achieved the perfect ATAR of 99.95, including notable students like Jaden Gargya (Sydney Grammar), Jio Yim & Emma Zhang (PLC), James Mao, Murphy Xi, & Nicholas Chen (The King's School), and Rahul Desai (Baulkham Hills High), with James Ruse Agricultural High School producing the most top scorers (9). While many individual names were highlighted in media, the full list isn't centralized, but key performers and schools were celebrated for their extraordinary efforts in the top 0.05% of candidates.
A respectable ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) depends on your goals, but generally, 80+ is very strong, getting you into most courses, while 90+ is excellent for competitive fields like Law or Medicine, with 70-79 being above average for many other degrees. Essentially, a "good" ATAR is the specific rank that unlocks entry to your desired university course, with higher ranks opening more selective options, but anything above 70-80 offers significant choices.
Getting a 75 ATAR is achievable but requires consistent effort, placing you in the top 25% of your year level, which is above the average (around 70) but not elite (like 90+); it means scoring better than three-quarters of your peers through solid study habits, subject selection, and exam performance, often requiring strong Bs and As in your subjects.
The ATAR is a number from 0 and 99.95 in intervals of 0.05. The highest rank is 99.95, the next highest 99.90, and so on. The lowest automatically reported rank is 30.00, with ranks below 30.00 being reported as 'less than 30'. Find out more about how ATARs are calculated.
The ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) is calculated by your state's tertiary admissions center (like VTAC, UAC) by summing your best scaled study scores from Year 12 subjects (usually your English + top three other subjects + 10% of your fifth and sixth subjects) to form an aggregate, then converting that aggregate into a percentile rank (0-99.95) showing how you compare to your entire year group, adjusted for cohort participation. This process ensures fairness by scaling subjects based on difficulty and cohort performance, meaning a score of 75 means you performed better than 75% of students.
You'll usually need to receive a letter grade between A and D to pass a class, often the numerical equivalent of 65 percent or higher. Receiving an F—which stands for “fail”—indicates that you did not pass the class. The cutoff to receive an F is usually 64 percent.
Yes, you can absolutely go to university without an ATAR by using various alternative pathways like TAFE diplomas, foundation courses, bridging programs, experience-based entry, or STAT tests, as most universities offer multiple routes to entry beyond just high school results, recognizing skills from work, vocational training, or life experience.
What grade is 70 percent in Australia? In most of the universities, it will be considered as Credit (C) or Distinction (D) in Australia.
A 70% is often a B or a C, depending heavily on the grading system, but in many US systems it's a low C or C-, while in Australia, 70-74% is typically a Distinction (D), and 60-69% is a Credit (C). It's crucial to check your specific school or country's scale, as 70% can range from a solid pass to a high B or low Distinction.
No, a 70 ATAR is generally too low for direct entry into an undergraduate medicine degree in Australia, as competitive scores are usually 95+, but you can use it as a stepping stone through pathways like completing a science degree (e.g., Biomedical Science) and applying for postgraduate medicine, aiming for high grades (WAM 70+) and strong GAMSAT/UCAT scores, or exploring rural/Indigenous entry schemes, as some universities (like UWA with specific criteria) might offer adjustments or pathways.
Yes, an ATAR of 70 is generally considered good; it's slightly above the average (around 70), placing you in the top 30% of your year group, and it qualifies you for many university courses, especially arts, business, and some sciences, though highly competitive degrees like medicine or law usually require much higher scores.
Yes, a 5.0 GPA in Australia is generally considered good, falling into the "Credit" or "above average" range (65-74% equivalent) on a 7-point scale, meeting expectations for most programs and sometimes qualifying for "Graduation with Distinction" at some universities, though aiming for 6.0+ is better for top scholarships or competitive postgraduate studies.
The average ATAR is usually around 70.00.
ATARs are calculated in each state to reflect a student's rank against other students in their state. In NSW, the ATAR is calculated and released by UAC. In the ACT, it's calculated by the ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies, in consultation with UAC, and released by schools.
Either straight from high school, or after completing a bachelor's degree. The first pathway is only available to a very limited number of students (30 domestic and 10 international students) and requires applicants to gain an ATAR of 99.95 in the Higher School Certificate or equivalent.
It's important to note that ATARs are released only to individual students. Schools do not receive ATAR information and students can keep their ATAR completely confidential if they wish.
There isn't one single "number 1" high school, as rankings vary by source and criteria, but James Ruse Agricultural High School (NSW) consistently appears at or near the top, often cited as Australia's best public school based on academic results like the HSC. Other top contenders frequently mentioned include North Sydney Boys/Girls High Schools, Sydney Grammar School, Melbourne High School (VIC), and Perth Modern School (WA), with rankings shifting slightly depending on the year and specific metrics used (e.g., ATAR, university placements).
Nobody can receive an ATAR of 100, and that's because the ATAR is a rank (not a percentage or mark), measured in increments of 0.05.
The hardest high schools to get into are highly selective public schools, often in Australia (like North Sydney Boys/Girls, James Ruse, Baulkham Hills, Hornsby Girls) or major US cities (like NYC's Stuyvesant High School), known for extremely low acceptance rates (under 15% in NSW) and requiring exceptional scores on competitive entrance exams (like the SHSAT in NYC) for their academically focused environments.