The phrase "minimum ATAR of 90" is inherently a contradiction because an ATAR of 90 is the minimum rank required to be in the top 10% of the eligible student cohort. The ATAR itself is a specific rank, not a range or a minimum score that can be broken down further to find a lower "minimum" of that same rank.
Example Breakdown: An ATAR of 90.20 could be achieved with an average scaled study score of 37.5 in the top four subjects and an average scaled study score of 35 in the bottom two subjects. Tip: Achieving an aggregate of 157 is obviously very challenging.
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.
Getting a 90 ATAR is challenging but achievable, as it means ranking in the top 10% of students, with roughly 1 in 5 students (around 17-20%) reaching this level or higher, requiring strong performance (around 75%+ in subjects) and smart study strategies, including focus on weaker areas, effective time management, and consistency, though it's harder at more competitive schools.
17.3% of the students received an ATAR of 90.00 or above, 34.6% received an ATAR of at least 80.00, 51.3% at least 70.00, and 66.8% at least 60.00. The median ATAR was 70.75, slightly lower than in 2024. The median ATAR for females was 71.60 whereas the median ATAR for males was 69.80.
Yes, an ATAR of 90 means you are in the top 10% of your year level in Australia, indicating excellent performance that opens doors to many university courses, though highly competitive ones like Medicine or Law may need higher scores. The ATAR is a percentile rank, so a 90 means you performed better than 90% of your peers.
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.
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.
To be a top 1% student, you need a strategic, disciplined approach combining proactive learning (active recall, using external resources) with smart systems (organization, prioritizing tasks) and a growth mindset (seeking challenges, self-belief). Focus on deep understanding through methods like active recall (flashcards, practice questions) and generation (trying to solve problems before learning the solution), not just passive reading, while managing external factors like deadlines and distractions.
There's no single hardest year; it depends on the student, but Freshman year is often tough due to adjusting to independence and new academic demands, while Junior year is frequently cited as hardest for its intense coursework, internship pressure, and looming career decisions, with some feeling Third year (especially in UK/honours programs) brings the most difficult, major-specific work.
An "okay" ATAR score is subjective but generally starts around 70, which opens doors to many university courses, with scores from 70-89 considered average to strong and allowing access to most fields like arts, science, and business, while 90+ is excellent for competitive degrees like medicine or law. The average ATAR for students aiming for university is around 70, meaning you performed better than 30% of your peers, but an ATAR of 80 means you're in the top 20%.
A 98 ATAR is an excellent score, and it is certainly high enough to apply for medicine at most universities in Australia and New Zealand.
Many opportunities such as foundation programs and bridging courses exist for students with low ATAR scores or no ATAR at all. If you are a non-school leaver hoping to attend university, work experience, vocational training or vocational education can also be used to qualify for a pathway program or bachelor.
The Guaranteed ATAR allows you to know the likelihood of receiving an offer into specific courses in advance. This means that if you receive an ATAR equal to or above the guaranteed ATAR (excluding adjustment factors), and meet the course prerequisites, we will guarantee you an offer in this course.
What is this? The most common use of 3-2-1 I've seen is in response to a reading or lesson–usually 3 things you learned, 2 things that made you curious or confused, and 1 most important thing you learned or should do with what you've learned.
Yes, 60% at a UK university is generally the start of a 2:1 (Upper Second-Class Honours), though some universities might classify 60-69% as a 2:1 and 50-59% as a 2:2, meaning a 60% average falls right at the boundary, sometimes considered a strong 2:2 or a low 2:1, depending on specific university rules and rounding.
Yes, a 90+ ATAR is excellent, placing you in the top 10% of students and opening doors to highly competitive university courses like medicine, law, and engineering, though its "goodness" also depends on personal goals and specific course requirements, with many other strong options available.
The University of Melbourne is a truly unique environment. We're creating a range of sustainable facilities and precincts to enable ground-breaking discoveries, now and into the future.
UC Berkeley and UCLA are the top two public universities in the country, with seven UC campuses in the top 25 and all nine undergraduate campuses in the top 45, according to the 2026 Best Colleges rankings, released today (Sept.
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).
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.
To get into USYD Law without an ATAR, you can use admission pathways like completing a foundation program, starting another degree and applying to transfer with high grades (Distinction/High Distinction average), completing an eligible qualification (like IB, VET), or using adjustment factors if eligible; another key method is applying with a strong performance in an alternative entry scheme like MySydney or through early entry programs at other unis, then transferring, as the LLB is competitive but has many routes.