Converting SAT scores to ATAR

2014-Jul-09 If you wish to learn the current conversion from SAT to ATAR, I recommend calling UAC (http://www.uac.edu.au) by telephone and asking for a copy of the “Common Assessment Schedules for converting SAT and AP scores to their equivalent ATAR”.

2009-Jan-20 Australian students abroad rejoice! All Australian universities have agreed together to follow the recommendations of my report and more fairly convert SAT scores into the Australian UAI!

Did you know that in 2006/7 Australian students who attempt to enter university on the basis of a SAT1 score may be penalised by up to 6 UAI points? I have been following this story for the last 12 months and the lack of SAT1 percentile data for the new SAT1 has clouded the issues. Now, finally, the College Board have published the percentile data for the new SAT1. You can find it here 2006 2007.

Based on this new data from the College Board I have updated my explanation report. The report NSW and ACT school leavers and the conversion of SAT1 to an equivalent UAI (pdf) is a call for change!

Here is the abstract from the report.

Some NSW & ACT high school leavers graduate high school while overseas. These students potentially enrich Australian university communities with their global outlook. Many of these students seek entry to NSW & ACT university courses through the University Admissions Centre (UAC) on the basis of the American College Board’s Scholastic Aptitude Tes1 (SAT1). This report examines the nature o the SAT1 and then compares SAT1 scores with NSW & ACT University Admission Index (UAI) scores. UAC affiliated tertiary institutions assess SAT1 scores on the basis of a œCommon Assessment Schedule that appears to create barriers to university entry for NSW & ACT students who graduate from high school while overseas. These students appear to be penalised by up to 6 UAI points in the process of converting a SAT1 score to a UAI score. After examining the current Assessment Schedule and some of its effects on Australian students, this report recommends an updated Assessment Schedule based on the 2006 SAT1 cohort.

Read the full NSW and ACT school leavers and the conversion of SAT1 to an equivalent UAI report (pdf).

This new report replaces the two earlier reports which you can find here and here.