The Future Is Bigger Than Your Enter
The Age
Monday December 1, 2003
When you're 18, doing well in VCE may seem the most important thing in the world. But Vicki McKenzie, who lectures in Melbourne University's educational psychology unit, advises students to keep a sense of proportion.
``This is quite a stressful time and you can feel very pressured - it's something you've been working for all year," she says. ``But a bit of perspective makes a big difference. A few years on, your ENTER (Equivalent National Tertiary Education Rank) won't mean a lot. Students should look at their results as a stepping stone, and the ENTER as only one avenue to get what they want."
It's all about ``using an obstacle as an opportunity to find another pathway to the same end point", says Ms McKenzie, who also works with young people. For example, the tertiary sector is very flexible, and students who miss out on a university course may be able to transfer after doing a similar course or TAFE study. Other options are working for several years and then reapplying, or repeating some subjects to get better results.
``It's important to use your resources," she advises. ``Pluck up your courage and approach (tertiary) faculties and departments, or people you know in the field you want to work in. Ask them what it's like, how they got into it, etc. People love to talk about what they do."
This includes talking to relatives, family friends and teachers. Students may find people who got into their jobs through indirect routes and that they can suggest related fields or jobs. Also, some very successful people do not have a tertiary education.
It's important that students talk to other people, if they are disappointed, rather than ``worrying on their own", says Ms McKenzie. They may not realise they have untapped skills and talents, including some not recognised by their ENTERs.
They should also remind themselves that the ENTER is a ranked score, not a mark out of 100, she says. This means that a student who gets, say, 70 has done better than 70 per cent of other students.
Most importantly, Ms McKenzie advises all students to ``pat themselves on the back" and not compare themselves with other people. ``It's difficult if you don't do as well as you had hoped, but it's important to say: `I've put in a lot of effort, I've worked hard and I deserve to celebrate.' Your ENTER is only a little moment, and you have many more years to build a successful and fulfilling life."
© 2003 The Age