Why VCE Feels So Confusing for Parents — And How to Get the Information You Actually Need
Course and Career Chat
In this episode, I share how trying to navigate my son’s cricket club with zero information helped me understand exactly how parents feel when their child starts VCE. You’ll hear why VCE feels so overwhelming, why schools often don’t communicate clearly, and how understanding the system helps you make better decisions about VCE subjects, tertiary pathways and supporting your teen through Year 11 and 12. Timestamps: 0:45 — Trying to start cricket with no information 6:11 — Why VCE parents feel lost 10:24 — How I support families through VCE Links: Work with me: The Parents’ Guide...
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How to Choose the Right VCE Subjects, Tertiary Courses and Career Pathways (and Stop Cutting Off Your Options)
Course and Career Chat
Choosing VCE subjects and planning a tertiary pathway can feel overwhelming — especially when you’re worried about closing off future options. In this episode of Course and Career Chat, I share stories of four students who were unintentionally limiting their choices because of assumptions about what they could or couldn’t do. You’ll hear how, once they had the right information, they were able to make informed decisions about their VCE subjects, courses, and career pathways — and feel confident about their next steps. Timestamps: 1:00 – Penny’s story: Exploring creative careers...
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The Truth About ATAR Focused Tutoring Ads: Why They Feed VCE Anxiety (and What Really Helps)
Course and Career Chat
You’ve seen the tutoring ads — the ones bragging about all their tutors getting ATARs over 99, studying medicine or law, or being dux of their schools. These ads drive me crazy because they completely miss the point. In this episode, I explain why high ATARs don’t make someone a good tutor, how tutoring companies lean into a broken VCE system, and why they make promises they can’t keep. Most importantly, I’ll share how students can actually beat ATAR anxiety by finding their own path — no matter what results they get. 4:02 – Doing well in school doesn’t make someone a good...
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Becoming a Counsellor: Tamara’s Journey from a Bachelor of Arts to a Master of Counselling at Deakin University
Course and Career Chat
In this episode of Course and Career Chat, I talk with Tamara, who is currently studying a Master of Counselling at Deakin University. She shares her journey from completing a Bachelor of Arts (majoring in Psychology and History) to discovering her passion for supporting others through counselling. We discuss what it’s really like to study counselling at postgraduate level, the difference between counselling and psychology, and the career opportunities available after a Master of Counselling in Australia. If you’re thinking about a career change into counselling, or wondering how to become...
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Should You Drop a VCE Subject?
Course and Career Chat
What we’re talking about: It’s nearly the end of Term 2, and I’ve had a lot of conversations with students lately where they’ve been trying to decide whether or not to drop a VCE subject that they’re studying. To make an informed decision, there’s a few things you need to consider - do you know what you want to do when you finish school? Is this subject a prerequisite for that course? Can you support yourself to feel more confident in the subject with some extra help? Could you look at similar courses that don’t need it as a prerequisite? Is not liking the subject a clue that...
info_outline![How to Feel Confident About VCE and Choosing Tertiary Courses Part 3 [What Are You Really Good At?] show art](https://assets.libsyn.com/item/36639765?height=50&width=50)
How to Feel Confident About VCE and Choosing Tertiary Courses Part 3 [What Are You Really Good At?]
Course and Career Chat
What we’re talking about: In this third part of my mini series “How to Feel Confident About VCE and Choosing Tertiary Courses” I’m diving into another question that I’d love for you to consider - What are you good at? I don’t mean what subject you’re good at (although I did talk about that in episode 102), but instead what is something that comes naturally to you that you use in your everyday life that could be applied to any career you choose? Knowing this can help you see how you can bring key parts of yourself to any role you choose to take in the future. Links mentioned: Work...
info_outline![How to Feel Confident About VCE and Choosing Tertiary Courses Part 2 [What's Your Favourite Subject and What Do You Like About It?] show art](https://assets.libsyn.com/item/36531590?height=50&width=50)
How to Feel Confident About VCE and Choosing Tertiary Courses Part 2 [What's Your Favourite Subject and What Do You Like About It?]
Course and Career Chat
What we’re talking about: In this episode, I continue the mini-series on feeling confident about VCE and choosing tertiary courses. Instead of jumping straight to career titles, I encourage you to reflect on your favourite subjects and, more importantly, what you enjoy about them. This approach can provide valuable insights into courses and careers that will allow you to do more of what you actually like. 0:45 – Recap of Episode 100 and the importance of understanding VCE In the last episode I shared some episodes where I explain key aspects of VCE so that you can really understand the...
info_outline![How to Feel Confident About VCE and Choosing Tertiary Courses Part 1 [Understanding How VCE Works] show art](https://assets.libsyn.com/item/36453390?height=50&width=50)
How to Feel Confident About VCE and Choosing Tertiary Courses Part 1 [Understanding How VCE Works]
Course and Career Chat
What we’re talking about: Thanks for joining me for the 100th episode of Course and Career Chat! This episode is Part 1 in a series I’m calling How to Feel Confident About VCE and Choosing Tertiary Courses, and in this episode I want you to think about what is stressing you out about VCE so that you can get your questions answered. I’ve created a list of past episodes of Course and Career Chat where you can find the answers to common questions I get when I’m working with my students and their parents, and if I haven’t answered your question yet, please send me a DM on Instagram to...
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How Will AI Affect Your Career Choices?
Course and Career Chat
What we’re talking about: AI is everywhere at the moment, and there’s a lot of discussion about how it will change jobs and career pathways. Many students (and parents) are wondering—will AI replace certain jobs? Will the careers that seem like a great option now still be relevant in 5 or 10 years? In this episode, I break down what AI actually is, the ways it’s already affecting different industries, and how students can make career choices that will set them up for success in an AI-driven world. 2:40 – What is AI, and why is it such a big deal? AI is already part of our daily...
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Should You Take a Gap Year After Year 12?
Course and Career Chat
What we’re talking about: Should you take a gap year after Year 12? It’s a big decision, and in this episode, I break down the benefits and drawbacks of taking a year off before further study. I also share practical advice on how to keep your options open, even if you're unsure about your next steps. 1:09 Common concerns about taking a gap year I’ve had a lot of conversations with parents recently about whether a gap year is the right choice for their child. Many students don’t know whether they should still apply for courses through VTAC, or if taking a gap year will impact their...
info_outlineWhat we’re talking about:
This episode is all about explaining how VCE works and translating the jargon around VCE so that you can understand it more clearly and feel more confident supporting your child. Grab the free download The Parents’ Guide to VCE to have on hand (https://www.roadmapeducation.com/parents-guide), and listen up as I clarify what the key organisations like VCAA and VTAC do, what all the acronyms mean, and tell you what you need to focus on and what you can ignore as white noise.
5:22 What does VCAA stand for and what do they do?
The VCAA is the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. They set the curriculum for schools in Victoria from early childhood through to VCE (including creating VCE study designs), organise the external exams at the end of Unit 3 and 4 subjects, and calculate a student’s study scores for their subjects.
7:00 What is VTAC and what do they do?
VTAC is the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre and they facilitate the transition between high school and tertiary education. They get students raw study scores from VCAA, use them to calculate students’ ATARs, and manage the offer process for tertiary institutions. Keep an eye on their website for important dates for VTAC applications and offers, and also for all of the University and TAFE Open Days (links below)
8:15 What is VCE?
VCE stands for Victorian Certificate of Education, and it is the secondary qualification for students in Victoria. It now includes the VCE - Vocational Major which has replaced VCAL and allows students to explore vocational studies as part of their secondary education.
9:50 What is a SAC?
SAC stands for School Assessed Coursework. They are set out by the VCAA in the subject study designs which can be accessed on the VCAA website, and a student’s ranking after all of the SACs are completed in a subject is used as part of the calculation of the study score for the subject. Not all assessment completed in Year 12 is a SAC.
11:49 What is a study score?
A study score is the result that students get for each of the Unit 3&4 subjects they complete. It is a number out of 50 and it’s a ranking showing where you sit compared to everyone else who completed that subject in the same year. VCAA calculates the raw study score for each student, and then study scores are scaled depending on how well each cohort of students has done well across all of their subjects to be used in the calculation of each student’s ATAR.
14:38 What is an ATAR?
ATAR stands for Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank and it is a ranking showing how well each student did in VCE compared to all other students who completed VCE in the same year. The highest ATAR a student can get is 99.95, which means that they’re in the top 0.05% of the state. It only exists because it is the most efficient way for students to get an offer into (a lot of) university and TAFE courses. It is not the only way of getting into tertiary courses, and as a society we need to stop giving it so much power.
17:28 What is SEAS?
SEAS stands for Special Entry Access Scheme and it is the way that students can get extra points added to their selection rank if they have had any type of disadvantage in VCE compared to their peers, such as financial difficulties, health issues and other difficult circumstances. The focus of a SEAS application is how the issue has affected the student’s ability to perform at their best in VCE. A SEAS application will only ever be used to your child’s advantage.
Links mentioned:
Work with me: https://www.roadmapeducation.com/services
Free Download - The Parents’ Guide to VCE: https://www.roadmapeducation.com/parents-guide
How are ATARs Calculated? https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/58
What Happens If You Do An Unscored VCE or VCE-VM? https://www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/87
VTAC dates: https://vtac.edu.au/dates.html
University and TAFE Open Days (Please note that at the time of publishing this page still has dates from 2024, but it will be updated closer to July 2025): https://vtac.edu.au/opendays.html?highlight=WyJvcGVuIiwiZGF5cyJd