An article published in the Herald Sun today highlights a dramatic shift in how students across Australia are accessing tertiary education—with the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) rapidly losing relevance as the primary gateway to university. According to new figures from the Department of Education, only 40 per cent of domestic undergraduate applicants now enter their courses through an ATAR requirement.
Among the growing number of students pursuing alternative pathways is Collarts digital media student Wolf Young, whose experience reflects a broader movement away from traditional ranking systems.
When 21-year-old Wolf Young finished school, his ATAR wasn’t what he had hoped for. Like many young people, he initially felt uncertain about how he would pursue further study, or whether doors had already closed.
But taking a gap year helped him explore his creative interests, build experience, and discover alternative entry pathways. That exploration ultimately led him to the Australian College of the Arts (Collarts), where he is now thriving in the Digital & Social Media program.
Wolf says stigma around non-ATAR pathways is slowly fading—and that’s a positive step forward.
“There’s a lot of stigma around alternative routes to university, like VET or bridging courses or gap years, but there shouldn’t be,” he told the Herald Sun.
“It’s amazing there are so many ways students can get in to study the courses of their choice, because an ATAR can be so limiting.”
His story highlights why more students are choosing institutions that take a holistic, portfolio-based approach to entry, particularly in creative fields where passion and practice matter more than a numerical rank.
Collarts CEO Sam Jacob says Wolf represents the kind of student the creative industries have always needed—engaged, motivated, and already developing a body of work.
In 2024, Collarts made the decision to completely remove ATAR requirements across all courses. According to Sam, the move was backed by data.
“We looked at our data and found ATAR doesn’t accurately predict who passes and who doesn’t,” they said in the article.
Rather than relying on a ranking system, Collarts evaluates students based on:
Portfolio and creative output
Existing involvement in their chosen field
Relevant work or life experience
“Instead of ATAR, we look at an applicant’s portfolio, how they’re already involved in their creative space, and their work experience.”
This shift places focus where it matters most: on genuine creative potential.
The Herald Sun piece also highlights broader calls across the education sector for Australia to re-evaluate ATAR’s place in modern tertiary admissions. Many educators argue that ranking students against each other fails to capture their true abilities or future success.
As more students pursue vocational training, bridging studies, or personal creative development, institutions like Collarts are opening doors through flexible, supportive, and industry-aligned pathways.
For students like Wolf Young, these pathways aren’t second options, they’re opportunities to thrive.