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Literacy and numeracy achievement influences ENTER scores Achievement in literacy and numeracy in Year 9 has the strongest impact on the Equivalent National Tertiary Entrance Rank (ENTER), according to research conducted as part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY). The report, Tertiary Entrance Performance: The Role of Student Background and Social Factors , investigated the relationship between ENTER scores and a variety of factors. It focused on a national cohort of more than 13 000 students who were in Year 9 in 1995 and examined their experiences up to 2001 as they moved from school into post-compulsory education, training and work. Dr John Ainley, Deputy Director of ACER, said that the strongest influence on tertiary entrance scores is a student's proficiency in literacy and numeracy in earlier years, which represents an accumulation of students' skills in foundation areas of learning. 'Literacy and numeracy achievement reflects students' capacity to read, interpret and process text and numerical information. Those skills provide the foundation for learning in their specialist studies in the final years of school,' Dr Ainley said. 'Students who have developed competency in these foundation areas will have greater confidence to tackle their studies in Years 11 and 12." The second most important influence on tertiary entrance performance, according to the report, was the particular school a student attended. The report and other research suggest that school culture or environment, teaching practices, student confidence and motivation, organisation and resource use may contribute to differences among schools. Socioeconomic background , as measured by parental education, wealth and occupational status, was the third most important influence on tertiary entrance performance. 'Students whose parents are professionals, and to a lesser extent managers, exhibit higher ENTER scores. However, taking into account students' levels of literacy and numeracy, the direct influence of socioeconomic background is somewhat weaker, " Dr Ainley said. Closely following socio-economic background as an influence on ENTER scores was school sector. Students who attended non-government schools outperformed students from government schools, even after taking into account socio-economic background and achievement in literacy and numeracy. The report also examined a number of other factors that influence ENTER scores including gender, region and ethnicity. Overall, gender differences in ENTER scores are relatively minor. On average, females achieve higher tertiary entrance scores. Ethnicity also plays a small role in ENTER scores. The average ENTER score varies across ethnic groups. Some groups perform substantially higher than students with Australian-born fathers and some significantly lower. Students whose fathers were born in Asia showed higher ENTER scores than students whose fathers were born in Australia. The report also found that some ethnic groups perform at higher levels than would be expected given their prior achievement levels and socio-economic backgrounds. For example, the high performance of Asian students is not explained by differences in their socio-economic background or prior achievement. ACER manages the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth jointly with the Commonwealth Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST). ENTER Scores explained The Equivalent National Tertiary Rank (ENTER) is a nationally equivalent measure developed as a selection tool to assist higher education institutions select applicants. All students in Australia who have successfully completed Year 12 study in tertiary entrance subjects receive an ENTER score. States and territories differ in how they refer to this measure. In New South Wales and the ACT, it is the Universities Admissions Index (UAI). In Victoria, it is called the ENTER. In South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia, it is called the Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER). ENTER is a number between 99.95 and zero that reports the rank position relative to all other students. It takes into account the number of students who sit the tertiary entrance subjects in any year and also the number of people of Year 12 school leaving age in the total population. For example, the performance of a student with a TER of 70.00 is equal to or better than 70 per cent of the Year 12 school leaver age population. ENTER scores for each course and higher education institution vary, typically ranging from the high-90s for medicine and law to the mid-60s for arts and business. These scores are also important for students who don't go on to higher education after Year 12. Employers may use ENTER scores to screen applicants. « Back to eNews
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Achievement in literacy and numeracy in Year 9 has the strongest impact on the Equivalent National Tertiary Entrance Rank (ENTER), according to research conducted as part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY).

The report, Tertiary Entrance Performance: The Role of Student Background and Social Factors , investigated the relationship between ENTER scores and a variety of factors. It focused on a national cohort of more than 13 000 students who were in Year 9 in 1995 and examined their experiences up to 2001 as they moved from school into post-compulsory education, training and work.

Dr John Ainley, Deputy Director of ACER, said that the strongest influence on tertiary entrance scores is a student's proficiency in literacy and numeracy in earlier years, which represents an accumulation of students' skills in foundation areas of learning.

'Literacy and numeracy achievement reflects students' capacity to read, interpret and process text and numerical information. Those skills provide the foundation for learning in their specialist studies in the final years of school,' Dr Ainley said.

'Students who have developed competency in these foundation areas will have greater confidence to tackle their studies in Years 11 and 12."

The second most important influence on tertiary entrance performance, according to the report, was the particular school a student attended. The report and other research suggest that school culture or environment, teaching practices, student confidence and motivation, organisation and resource use may contribute to differences among schools.

Socioeconomic background , as measured by parental education, wealth and occupational status, was the third most important influence on tertiary entrance performance.

'Students whose parents are professionals, and to a lesser extent managers, exhibit higher ENTER scores. However, taking into account students' levels of literacy and numeracy, the direct influence of socioeconomic background is somewhat weaker, " Dr Ainley said.

Closely following socio-economic background as an influence on ENTER scores was school sector. Students who attended non-government schools outperformed students from government schools, even after taking into account socio-economic background and achievement in literacy and numeracy.

The report also examined a number of other factors that influence ENTER scores including gender, region and ethnicity.

Overall, gender differences in ENTER scores are relatively minor. On average, females achieve higher tertiary entrance scores. Ethnicity also plays a small role in ENTER scores. The average ENTER score varies across ethnic groups. Some groups perform substantially higher than students with Australian-born fathers and some significantly lower. Students whose fathers were born in Asia showed higher ENTER scores than students whose fathers were born in Australia.

The report also found that some ethnic groups perform at higher levels than would be expected given their prior achievement levels and socio-economic backgrounds. For example, the high performance of Asian students is not explained by differences in their socio-economic background or prior achievement.

ACER manages the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth jointly with the Commonwealth Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST).

ENTER Scores explained

The Equivalent National Tertiary Rank (ENTER) is a nationally equivalent measure developed as a selection tool to assist higher education institutions select applicants. All students in Australia who have successfully completed Year 12 study in tertiary entrance subjects receive an ENTER score.

States and territories differ in how they refer to this measure. In New South Wales and the ACT, it is the Universities Admissions Index (UAI). In Victoria, it is called the ENTER. In South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia, it is called the Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER).

ENTER is a number between 99.95 and zero that reports the rank position relative to all other students. It takes into account the number of students who sit the tertiary entrance subjects in any year and also the number of people of Year 12 school leaving age in the total population. For example, the performance of a student with a TER of 70.00 is equal to or better than 70 per cent of the Year 12 school leaver age population.

ENTER scores for each course and higher education institution vary, typically ranging from the high-90s for medicine and law to the mid-60s for arts and business.

These scores are also important for students who don't go on to higher education after Year 12. Employers may use ENTER scores to screen applicants.

Literacy and numeracy achievement influences ENTER scores

ENTER Scores explained