Joshua Farquhar

Kiama student Joshua Farquhar took the stress out of the HSC through the University of Wollongong's Early Entry program.

Joshua’s plan pays off with a stress-free HSC

A stress-free Higher School Certificate is something most Year 12 students can only dream about, with pressure mounting as the exams draw closer.

But former Kiama High student Josh Farquhar beat the HSC blues by developing a strategy two years out from the exams.

At the beginning of Year 11 Joshua set his sights on applying for Early Entry to study for a Bachelor of Computer Science at the University of Wollongong.

Early Entry is designed to take the stress out of the HSC.. Applicants learn if they have been successful about three weeks before the HSC – considerably reducing stress levels for the successful applicants.

“My cousin gained Early Entry to Computer Science three years ago, and I knew from his experience that I wanted to do it too,” he said. “So when I started Year 11 I selected the two computer-related subjects Kiama High offered (Software Design and Development and Information Processes and Technology) that would help me get into the course.

“Early Entry certainly took the stress out of the HSC for me,” said Joshua, who sat the exams last year. “I did still study because I wanted to do well because it’s a mark that will stay with you a long time. But it was nice to know I already had a place at university, because I saw a lot of my friends stressing out during the exams.”

In the first session this year Joshua certainly repaid UOW’s faith in him, recording three Distinctions and a High Distinction in his four subjects.

Joshua’s career ambition has long been to design computer games. However, he is keeping his options open.

“Computer Science is a very open-ended degree that opens up a whole range of IT career options in networking, digital security, games design ….,” he said.

Joshua agreed to talk about the Early Entry program to help inform this year’s HSC students of the opportunities it presents to take the stress out of the HSC through having a place at university.”

Early Entry is open to all Year 12 HSC students and is not only geared towards gifted students. The program assesses students’ suitability for university based on your trial HSC results, portfolio and an interview. You will be offered either a guaranteed place or a place that is conditional upon your achieving a certain result in the final HSC exams. As identified by statistical analysis of Informatics students, Early Entry students generally obtain a greater UAI than students with no Early Entry Offer. Also once at UOW, these students achieve a greater average mark overall AND generally achieve better results in their subjects.

Early Entry is available at UOW through the Faculty of Informatics which delivers degrees in Maths, IT, Computer Science, Electrical, Computer & Telecommunication Engineering. Early Entry is also offered in the Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Science and some degrees in the Faculty of Health & Behavioural Sciences.

To find out more about the UOW Early Entry program and its requirements visit the website www.uow.edu.au/prospective/early_entry.html or phone 1300 367869.