Question 1

What is the difference between WACE, WASSA and Graduation?

Accepted Answer

The Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement (WASSA) is issued to all Year 12 students upon completion of their secondary schooling. It provides a formal record of what students leaving Year 12 have achieved because of their school education in Western Australia.
The Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) is the certificate students receive when they meet the specified requirements regarding literacy and numeracy and achieve results across a range of subjects over Years 11 and 12. 
Graduation is what students celebrate at the end of their journey at Our Lady of Mercy College. This is for all Year 12 students to celebrate with their peers, family and staff.

Question 2

What is the difference between ATAR, General, Foundation, VET, Endorsed and Preliminary courses?

Question 3

Will I achieve my WACE?

Accepted Answer

Visit the WACE requirements section on the College website or use our WACE Checker tool to see if you will meet the requirements to achieve a WACE.

Question 4

What is ATAR?

Accepted Answer

The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) expresses the student’s overall performance for university entrance in rank order on a percentile ranking from 0 to 99.95. This rank compares all students in the state. The higher the ATAR, the better the student’s performance.

Question 5

I am completing the external ATAR exams. How do I access my timetable?

Accepted Answer

Visit the Examination Timetables page of the Years 11 and 12 website for information on the timetables and their release dates. Once released in September, your personalised examination timetable can be accessed through the Student Portal.

Question 6

How many attempts do I get to complete my OLNA?

Accepted Answer

From Year 10 until Year 12, students have 6 attempts to achieve their OLNA. Generally, students complete two attempts per year.

Question 7

What if I don’t get my OLNA at school?

Accepted Answer

If students do not demonstrate the literacy and numeracy standards by the time they exit secondary school, they can apply to the Authority to re-sit the assessment at any age.

Question 8

Do Languages Other than English (LOTE) and Mathematics Receive Bonus Points?

Accepted Answer

If you have a scaled score in LOTE, 10% of your LOTE scaled score is added to the total of your best four scaled scores when calculating your Tertiary Entrance Aggregate (TEA) for entry to the University.
If you have a scaled score in Mathematics Methods and/or Mathematics Specialist, 10% of your scaled score/s in these subjects is added to the total of your best four scaled scores when calculating your Tertiary Entrance Aggregate for entry to university. You receive these bonus scores even if the course/s are not used in the calculation of your TEA.

Question 9

Is Religion and Life compulsory in Years 11 and 12?

Accepted Answer

As a Catholic College, the Bishops mandate that students complete a Religion and Life course in Years 11 and 12. Students can select from General and ATAR courses, which are also offered through the VISN program.

Question 10

What is a Tertiary Entrance Aggregate (TEA)?

Accepted Answer

This number is calculated using the best four scaled scores from ATAR courses examined at the end of Year 12. The TEA is converted to an ATAR.

Frequently Asked Questions