Low Enter Score Is Not The End!

So Year 12 is finally over and you've finally got your Enter Score. You're either very happy with what you got or, like many others, you might be disappointed and upset.

Now you've got until 12pm on Monday 22nd December to change your preferences if you wish to.

I'm no expert, but Going to Uni has a list of alternative ways of getting into the course you want. Here are just a few:

• Wait to see if you're offered a place in the following second or third round offers
  
• Change your preferences, if you've missed out on the course you want then try applying for a similar course with a lower enter. Eg. If you didn't get into Medicine, you could apply for Biomedical Science.
  
• Apply to a regional institution, they tend to have lower enter scores compared to city institutions
  
• Look into TAFE courses and see if there's a similar course to what you want, you can apply for a transfer into a university course, if possible.

I was very disappointed when I'd just missed out on a place for a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science. My enter score was just below the clearly-in mark. But I got an offer for an Arts degree and I accepted. I took a science subject to make sure I'd still meet the prerequisite and then I applied for a transfer the following year and got into the course I wanted. This is only one example of how you can get into the course you want.

Here's a list of other helpful websites:

For general information on what to now that you've finished school visit www.year12whatnext.gov.au

For more information about uni courses and other ways of getting into uni go to www.goingtouni.gov.au

For information about going to TAFE visit www.skills.vic.gov.au

Best of luck!

Update Your Wardrobe!

Want to update your wardrobe but can't afford to? Well you can customise your old clothes using 101 ways to customise your clothes by Petra Boase, and fix torn clothes with the help of Hand Mending Made Easy: save time and money repairing your own clothes by Nan Ides.

Hand Mending Made Easy is really useful and full of heaps of handy, quick and easy tips on how to fix any item of clothing; from fixing broken zippers and loose threads in a cardigan, to altering your pants, which is what I've done. I know the original jeans look darker, but they're actually both the same colour - it's just my photography skills aren't so great.

101 Ways to Customise Your Clothes is also full of many easy-to-do ideas and it allows you to update your wardrobe without having to spend money on new clothes. I know I have a heap of clothes in my closet that I haven't worn but I've begun wearing some of them now after making them more interesting, like the top on the right.

So you might not be able to see it clearly, but my jeans had a rip in them right below my left knee (photo above). Instead of throwing my jeans out I decided to cover the rip by shortening my jeans and making it into 3/4 pants (photo below). It's actually pretty easy as the book explains it clearly in easy step-by-step instructions. But it does take a bit of time depending on how crafty you are! And guys, you can do this too! (Or maybe you can get your sister to, if you ask really nicely!).

So if you'd like to know how to convert your old jeans into funky new shorts just click above on the title to see which library it's available at, or you can request it in to pick up! I highly recommend both these books, especially if you like getting crafty with your clothes!

Release your inner fashion designer!

Rafah