Well yes, I realized that SteeleRedux.

>>With respect the matter I am referring to is of course a religious thing.<<

I was simply pointing out that the bumping-up of ATAR scores happens in many other guises, and wondering why, among the rich pickings available, you chose to focus on Catholics.

One of the sources of enhanced ATAR scores, as I understand it, is the "levelling-up" that applies to the pupils of some schools - notably, the very expensive ones - who mark classwork (or whatever non-exam work is called) more aggressively. Their justification is that they have to be tougher on their students because their overall standard of work is so high. So when it comes to totting up the scores, the overall exam scores of that high-flying cohort (which are not subjective) are measured against that of the other schools, and their classwork scores tweaked accordingly.

I believe this goes under the term "scaling".

It might just be the case that your lad's school was one of these. Oh, look...

>>The Catholic secondary school he attended is one of the top four private schools in my area. It would be hard to make a case for any disadvantage.<<

Could it not be that the school was subject to scaling, and the upward inflection of ATAR scores be based upon this, as opposed to any religious bias?

Dear Foxy,

You wrote;

“The Catholic Universities are in the same situation
as regional/rural universities that don't have
enough students to fill places so they make certain allowances
for city/high school graduates by granting them easier
entry.”

Sure. Add that to the fact that universities in areas like Warnambool and Ballarat are huge employers then the drive to gain students by offering entrance to those with lower ATAR scores is understandable.

But you need to separate this from your next contention;

“Catholic Universities have the same problem and
of course their main source of entrance would logically
come from Catholic Schools.”

This does not represent the reality I have experienced. Of my recently graduated child's friendship group many are opting for a Catholic university in a rural area purely because the lower socio-economic school they attended impacted on results and this is the only path to a university education available to them. It would be interesting to see what the ratio of Catholic/non-Catholic students would be without the assistance given to Catholic secondary students, but I venture it would be little different from the standard.

You also wrote;

“We know of students being given extra points for having
studied foreign languages other than those that are
usually taught at high schools, for example, languages
like - Hungarian, and similar non-curriculum languages.”

Again I have no issue with this as perhaps they feel it shows aptitude and initiative. This is not a factor where religious studies are a compulsory part of the secondary curriculum. So when you say “Thus the additional points for allowing religious education.” is this a valid reason for giving a blanket ATAR boost when the vast majority of courses on offer have nothing to do with religion whatsoever.

Dear Is Mise,

Simply addressed. The vast bulk of the students are taking fully supported (funded by the taxpayer) places as oppose to those offered to overseas students or the small percentage that are taken by full fee paying Australian students.

It could be a 'religious' thing for partners in Christ (a campus can also be a corpus), Pericles... one of these possibly?

"Schools Relationship Bonus*
This scheme enables Year 12 students from partnership schools to receive five bonus points. Partnership schools include those that have a strong relationship and history with ACU, or that are in close proximity to the relevant campus.
You do not have to apply for these bonus points on a separate application as they are automatically applied through the relevant TAC .
*This scheme is subject to final approval for 2014.

Regional and Disadvantaged Schools
If you live in a relevant regional area and/or attend a school that has been identified by a relevant State/Territory government as disadvantaged, you may be awarded up to five bonus points under this scheme.
You do not have to apply for these bonus points on a separate application as they are automatically calculated and applied through the relevant TAC"

http://www.acu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/417460/UGCG_2014.pdf

But given, "The Catholic secondary school he attended is one of the top four private schools in my area." it is probably the first mentioned.

certainly believing the gw religion seems a pre requisite for a job with the ABC. Not only that but it helps if you are a self righteous scoffer.

btw it was soo refreshing on Q & A to see the uni professor from somewhere in Brisbane making a fool of the warmist and twisters of truth. No doubt he won't be invited back to quickly.

I am not a Catholic, but here is the link to ACU,

http://www.acu.edu.au/study_at_acu/alternate_entry/accessacu

It is all public and transparent. The problem is?

Possibly, Wm Trevor, but not necessarily.

>>It could be a 'religious' thing for partners in Christ (a campus can also be a corpus), Pericles... one of these possibly? "Schools Relationship Bonus* This scheme enables Year 12 students from partnership schools to receive five bonus points.<<

http://www.acu.edu.au/study_at_acu/alternate_entry/accessacu

I had a quick spin through the Relationship Bonus selection panel - you enter the name of a school, and it tells you straight away that you get five bonus points. Well, all the schools that I could think of came up with that number, but maybe that's because I only know the names of the elite ones...

Be that as it may, the important thing was that none of the names I entered were Catholic schools. I know for a fact that at least one of the schools that was given the five extra points sent a number of Muslims to Uni last year, with their five extra points tucked into their pockets.

Religious bias? I don't think so.