Year13’s research shows that Australian youth are predominantly engaging at school in order to procure an ATAR, rather than as a method of preparing for life after school. The prevalent fear of failure surrounding the ATAR is the cause of immense stress for young people, which in turn is impacting their mental health. The fact that 51% of youth currently see or feel that they ought to see a mental health professional is incredibly concerning.

The primary purpose of education is to mould an individual into an employable citizen who can become an active contributor to society. When a school is ranked by ATAR scores, and student enrolments are based on academic success, it’s no wonder schools are focusing so heavily on these numbers at the expense of other things – such as informing youth of the immense range of options for future education and employment.