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Parents

It’s time for your child to picture their next, exciting step. They may know what they want to study – they may not. Either way, there’s a lot of information out there – and not just for your child.

It may not always feel like it, but you’re a huge influence in your child’s decision-making: from guiding them through university Open Days to applications and enrolment. And perhaps most importantly, helping them understand their choices.

When it comes to helping your child choose a university, you’re sure to have many questions, like: ‘What course should they study? What kind of support does the uni offer? What’s the campus community like?’ That’s where this handy Guide for Parents page comes in.

Tips for supporting your child

  • Choosing their Year 11 and 12 subjects

    At this point, university might seem a long way off, but the decisions your child makes in Year 10 about VCE/HSC subjects may affect what they can study after Year 12. If you’re reading this as a parent of a Year 10 student, now is the perfect opportunity to help gather the information they need to be fully prepared for VCE/HSC and beyond. Call us on 1300 135 045 from 9 am–5 pm, Monday to Friday, if you or your child needs one-on-one advice.

    Now is also great time to help them decide how they will get into their course. At La Trobe, there’s more than one way into university through the Aspire early entry programs. If your child will achieve good grades in Year 11, volunteers in their community or takes university studies during Year 12 – they could get an early conditional offer to study at La Trobe.

    Call us on 1300 135 045 from 9 am–5 pm, Monday to Friday, if you or your child would like one-on-one advice or to learn more about the different Aspire early entry programs.

  • What interests your child?

    It’s hard to choose what to study at university. How can you help? Identify your child’s strengths and passions. Introduce them to options they may not have considered. Flick through these pages for our courses, pathways, scholarships and more. Another option is to jump onto seek.com.au, read the required qualifications and work backwards from any career ideas your child may have.

  • Get course information and advice

    Looking for course information and advice? The undergraduate guide is a good place to start. Check out our courses. Ask around – use your friends, family and colleagues. Attend Open Day.

  • See the University for yourself

    Your child could spend three to six years at university, so visiting the campus before applying is a smart idea. Open Day is the perfect opportunity to experience La Trobe at each of our campuses across Victoria and New South Wales. Chat with lecturers and students, take a tour of the facilities, watch live demonstrations or even check out the accommodation options.

  • Your child chooses their preferences

    They’ve done the research and narrowed it down. Now they’ll need to apply for up to eight courses, in order of preference. Your child will need to apply through VTAC or UAC, but we offer plenty of support to help you through: from online resources to one-on-one consultations. It’s vital they know the key dates and apply by the deadline.

    Choose La Trobe

  • ATARs are released

    For your child, it may feel like their entire future is riding on achieving the right ATAR score. But it’s not. If they met their goals or scored even higher, that’s fantastic. If not, there are many pathways into university degrees, and employers now care about more than just results. No matter what happens, remind them that getting through high school and completing Year 12 is a huge achievement – and one to be proud of.

  • Change of mind?

    Maybe they aced their exams and have their ideal ATAR. Perhaps they didn’t do as well as expected, and now need a pathway to the degree of their dreams. Or they could’ve just changed their mind. Whatever the reason, your child can change their university preferences. Check the VTAC website for deadlines.

  • Accept and enrol – or defer

    Your child received an offer? Congratulations! Now’s the time to accept (and later, enrol). Your child might want help with this part. You can find instructions on our website. If they want to take a gap year, there’s the option to accept and defer to mid-year or even the next academic year.

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