University entrance standards have continued to slide, an eight-year analysis of university admissions data has revealed, as more than 44,000 students received offers to study at a NSW university on Wednesday evening.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Fairfax Media reports demand for degrees in communications and media, and in the creative and performing arts has fallen, according to a comparison of the minimum entry scores required across more than 20 fields of study since 2010.
Average ATAR [Australia Tertiary Admissions Rank] cut-offs for courses in these two fields of study tumbled nearly seven points, reflecting a scarcity of jobs available in these areas.
By contrast, demand for combined degrees in medicine and medical science has surged, with the average cut-off for courses in this field of study rising more than four points since 2010.
Degrees in social sciences also became more popular, climbing four points over this period.
A comparison of 2016 and 2017 figures reveals education and teaching has climbed 2.4 points after the NSW government instituted tough new minimum academic standards to raise the quality of teachers in the state's classrooms.