Paramedic student’s unusual path to uni proves ATAR isn’t everything

Tens of thousands of school leavers are considering their university offers, putting their hard-earned ATAR to use. But what about the students who didn’t get the ATAR they’d hoped for?

Proud Yuin woman Savannah Bolt found herself in that very boat after finishing high school without an ATAR in 2024, but is now enjoying her second year studying a Bachelor of Paramedicine at Charles Darwin University (CDU).

Without support from CDU’s First Nations Introduction to University Program, she might never have pursued a career in health.

Savannah's non-traditional pathway to university began through the VET for Secondary Students program designed to equip secondary students with the skills to get job-ready by the time they finish high school.

“In Year 9, I did a Certificate I in Manufacturing, in Year 10 I completed a MEM20105 Certificate II in Engineering at CDU, and in Year 11 I finished a Certificate III in Basic Health Care with St John Ambulance,” she said.

“I did all of that because I always thought there was no need for university, so I thought if I got some certificates under my belt, it would help me find full-time work after school.

“Instead, they've actually put me a step ahead with my studies, so I’m really glad I did them.”

It was with her dad’s support that she decided to have a go at CDU’s pathway program, where she found a love for both paramedicine and engineering.

With plans to pursue engineering options later in life, for now Savannah has chosen to follow her passion for the health field.

“I’m loving it, I love everything about studying paramedicine. My favourite subjects are the ones that really lean into teaching me how to be a paramedic, like trauma studies,” she said.

Her advice to anyone whose Year 12 results didn’t offer an easy path to tertiary education was simple: “there’s no one way of getting into university.”

“There’s always a second way of doing something, don’t doubt yourself.”