General News
27 December, 2021
Marian College Dux looks to career in Medicine
MARIAN College year 12 student, Alex Van Opstal, has been named the school’s 2021 Dux, scoring an ATAR of 89.35 last Thursday.
MARIAN College year 12 student, Alex Van Opstal, has been named the school’s 2021 Dux, scoring an ATAR of 89.35 last Thursday.
The aspiring medical student is hopeful the score will allow him to follow in his father’s footsteps.
Mr Van Opstal said his success, despite the adversities faced by the class of 2021, is thanks to the support of his teachers and peers.
“It was difficult, going in and out of lockdowns throughout the year but your teachers and friends are always there,” he said.
“We had a good group of kids that worked together really well, fed off each other, so I think that was huge.”
The Dux studied English, Physics, Chemistry, Maths Methods, Biology (in year 11) and Further Maths - his best subject.
Mr Van Opstal admits he was a little disappointed when opening his score on Thursday morning, hoping for an ATAR in the 90s, but is not letting that deter him.
“I opened it as soon as seven o'clock hit and I had hoped for a little more, so I was a little bit disappointed but soon enough you accept it and move on,” he said.
The ATAR allows tertiary institutions to competitively rank students between 0.00 and 99.95 with increments of 0.05 based on their study score results in each subject.
An ATAR of 89.35 means Mr Van Opstal’s desired courses at Monash University in Medicine and Biomedicine are still in reach.
He said students will receive their first round offers on January 14, in three weeks’ time.
Marian College principal, Carmel Barker, said she is pleased with the school’s results and what “seems to be an improvement overall.”
“Our highest students weren't as high as normal, but I think that's very understandable because they really didn't have exam practice. There was no opportunity to do that,” she said.
“There were about five students in the 80s and about a third of them were 70 plus. After two really tough years, we're pleased with the students and how resilient they are.”
Five students studying VCE unit 3/4 subjects at Marian College were listed on the high achiever’s honour roll for receiving a study score of 40 or above in a subject out of 50.
Gabriel Tonks in Biology (47), Ivana Donnan in Biology (45), Alex Van Opstal in Further Maths (44), Tayla Pevitt in Food Studies (43) and Emily Manning in Food Studies (40).
Ms Barker congratulated the five students and their peers on their persistence and hard work in a year like “no other year level will ever experience.”
“We are all so proud of them and so are their parents, they're just remarkable,” she said.