OP and FP FAQs
What is an Overall Position (OP)?
An OP is a measure of overall academic achievement at school. It allows comparisons to be made between all students in the State, with students receiving an OP from 1 (the highest) to 25 (the lowest). Students' school results are scaled using group (not individual) results in the Core Skills Test in order to eliminate differences due to different groups of students doing different subjects and different groups of students attending different schools. To be eligible for an OP, a student must:
1choose to study at least 5 Authority subjects (an Authority subject is one that contributes to an OP, while Authority Registered and School subjects do not);
2study 3 Authority subjects continually through both Year 11 and 12, as well as a further minimum of eight semester units of Authority subjects; and
3sit for the Queensland Core Skills Test (QCS) in Year 12. This is a curriculum-driven, non-subject specific examination lasting approximately seven hours over two days. The results from these tests will be used to scale schools against each other across the State. Your results on this test will be published on your QCE using an ‘A’ to ‘E’ scale.
If more than 20 semesters of Authority subjects are taken, only the results in the best subjects (adding up to 20 semester units) are used to calculate the OP.
Why do I need an OP?
You need an OP to gain access to most university courses at the end of Year 12.
You do NOT need an OP to get into a Diploma or Certificate course at TAFE.
Whether you are eligible for an OP or not, you still need to meet any prerequisites (required subjects) to get into a course.
In some circumstances, academically capable students without an OP may be eligible to get into degree courses at some universities. If you would like to know more about this you are advised to see the Guidance Officer.
What happens if I am NOT eligible for an OP?
Should students not meet the requirements to obtain an OP, they can still apply for a university course using the Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER) system. This is an alternative to the OP system for entry to tertiary study and allows students to study both Authority and Authority Registered subjects.
A rank is determined using the levels of achievement in a student's best subjects (adding up to 20 semester units), and their individual result on the Core Skills Test. If a student decides not to do the QCS Test their result is calculated as if they achieved the lowest result (an ‘E’). Students receive a rank score up to 100 and use this rank to apply for courses through the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC).
TER is not an easy way to gain entry into university; it is an alternative way for those who wish to study both Authority and Authority registered subjects. Students need to appreciate that in the calculation of the TER, Authority subjects are weighed more heavily than Authority Registered subjects.
What do I need to get into a particular tertiary course?
To get into a particular university course, students must:
-have an OP or rank high enough to get into the course (the OP or rank needed to get into a course is determined by supply and demand; popular course have high OPs or ranks, less popular ones have lower OPs or Ranks); and
-have the prerequisite subjects AND levels of achievement for the course (these are listed in the annual QTAC Tertiary Prerequisites publication).
Students should ALWAYS make sure they have the prerequisite subjects for the university course because they will not even be considered (no matter how high their OP) unless they fulfil the prerequisites.
What are Field Positions (FPs)?
Because the OP does not indicate a student’s strengths in particular areas of study, Field Positions (FPs) are also calculated. FPs rank students on their achievements in up to five areas of study (called ‘fields’):
Field A:extended written expression involving complex analysis and synthesis of ideas;
Field B:short written communication involving reading, comprehension and expression in English or a foreign language;
Field C:basic numeracy involving simple calculations and graphical and tabular interpretation;
Field D:solving complex problems involving mathematical symbols and abstractions;
Field E:substantial practical performance involving physical or creative arts or expressive skills.
Only students who are eligible for an OP will be eligible for FPs. Students will be given a number from 1 to 10 in each Field for which they are eligible (1 being the highest and 10 being the lowest). FPs are calculated in a similar way to OPs, with variation in calculations made to allow for the weight that different subjects place on different Field components.
What are Field Positions (FPs) used for?
Field Positions are only used when OPs alone cannot decide which students can be allocated to a particular course. In recent years, FPs have been used in less than 2% of cases so therefore tend to affect only a very small percentage of students.
Although it is impossible to predict which courses will use FPs for entry, the courses most likely to go FPs are:
-health courses such as Medicine, Dentistry and Optometry;
-courses with high OP entry (4 or above); and
-courses with small quotas (up to 40 or 50).
How important are Field Positions (FPs)?
The Primary and Secondary Fields used for selection within OP bands for each course are shown in the annual QTAC Tertiary Prerequisites publication. It is important to remember that you do NOT have to be eligible for the Primary and Secondary Fields to apply for or be offered a place in a course. It is only if you are in the cut-off OP band and FPs are used to decide who gets into a course that you could miss out if you do not have the Primary or Secondary Fields.
If a student has a good idea of what course they might like to do, it is wise to choose subjects that will enable them to be eligible for the Primary and Secondary Fields for that course. However, if being eligible for one of those Fields means taking subjects that a student is not good at or doesn't like, it is better not to worry about the FPs. The most important thing is to make sure that students pick subjects that will in which they can achieve the best results so that they can obtain a higher OP and have the best choice of courses.
Understanding Overall Positions, Ranks and Field Positions and their calculations is not easy.
If you have any other questions about these, contact the Guidance Officer.