A report on Canberra's 2015 year 12 graduates shows the higher a students ATAR, the more likely they were to take a gap year in 2016 and more likely they were to choose a course based on interest rather than employment prospects.
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The ACT government report also showed 2015 year 12 graduates are more likely to be employed or studying in 2016 compared to those who leave school before graduating year 12.
It showed 92 per cent of the ACT's 2015 year 12 graduates were employed and / or studying in 2016, with 72 per cent employed and 59 per cent studying.
This is compared to 74 per cent of 2015 school leavers being employed or 39 per cent studying in 2016.
ACT Minister for Education Yvette Berry said the data was a useful way to gauge the ACT school system's performance with the aim to prepare Canberra's young people for society and work outside of college.
"Education in the ACT needs a renewed focus to ensure that we set all young people up for the best possible outcome, regardless of their background, characteristics or circumstances," Ms Berry said.
"Our community has a responsibility to support all young people."
Overall, data showed both year 12 graduates and school leavers who had received career counselling at school were more likely to be employed or go on to continue to study.
Other snapshots included how female students were more likely to be employed and / or studying, students from a non-English background at home were more likely to just be studying and those without an ATAR were more likely to just be employed, all reflected in a four year trend.
Year 12 graduates preferred higher education or university over studying VET courses, with females making a greater portion of those studying in higher education and males more likely to be studying at a vocational level.
The majority of responses school leavers' parents gave when asked why their child left school was their child wasn't doing well, with 67.6 per cent of responses reflecting this and males made up the majority of people leaving before finishing year 12 at 64.6 per cent.
Graduates falling in the range of the ACT's median ATAR of 76.90 were more likely to be employed than studying, while 76.4 per cent of those with an ATAR between 96 - 100 studied full time in 2016.
About 59 per cent of 2015 year 12 graduates applied for a university place, with 97 per cent of those applicants successful.
The most popular study field, categorised under 'society and culture' in the report, included law, economics, sport and psychology.
