Year 12 leavers across the territory might understandably be freaking out about receiving their university offers today.
And Casey Baines probably has more reason to worry than most, having already missed out on a dentistry course at Adelaide and a back-up option of studying a similar course in Queensland. But the Curtin science whiz, 18, is cool as custard as he awaits news on whether or not he has been accepted into the Australian National University's Bachelor of Science with Advanced Honours.
As a former student of the ANU Secondary School's chemistry program, this high-achieving teenager has already been guaranteed a place in the university's Bachelor of Science degree.
''The cut-off was 94 and I got 97.95, so I think I should be pretty set to get in,'' Casey said yesterday. ''If I don't I'm not too worried. I need a science degree to go on to any other dentistry course and the honours program will take an extra year, so if I did get it it'll be eight years at university before I can become a dentist.''
Casey joins more than 3540 ACT students who will receive their main-round offers at 9pm tonight when they are released online by the Universities Admissions Centre.
UAC director information services Kim Paino said her customer service centre was bracing for an influx of calls from those unhappy with the result.
''During the admissions period we get about 500 calls a day but on the closing date for applications and ATAR [ Australian Tertiary Admission Rank] release date that jumps up to about 4000 a day,'' she said.
''A lot of people call us after the main round offers because they're either unhappy with their offer and want advice on how they can change, or they put their preferences in wrong and ended up with the wrong course because of it.''
Ms Paino said students would only receive one main-round offer but had until today week to change their preferences for the late round, which is issued on February 1.
Students can access their offers on The Canberra Times website from 9pm tonight , view a full list of offers in The Canberra Times tomorrow or wait for their offer letter to arrive by mail from tomorrow.
This reporter is on Twitter: @breanna_tucker
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