It was smiles all round for the best and brightest at Latrobe Valley high schools last week when their duxes discovered they had received offers for their first university preferences.
Flinders College student Jennifer Payette will study her chosen course of Bachelor of Environments at University of Melbourne.
She said she was “very, very pleased and excited to start the journey” of studying at university, adding she would hopefully live on campus or move into an apartment in the city.
Leigh Jones from Lavalla Catholic College got into his chosen course of Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Swinburne University.
He said he was not worried before results came out, knowing an ATAR score of 98.3 “should get me in” and was now looking forward to studying and relocating to Hawthorn.
For others the wait was over months ago.
Bradleigh Holcombe from Kurnai College received his early acceptance into a Bachelor of Communication Design at RMIT City Campus in November, so Thursday’s message served as an “official, official confirmation”.
He has been working in graphic design at Traralgon’s Image Direct for three years and will continue the role full time this year, deferring his studies until 2014.
Lowanna College’s Mitchell Drowley also had a relaxed approach to the day and “wasn’t too nervous” before checking his offers on Thursday, even forgetting they came out that day.
He got his first preference of engineering at Monash Clayton, but is also deferring this year to work full time and save up some money.
Some students were overseas when they heard the good news.
Trafalgar High student Megan Low discovered she got her first preference: Bachelor of Arts majoring in International Studies and Mandarin at University of Melbourne, while on holidays in Denmark.
“I was expecting it, but I am really excited about studying at Melbourne anyway,” she said.
Traralgon College student Renae Hyde, was also globe-trotting and was “definitely very excited next year to begin as a law and international studies student at Deakin (University)”.
Claire Jenkins from Mirboo North Secondary College could not be contacted at time of print.
