ATAR Notes: Forum

HSC Stuff => New South Wales Education Discussion => Topic started by: Pinapplesbaby on November 04, 2013, 07:19:14 pm

Title: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: Pinapplesbaby on November 04, 2013, 07:19:14 pm
Hi all,

I'm a Radeladian, and well applying to NSW universities for a bachelor of science, hoping a major in something chemistry related.

Which universities should I apply for in preference and why? Besides Uni of Sydney on top how should I place these preferences for a BSc?

University of New Castle (Central Coast)
University of Technology, Sydney (City)
University of Western Sydney. (Parramatta)

Being from Adelaide I couldn't attend open days or lectures. UTS looks pretty awesome, but I can't seem to distinguish the difference between UWS and UON. I've heard UWS has a bad rep, not entirelly fussed but apparently UON  has a better one but it has lower ATAR.

Thanks, opinions please! :)
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: kimmie on June 18, 2016, 03:49:50 am
Tbh uts all the way


Hi all,

I'm a Radeladian, and well applying to NSW universities for a bachelor of science, hoping a major in something chemistry related.

Which universities should I apply for in preference and why? Besides Uni of Sydney on top how should I place these preferences for a BSc?

University of New Castle (Central Coast)
University of Technology, Sydney (City)
University of Western Sydney. (Parramatta)

Being from Adelaide I couldn't attend open days or lectures. UTS looks pretty awesome, but I can't seem to distinguish the difference between UWS and UON. I've heard UWS has a bad rep, not entirelly fussed but apparently UON  has a better one but it has lower ATAR.

Thanks, opinions please! :)
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: RuiAce on June 18, 2016, 08:54:24 am
Hi all,

I'm a Radeladian, and well applying to NSW universities for a bachelor of science, hoping a major in something chemistry related.

Which universities should I apply for in preference and why? Besides Uni of Sydney on top how should I place these preferences for a BSc?

University of New Castle (Central Coast)
University of Technology, Sydney (City)
University of Western Sydney. (Parramatta)

Being from Adelaide I couldn't attend open days or lectures. UTS looks pretty awesome, but I can't seem to distinguish the difference between UWS and UON. I've heard UWS has a bad rep, not entirelly fussed but apparently UON  has a better one but it has lower ATAR.

Thanks, opinions please! :)

For that very small range you gave I would probably have just said UTS straight away. Except technically they're more engineering than science.

(WSU has a bad rep mainly because of the people go there. But they have since launched an aggressive marketing campaign in an attempt to really boost their reputation. You can try them out, however in my opinion WSU is risky. Don't be fooled into thinking they ARE a bad university though.)

But given that you're choosing science, it's really hard to say what universities are better than UNSW in Sydney.
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: jamonwindeyer on June 18, 2016, 10:43:24 am
For that very small range you gave I would probably have just said UTS straight away. Except technically they're more engineering than science.

(WSU has a bad rep mainly because of the people go there. But they have since launched an aggressive marketing campaign in an attempt to really boost their reputation. You can try them out, however in my opinion WSU is risky. Don't be fooled into thinking they ARE a bad university though.)

But given that you're choosing science, it's really hard to say what universities are better than UNSW in Sydney.


Although I massively agree with you in that UTS and UNSW are great unis, I massively disagree on WSU. They are a fantastic university for many people for a wealth of reasons, have heard nothing but wonderful things from everyone I know who goes there  ;D
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: RuiAce on June 18, 2016, 01:00:09 pm

Although I massively agree with you in that UTS and UNSW are great unis, I massively disagree on WSU. They are a fantastic university for many people for a wealth of reasons, have heard nothing but wonderful things from everyone I know who goes there  ;D

Probably didn't word what I said properly. Nah I'm not trying to put WSU down, it's just risky not knowing how good it actually is.

Reality is though if no good students go there it will never get its reputation back up so I'm not against it either

(Personally I want to see WSU rise up there. It's only the people that go there which caused the reputation fall, not the uni itself.)
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: keltingmeith on June 18, 2016, 01:47:07 pm
Are you considering UNSW at all? Just because I didn't see it in the list, and I personally love their science programme to absolute bits. Otherwise, though, UTS definitely has some really good stuff going on there, and some REALLY passionate researchers there to help drive the education up. Granted, I haven't been around these unis since I was in year 12, so things could definitely have changed. You should think about enquiring with the universities by e-mails - they're usually fairly happy to answer any queries, and to them this is a real business, so if you ask them, "why should I pick you over x university", they will have an answer for you.
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: HopefulLawStudent on June 18, 2016, 01:52:59 pm
Quote
ou should think about enquiring with the universities by e-mails - they're usually fairly happy to answer any queries, and to them this is a real business, so if you ask them, "why should I pick you over x university", they will have an answer for you.

Can totally affirm that uni's are generally pretty happy to answer any questions future students might have. Know this for a fact cuz I've emailed my fair share of universities interstate with questions to make up for the fact that I couldn't be there in person to pester them with my a million and one questions. :P
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: RuiAce on June 18, 2016, 02:00:17 pm
Now that I glance at this more cautiously

Tbh uts all the way

What was the point of commenting on a thread made in 2013?
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: HopefulLawStudent on June 18, 2016, 02:03:31 pm
Hahahaha. It happens. I don't think many of us look at the dates before replying to a post tho I thought you guys knew. I ran on the assumption that y'all were posting for future reference for anyone in the same situation. :P
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: keltingmeith on June 18, 2016, 07:52:38 pm
Now that I glance at this more cautiously

What was the point of commenting on a thread made in 2013?

LOL. Rui, you'd make a good mod. :P Necrobumping isn't really good practice, but I feel good discussion has come out of it, so we won't worry too much.
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: kimmie on June 18, 2016, 11:02:33 pm
Oops didn't see the date Hahahahah

Now that I glance at this more cautiously

What was the point of commenting on a thread made in 2013?
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: lozil on September 19, 2016, 09:33:17 pm
Anyone know about Humanities at UNSW? I know they're pretty good at USyd and Macquarie but I've heard that UNSW is better at science/business
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: jamonwindeyer on September 19, 2016, 10:41:33 pm
Anyone know about Humanities at UNSW? I know they're pretty good at USyd and Macquarie but I've heard that UNSW is better at science/business

UNSW does have incredible science and business degrees, I've heard good things about humanities too! Not very knowledgeable though, maybe someone else can lend a hand ;D
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: conic curve on September 20, 2016, 08:23:29 am
I might be wrong on this but this is my interpretation of the Uni's

UNSW: famous in science and engineering. Also is well known for having an actuarial studies faculty
Usyd: famous in law, maths and medicine
UTS: as the name suggests famous in technology, IT
MAcquarie: I heard that this was the first uni to introduce actuarial studies
UWS: underrated to be honest. Not as popular as other uni's. It doesn't mean that it's bad, you can still go there and managers will still employ you (if you apply for a job obviously however you'll need to pass an interview)
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: RuiAce on September 20, 2016, 08:24:50 am
(if you apply for a job obviously however you'll need to pass an interview)
That's for every uni you go to lol



I reckon give it a few years and WSU will no longer be underrated. Their marketing campaign last year was actually really good.
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: conic curve on September 20, 2016, 08:30:02 am
That's for every uni you go to lol



I reckon give it a few years and WSU will no longer be underrated. Their marketing campaign last year was actually really good.

Oh really?

But yeah like I said WSU isn't popular compared to other unis. I think it's because it's in the "lower socioeconomic areas" wheras the other uni's are in the "higher socioeconomic areas"

I've never been to WSU, but I'd probably want to one day to see what it's really like being in a not so popular uni

They should probably start advertising to other countries to help them escort some international exchange students to encourage more enrolments
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: RuiAce on September 20, 2016, 08:52:27 am
Oh really?

But yeah like I said WSU isn't popular compared to other unis. I think it's because it's in the "lower socioeconomic areas" wheras the other uni's are in the "higher socioeconomic areas"

I've never been to WSU, but I'd probably want to one day to see what it's really like being in a not so popular uni

They should probably start advertising to other countries to help them escort some international exchange students to encourage more enrolments
Are you implying that just cause you go to USyd/UNSW you don't have to go through an interview to get a job?
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: conic curve on September 20, 2016, 08:57:51 am
Are you implying that just cause you go to USyd/UNSW you don't have to go through an interview to get a job?

No, that doesn't make sense at all. If you to UNSW/USYD and you go to the interview and don't speak a word, then they're obviously not going to hire you
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: RuiAce on September 20, 2016, 08:58:45 am
No, that doesn't make sense at all. If you to UNSW/USYD and you go to the interview and don't speak a word, then they're obviously not going to hire you
Then why is it under WSU specifically you mentioned it. Sorta implies that only WSU kids have to pass an interview to get a job.
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: conic curve on September 20, 2016, 09:02:50 am
Then why is it under WSU specifically you mentioned it. Sorta implies that only WSU kids have to pass an interview to get a job.

I think I said that because WSU, is underrated. But managers don't care what uni you go to right? Isn't it based of our traits, what you can do to make a company/business better, experience (i.e. internships), extracurriculars and like how well you did in uni?
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: RuiAce on September 20, 2016, 09:03:12 am
I think I said that because WSU, is underrated. But managers don't care what uni you go to right? Isn't it based of our traits, what you can do to make a company/business better, experience (i.e. internships), extracurriculars and like how well you did in uni?
Yes, that is correct.
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: conic curve on September 20, 2016, 09:10:41 am
Anyways speaking of WSU why did they change the name from UWS to WSU?
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: RuiAce on September 20, 2016, 09:11:00 am
Anyways speaking of WSU why did they change the name from UWS to WSU?
That one I'm not too sure on lol
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: HopefulLawStudent on September 20, 2016, 12:36:17 pm
I might be wrong on this but this is my interpretation of the Uni's

UNSW: famous in science and engineering. Also is well known for having an actuarial studies faculty
Usyd: famous in law, maths and medicine
UTS: as the name suggests famous in technology, IT
MAcquarie: I heard that this was the first uni to introduce actuarial studies
UWS: underrated to be honest. Not as popular as other uni's. It doesn't mean that it's bad, you can still go there and managers will still employ you (if you apply for a job obviously however you'll need to pass an interview)

Define "famous".
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: jakesilove on September 20, 2016, 12:59:56 pm
Define "famous".

I would say that the above are general conceptions of Universities, particularly held by High School leavers. None of them are particularly true; figure out what interests you, find somewhere that will continue to spark that interest, and see what happens from there. My recommendation is a always to write a list of priorities, in order (ie. Student life might be number 1, facilities number 3 etc. etc.) and figuring out what uni/degree fits that list the best. Still, we have students for a whole bunch of unis on the forums, so if you have specific questions ask away!
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: RuiAce on September 20, 2016, 02:03:04 pm
Define "famous".
It is the inaccurate way of saying perhaps more prestigious
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: elysepopplewell on September 20, 2016, 03:17:07 pm
Anyways speaking of WSU why did they change the name from UWS to WSU?

They've rebranded. They're shaking the image of being a low SES Uni, and instead a Uni that focuses not on where you're from, but where you want to be. That's why their colours have changed too, it's just a rebranding. WSU gets a bad rap which isn't fair. I live on the same street as WSU Hawkesbury campus, and they are cutting edge in environmental science. I have a huge $14billion eucalyptus 10-year experiment in front of my house, it's very impressive. I have a friend that studies Forensic Science at the Hawkesbury campus and she loves it. I also sat a HSC exam at the Parramatta campus, and it's just as lovely as any other campus. A friend of mine teaches at WSU, and they've got a booming academic profile. They're a very quickly evolving University, and their rebranding is supporting that :)
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: elysepopplewell on September 20, 2016, 03:21:32 pm
Which universities should I apply for in preference and why? Besides Uni of Sydney on top how should I place these preferences for a BSc?

University of New Castle (Central Coast)
University of Technology, Sydney (City)
University of Western Sydney. (Parramatta)

Thanks, opinions please! :)
Heya! I go to UTS and I'm in my first year of Comms - so I can't talk a lot about science. But, I thought I'd pipe in and say that I love UTS...
I love the campus, it's modern and there's food everywhere and there's generally a good culture. You can always find somewhere in a nook in a campus skyscraper to sit and study, or you can find yourself at the bar where it's really loud. It suits you however. It's been voted Number 1 best young Uni, and I have no idea what that means but I love that the Uni is young, it's not hung up on prestige, the courses are designed to be incredibly practical as opposed to theory based. The location is in the most densely popular suburb in Sydney, so there's shops and food everywhere.

So I haven't got a lot to say about science, but just that I love UTS in general. Also note: I haven't studied at any other Uni, so I have a sizeable bias for UTS :)
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: pi on September 20, 2016, 03:47:48 pm
UNSW: famous in science and engineering. Also is well known for having an actuarial studies faculty

UNSW is one of the most competitive unis for undergraduate medicine too, along with Monash. I think you'll find perceptions of unis are changing as we get more undergrad vs grad courses.
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: karenc. on September 20, 2016, 04:14:37 pm
I think UMELB is ranked no.1 in australia
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: RuiAce on September 20, 2016, 04:40:43 pm
I think UMELB is ranked no.1 in australia
Actually ANU, because they're a research based university.

UniMelb is probably the top for undergrad.
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: karenc. on September 20, 2016, 04:45:43 pm
Actually ANU, because they're a research based university.

UniMelb is probably the top for undergrad.
what's usyd ranking?
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: conic curve on September 20, 2016, 04:50:32 pm
Actually ANU, because they're a research based university.

UniMelb is probably the top for undergrad.

Oh yeah I forgot ANU. Speaking of ANU, isn't it one of the underrated uni's in NSW?

WHat about ACU?
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: karenc. on September 20, 2016, 04:52:53 pm
Oh yeah I forgot ANU. Speaking of ANU, isn't it one of the underrated uni's in NSW?

WHat about ACU?
ANU is not in NSW. it's in the ACT, i don't think it's underrated
ACU is ranked 31st in australia
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: pi on September 20, 2016, 05:22:09 pm
UniMelb is probably the top for undergrad.

I think you'll find that they hardly have any undergrad courses left ;)
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: RuiAce on September 20, 2016, 05:26:07 pm
I think you'll find that they hardly have any undergrad courses left ;)
Lel how come

Oh yeah I forgot ANU. Speaking of ANU, isn't it one of the underrated uni's in NSW?

WHat about ACU?
ANU is underrated? It's Australia's best university. (And yeah it's also ACT, not NSW)
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: pi on September 20, 2016, 05:47:50 pm
Lel how come

They moved many degrees to graduate-entry, eg. med, dent, law, engineering, etc. Essentially following the system they have in America.
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: conic curve on September 20, 2016, 06:17:08 pm
Lel how come
ANU is underrated? It's Australia's best university. (And yeah it's also ACT, not NSW)

Oh yeah whoops. I don't know how I thought that ANU was is NSW

Also did they open another uni in liverpool this year?
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: clarke54321 on September 20, 2016, 06:21:24 pm
Do any of you guys have any experiences with Bond University? Especially for courses like Law?
Title: Re: Opinions about different universities?
Post by: conic curve on September 20, 2016, 06:22:02 pm
Do any of you guys have any experiences with Bond University? Especially for courses like Law?

I don't know anyone who goes there sorry