I'm just curious, 11 years on, do you all still have the same feelings about UNSW?
I caught up with some old UNSW class mates and we had nothing good to say about our experience there. One friend likened UNSW engineering to the classic Mr. Bean scene where he was trying to get rid of a pate he didn't like. We still hate our experience with a passion.
1 Classes were poorly taught
2 overly high reliance on tutorial problems. We came out not knowing how to build anything
3 not enough emphasis on practicals - or they didn't contribute enough to our final grade
4 Not enough labs or computers. We had to pay for printing.
5 14 week courses crammed into 12 weeks, no stuvac
6 Took 2 hours to get to uni
7 Those living on campus had no reasonable way to buy grocerries.
8 Kingsford and kensington felt unsafe at night
9 Campus life was dead, it's not as happening as USYD.
10 People were uptight or stuck up, it was impossible making friends within engineering. We had better luck with other departments such as arts, commerce, law, medecine, optom, etc.
11 Staff were never helpful often times rude
12 Compared to my study abroad experience in the states, their education and campus experience is worlds apart. It's like comparing home and away to game of thrones. Unlimited printing, 24 hour labs, over 20 libraries, free shuttle service around campus, all you can eat dinning halls on campus, everyone's friendlier and more inviting, vibrant night life, happening campus life, All the shops closed at 10, walmart closed at 3am. Late night movies started had midnight screening's not 9:30 shows, college sports were amazing, 24 hour and free access to the gym, tennis courts and soccer pitches all over campus.
1. yes still very much the same, ever since asian people got demonstrator/tutor roles, the quality has significantly decreased
2. yep, the exams are a repeat of tutorial/lecture problems. you just memorise the steps and forget it by next semester
3. not so much now, we have labs marked off and contribute to a significant portion of the grade like MTRN4010 has 50% labs and 50% exam. In ELEC1111, the lab exam is worth 5% but you must pass it to pass the course
4. still the case, after a few more buildings opened with new computer labs they are mainly in use by classes and when they are free during the day, they are locked by other students who want to reserve them. security comes and kicks everyone out at 12am
5. 13 weeks now, but we have a stuvac
6. still the same, i live in the western suburbs and takes 2hrs either by driving or taking public transport. the new light rail has fucked things up even further
7. there is an IGA now but no competition so they can price it at whatever they want
8. yes, despite the security patrols on campus most of the guards are shit, on their phones, etc and walking to your car on barker st after 7pm starts getting unsafe
9. more or less, there are parties and stuff happening every now and then. more socities are having their own events and stuff (so i guess it's improved in this regard?)
10. I think this has significantly changed. most people are more open now, easy(ier) to make friends in courses because you see them consistently over the semester and year
11. this has gotten worse, staff just expect you to know everything, espically admin who say look on the website, refer you to an academic who has no time to handle your inquiry, etc. long story short, they transfered me into the wrong degree
12. gym at UNSW cost you an arm/leg, labs close at 12am (earlier on weekends and public holidays) security come and physically kick you out. no sporting ammenities except for basketball court and soccer field.
overall not getting your monies worth for everything, uni is probably the biggest scam out there
