• Best of luck to the class of 2024 for their HSC exams. You got this!
    Let us know your thoughts on the HSC exams here
  • YOU can help the next generation of students in the community!
    Share your trial papers and notes on our Notes & Resources page
MedVision ad

requirements for co-op (1 Viewer)

mrpotatoed

Active Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2014
Messages
195
Gender
Male
HSC
2015
For Co-op, when it says minimum of 96 atar, is that all they look into for atars? Will someone with a 99atar be more likely to get in as opposed to someone that got an 98?

One of the requirements it says on the unsw page is "Is active in school or community activities". Does community activities basically saying some sort of volunteer, charity work? Is this a very important selection criteria?
 

D94

New Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2011
Messages
4,423
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
For Co-op, when it says minimum of 96 atar, is that all they look into for atars? Will someone with a 99atar be more likely to get in as opposed to someone that got an 98?
The interview and conditional offers are awarded before the ATARs are released.

One of the requirements it says on the unsw page is "Is active in school or community activities". Does community activities basically saying some sort of volunteer, charity work? Is this a very important selection criteria?
Yes, but it can also be paid, such as being a club referee/coach - it just needs to involve the community. Yes.
 

obliviousninja

(╯°□°)╯━︵ ┻━┻ - - - -
Joined
Apr 7, 2012
Messages
6,624
Location
Sydney Girls
Gender
Female
HSC
2013
Uni Grad
2017
For Co-op, when it says minimum of 96 atar, is that all they look into for atars? Will someone with a 99atar be more likely to get in as opposed to someone that got an 98?

One of the requirements it says on the unsw page is "Is active in school or community activities". Does community activities basically saying some sort of volunteer, charity work? Is this a very important selection criteria?
So long as you tick the 96+ box, you're all good for that criteria. Offers are decided before ATAR is even released, and so long as you meet the 96 ATAR, they will not reject your acceptance of the offer.
 

mrpotatoed

Active Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2014
Messages
195
Gender
Male
HSC
2015
Also (didn't walk to make a new thread), are there better alternatives than co-op for work experience? I'm inclined towards doing actuarial studies.The only reason I would want to do a co-op is to increase job prospects after uni, as opposed to the $18k a year you receive from it. Would internships be better/easier (in the sense of it being less stressful, better recognised and/or easier to get into)?
 

Katsumi

Super Moderator
Super Moderator
Joined
May 15, 2014
Messages
2,113
Location
Sydney, Australia
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
Also (didn't walk to make a new thread), are there better alternatives than co-op for work experience? I'm inclined towards doing actuarial studies.The only reason I would want to do a co-op is to increase job prospects after uni, as opposed to the $18k a year you receive from it. Would internships be better/easier (in the sense of it being less stressful, better recognised and/or easier to get into)?
Most of the time co-op's are one of the best opportunities to gain work experience aside from cadetships
 

anomalousdecay

Premium Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2013
Messages
5,766
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
Also (didn't walk to make a new thread), are there better alternatives than co-op for work experience? I'm inclined towards doing actuarial studies.The only reason I would want to do a co-op is to increase job prospects after uni, as opposed to the $18k a year you receive from it. Would internships be better/easier (in the sense of it being less stressful, better recognised and/or easier to get into)?
Unless you can pull off something really amazing that lands you a great job during uni or get a cadetship, then co-op is one of your better opportunities.
 

JT145

ON is my homeboy
Joined
Mar 4, 2012
Messages
1,678
Gender
Female
HSC
2016
requirements for co op

be ON
 

ismeta

Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2012
Messages
258
Gender
Female
HSC
2012
Also (didn't walk to make a new thread), are there better alternatives than co-op for work experience? I'm inclined towards doing actuarial studies.The only reason I would want to do a co-op is to increase job prospects after uni, as opposed to the $18k a year you receive from it. Would internships be better/easier (in the sense of it being less stressful, better recognised and/or easier to get into)?
Coop's worth it for people doing actuarial studies/other business degrees. Less so for computer science/software engineering; and I'm not sure about the other engineering degrees.
 

obliviousninja

(╯°□°)╯━︵ ┻━┻ - - - -
Joined
Apr 7, 2012
Messages
6,624
Location
Sydney Girls
Gender
Female
HSC
2013
Uni Grad
2017
Coop's worth it for people doing actuarial studies/other business degrees. Less so for computer science/software engineering; and I'm not sure about the other engineering degrees.
Welcome back
 

D94

New Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2011
Messages
4,423
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
Coop's worth it for people doing actuarial studies/other business degrees. Less so for computer science/software engineering; and I'm not sure about the other engineering degrees.
You can't put CS and SENG in the same category. For all engineering majors, we must complete at least 60 days of work experience in order to graduate. You don't need to do that in Computer Science. If companies don't discriminate between CS and SENG then those who need that experience to graduate (as oppose to desiring the experience to better their graduate chances) will find it extremely difficult.
 

nerdasdasd

Dont.msg.me.about.english
Joined
Jul 29, 2009
Messages
5,353
Location
A, A
Gender
Male
HSC
2012
Uni Grad
2017
For Co-op, when it says minimum of 96 atar, is that all they look into for atars? Will someone with a 99atar be more likely to get in as opposed to someone that got an 98?

One of the requirements it says on the unsw page is "Is active in school or community activities". Does community activities basically saying some sort of volunteer, charity work? Is this a very important selection criteria?
Yes , they do not just focus on grades.

But... if you are smart you can magnify small things and talk BS to make it look like something significant.
 

mrpotatoed

Active Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2014
Messages
195
Gender
Male
HSC
2015
Yes , they do not just focus on grades.

But... if you are smart you can magnify small things and talk BS to make it look like something significant.
I have played lots of sport at a decently high level, and the academic requirements should not be a problem, but I have only done one instance of community service, were I was helping raise money for a charity for a day. My only concern is I don't know if that alone will be enough.

Also does anyone know how many vacancies there are for co-op in actuarial each year?
 
Last edited:

ismeta

Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2012
Messages
258
Gender
Female
HSC
2012
You can't put CS and SENG in the same category. For all engineering majors, we must complete at least 60 days of work experience in order to graduate. You don't need to do that in Computer Science. If companies don't discriminate between CS and SENG then those who need that experience to graduate (as oppose to desiring the experience to better their graduate chances) will find it extremely difficult.
Sorry, I wasn't clear about why I was lumping the two together. I say less worth it because:
  • tech companies generally pay more for internships than co op does; (in terms of hourly rates)
  • from what I can see it's easier for CS/SENG students to get internships/work experience outside of coop as compared to business students, due to the high demand for software engineers/developers and smaller candidate pool
  • the CS/SENG companies tend to be a mixed bag, so it can happen that the work students do isn't very enriching
Companies generally don't discriminate between CS/SENG students applying for internships, but I wouldn't say that it makes getting work experience extremely difficult. There are a good amount of companies out there that want CS/SENG interns, so I would say SENG students have an easier (but not necessarily easy) time of getting work experience than other engineering majors.
 

ismeta

Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2012
Messages
258
Gender
Female
HSC
2012
Also does anyone know how many vacancies there are for co-op in actuarial each year?
There have been 10 - 13 actuarial coop students for each year from 2013. I'd guess it'd be around the same number for next year.
 

mrpotatoed

Active Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2014
Messages
195
Gender
Male
HSC
2015
Ouch, sounds touch. I'd imagine there would be at least a few hundred applying.
 

asi9

Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2010
Messages
107
Gender
Male
HSC
2011
# of co-ops intake is relative to the number of sponsorship firms
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top