UNSW or USYD (1 Viewer)

[azn_chocobo]

hi, ive been wondering about the courses they offer at unsw and usyd since im going for the HSC this year.
ive mainly been interested at media and communications, but when i saw the difference in UAI cut-off, it kinda shocked me
unsw = 83
usyd = 94
why's there such a huge difference between the 2? is it cause usyd has the better technology + teaches it better? :S
greatly appreciated if some1 currently doing the course replies !
thanks!

 

[sunny]

hehe...if you've ever been to UNSW you probably would've been given a lecture at some stage about "other" universities and how they do admissions. We'll say there is a hypothetical university "X" that has a cutoff of say, 90, and UNSW with same course at a cutoff of 85.

Its argued that university X has a much higher intake even though they have a higher cutoff due to: alternative entry schemes, late round entries (where the cut offs are lowered) and other factors.

This is not exactly your course, but it presents the same ideas:
http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/undergrad/prospective/UAC.html

In the end - and many people will tell you - you should be picking the course/uni based on what you like (I like the UNSW campus), not what the cutoff is.

 

[zkuld]

There's such a big difference because all the people with high UAI's don't have a clue how cutoffs work and just opt for the higher one automatically assuming it's the better course.

 

[nit]

Whether you opt for unsw or usyd usually is a sentimental decision. The unis in general offer pretty much similar courses, and the quality of the teaching at either institution is sound for the most part. You can't really go wrong at either place provided you put the work in.

 

[§eraphim]

You should also consider what happens after you enter the course you want. You can probably get higher marks in subjects in the same course with a lower cutoff. Also, the number of people doing a course can also affect your performance at uni - the no. of HDs and Ds awarded increases with the number of people. Thus, if you consider the 2 aforementioned reasons, you should think about coming to UNSW.

 

[gman03]

You should also consider what happens after you enter the course you want.

On top of that you should know the "options within your degree", that is, what are the electives are available to you and do you like the sound of those electives; are the core subjects/electives broad enough and/or relavant for me etc...

 

[azn_chocobo]

cool, thanks for the info guys

 

[hello99999]

actually usyd media &comm is a completely diff course to unsw's. unsw one is more about digital media/computery stuff whereas usyd is more journalism/PR stuff (from what i understand- there have been threads about this before but i cant be bothered to find them)

 

[Survivor39]

Look at the course outline and the units you need to study from both uni, then make an informed decision, based not only on UAI cutoff, but on the course materials and what career pathway you wish to take.

 

[Lundy]

the cutoff for media comm @ unsw dropped from 86 last year to 83 this year. Sadly unsw isn't well known for its media program. It is, however, quite different from usyd's, from what I've heard. I've said this a billion times before, and I'll say it again: go for the course that appeals most in terms of what it will teach and offer you. I think the UAI is one of the last things that should be taken into consideration.

And here is my shameless plug: media comm @ unsw is really really really good. We have fantastic teachers and our very own private computer labs, video editing labs, a sound engineering suite, and a jumping castle.

 

[Minai]

You have a damn nice Webster building too

 

[Lundy]

Oh yes, webster building is quite nice. I spend a lot of my time there.