UTS v UWS (2 Viewers)

[hYperTrOphY]

As you are all aware, we just got our UAIs (I got 98.80). Since first applying for uni I have been swapping my first and second preferences and I still can't decide which uni to attend, to study law - UTS or UWS.
If I provide some pros and cons of each uni (for me, personally), I was hoping some of you may be able to provide some advice to help with my decision.

Most people tell me I should go to UTS because Law there is very respected (as I have found out since talking to law firms). It is therefore this superior status which could possibly influence future employment opportunities, which is the major advantage of UTS Law over UWS.

I have spoken to UTS Law students and all have been very happy.

Furthermore, UTS has a wider selection of electives to choose from, which is also appealing.

However, the main disadvantage of studying at UTS is that I am not too keen on any of the courses to combine with law. I have chosen B Social Inquiry, but even after going through all the units and assessments, I fear that I won't enjoy it. I have thought about doing a straight LLB, but I would prefer to combine it with something else.

Another disadvantage, while quite minor, is the travel.

Before everyone began telling me I shouldn't study law at UWS I originally wanted to go there. The reason for this was simple - they had the exact course I was interested in: Soc Sci (Criminology) / LLB. Therefore, the main advantage of UWS over UTS is the fact that I can do the course I am currently most interested in.

The other significant advantage is that, while I haven't heard if I have been successful, I will probably get $10,000 worth of scholarship money p/year. Coming from a low socioeconomic family, this would be extremely helpful.

In addition, I live relatively close to UWS so it would be easy to travel either by car or train. The travel aspect is only a very minor consideration though.

The main disadvantage of UWS is the advantage of UTS - status and employer perception.

Anyway, I'll also speak to my careers advisor and will probably go to the UWS and UTS course decision days that are coming up to also help decide. If anyonehas any advice it would be much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Not-That-Bright]

I'm currently studying uws law and i'm attempting to transfer to uts.
However, if I wanted to do criminology... I dunno, it would be a much harder choice.

If I could get the 10,000/year scholarship I would stay at uws

 

[melsc]

I'm glad my UAI made this decision for me Hyper since we both had this dilemma...

 

[hYperTrOphY]

I'm currently studying uws law and i'm attempting to transfer to uts.
However, if I wanted to do criminology... I dunno, it would be a much harder choice.

If I could get the 10,000/year scholarship I would stay at uws

For what reason do you want to transfer?

 

[Not-That-Bright]

To be honest, the negative stigma of the course... and the unemployment rate of 25% for uws law graduates has turned me off the university. Of course, I imagine someone such as yourself would have no problem topping your cohort at uws and probably taking out the medallion... but it's something to consider.

Another thing that has affected my decision is that I have alot of great friends at uts, and I want to hang out with these guys more instead of having to train into the city.

 

[nick1048]

UTS > UWS About 3000 fold.

 

[Not-That-Bright]

UTS > UWS About 3000 fold.

But if you wanted to do criminology, and were getting offered a $10,000 a year scholarship you might be thinking differently?

 

[neo o]

If your course is at UWS, go to UWS. If you don't get the scholarship and later feel that you either want to change your course or leave UWS, with a UAI as high as yours you'd have a very good shot at transferring to another university such as UNSW. Besides, isn't there a Commonwealth scholarship that people with families on low incomes can receive, regardless of the university that they go to?

PS: If there is a course that you'd like to do at UNSW, put that as your first preference, since there is a chance that you may be able to scrape in.

PPS: Why isn't MAQu an option? It's closer than UTS, you'd have the UAI to get in, and even though they may not have the exact course you're interested in, they may be able to offer something similar which UTS can't offer you. Perhaps it may be worth checking out the scholarships that they offer?

And there's always ANU

 

[melsc]

MAQ doesn't have Criminology

 

[Tabris]

Have u ever went to a UWS campus?

I did and its dead quiet, the atmosphere does not make it feel like a universities, there are no buildings over 2 stories tall, in fact it use to be an old mental hospital and orphanage.

Goto UTS, just look at its name "technology" and "western" imagine "University of western new york" and "university of technology, NY". ANd if u really really excel, u really can use the prestige and reputation of UTS to your benefit, UWS has alot of work on prestige and reputation

Also its location makes travel easier, all public transport to city is very oconvenient, and the amount of things to do in city and social life, u got chinatowna dn townhall within walking distance., the law faculty is right behind market city.

 

[LaraB]

To be honest, the negative stigma of the course... and the unemployment rate of 25% for uws law graduates has turned me off the university. Of course, I imagine someone such as yourself would have no problem topping your cohort at uws and probably taking out the medallion... but it's something to consider.

Another thing that has affected my decision is that I have alot of great friends at uts, and I want to hang out with these guys more instead of having to train into the city.

u gotta keep in mind with employment stats of uws law graduates - uws' student base is very different from otehr unis - by this i mean the number of mature aged, post grads, international students and domestic students who move overseas after they graduate... add to that that it's a young uni then its not necessariliy as terrible a thing as people make out...

and besides - if you're a HD student no one's gonan care where you went to and if you're that 'smart' you're gonna get a job

 

[neo o]

MAQ doesn't have Criminology

It does have psychology and I'd assume similar arts subjects. More so than UTS which only offers journalism, media and social inq.

 

[LaraB]

Have u ever went to a UWS campus?

I did and its dead quiet, the atmosphere does not make it feel like a universities, there are no buildings over 2 stories tall, in fact it use to be an old mental hospital and orphanage.

Goto UTS, just look at its name "technology" and "western" imagine "University of western new york" and "university of technology, NY". ANd if u really really excel, u really can use the prestige and reputation of UTS to your benefit, UWS has alot of work on prestige and reputation

Also its location makes travel easier, all public transport to city is very oconvenient, and the amount of things to do in city and social life, u got chinatowna dn townhall within walking distance., the law faculty is right behind market city.

just a question - what campus did you go to?

because just about every campus has extremely simple transport available if you're going by train/bus or whatever... and depending on what time of year and what campus you went to will affect how many people are there....

plus - depending on where you live, logistically uws may be closer - eg i live out blacktown/seven hils way - takes me 20 to drive to uni, an hour by train n bus.. but if i was at a city uni i'd be spending hours each day on public transport which would stop me from being able to get a job and have a life lol

eg - if you were at parra campus in say... the 1st few weeks of the year it would be absolutely packed! but if you went later in the year, its much less full as people often change to night classes and then there's the usual people who drop out of uni at census date coz they're toos tingy to pay lol

and ps - i know i'm just bein picky but it's annoying me - you said "have you ever went to a UWS campus" - you can't have "went to" something... you would've "been to" it

 

[sparkl3z]

i'm glad my uws campus doesnt have buildings 10 storeys high...seriously, yeah it's not in a city centre, and i'm happy about that, it's more relaxed, no milllions of people walkin everywhere that you don't have anywhere to step, but ofcourse, direct yourself to the future, what you want to do, where you want to go, and how you want to study, it just all depends on your choice, according to me, a uni is a uni no matter what, they all have different courses suited for different purposes, you should chose whatever uni will make it easier for you to study....and a warning to everyone.....don't get lazy in uni just because you made it in....cos i know how it feels and am regretting it big timeeeeee!!!!!! you also need to finish it, then we can all be happy!

 

[LaraB]

As you are all aware, we just got our UAIs (I got 98.80). Since first applying for uni I have been swapping my first and second preferences and I still can't decide which uni to attend, to study law - UTS or UWS.
If I provide some pros and cons of each uni (for me, personally), I was hoping some of you may be able to provide some advice to help with my decision.

Most people tell me I should go to UTS because Law there is very respected (as I have found out since talking to law firms). It is therefore this superior status which could possibly influence future employment opportunities, which is the major advantage of UTS Law over UWS.

I have spoken to UTS Law students and all have been very happy.

Furthermore, UTS has a wider selection of electives to choose from, which is also appealing.

However, the main disadvantage of studying at UTS is that I am not too keen on any of the courses to combine with law. I have chosen B Social Inquiry, but even after going through all the units and assessments, I fear that I won't enjoy it. I have thought about doing a straight LLB, but I would prefer to combine it with something else.

Another disadvantage, while quite minor, is the travel.

Before everyone began telling me I shouldn't study law at UWS I originally wanted to go there. The reason for this was simple - they had the exact course I was interested in: Soc Sci (Criminology) / LLB. Therefore, the main advantage of UWS over UTS is the fact that I can do the course I am currently most interested in.

The other significant advantage is that, while I haven't heard if I have been successful, I will probably get $10,000 worth of scholarship money p/year. Coming from a low socioeconomic family, this would be extremely helpful.

In addition, I live relatively close to UWS so it would be easy to travel either by car or train. The travel aspect is only a very minor consideration though.

The main disadvantage of UWS is the advantage of UTS - status and employer perception.

Anyway, I'll also speak to my careers advisor and will probably go to the UWS and UTS course decision days that are coming up to also help decide. If anyonehas any advice it would be much appreciated. Thanks.

if you're not keen on your non law course its likely you'll end up hating the whole course as a result since it takes up a significant amount of your time...

uts is a good uni for law but yeah - if you don't wanna be doing business or arts or whatever else they offer that's a pretty good reason not to go there..

regarding scholarships - yes plenty of people will tell you that it isn't necessarily a reason to go to a uni - and yes - that woudl be the case if you hasn't considered uws before, but from the sounds of it you did so its not as if it is your sole reason...

believe me - i'm on two scholarships at uws and yes - with 98.8 you will get a scholarship - i got 98+ too and they were surprised i didn't want to go to uts so they gave us guaranteed admission early lol which was nice - but the $50k i''ll gte over the duration of my course is an unbelievable advantage!

you don't need to work during semester which means you can concentrate on yoru work more, however if you were having to work it may stuff up your timetable and mean you don't do as well academically as you'd like...

i mean - i was in your exact position and picked UWS hands down so course i'm gonna be biased.. btu i guess what i'm getting at is - don't base your decision on employee perception of the uni - i'm at uws and have beaten out city uni students to jobs so its not as if your'e never going to get a job like some people make out - if you're a good student,. and since you got a high UAI i'm assuming you are, you're likely to succeed at the course so that will mean you'll be successful in getting ajob in the end - not just coz of the uni you're at coz if you get low marks no one will care what uni you're at.

just curious - what scholarships did you apply for?

EDIT - PS - UWS guaranteed internal transfer is a massive!!! benefit coz if you end up hating criminology if you get a credit average, which isn't really hard to do, you can swap into something else after 1st year rather than having to change uni and start all over again.

And, i'm not sure about UTS so this may be irrelevant, but i know some unis spread out the non-law degree over 4 or 5 years as well but UWS you grad from the non-law degree in 3rd year so your chances at getting a job are likely to increase as you'll have a completed degree unlike students at unis who spread the course out, plus - if you find out you hate law, you can just stop at 3rd year - in which case you'll have the non-law degree plus a numebr of law units under your belt which are bound to be advantageous in job searches

 

[LaraB]

It does have psychology and I'd assume similar arts subjects. More so than UTS which only offers journalism, media and social inq.

still....criminology is very different from psych so if hypertrophy's hell bent on doing criminology its like they may not like the psych course....

a friend did that - started psych at Mac expecting since she thought it was a better option than criminology but she was fully into criminology and ended up not being all that interested in psych even though she did well because it was pretty different content...

 

[charlie_charlie]

I wouldn't do social inquiry unless you're really interested into that kind of stuff. from what i can gather, criminology and social inquiry are really not similar at all except for a few first year subjects that ppl would study for broader knowledge...if you're heaps into criminology i would do that with the law degree. or you could do 2 separate degrees...but uts doesnt offer much variety when it comes to their arts subjects unless you're into journo or media...

 

[xeuyrawp]

But if you wanted to do criminology, and were getting offered a $10,000 a year scholarship you might be thinking differently?

Yes and yes, because UWS is the place to do crim. The scholarship rocks the socks of my Innovation Scholarship, too...

 

[xeuyrawp]

It does have psychology and I'd assume similar arts subjects. More so than UTS which only offers journalism, media and social inq.

I think that we've got a bigger range of arts units, but we haven't got enough of anything like criminology, which UWS has a whole stream for.

 

[hYperTrOphY]

Thanks for everyone's input - very much appreciated!!

Lara, with a 98+ UAI, why did you choose to study at UWS?
I applied for the UWS College of Law and Business Academic Excellence Scholarship and the Blacktown City Merit Equity Scholarship. Which two did you get?