What is so good about Usyd? (1 Viewer)

[OzKo]

Far point study freak but the point of concern here is the unemplyment rate not teaching quality

This is why they need to publish their sample size. The "unemployment rate" on GUG comes up with some strange numbers in quite a few cases and I'm sure that is the reason why.

 

[Shadowdude]

As you're a disciple of the GUG, could you perhaps find some links you may have come across in the past or a few scans of the actual guide so I could have a look?

I think the fact that GUG try to quantify a qualitative opinion damages its credibility in my opinion. If they openly posted their data on their website with qualitative statements intact, I would have more time for it.

They post their sources on their website, iirc.

What they actually do as award 'stars' for the qualitative stuff like "Toughness to get in", so like 5 stars is top 20%, 4 stars is next 20% and so on. And then provide hard figures at other times.

 

[4025808]

They post their sources on their website, iirc.

What they actually do as award 'stars' for the qualitative stuff like "Toughness to get in", so like 5 stars is top 20%, 4 stars is next 20% and so on. And then provide hard figures at other times.

But then again their sample size is too small. If they really wanted to be more accurate, they should conduct surveys to every single student of the university (or around 80-90% of the people there). Then the sample size would make it accurate.

 

[Shadowdude]

But then again their sample size is too small. If they really wanted to be more accurate, they should conduct surveys to every single student of the university (or around 80-90% of the people there). Then the sample size would make it accurate.

What is their sample size? Do you know? I just know it's "Graduate Surveys", which I'd assume has more than 200 or so entries than that other Rate Your Uni website.

 

[kaz1]

But then again their sample size is too small. If they really wanted to be more accurate, they should conduct surveys to every single student of the university (or around 80-90% of the people there). Then the sample size would make it accurate.

m8 learn some stats, 80-90% wat wrong wit you

 

[4025808]

What is their sample size? Do you know? I just know it's "Graduate Surveys", which I'd assume has more than 200 or so entries than that other Rate Your Uni website.

OzKo said it was a small sample size, so obviously they would have taken around 50 ppl from each course (or somewhere along those lines).

m8 learn some stats, 80-90% wat wrong wit you

look, if accuracy needs to be achieved, then you actually HAVE to do 80% of the ppl in each course (maybe 70%). it will be hard but just because you have interviewed 10% of the people doesn't mean you can assume it'll be the same for everyone else.

 

[Shadowdude]

Even if they took 50 people from each course, they do these surveys regularly - they're not one off things.

 

[Lolsmith]

But then again their sample size is too small. If they really wanted to be more accurate, they should conduct surveys to every single student of the university (or around 80-90% of the people there). Then the sample size would make it accurate.

Do you have any idea how large a university's student enrollment is?

Let alone not being able to force people to do surveys (but you wouldn't really think of that) or being able to get a hold of them

look, if accuracy needs to be achieved, then you actually HAVE to do 80% of the ppl in each course (maybe 70%). it will be hard but just because you have interviewed 10% of the people doesn't mean you can assume it'll be the same for everyone else.

lol

 

[Lolsmith]

But seriously if you're arguing over the difference between USyd and UNSW, it's negligible unless you're doing arts (which Sydney is better for)

Protip:

Don't do arts

 

[OzKo]

They post their sources on their website, iirc.

What they actually do as award 'stars' for the qualitative stuff like "Toughness to get in", so like 5 stars is top 20%, 4 stars is next 20% and so on. And then provide hard figures at other times.

Still struggling to find any mention of their sources.

Toughness to get in is generally quantitative (e.g. ATAR). I'm talking more along the lines of a person responding and actually explaining WHY they responded in a certain way. Essentially you're just putting a number on that.

Do you believe that on average, USYD Law graduates make $8059 more on average or that there are absolutely no Law graduates seeking work after x months at UNSW? Why did they decide to omit information regarding USYD School of Mathematics? Let's look at my own faculty - Agriculture. The "seeking work" measure is totally off from the 80%+ that we commonly state. Are we lying?

I'm not trying to be bitter nor am I saying that the GUG is a load of bull, but a lot of these numbers seem to be plucked from thin air, especially data which is dependent on student input. I'd like to say GUG is a source that prospective undergraduates can use, but for some people on here to simply look at a number on GUG and claim it is a factual representation of the true condition of a certain university is honestly kidding themselves.

I would like to see more transparency shown by GUG when they release publications like this by clearly revealing how they quantified their numbers and how they sourced their opinions. Perhaps they could put quotes regarding a particular faculty which both praise and criticise their methods. Averaging it out and giving it a single number or assessment is simply wrong, and this isn't how opinions should be interpreted. If their is anything I've learnt in the university, it is that context key. If you fail to recognise all the little parts which make up a certain matter of contention, then any response to it will be flawed.

Now I'm not going to take this further and say that a publication is useless as I recognise something like this as a good motivator for a university to improve how they manage themselves on a macro and micro level. That being said, it is difficult to say that the GUG is anywhere near comprehensive to make such decisions as the way they express their data is rather limited. I will give more time to GUG if they can actually prove what their saying and not base their assumptions on "qualitative" data which has been so inefficiently quantified. Perhaps if they did that, I could take people more seriously when they quote said data during discussions.

Anyway, I'm not going to raise this issue again. If anyone states something from GUG as fact and as evidence that University X is better or worse than University Y, I implore you guys to take it with a grain of salt and not use it as your sole source of information. Always make sure you talk to staff members, current students and graduates yourself. You'll get a better picture of a particular field or university doing this rather than using a single number.

tl;dr Use GUG as a source if you want, but if you use it as your only source, you're being mislead.

 

[4025808]

Do you have any idea how large a university's student enrollment is?

Let alone not being able to force people to do surveys (but you wouldn't really think of that) or being able to get a hold of them

lol

yeah I know, but having said that, I know it would rather be unrealistic.

So, end of story. Don't rely on the GUG, ask other people about specific courses. Ask specific facts about the subjects in that particular uni. Consider other factors such as time, distance required, etc.

 

[Shadowdude]

But seriously if you're arguing over the difference between USyd and UNSW, it's negligible unless you're doing arts (which Sydney is better for)

Protip:

Don't do arts

Don't do Arts?

Still struggling to find any mention of their sources.

Toughness to get in is generally quantitative (e.g. ATAR). I'm talking more along the lines of a person responding and actually explaining WHY they responded in a certain way. Essentially you're just putting a number on that.

Do you believe that on average, USYD Law graduates make $8059 more on average or that there are absolutely no Law graduates seeking work after x months at UNSW? Why did they decide to omit information regarding USYD School of Mathematics? Let's look at my own faculty - Agriculture. The "seeking work" measure is totally off from the 80%+ that we commonly state. Are we lying?

I'm not trying to be bitter nor am I saying that the GUG is a load of bull, but a lot of these numbers seem to be plucked from thin air, especially data which is dependent on student input. I'd like to say GUG is a source that prospective undergraduates can use, but for some people on here to simply look at a number on GUG and claim it is a factual representation of the true condition of a certain university is honestly kidding themselves.

I would like to see more transparency shown by GUG when they release publications like this by clearly revealing how they quantified their numbers and how they sourced their opinions. Perhaps they could put quotes regarding a particular faculty which both praise and criticise their methods. Averaging it out and giving it a single number or assessment is simply wrong, and this isn't how opinions should be interpreted. If their is anything I've learnt in the university, it is that context key. If you fail to recognise all the little parts which make up a certain matter of contention, then any response to it will be flawed.

Now I'm not going to take this further and say that a publication is useless as I recognise something like this as a good motivator for a university to improve how they manage themselves on a macro and micro level. That being said, it is difficult to say that the GUG is anywhere near comprehensive to make such decisions as the way they express their data is rather limited. I will give more time to GUG if they can actually prove what their saying and not base their assumptions on "qualitative" data which has been so inefficiently quantified. Perhaps if they did that, I could take people more seriously when they quote said data during discussions.

Anyway, I'm not going to raise this issue again. If anyone states something from GUG as fact and as evidence that University X is better or worse than University Y, I implore you guys to take it with a grain of salt and not use it as your sole source of information. Always make sure you talk to staff members, current students and graduates yourself. You'll get a better picture of a particular field or university doing this rather than using a single number.

tl;dr Use GUG as a source if you want, but if you use it as your only source, you're being mislead.

Well, obviously it's not meant to be a sole source. But it's a general guide. It has its downfalls, like I don't like how some information is missing from the book version - but it's a good indicator nonetheless. How well you'll use it, depends on who you are.

 

[OzKo]

What you put into university is what you get out of it.

We don't all have words of praise for our university experience. There will always be some small things which may detract from the experience a tad bit, but there are so many positives you can get out of university, that you will looked past such things and find strategies to get over them.

That's life. I think the best advice to any prospective undergraduate is to enter university with an open mind and expect the worst. Don't expect university to read like a GUG or any other sort of advice. That way, you won't be surprised what hits you and you can experience university the way it is supposed to be experienced. It isn't manufactured, but should operate day by day. I've had things like poor teachers but I also have awesome friends and we can make a good joke out of it and still walk away to say that we did our best regardless of what pitfalls we faced.

You'll find the more you look past the nitty gritty of university life but focus on the whole trip and what happens along the way, you will stand well to survive after graduation, whether it is getting your dream job, doing postgrad, moving overseas, etc. I'm half way through my degree and I think to myself how fast it has gone by.

Have fun, study smart and live life. You'll be a better person for it in the end.

 

[epicFAILx]

I reckon:

-Usyd is closer to home
-Family went to usyd..so there is more familiarity
-It has the course I want to do

 

[meilz92]

Hey guys,
Ive been realizing that a lot of people are looking towards unsw instead of usyd. Why is this the case? Is there anything bad with usyd?....what are your opinions on it
is unsw>usyd? or usyd>unsw?
especially for things such as the common law/commerce degree

im 3rd year this year

i hate usyd for many reasons. first of all, my double degree is 5 years (instead of 4) because i have to waste a year on useless electives. the ASB @ UNSW is much better. I suggest looking at unit descriptions for your majors. My major at usyd is basically a joke, whereas at UNSW it is very tailored and specific. a lot of the people at usyd are pretentious fucks, very unapproachable (in particular 99% of the anglo saxon population). if youre from wesern sydney forget trying to mingle with them because they will look at you like you have aids. your social status and social life is restricted by the uni unless you pay $150 a year to have an "access" card which is literally access to clubs and societies where most people make their friends. theres also a severe lack of cheap food outlets. its a very old fashioned, rigid uni, and not very warm (metaphorically speaking). timetabling unit is a joke (no timetables until week before classes start and you cant customise it properly, you have to go in and get it changde manually, waiting in queues for up to 30 mins depends on how early u go in). no conceded passes in the business school. if you get 49, you get fail.

 

[study-freak]

im 3rd year this year

i hate usyd for many reasons. first of all, my double degree is 5 years (instead of 4) because i have to waste a year on useless electives. the ASB @ UNSW is much better. I suggest looking at unit descriptions for your majors. My major at usyd is basically a joke, whereas at UNSW it is very tailored and specific. a lot of the people at usyd are pretentious fucks, very unapproachable (in particular 99% of the anglo saxon population). if youre from wesern sydney forget trying to mingle with them because they will look at you like you have aids. your social status and social life is restricted by the uni unless you pay $150 a year to have an "access" card which is literally access to clubs and societies where most people make their friends. theres also a severe lack of cheap food outlets. its a very old fashioned, rigid uni, and not very warm (metaphorically speaking). timetabling unit is a joke (no timetables until week before classes start and you cant customise it properly, you have to go in and get it changde manually, waiting in queues for up to 30 mins depends on how early u go in). no conceded passes in the business school. if you get 49, you get fail.

But how do they tell if someone is from western Sydney? and I think it depends on which subjects you do because I've never seen anyone like that before at USYD.

lol the conceded pass thing, if someone gets 49 or lower, it's most definitely that person's fault?

and I reckon everything depends on how you make it out to be, in particular hating or liking something.

 

[Shadowdude]

I'd think it comes as part of conversation. "So where you from?" "Penrith, what about you? ... ... ... ... Umm, what about you? ... ... ... oh okay i see how it is "

 

[study-freak]

I'd think it comes as part of conversation. "So where you from?" "Penrith, what about you? ... ... ... ... Umm, what about you? ... ... ... oh okay i see how it is "

lolol, harsh if that's true.

 

[Drongoski]

USyd is also bureaucratic, schlerotic - not customer-oriented. Years ago you were students; now you are fee-paying clients. A lot of things that could be made easier for students are often still the old crappy way.

But to the outside world, Sydney Uni must rank ahead of U of NSW. I'm not saying USyd is necessarily better - but the world outside Australia would think that it is better. That's what prestige is all about, whether deserved or not.

 

[meilz92]

But how do they tell if someone is from western Sydney? and I think it depends on which subjects you do because I've never seen anyone like that before at USYD.

lol the conceded pass thing, if someone gets 49 or lower, it's most definitely that person's fault?

and I reckon everything depends on how you make it out to be, in particular hating or liking something.

speaking from experience, when someone asks where you live and you reply with a western sydney suburb and they loook at you like "oh...okay...im from vaucluse..." and become really awkward.
but in reality how different is the ability really between someone who go 49 and someone who got 50?