University of Wollongong vs uSyd - Engineering? (1 Viewer)

[trist117]

Out of the two universities: Wollongong and Sydney, which one ultimately has a better engineering faculty.

I want to get into UNSW. my current plan is to computer science and tech at usyd, then transfer to a double of electrical engineering and comp sci half way through the year, then at the end of the year transfer to UNSW.

Though my other option is to go to UoW and do a double of electrical engineering and computer science straight off the bat, enjoy the beautiful beaches for a year, then transfer to UNSW.

Though reading off the forums, and various statistics, uSyd gets a bad rap for being a terrible university. People say it has terrible facilities, lecturers who don't care about their students, uninvolved social life, snobby, cliquish student body, and I am starting to think that going to UoW is the better path for me

What are your thoughts?

 

[turntaker]

Go wherever is closer. If you are not staying at either, it won't matter. I'd say UOW has way better facilities and lecturers.

 

[Silly Sausage]

If you really are going to transfer specifically to UNSW making sure that you get as much credits transferred as possible is a good idea. http://credittransfer.unsw.edu.au/
You can also contact the faculties for unmentioned units.
This and travel time should definitely be taken into account.

Haven't been to UOW but,
Also USYD does have crappy facilities.
The lecturers are obviously going to have different teaching qualities but I personally find the physics lecturers to be very engaging.
As for the students I haven't really met anyone snobbish myself personally but the social life is what you make of it.

 

[turntaker]

If you really are going to transfer specifically to UNSW making sure that you get as much credits transferred as possible is a good idea. http://credittransfer.unsw.edu.au/
You can also contact the faculties for unmentioned units.
This and travel time should definitely be taken into account.

Haven't been to UOW but,
Also USYD does have crappy facilities.
The lecturers are obviously going to have different teaching qualities but I personally find the physics lecturers to be very engaging.
As for the students I haven't really met anyone snobbish myself personally but the social life is what you make of it.

The credit transfer tool has no UOW subjects listed. Do you know who I can contact to find out which subjects can transfer before choosing them. I don't want to pick blindly and later find out that almost none of my credits transfer.

As for UOW facilitates, they are very modern and really good. I have been there a few times.

 

[trist117]

The credit transfer tool has no UOW subjects listed. Do you know who I can contact to find out which subjects can transfer before choosing them. I don't want to pick blindly and later find out that almost none of my credits transfer.

As for UOW facilitates, they are very modern and really good. I have been there a few times.

TurnTaker, can you give me examples of the electrical engineering facilities there? What type of stuff do they have?

And yeah the credit transfer tool only shows 1 unit that is able to be transferred into comp sci at UNSW. The tool does not help unfortunately.

When I inquired about the issue 2 months ago the answer was basically no one knows what units can transfer until I apply. So doing it blindly is the only choice.

Also turntaker haven't you picked your units yet?

 

[turntaker]

TurnTaker, can you give me examples of the electrical engineering facilities there? What type of stuff do they have?

And yeah the credit transfer tool only shows 1 unit that is able to be transferred into comp sci at UNSW. The tool does not help unfortunately.

When I inquired about the issue 2 months ago the answer was basically no one knows what units can transfer until I apply. So doing it blindly is the only choice.

Also turntaker haven't you picked your units yet?

Well from my visit there, I didn't see everything but whatever I saw was very modern and nice. I would have to be a student there to tell you the details.
There is less student population at UOW which means the facilities and staff will be more accessible compared to other universities.
Overall I was very impressed.

I have not picked my units yet as I have decided to switch to a single degree instead of dual degree. I will do that soon after I visit the uni.

 

[trist117]

Well from my visit there, I didn't see everything but whatever I saw was very modern and nice. I would have to be a student there to tell you the details.
There is less student population at UOW which means the facilities and staff will be more accessible compared to other universities.
Overall I was very impressed.

I have not picked my units yet as I have decided to switch to a single degree instead of dual degree. I will do that soon after I visit the uni.

just computer science? When I did my early entry there for comp eng and comp sci double, I couldn't really see anything, but the rooms weren't that great, that's why I am curious

 

[turntaker]

meh it doesn't really matter in the end. Just go wherever is closer.
id pick UOW but that's just me.
I hated Usyd

 

[trist117]

meh it doesn't really matter in the end. Just go wherever is closer.
id pick UOW but that's just me.
I hated Usyd

What are some of the reasons you hate usyd?

 

[turntaker]

What are some of the reasons you hate usyd?

Old facilities and elitists.
I have heard the teaching and lecturers are poor as well.

But don't take my word for it, I haven't attended there.

 

[Silly Sausage]

Old facilities and elitists.
I have heard the teaching and lecturers are poor as well.

But don't take my word for it, I haven't attended there.

That varies throughout the university just like almost very every other institution in world

Would agree on the crappy facilities again but the people are generally quiet nice and their isn't really any elitist attitude I've personally come-across.

 

[schmickrx3]

I studied engineering at UOW last year and have just successfully transferred to UNSW. I have listed the subjects that l successfully got credited just to give those studying engineering some idea.


ENGG100 > ENGG1811
ENGG102 > CVEN1300
ENGG103 > MATS1101
MATH141 > MATH1131
MATH142 > MATH1231
PHYS143 > PHYS1121
ENGG104 > ELEC1111
ENGG105 > ENGG1000

In terms of facilities and the teaching at UOW l would definitely say that it is pretty good. They have spent a lot of money the last 5 years on new facilities that are used by 1st year engineering students and even more recently they are refurbishing some of the engineering buildings. Along with this most lectures and tutors actually engage with the students and are mostly willing to help at any occasion.

 

[turntaker]

I studied engineering at UOW last year and have just successfully transferred to UNSW. I have listed the subjects that l successfully got credited just to give those studying engineering some idea.


ENGG100 > ENGG1811
ENGG102 > CVEN1300
ENGG103 > MATS1101
MATH141 > MATH1131
MATH142 > MATH1231
PHYS143 > PHYS1121
ENGG104 > ELEC1111
ENGG105 > ENGG1000

In terms of facilities and the teaching at UOW l would definitely say that it is pretty good. They have spent a lot of money the last 5 years on new facilities that are used by 1st year engineering students and even more recently they are refurbishing some of the engineering buildings. Along with this most lectures and tutors actually engage with the students and are mostly willing to help at any occasion.

Would you have an idea on computer science subjects?

Also what sort of WAM did you need to transfer to UNSW?

 

[Flop21]

just computer science? When I did my early entry there for comp eng and comp sci double, I couldn't really see anything, but the rooms weren't that great, that's why I am curious

The buildings and rooms will probably vary in quality/modern-ness etc. Just like at UNSW you have some old buildings, and some new great buildings.

And you'll probably have lectures/tuts all over the place in many different buildings (not just the one).

 

[schmickrx3]

Would you have an idea on computer science subjects?

Also what sort of WAM did you need to transfer to UNSW?

I have no idea about computer science subjects. Unfortunately you will have to take a gamble with the subjects because no uni will tell you what subjects can be credited/transferred unless you have an offer from them and put in a formal application.

In terms of WAM, mine was 75 but l was told by UNSW staff that a 70 would pretty much guarantee a spot in engineering. These marks are very achievable and from my experience they give many opportunities to score great marks and if it weren't for my maths marks my WAM would be much higher. Atar does not matter if transferring after 1 year of full time study or at least 36 units (6 subjects) for UNSW.

 

[sida1049]

Though reading off the forums, and various statistics, uSyd gets a bad rap for being a terrible university. People say it has terrible facilities, lecturers who don't care about their students, uninvolved social life, snobby, cliquish student body

If you think those traits are isolated to just USYD, prepare to be thoroughly disappointed.

No one can measure "social life", "study body", condescension, or any other subjective traits that people somehow delude themselves into thinking that matters. Most people have only really been to one university, and base their impressions of other universities based on obscure word-of-mouth, mostly from other people who too have only experienced one university. I used to buy into the whole "USYD's excessive elitism" thing as well, until I actually walked onto campus, talked to students, staff, and other people who are starting their degrees this year, and realised that no one seriously gives a single shit about "prestige", or exhibit elitism of any kind. The only things I heard were things I actually needed to know regarding my courses.

So if you think that UoW is right for you because of the facilities (which I can't say much about, since I know nothing about engineering) or convenience, then that's reasonable. But if you are basing your decisions on word-of-mouth "uni/social life" or whatever, then you just might be making a misinformed decision.

 

[trist117]

If you think those traits are isolated to just USYD, prepare to be thoroughly disappointed.

No one can measure "social life", "study body", condescension, or any other subjective traits that people somehow delude themselves into thinking that matters. Most people have only really been to one university, and base their impressions of other universities based on obscure word-of-mouth, mostly from other people who too have only experienced one university. I used to buy into the whole "USYD's excessive elitism" thing as well, until I actually walked onto campus, talked to students, staff, and other people who are starting their degrees this year, and realised that no one seriously gives a single shit about "prestige", or exhibit elitism of any kind. The only things I heard were things I actually needed to know regarding my courses.

So if you think that UoW is right for you because of the facilities (which I can't say much about, since I know nothing about engineering) or convenience, then that's reasonable. But if you are basing your decisions on word-of-mouth "uni/social life" or whatever, then you just might be making a misinformed decision.

True, though when comparing the opinions about usyd to uow its striking, overwhelming. The facilities aren't much of a problem, you can do work with old facilities, I'm just concerned because I come from Campbelltown/Camden area, and wouldn't want to experience elitists

 

[sida1049]

True, though when comparing the opinions about usyd to uow its striking, overwhelming. The facilities aren't much of a problem, you can do work with old facilities, I'm just concerned because I come from Campbelltown/Camden area, and wouldn't want to experience elitists

Perhaps it's because I don't take subjective, single-sided reviews seriously, but honestly you'll find varying opinions about every university. Here's a negative one for USYD:

The big minus is the anti-semitism on campus due to its Socialist Alliance who enjoy bullying and harassing those with a different opinion. I commute two hours each way for a two hour class every week. I don’t need someone with juvenile politics having a tantrum in my ear because I support a certain cause.

Source

The problem, however, isn't restricted to USYD, as you can see below...

In one incident, two Zionists spent two hours abusing Socialist Alternative members at the University of NSW, as well as verbally assaulting other students attempting to speak to us about the situation in Gaza.

Source
(To protect what's little left of my dignity, I'd like to say that I don't take political magazines seriously either, and you can assume that if one political faction "verbally abused" another for two hours, the other probably responded similarly.)

Here's a negative review about UoW...

UOW is terrible. Enough said.

For instance, they promote themselves as having one of the best employment rates in the country. Yeah, that is because they count volunteer work as jobs. Steer clear of the Gong. Bunch of liars.

Source

Now here's a positive review about USYD...

The size of the university, ease of access via a wide means of transport, the social life, the old-school buildings that make good photo opportunities, diverse range of people. Great reputation in the workplace.

Source

Now regarding the "old-school buildings", they don't appeal to everyone's sense of aesthetic. I, for one, have a preference for the modern, contemporary aesthetic (e.g. the UTS, UNSW campuses, the New Law Building at USYD), so USYD's buildings wouldn't be something that would make it into my review positively. So you see the subjectivity of all of this.

Here's a positive review about UoW...

I also went to UNSW for my masters and UOW's campus is much better. In terms of campus lifestyle: UOW>UNSW>UTS. For people like me who get distracted easily, a conducive learning environment is a must.

Source

So I hope you can see where I'm coming from. Everyone has their own subjective slant on university reviews, particularly regarding the university lifestyle, and hence I don't quite think they should factor significantly, if at all in one's university decision. The perception of elitism (which exists in every university to some degree) is similarly dependent on a student's individual experience. Your best bet is probably to pick the more convenient one, and good luck in your studies.