commerce/law at ANU (1 Viewer)

[mymuse]

can any tell me more about how the course compares to other universities, namely USyd and UNSW?

I am thinking of moving to Canberra, but i'm not sure if i can stand 5 years. Which brings me to my second point, is it possible to transfer to either of the universities i just mentioned? thanks.

 

[jas0nt]

if you go to ANU you'll be in for a tougher battle for good marks. i've seen first year USYD papers for economics and they are a piss compared to ANU's ones.

law would be tougher to get good marks aswell, because ANU's law faculty 'bellcurves' their marks (adjusts them so it fits a predefined distribution). as an example, the top student in law (the uni medalist) got an average which is less than 80.

shouldn't be a problem transferring but you might want to research it more in depth. first year law subjects at every uni's pretty much the same - torts/contracts/australian law etc etc.

i'd recommend canberra. if you're mature enough you would recognise it's a nice city for studying and still maintaining a decent social life. sydney is 3 hours away by car so if you missed home too much you can drive to sydney after your last friday lecture and spend your weekends home.

 

[mymuse]

thanks for that advice.

after 24 hours of contemplation, it does sound good, i don't mind a challenge. and i'm not afraid to admit that i kind-of like studying.

still, there's the looming prospect of 5 years in canberra, and i did think about that travel plan (leaving on friday, getting back on sunday night), not sure that i could keep that up for 52 x 5 weeks, but then again, uni goes from februrary to november. still thinking...

 

[neo o]

thanks for that advice.

after 24 hours of contemplation, it does sound good, i don't mind a challenge. and i'm not afraid to admit that i kind-of like studying.

still, there's the looming prospect of 5 years in canberra, and i did think about that travel plan (leaving on friday, getting back on sunday night), not sure that i could keep that up for 52 x 5 weeks, but then again, uni goes from februrary to november. still thinking...

- Realistically you won't travel home every weekend. I tried going home as often as I could in first year, but for the last two years I've only visited my parents over Christmas.
- Canberra is a fairly good place to study. Some people can't stand it, but most people, particulary those of us living in college, have a blast. If you're even thinking of coming down here by the way, you should apply to college ASAP at uas.anu.edu.au.
- You can transfer, but it will depend upon your marks and your UAI. Some people struggle to make the cut, particularly in law.
- The law course at ANU in most respects is identical to the course at Usyd. Most law courses are, and you'll be doing the same subjects whichever university you go to. UNSW has more of a focus on learning through tutorials and seminars, while ANU's teaching is generally lecture orientated with an hour or two of tutorials per week for each subject.
- There are differences between some of the electives, exchanges and special programs offered at all three universities, but we all have the essentials: A law students society, exchange trips, internships and mooting. In most respects, even here, the opportunities offered are very similar.

 

[Kalashnikov47]

Actually... I am interested in your course as well. But I have a UAI that is lower than the cut-off of last year.

How lenient is that UAI guideline? If I am somewhat 5 points below the cut-off, do I still have a chance?

 

[humphdogg]

Actually... I am interested in your course as well. But I have a UAI that is lower than the cut-off of last year.

How lenient is that UAI guideline? If I am somewhat 5 points below the cut-off, do I still have a chance?

Not really. The cut-off is pretty much set in stone and never changes from year-to-year. Perhaps you could try to get in via UniTest though (there's a thread about it somewhere, I don't know all the details).

 

[sparkerasp]

i did think about that travel plan (leaving on friday, getting back on sunday night), not sure that i could keep that up for 52 x 5 weeks

Are you driving? If you are, I would advise you to try and drive from Sydney to Canberra and back again in these summer holidays, just to get the experience of it. I was contemplating exactly the same thing as you, but after I tried it 4 weeks ago I can defiantly say that I would not recommend it, especially in uni.

If you're planning on using the Murray or Greyhound coach services, then I would advise you to actually travel there and back on these services in the time you specify (just switch them, so go Canberra on a Friday, have a bit of a holiday, sightseeing for two days and then come back to Sydney on the Sunday evening services).

I went to Canberra (from Sydney) for an audition for ANU Music (with my parents). The 3.5 hour morning trip (we left at around 7:45-8) to Canberra (with breaks) was alright, but the drive back to Sydney (same day) was tiring and exhausting. I had to let my dad take over the driving an hour into the return trip because I was just falling asleep (and I did quite soon after the handover).

Don't get me wrong, visiting your family isn't a bad thing, but investing in two webcams and a solid internet connection would probably be a whole lot more convenient. Seriously, I doubt you'll even have time to go back so often, especially during exam periods!