University of Wollongong - Thoughts and Reputation?

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  altomic on 04/10/2016 - 20:04

  +2

  does any employer care what university you go to?

  isn't university prestige more of an OS thing?

  obviously the University of Moe would hold much credibility.

  I've been to Melb uni (arts), Swinburne (accounting) ,Monash (masters), Latrobe (psych undergrad), CDU (post grad), QUT (post grad) and I rank them pretty equal - though CDU was distance education.

  is it even a thing (reputation) in Australia?

  • 

    fossilfuel on 04/10/2016 - 20:14

    If you're going into academia, you should aim for a place at the Go8. Otherwise, it really doesn't matter does it?

    Employers look for a well rounded individual. A combination of good academic results (don't think it matters when you get more experience), relevant experience and personality attributes that fit the role.

    Anyone can get into a good university. Doing well and finding the right things to do is hard.

    • 

      niner on 04/10/2016 - 20:34

      Anyone can get into a good university.

      Can they? lol

      • 

        altomic on 04/10/2016 - 21:17

        anyone, with the correct score, can get into a good university.

        it's not like US uni's where you have to apply and write cover letters to convince them (to let you pay them money)

  • 

    freelife on 04/10/2016 - 21:15

    I agree. I didn't go to a sandstone uni (have done multiple courses too), but all my employers to date have been major household brands - even iconic (on TV everyday). They look at experience, knowledge and character foremost. They didn't even ask about my uni. And I'm in a really decent role with a 6 fig salary.

• 

  ms_caz on 04/10/2016 - 21:14

  I haven't filled in my details to register for this publication but it purports to be able to give you feedback on all of the tertiary institutions in Australia. It is something that school careers practitioners would advise their students to investigate for themselves if the question came up as part of pathways planning.

  The Good Universities Guide

• 

  Elwes on 04/10/2016 - 21:19

  I'd say it'd be about the same as UWS in terms of prestige. In terms of teaching quality, that depends on what you're studying.
  (I currently work at UWS and Macquarie, did my undergrad at UNSW and postgrad overseas.)

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  SydStrand on 04/10/2016 - 22:56

  I went to USYD (bachelor/master) and UniMelb (doctorate) but IMO, it doesn't matter. This isn't the USA. Most university rankings are arbitrary or based upon research goals which are irrelevant to most courses anyway. Do your research but if you think you'll enjoy it more in Wollongong, go there. I had friends go to less 'prestigious' unis like Griffith and Newcastle and flourished, now doing very well for themselves. I've also heard that younger unis will fight harder for their students because they don't have reputations to coast on, unlike Go8.

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  [Deactivated] on 05/10/2016 - 00:43

  As an employer in accounting, I value experience, technical skills, communication and teamwork more than the piece of paper everyone has ie I'm more interested in what makes a candidate stand out. I am from a Go8 uni and it hardly prepared me at all for the real world.

  I have to say however if a candidate came from a uni with very low entrance requirements I probably wouldn't have them in for an interview unless they were absolutely outstanding in every other respect. Wollongong uni definitely not in that bucket though.

• 

  Ryanek on 05/10/2016 - 09:30

  UOW is opening a South Western Sydney campus and have made the following claims:

  — Highest ranked university in NSW on QILT 2016
  — Highest number of star ratings in the 2016 Good Universities Guide
  — Awarded the 2015 Australian Financial Review Higher Education Award for graduate employability
  — 17th best modern university in the world – QS Top 50 Under 50 Rankings 2015
  — 5-stars for Getting a Full-time Job – 2016 Good Universities Guide
  — Top 1% of universities in the world – QS World University Rankings Graduate Employers Survey

  The 2016 Good Universities Guide awarded UOW the maximum 5-star rating in 6 categories
  — Staff Qualifications
  — Teaching Quality
  — Generic Skills
  — Overall Satisfaction
  — Student Retention
  — Getting A Full Time Job

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  [Deactivated] on 06/10/2016 - 04:55

  +1

  Appreciate everyone's feedback! Definitely some interesting insights i will take into strong consideration.