On the topic of University Transfers...

[Frigid]

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On the topic of University Transfers...

Introduction

For some university students, the course they are currently in might not be the course they want to stay in, due to a variety of reasons: change of interests, incompatibility with time restraints, to transfer from a fee-paying place to a HECS place, originally desired another course but failed to achieve the UAI cutoff. For these students, a transfer during university might be the way to go (the other option being postgraduate study).

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The Applications Process

To transfer to another university course is a relatively simple affair, similar to applying for university after HSC. There are two possible processes: internal transfers (which are declining in use, and are now limited to dropping degrees, such as from Commerce Law to straight Commerce) and external transfers (done through UAC or its interstate equivalent).

For the former, inquire with your faculty, fill out the relevant paperwork and have it authorised.

The latter involves a NRSL (Non-Recent School Leaver) undergraduate application to UAC (University Admissions Centre). This is similar to the Recent School Leave university application (ie. the ones the HSC kids use), using Apply-By-Web. Alternatively, you can use the form in the 'commercial' version of the UAC guide (rrp $15.00 at all good newsagents).

Before you begin applying, remember to check the UAC guide or the relevant university faculty website to see: a) are there opportunities to transfer to the desired course(s); b) what are the requirements of transfer other than UAI/tertiary marks? Some transfers require Personal Statements/Questionnaires (eg. transfer into B.Laws at UTS). Again, remember check the faculty website.

The application opens in early August (like the HSC applications) and closed on 30 September. However the UAC guide is still open for late applications (until the 29 October) with a late fee charge of $82. Then there will be another late period with a higher late fee charge.

The cost of a NRSL application is $35 (inc. GST). Remember to print out your receipt.

Fill out all the relevant information in your application slowly and doublecheck each time (the browser will force you to check and save before you proceed). Remember to note down your UAC Number (eg 95100xxxx) and your PIN (the digits of your birthday as DDMM, for example 1110 for October 11).

For the entry FTE (Full Time Equivalence), select the number of years to the end of the year. That is, if you are in first year, and are filling out the application during August, you write 1.0 years (two semesters) completed, instead of 0.5 years (one semester). This is because, by the time the UAC assessor comes to collect your data from your university, you will have had completed two semesters of study already.

Another point to note is that Apply-By-Web does not support the Mozilla Firefox browser. boo

Fill out your preferences from the course codes in the UAC guide in the order of preference. It doesn't matter if you get it wrong the first time around, because there is always opportunity to re-login and change things. Remember to print out your application summary for future reference.

Your application will be processed by UAC and an offer will be made based on a similar system to the HSC applications, ie. supply-and-demand. So a course which is accepting 50 NRSL students next year (and only based on UAI/tertiary marks) will offer to the 50 NRSL applicants with the highest UAI/tertiary marks. Again I stress, it's very similar to the good ol' HSC application.

An offer will be made the same time the Main Round of Offers are released (which is roughly 19th January). You can then use the UAC website to check/accept your offers. Some institutions may have online enrolment, while others need you to physically rock-up and enrol. Again, very similar to HSC application.

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How are my marks calculated and weighted?

As mentioned previously, most transfers rank applicants based on UAI and tertiary marks, with a 50:50 weighting.

In terms of tertiary marks, they will usually look at your GPA (Grade Point Average). Using the conversion table (see Schedule 3 in attached .pdf file), they will turn your GPA into an Selection Rank out of 100 (similar to UAI). The final NRSL Index is thus calculated:

NRSL Index = (UAI + Selection Rank)/2
(the average of UAI and Selection Rank)

Then once UAC have every applicant's NRSL indices, it will rank them and make offers based on the number of places offered.

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Okay, then how do I calculate my GPA (Grade Point Average?)

GPA is the weighted average measurement of your university grades. It would be unfair to simply average your grades without giving weight to their credit values (so say you got High Distinction in a 2cp subject, but got a Credit in a 10cp subject, it would be hardly fair to say you got a Distinction average).

So, how do we calculate GPA?

First, write down the marks and credit point values of each subject you do.

Then convert each mark into a grade. Usually this is done by working out which bracket your mark falls in:

0 - 49 = Fail
50 - 64 = Pass
65 - 74 = Credit
75 - 84 = Distinction
85 - 100 = High Distinction.

Now, convert your grades into grade points based on the following:

Fail = 0
Pass Conceded = 3
Pass = 4
Credit = 5
Distinction = 6
High Distinction = 7.

Your GPA is calculated by:
GPA = Σ(grade point for subject multiply by credit point value of subject) divided by Σ(credit point of subject). In the language of 2-unit General Maths, this means:

GPA = ( GP1 x CP1 + GP2 x CP2 + GP3 x CP3 + ... + GP'n' x CP'n' ) / ( CP1 + CP2 + CP3 + ... + CP'n' )

Still don't get it? Here's an example:

Suppose my friend Fred had studied a Business degree at the University of New Technology Sydney (UNTS), with four subjects this year. The subjects were Managing Stupid Tutors (MST), Economics for Newbies (EFN), Accounting High-Failure Rates (AHR) and Business Law without Ethics (BLE). Each subject was worth 6 credit points.

Fred got the following marks back on his academic transcript at the end of the year:

MST: 67/100 (Credit)
EFN: 85/100 (High Distinction)
AHR: 93/100 (High Distinction)
BLE: 65/100 (Credit)

(these marks are real, i kid you not)

To calculate Fred's GPA we plug the info into formula:

GPA = ( GP1 x CP1 + GP2 x CP2 + GP3 x CP3 + GP4 x CP4 ) / ( CP1 + CP2 + CP3 + CP4 ).

Since Fred got 2 Credits, for those subjects he uses a GP value of 5. For his 2 High Distinctions, Fred uses GP values of 7. Note that all CPs in this example are 6 (since all subjects Fred undertook are 6 credit points). However, in your own example, they may vary.

GPA = ( 5 x 6 + 5 x 6 + 7 x 6 + 7 x 6 ) / ( 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 )
= 144 / 24
= 6

So, we have worked out Fred's GPA - a value of 6! That's saying, having given weighting to the credit point values of each subject, Fred got an average grade of Distinction! yay!

*pats everyone on the back for being so good at General Maths.*

Now you try it for yourself

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What is WAM (Weighted-Average Mark)?

WAM (Weighted-Average Mark) is a very similar concept to GPA, except it does without the use of grade points. Instead, the final mark (FM) is used in lieu of the GP value. Therefore, the formula will be:

WAM = ( FM1 x CP1 + FM2 x CP2 + FM3 x CP3 + ... + FM'n' x CP'n') / CP1 + CP2 + CP3 + ... + CP'n').

Example:

Using Fred's marks again, we calculate Fred's WAM:

WAM = ( 65 x 6 + 68 x 6 + 85 x 6 + 93 x 6 ) / ( 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 )
= 77.75

That means, given weight to the credit point value of each subject, Fred's average final mark was 77.75 (out of 100)

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Okay Frig, I've got my GPA, what do I do to predict whether I get in?

Use the NRSL Index formula I mentioned 2 sections ago, along with your GPA and UAI. Let's get back to Fred's example:

NRSL Index = (UAI + Selection Rank)/2 , GPA = 6 , UAI = 99.10

Okay, first work out the Selection Rank, based on Fred's GPA:
Look at the Schedule 3 of attached .pdf file. What is Fred's GPA? 6. Fred has 'Attempted 1.0-2.99 FTE' (1 to < 2 years Full Time Equivalence), so look at the 3rd column of numbers. Where GPA = 6.00 - 6.09 and 1.0 - 2.99 FTE intersects is Fred's Selection Rank.

Based on the table and information, Fred's Selection Rank is 96.

Go back our NRSL Index formula and plug in Selection Rank = 96, UAI = 99.10:

NRSL Index = ( 96 + 99.10 ) / 2 = 97.55

Voila! that's all you need to work out your NRSL Index.

*gives everyone a pat on the back for being a Band-6 ace in General Maths*

Now, IF your NRSL Index is one of the highest 'x' number of NRSL Indices, with 'x' being the number of places offered to NRSL applicants, you should made an offer. Usually, the NRSL Index cutoff for any given course is lower than the UAI cutoff.

As a general guide, for all you people wanting to transfer into Law (*admit it*), the NRSL Index for UNSW is roughly 96.xx. Unlike the UAI cutoffs, the NRSL Index cutoffs are not published (though we might be able to access them through the Freedom of Information Act, right Laz? ). Oh, and as a general rule, law faculties do not accept any NRSL applicants with more than 1 year worth of full time equivalence (ie your only chance to transfer into law is at the end of first year; miss out, then try for graduate law).

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Frig, if I transfer what happens to my HECS (Higher Education Contribution Scheme Debt)?

Under the new HECS-HELP scheme, things for us HSC-03ers will be roughly the same. Since our original HECS liability started before 2005, rises in HECS contribution will not affect us, regardless if we transfer or not.

'Information for Commonwealth supported students 2005' booklet, p46
"The following circumstances will not be seen as a discontinuance of your enrolment and you will therefore still be considered a pre-2005 HECS student:

... transferring to a course of study at the same level. For example, from one undergraduate degree to another, including from a single degree to a double degree, at the same or different higher education provider."

However, there is a change of nomenclature: from 1 June 2006, our accumulated HECS debt will be known as an accumulated HELP (Higher Education Loan Programme) debt. Aside from a change of name and increased minimum threshold before compulsory repayments, there isn't much of a difference as far as I know.

Refer to the 'Information for Commonwealth supported students 2005' booklet you would have received in the mail, or http://www.goingtouni.gov.au/ for more details.

Interestingly, according to Table 1, page 20 of the aforementioned booklet, the Commonwealth only funds $1472 per EFTSL for Law students - what's with that? We law students pay the highest HECS contribution band, ($8k for post-2005 students) yet we receive the lowest funding. In-bloody-equitable I say.

Update 28/10: a friend of mine who is doing a fee-paying degree wants to transfer to a HECS place next year. because he has not had a previous HECS debt, he will not be considered as a pre-2005 HECS student and will therefore be subjected to higher HECS fees.

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Links, gimme links!

UAC (Universities Admission Centre)
UAC: Course Search - search for course codes, information about courses, admission requirements etc
Higher Education Contribution Scheme
Faculty of Law, UNSW: Transfer Applicants
Faculty of Law, ANU: Undergraduate Admissions
Faculty of Law, UTS
Faculty of Law, USyd: Transfer Applicants
Faculty of Law, MacqU: Undergraduate Study
School of Law, UWS -___- how appropriate. otherwise, the current sub-webpage is here.
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Conclusion

I know this has been a very long and biased article but hey, I'm applying for transfer too, so I kinda know what's going on.

Remember, if you don't make your transfer, don't be disheartened. Learning is a lifelong journey (alliteration), so don't be sad if you can't make law/medicine/nuclear physics at first go - there's always opportunity in the future if you seek it.

[Minai]

Great post Fridge, I will point this thread out to everyone asking about transfers in the future. Well done

[theone123]

cheers to Frigid!

[theone123]

Frigid, u should of done this thread before the on-time applications close. Nevertheless, a bravo job

[theone123]

A question about the transfer thingy, are you sure that if transfer occurs, they don't count you in the post 2005 applicant? so that the increase in student contribution would affect us.

[SoCal]

Originally Posted by theone123

A question about the transfer thingy, are you sure that if transfer occurs, they don't count you in the post 2005 applicant? so that the increase in student contribution would affect us.

Yeah, I always thought people who transfer will be affected by the new HECS scheme. Obviously not.

[Frigid]

Originally Posted by theone123

A question about the transfer thingy, are you sure that if transfer occurs, they don't count you in the post 2005 applicant? so that the increase in student contribution would affect us.

again, i state that a transfer WILL NOT AFFECT our previous HECS position. refer to my HECS section, now amended with the quote from the booklet.

[theone123]

Hey this *Fred* seems to be like you, Frid

[cr05]

hey Frigid, one qn, through this transfer process, where does HECS ACCESS fit in? For example, although I may now be in uni, my uai would still have been affected by past circumstances. Any comments please.

[Shen86d]

so if i want to transfer from uws to unsw or usyd or uts, and do well with a D average, but with a pretty low uai, is there still a chance of me making my transfer?

[Frigid]

Originally Posted by Shen86d

is there still a chance of me making my transfer?

sorry dude, need some numbers. give us an idea with the desired transfer course, your UAI etc.

[Shen86d]

my uai is only 62.25, id like to make it to any course within 70-80 cutoffs.. liek health science or smthn like that.. =|

[Frigid]

Originally Posted by Shen86d

my uai is only 62.25, id like to make it to any course within 70-80 cutoffs.. liek health science or smthn like that.. =|

NRSL Index with a D-average after 1 full-time year:

NRSL = ( 62.25 + 96 ) / 2 = 79.125

NRSL Index with a GPA = 5.5 after 1 full-time year:

NRSL = ( 62.25 + 93 ) / 2 = 77.625

looks like good prospects

[Shen86d]

=D wow thx frigid guess ill have to work damn hard!

hm.. one more question.. the 2004 cut off of the couse im tryn to get into is 0.55 less than my current uai.. i know u dont know the answer for sure, but do u rkn my chances of gettn in are good?

[Frigid]

Originally Posted by Shen86d

hm.. one more question.. the 2004 cut off of the couse im tryn to get into is 0.55 less than my current uai.. i know u dont know the answer for sure, but do u rkn my chances of gettn in are good?

ummm, they're pretty good. unless you're applying for some weirdo course that suddenly jumps in demand.