angelf444wn
New Member
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2023
- Messages
- 4
- Gender
- Female
- HSC
- 2025
Hey everyone,
I’m a 2025 HSC graduate with predicted 99.15 ATAR. I received an early entry offer for ANU double law, and am eligible for the rural/remote entry scheme for USYD law (so I will likely get an offer from them too due to the reduced entry requirement).
My family is moving to Sydney next year so if I pick USYD, I will have free accommodation and very low living costs unlike ANU. Additionally, tuition at USYD is about 17k pa but 44k pa at ANU, so I will have significantly less HECS debt if I go to USYD.
My friends have said that the campus life at ANU is better than any other Australian university because most first- and second-years live on campus, which is one reason I really want to go there. Living away from my family would also help me grow as a person. I’ve heard that the social life is pretty dead at USYD in comparison because everyone commutes, and most people are cliquey with their high school friends (of course this won’t be true for everyone though).
I’ve also heard that ANU is much better for people interested in public and international law, with many relevant opportunities based in Canberra, while USYD/UNSW is better for corporate law. I don’t know what area of law I want to work in after graduation (see myself becoming a barrister one day though), so I can’t really decide off this.
I visited the ANU Open Day and was really impressed by their campus (felt very clean and had pretty wildlife) and law professors. I wasn’t able to attend the USYD Open Day, but it also looks like a really pretty and historic campus, so that isn’t a dealbreaker.
I’m curious how much university and law school rankings matter, because ANU ranks 30th and USYD ranks 18th in the 2025 QS World University Rankings, and ANU ranks 21st and USYD ranks 47th in the 2024 Times Higher Ed Rankings for Law. I’m under the impression that USYD is still seen as more prestigious due to its history, with many Supreme Court justices and barristers having graduated from USYD. Plus it has a higher entry requirement (99.5 vs 97 ATAR), so theoretically smarter kids will go there?
ANU also enables you to specialise in a certain area of law when you graduate, which is another strength. Both offer many strong mooting opportunities from what I’ve heard, not sure if one is better than the other in that field.
I’m also not set on Economics as my second degree. I found PPE interesting, but have heard it’s not very useful as it condenses three very different subjects (which can each be a standalone degree) to a surface-level understanding. Commerce doesn’t appeal to me, nor does International Relations or Political Science. Economics just seemed like the best option, but I understand it’s a lot of work to balance with law.
If anyone can give me some advice, I would really appreciate it!!!
P.S. I sat the LAT and applied for UNSW, but I’m not considering it because of its trimesters (I’m aware they’re removing them in a few years though), emphasis on social justice, and the fact that USYD seems slightly better.
I’m a 2025 HSC graduate with predicted 99.15 ATAR. I received an early entry offer for ANU double law, and am eligible for the rural/remote entry scheme for USYD law (so I will likely get an offer from them too due to the reduced entry requirement).
My family is moving to Sydney next year so if I pick USYD, I will have free accommodation and very low living costs unlike ANU. Additionally, tuition at USYD is about 17k pa but 44k pa at ANU, so I will have significantly less HECS debt if I go to USYD.
My friends have said that the campus life at ANU is better than any other Australian university because most first- and second-years live on campus, which is one reason I really want to go there. Living away from my family would also help me grow as a person. I’ve heard that the social life is pretty dead at USYD in comparison because everyone commutes, and most people are cliquey with their high school friends (of course this won’t be true for everyone though).
I’ve also heard that ANU is much better for people interested in public and international law, with many relevant opportunities based in Canberra, while USYD/UNSW is better for corporate law. I don’t know what area of law I want to work in after graduation (see myself becoming a barrister one day though), so I can’t really decide off this.
I visited the ANU Open Day and was really impressed by their campus (felt very clean and had pretty wildlife) and law professors. I wasn’t able to attend the USYD Open Day, but it also looks like a really pretty and historic campus, so that isn’t a dealbreaker.
I’m curious how much university and law school rankings matter, because ANU ranks 30th and USYD ranks 18th in the 2025 QS World University Rankings, and ANU ranks 21st and USYD ranks 47th in the 2024 Times Higher Ed Rankings for Law. I’m under the impression that USYD is still seen as more prestigious due to its history, with many Supreme Court justices and barristers having graduated from USYD. Plus it has a higher entry requirement (99.5 vs 97 ATAR), so theoretically smarter kids will go there?
ANU also enables you to specialise in a certain area of law when you graduate, which is another strength. Both offer many strong mooting opportunities from what I’ve heard, not sure if one is better than the other in that field.
I’m also not set on Economics as my second degree. I found PPE interesting, but have heard it’s not very useful as it condenses three very different subjects (which can each be a standalone degree) to a surface-level understanding. Commerce doesn’t appeal to me, nor does International Relations or Political Science. Economics just seemed like the best option, but I understand it’s a lot of work to balance with law.
If anyone can give me some advice, I would really appreciate it!!!
P.S. I sat the LAT and applied for UNSW, but I’m not considering it because of its trimesters (I’m aware they’re removing them in a few years though), emphasis on social justice, and the fact that USYD seems slightly better.
