Hey, the only reason why UWS doesn't have such a good rep is coz it's one of the newer ones. It's aim was to allow those in the western suburbs a closer uni that was more 'practical'. Uni's like sydney are based on really really old courses, that havent really changed, yet when UWS started, they wanted it to be more practical - thus to ensure the students actually learn what they need to know, rather than doing heaps and heaps of irrelevant theory that egotistical academics like to teach! ... although at any uni you've gotta stuff u'll never need agin, just like skool...
yeh you can go to one of the most expensive private highschools in sydney - but is that gonna guarentee you a higher UAI than someone like me who went to a public school - of course not. Yeh, at a private skool they can expel you for smoking, and make you wear your uniform all prissy, and give you afternoon detentions, but it still wont give you a higher UAI. Just like at uni, you're not gonna be a better lawyer if you go to sydney/NSW uni than if you go to UWS or Canberra uni...
It's just that coz of the whole 'traditional' attitude everyone has, UNSW and SYdney have such a good rep. But also, if youve noticed, the UAI's for UWS have come up heaps! and they're not giving away as many points anymore - because more ppl are interested in their uni. So give it a while, and ppl will realise it churns out just as many good academics as any other uni, they just wont have such a haughty demeanour thats all!
And UWS is great for ppl like me who dont like to work to hard....but still wanna do law...and keep telling themselves they'll actually work at uni ey! So there's some good in everything ey!