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:
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:
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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.
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.
