USYD Merit Scholarship (1 Viewer)

[r.sharma]

Has anyone recieved an offer for this yet? (apart from being shortlisted a while back)

 

[dereklau]

Yep, it came in the mail 2 days ago. I believe there are 10 spots per faculty, and hence the top 10 ATAR's out of everyone who got shortlisted get the scholarship (per faculty, if that makes sense)

 

[chichichip]

Yep! Got one

 

[Aquawhite]

Yep, it came in the mail 2 days ago. I believe there are 10 spots per faculty, and hence the top 10 ATAR's out of everyone who got shortlisted get the scholarship (per faculty, if that makes sense)

Quite sure it is not only based on ATAR, but based on the Personal Statement as well. I know of two people who received merit scholarships: ATARs of 98.80 and 96.15 in the same faculty.

 

[janchanisek]

yehh it depends on how much money each faculty has lol
arts are very stingy, law doesnt offer any at all.... i do a combined law/international studies degree and so i had to apply under arts faculty, and i didnt get one... but i know of many friends doing com/law who achieved similar hsc results or lower than me yet got scholarships cos they applied thru commerce faculty.
i guess cos economics and business faculty at usyd has connections with industry and so gets sponsorships etc.. while arts....... .... =P

 

[gisellel]

Is there any chance in hell that the Arts faculty would let me transfer my merit scholarship to Science? *Fingers crossed*

 

[pwoh]

They emailed me once the ATAR came out - shame I'm not going there

 

[janchanisek]

Is there any chance in hell that the Arts faculty would let me transfer my merit scholarship to Science? *Fingers crossed*

If you got a faculty-specific one then i wouldnt bet on them allowing you to transfer it.... whereas if its a university-wide merit scholarship then you'd be fine.

 

[iTz Osky]

Yep, it came in the mail 2 days ago. I believe there are 10 spots per faculty, and hence the top 10 ATAR's out of everyone who got shortlisted get the scholarship (per faculty, if that makes sense)

really? I'm not too sure thats how it works. I think there is a fundamental difference between a "distinction for all round excellence" which said that they offered it to up to 10 people in the state in my letter, which is 10000, and a "merit" scholarship, which is 6000 and does not have to fulfil the requirement for an atar over 99, which is one of the prerequisites for the "distinction" scholarship. I know this because a person last year from my school got a merit scholarship without getting over 99.

 

[jet]

As far as I know, the Merit scholarship is only applicable to the single faculty you interview for.

The scholarship selection has nothing to do with atar. That is the whole reason why they interview you; to find out the person behind the name etc etc. The merit scholarships are based more around the type of person they want, and results only help determine a baseline academic standard, nothing more.

 

[iTz Osky]

As far as I know, the Merit scholarship is only applicable to the single faculty you interview for.

The scholarship selection has nothing to do with atar. That is the whole reason why they interview you; to find out the person behind the name etc etc. The merit scholarships are based more around the type of person they want, and results only help determine a baseline academic standard, nothing more.

maybe its different this year, but i wasn't interviewed at all for my scholarship? just got a letter saying i was shortlisted, and then got a letter on friday saying i was offered one =S

 

[janchanisek]

maybe its different this year, but i wasn't interviewed at all for my scholarship? just got a letter saying i was shortlisted, and then got a letter on friday saying i was offered one =S

yeh they don't have interviews for merit scholarships.. its just given upon.... merit.. lol =P
when i applied, i got a letter saying i was rejected haha
congrats to you iTz Osky on your scholarship! =D

 

[jet]

maybe its different this year, but i wasn't interviewed at all for my scholarship? just got a letter saying i was shortlisted, and then got a letter on friday saying i was offered one =S

Oh right, I was thinking of another lol.

If you substitute interview for personal statement, my post still stands though. From talking to faculty etc I got the impression that they don't care. In fact, they pretty much wipe your slate the moment they give you a degree offer.

 

[chichichip]

I didnt even get a letter I was shortlisted lol.

...Who's going to USyd info day breakfast?

 

[dannyiraqi]

I am on the reserve list for the science faculty... does anyone know what the chances are of me getting a scholarship from USYD?

 

[janchanisek]

I didnt even get a letter I was shortlisted lol.

...Who's going to USyd info day breakfast?

at least you didnt get a letter saying you were rejected lol (thats what i got in the early stages when i applied haha)
and yes you shoud go to the breakfast, apparently its good (free food in any case).. i was in HK at the time so i couldnt make it and i was sad LOL =P

 

[jet]

I am on the reserve list for the science faculty... does anyone know what the chances are of me getting a scholarship from USYD?

I was reserve listed and got an offer in the second round. It depends how high up on the list you are, so we can't really say.

 

[Aquawhite]

at least you didnt get a letter saying you were rejected lol (thats what i got in the early stages when i applied haha)
and yes you shoud go to the breakfast, apparently its good (free food in any case).. i was in HK at the time so i couldnt make it and i was sad LOL =P

Same with me; rejected in the early stages... but since I'm from a rural town, there are no real opportunities for extra-curricular activities.

 

[jet]

Same with me; rejected in the early stages... but since I'm from a rural town, there are no real opportunities for extra-curricular activities.

It had nothing to do with extra curriculars. The people I spoke to (in first year at open day when I volunteered) said that anyone who rattled off about extra curriculars and their work at school was put at the bottom of the pile. Yes it's good, but they want to see and hear about the person; where they live, what they like doing, their goals and dreams etc etc.

 

[iTz Osky]

What you just said is very different to having no extracurriculars. A personal statement is not there to talk just about EC's. If you can't demonstrate that you did anything outside of school, you won't get the scholarship.

yes, i agree. I spent the whole of my personal statement talking about my interests in music, debating, sport etc... i think another thing to keep in mind is to try and make a statement that catches the eye, with a unique introduction. I think what they are looking for is a link between cocurricular activities, and your goals/dreams in respect to their faculty. For example i applied to the business school, so I kept harping on about how debating is an excellent skill relating to business etc.