<p>The Australian higher education system is vastly different to the one you have. In terms of getting an offer, this will often (but not always) be dependent on academic merit alone (i.e. ATAR, our equilvalent to SAT). Most universities have a separate cut off requirement for students from overseas educational systems, or at the very least, do have some method of converting scores. You will find that ATAR cut offs range from 50-99.95, the latter ATAR being required for entry into Combined Medicine at USyd. Combined Law degrees at USyd and UNSW were 99.70 and 99.65 respectively. Business degrees (often called Commerce degrees) are around 95.5 and 96.7 at USyd and UNSW respectively. The ATAR cutt offs are usualyl significantly lower at UMelb, ANU etc, but cut offs are determined on the basis of supply and demand. Regardless, the smartest students in Australia do usually come from NSW because of its extensive academic selective school system, most of whom go to USyd/UNSW. If you want to find out more about the cut off requirements, visit the UAC at [Universities</a> Admissions Centre (UAC) - Apply for Australian tertiary study](<a href=“http://www.uac.edu.au/]Universities”>http://www.uac.edu.au/)</p>
<p>Also, don’t be persuaded by rankings. Unlike the States, no Australian university has a national reputation - they only have regional reputations. Nobody in New South Wales gives a rats arse about UMelb, and likewise for those in Victoria about USyd/UNSW. Most students don’t really regard ANU as being in the same league at UMelb, USyd, UNSW and UQld. As we all know, rankings are influenced heavily by research output and that is what ANU predominatly does. That isn’t to say ANU is a great university - they have great facilities, professors, environment etc., but rather you won’t be able to experience the same academic rigour and social life at the aforementioned four universities.</p>
<p>Following on from that, if you’re looking at internships or graduate positions, the same applies about regional reputations. Assuming that you go to USyd/UNSW, business, commercial law, mathemathical and other quantitative positions are dominated by UNSW graduates. Everything else goes to USyd. In a way, you could say that UNSW is Australia’s MIT/Chicago/CalTech whilst USyd is Australia’s Yale/Princeton. Employers seldom recruit from other states. Personally, I would avoid ANU and choose from eithr UMelb, USyd or UNSW, depending on what you want to major in. ANU/UTS/Macq/UWS/UOW are seen as the university for students who didn’t make it into USyd/UNSW.</p>
<p>Finally, the overall social scene is usually regarded as better at USyd, whereas UNSW is seen to have the best events of the year. UNSW is about 10-15mins away from the beach, whilst USyd is about 30-40 minutes away. Both not that far.</p>