‘Lost in the crowd’: Is going to a sandstone university worth it?

By Daniella White

September 21, 2024 — 1.30pm

When Imogen Hughes started her degree straight out of high school, she felt overwhelmed and lost on a large campus.

The student, from Sydney’s northern beaches, struggled to adjust to university life while studying primary teaching at Macquarie University and decided to take a year off.

Australian Catholic University student Imogen Hughes.Credit: Louise Kennerley

She restarted her teaching degree, switching to study at the Australian Catholic University’s North Sydney campus.

“I felt guided and recognised going to a smaller university,” she said

“I’m in my second year now and really happy with where I’m at. I feel like I’m seen and heard.”

While international research rankings and prestige make universities like Sydney and Melbourne universities sought after for many students, they are not always top of the lists that use other methods to rank institutions, such as student satisfaction and employability.

Experts say students should consider a range of factors when choosing a university, including graduate employability, a sense of belonging and the location.

Federal government data shows smaller, private and regional universities dominate the most highly ranked institutions when it comes to student satisfaction.

Australian National University is the only Group of Eight institution in the top 10 for this metric.

University of Wollongong graduate Tanara Govender

In contrast, the most prestigious universities in NSW and Victoria – the University of Melbourne, Monash, UNSW and the University of Sydney – are all ranked in the bottom six of the country’s 42 universities.

Private and regional universities also dominate the top ranks when it comes to the proportion of graduates who gain full-time employment.

Tanara Govender, who finished high school in 2021, visited multiple universities, including UNSW and Sydney University, before she settled on the University of Wollongong.

Living in Engadine, the location made perfect sense. When she visited campus, the welcoming atmosphere sealed the deal.

“There’s just a great vibe there and it’s incredibly inclusive,” she said.

“Everyone there wants you to succeed.”

It felt notably different from the Sydney universities she visited, where she felt lost in the crowd and not totally catered for.

The recent bachelor of commerce (Global) graduate now works in a sought-after graduate position at KPMG, which she secured after completing an internship during her studies.

Govender said the idea that people needed to study at what were perceived to be the prestigious Group of Eight universities to land jobs was outdated.

“If you maximise your experience at uni and get lots of work experience, that’s all you need to get a job at a big four [consulting firm],” she said.

“It doesn’t matter what institution you got your degree from.”

She said students deciding on their university should consider it holistically by visiting the campus, talking to current students and getting a feel for the social opportunities “instead of going off the metrics of what you think is the most prestigious”.

UNSW education professor Jae Jung said university choice was becoming an increasingly complicated decision for students.

“I think a lot of decisions are based on perceptions – perhaps rightly or wrongly,” he said.

“If we look at Sydney there are a selection of universities: sandstone unis, Group of Eight, technology focus and smaller unis.”

He said students should balance all considerations – location, sense of community, employability, strength of the university in a chosen field and prestige – to decide based on more than anecdotal information.

“Some unis are considered more prestigious but they may be pretty weak in a particular field that is of interest to you,” he said, “while a younger university might be more established in certain areas”.

Group of Eight universities deputy chief executive Dr Matthew Brown said its institutions were internationally recognised as leaders in education, research and graduate employability, and were consistently ranked in the global top 100.

He said Group of Eight degree completion rates were higher than at other universities.

“Our universities have strong international alliances and research partnerships with top universities around the world, providing opportunities for exchange and research collaboration,” he said.

“Go8 universities have high academic standards and provide a supportive learning environment where students are encouraged to reach their full potential both academically and professionally.”