UNSW UNSW Medicine: Accommodation and Colleges

[Snuffbox]

I've been looking at some of the colleges at UNSW and was wondering if there are particular colleges which containly mostly med students or is it fairly even distributed all round?

Also, I was wondering if anyone could provide a first hand account of what it is like to live on campus and such and which is a good college to live in. Are the Kensington colleges closest to the medicine faculty? New College also sounds pretty good.

I was also wondering if they take a lot of consideration into your application form or if it's mostly to do with the itnerview...and what exactly does the interview entail? Is it very competitive? Should i send my form out as soon as possible?

Thank you heaps!

P.S. Is it easy to ask for a campus tour? Like, could you go after the interview and do it? or would you need to book it in advance?

 

[Season]

Its awesome to live at college, so much fun.

UNSW mandates that at least 25% of people who do the course must be rural and then there are lots of people don't live in Sydney anyway, and people who are in Sydney but live very far out, all in all, there is a large group of med students who live in college.

So really no matter what college you end up in, there will be a decent proportion of medsticks to keep you company.

Techically Creston college is the closest to Med faculty, the all girls family style college, however I'm not sure you'd want to live there.

Kensington colleges are then next, they're about half way down the uni, so thats much closer then New, Shalom or Warrane.

Shalom, nicest biggest rooms, most expensive, quiet, jewish

New- where I'm at, medium rent, Anglican, no drinking on college (though plenty of drinking outside of college), nicely set up so its really easy to make friends, social life is big, sport is big, large college

Kenso- cheaper then New, drinking on college, closest to facilities, large college, big social life

International house... don't actually know too much about..

Creston and Warrane, sex segregated... very different enviroments, curfews (10:30pm at creston!!), Warrane has some very very very weird rules about girls on the premises. I'd advise you to stay away unless you have to.

I'm at New and I absolutely love it, there's a big community and everyone is really friendly and chilled out. I also like how if you want to study then you can without crazy drunks running about, and if you want to go out... then there's plenty of opportunity for that too.

The people who generally have a bit of difficulty at college are those who are more introverted, or are only children and are not used to living on top of other people.

Also if you like your food... then you should start lowering your standards... now.

However apart from that college is absolutely fantastic, I actually believe I have better friends from college then I do in med. New tries to make sure that you have a older 2nd/3rd year medstick nearby so you can ask them your questions. For me its absolutely wonderful, and I believe better because you don't get that outside of uni.

Life can get a bit crazy at times, but you learn to manage. Despite being a social hermit in highschool I now go out on average several times a week and still maintain marks that I want.

 

[Snuffbox]

ooh thank you Season!!! College sounds like heaps fun lol! Yeah, i could be one of those people not quite used to living with others but i think i'll get used to it. My friend who lives at one of the Kenso colleges says it's quite heavy on the social side of things and also agrees with your assessment of the food haha

I did visit New College briefly when i was there for my interview, is it still getting constructed? Any idea how competitive the places are for a room there and in the kenso colleges? I still haven't sent my form out (i have no idea about which school reports they want to send out if they dont' want "individual subject" ones) and still need a reference

Despite being a social hermit in highschool I now go out on average several times a week and still maintain marks that I want.

that's good to hear! sort of in the same boat here... moving out is going to be tough for me but i think being at campus is the next best thing!

 

[Season]

I'm not really sure what you mean by "being constructed"... They put on a 4th floor... but they finished it in 2004...

I don't really know how the selection criteria works at New, I think a lot of it is whether the Dean thinks you'll be a good addition to the community. For instance they try to keep a balance of people studying different things so the college isn't run over by people doing one degree. They also like voluntary work quite a lot and I don't know anybody who lives here who hasn't done some sort of volunteer work. They don't select many people who come from Sydney, and they want to see that you're willing to become a part of the community.

I suggest you apply to all the colleges just in case.

 

[Snuffbox]

Ah...dont' worry about the "being constructed" comment... my dad was talking to some parents who were from Sydney and they were saying that and when we went to visit, they looked like they were renovating or something...anyways, probably something else.

Yeah, i'm definitely going to try to apply to most of them... do they require interviews as well?

 

[Season]

You're probably referring to "New Village", New College is building a post graduate village of sorts, its across the road. Expected to be finished by end of this year... we'll see...

Yes, with the dean, its quite relaxed. Most people come in and have a tour at the same time.

 

[tjchung]

im applying for baxter. anythoughts anyone?

 

[Ninjaforever]

I applied for baxter too. Heard that its a great place with a great mix of people from all walks of life. Plus its near the medical faculty.

 

[tjchung]

yeah and it was the newest and had the biggest rooms out of all of the kensington colleges. hopefully see u there ninjaman! hope they have $1 pot thursdays

 

[Snuffbox]

i heard goldstein was good :S

oh well, i think i'd be grateful if i got any room in unsw... of course, if i get in at all there *nice reminder to self to STOP procrastinating*

 

[Jeesan]

Hello everyone, I just got an offer to study at UNSW and hopefully will be going there soon . I'm an overseas student and this is gonna be my first ever travel outside my country without my parents/gaurdians. Add that to the tension of moving out (and not be able to see my family for days) and you have me highly baffled, confused and scared wherease I should be very happy on receiving the offer and be excited for my upcoming uni experience!

I would appreciate any kind of assistance I could get in finding a suitable accomodation near UNSW. The way to high IFEE is already bothering me a lot so I'm looking for a moderately cheap option. Thats why I'm not sure whether staying at one of the residential colleges would be the best choice for me in terms of costs. I was considering Unilodge but then found out it's for Foudation Years' students. Now what? Maybe Mulwaree or Barker apartments? Pleeeeeeease HELP ME!!! I'm totally oblivious on this matter!

 

[Snuffbox]

Hey Jeesan, i'm pretty sure UNSW offers a resident college for International students... if you go to their website, they might have a few spots available although it's all very competitive.

Edit: OOoh, i just realised this was a sticky! I feel kinda proud

 

[Jeesan]

Yes Lula, I did check and found there's a college named "International House" but it's only for second year international students .

 

[Snuffbox]

really? i thought it said that non-international students could go to international house in 2nd year but if you're an international student, you can go there whenevver (including 1st year)...hmmm...

 

[Jeesan]

umm...I don't know, maybe you're right, but at the "Admissions" page one of the prerequisities was that you should not be a first year. And I found only one "Admissions" page so I'm assuming it's the same for both local and international applicants...I'm so confused...:S...I was also thinking of Shalom, any feedbacks on Shalom College? And what'd you prefer to a student who's very excited to have a greeeeat uni experience and wants to live very close to the uni BUT is on a very tight budget and wants to save as much as possible; staying at a residential college or sharing a rented house or something else?...I know I've compromise one side but, geez, I'm verrrrrry confused

 

[btl]

If you have a look at an earlier post in this thread (on the 1st page) by Season, she's included a nice summary of most of the UNSW colleges which, based on my very limited knowledge of college (seeing as I'm living at home and all), is pretty spot on. Shalom is a nice college but one of the more expensive ones so if you're on a tight budget, perhaps not the place you should be looking at.

From my knowledge of the international students in my year (which is admittedly quite limited, and I'm sure someone is more qualified to answer this question than me), there are quite a few in residential colleges, some renting houses and I know a few in places like Mulwaree apartments (and they seem relatively happy with it).

Anyway, hopefully someone who is in a better position to answer this question comes along sometime soon (sorry I couldn't be of more help).

 

[Jeesan]

Thank you btl! I appreciate all your help. Hey maybe you could ask one of your international batchmates to join! It's relieving to know that some of them are happy at the Mulwaree apartments as its one of my choices. I guess I'll mail the Housing team at UNSW for more information, but you know, I can't talk to them this informally and express my preferences as I can here...lol

 

[Ninjaforever]

Hey everyone,

It's been while since I last came here.

Jeesan- For your info, International House does accept first year international students. I know a couple of international students doing year 1 med next year who received an offer from IH. Not that sure about local students though.

 

[Snuffbox]

lol that's what i thought ninjaforever, it wuoldn't really make sense to name a residential building 'International House' and not accept international students. Local students can apply there for 2nd year onwards but international students are always welcome

 

[Jeesan]

THANK YOU ninjaforever and Lula! Oh well, dumb me! The costs at IH are quite low compared to the other colleges, as on the housing website, I think I'll apply there, but I'm presuming my chances are slim...

Thanks once again