University of Sydney leads preferences for high achievers

Data released this morning through the Universities Admission Centre (UAC) has revealed the University of Sydney is once again the top preference for high achieving students applying for an undergraduate degree in 2020.

The data on student applications shows the University of Sydney is the first choice for the top 500 ATAR students and for students in most ATAR bands above 85. It also shows that the University is again the first choice for students in the top 99.9 band of ATARs.

The increased demand has led to the University increasing the number of main round offers it has made to students this morning. 6,156 students will receive an offer from the University today, an increase of 740 compared to last year and more than any other institution.

“In the last few years we’ve undertaken an ambitious reform program to transform our undergraduate offering and create closer ties with industry which has helped cement our position as Australia’s leading university for graduate employability and placed us among the top four institutions in the world for graduate employability,” said Vice-Chancellor and Principal Dr Michael Spence.

“It’s pleasing that our continued focus on improvement has also led to this increased demand from the highest achieving students in the country.”

The data revealed that:

• First preferences for the University of Sydney increased by more than six per cent this year;
• The University of Sydney had the largest market share of first preferences; and
• The University had more first preferences from top 500 ATAR students than any other university in the country.
  
  

The changes to the curriculum included the introduction last year of a mathematics prerequisite for 62 of the University’s courses.

“We know from our own data that students perform better at a University level for science and maths degrees when they have two units of high school maths or above,” said Dr Spence.

“Our transformed undergraduate curriculum means that our students graduate fully equipped to enter the current workforce and pursue career paths that are yet to be imagined.”