University rankings and ratings
If you’re thinking about going to university, it’s likely that you’re considering a few different things, such as course availability, the university’s location, degree specialisations or career outcomes. In this process, you may have heard mention of university rankings and ratings — but what’s the difference between the two? You may have been told, for example, that an institution you’re considering has a high ranking among other Australian universities, but that another university that doesn’t rank as highly has received a better rating for its teaching quality or graduate starting salary.
University rankings versus ratings:
- University rankings refer to an institution’s overall place in a global or national scale measured up against its competitors. Its rank may be decided based on points awarded for criteria such as academic reputation, student to teacher ratio and research produced. These rankings are based on statistics and concrete evidence of a university’s performance.
- University ratings, on the other hand, may be more concerned with how well a university performs in a specific area or its student satisfaction rate. This may also take into account ratings criteria such as career outcomes, student experience feedback and graduate starting salaries.
You may well find that a high-ranking Australian university does not rate as well when it comes to specific criteria, such as its delivery of a specific subject area. It is also possible that certain degrees may be better executed by a smaller, more industry focused university.
You may also have requirements that some universities cater to better than others that you will need to keep in mind when choosing a university, such as studying via online or distance education
. Similarly, if you are moving away from home to study, you will need to ensure that the university you choose offers student accommodation
or is able to offer assistance through good student support services
.
So you can see that it’s not as simple as saying that a university that ranks highest is the best choice, as a number of other factors may come into play when you make your final decision. Above all, you will need to choose a university based on what you would like to get from your tertiary experience and decide which university can cater to your needs.
Click here to check out The Good University Guide's university ratings .
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