Universities used to promote their undergrad applications hard, spinning the stats to show that each was more popular with the sorts of students it wanted to enrol. Not so much now that direct entry schemes have reduced the role of admissions centres but there will be marketing directors in Sydney this morning looking for the best angle on new first preference figures.

The Universities Admission Centre reports there is nothing between the big three on first preferences, with the University of Sydney having 16.29 per cent (up from 15.54 per cent last year), UNSW 16.23 per cent (up from 15.71 per cent this time in 2017) and UTS at 14.73 per cent compared to 14.71 per cent.

Of course, things might change when ATARs are out – there’s always space for spin.