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March 29, 2024, 12:17:53 pm

Author Topic: I don't know what to study at uni - help!  (Read 17418 times)  Share 

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Sine

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Re: I don't know what to study at uni - help!
« Reply #15 on: May 25, 2017, 09:43:13 pm »
+2
Right now I honestly don't know what I want to do when I finish year 12, but my parents are pushing me to do medicine (like most asian parents). So, I'm wondering what studying medicine is like in university. Is it interesting and is there a lot of math and chemistry involved (these are my favourite subjects at the moment)? I don't think that my grades are good enough to get into medicine and I'm not good at umat and interviews, but I just want to see what the hype is about and whether or not I should consider doing it if I magically get a high enough umat and atar.
there isn't much math - if any (i'm not doing med but know a few people who have)
If you are considering it I'd say to just do it and drop after a year if you aren't happy with it.

zhen

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Re: I don't know what to study at uni - help!
« Reply #16 on: May 25, 2017, 09:49:55 pm »
+3
there isn't much math - if any (i'm not doing med but know a few people who have)
If you are considering it I'd say to just do it and drop after a year if you aren't happy with it.
Yea that's what my parents are telling me. Since it's really hard to get into medicine and on the tiny chance that I do get in, it should be really easy to transfer to other courses if I don't like it after one year. On the other hand if a miracle happens and I get in but decline, it's a lot harder to get back in again if I regret declining it. I'm planning to try my hardest to get in and if I don't get in I'll pick another career path and move on. But if I do get in, I'll try it for a year and see what happens.

Joseph41

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Re: I don't know what to study at uni - help!
« Reply #17 on: May 30, 2017, 09:08:31 am »
+1
Yea that's what my parents are telling me. Since it's really hard to get into medicine and on the tiny chance that I do get in, it should be really easy to transfer to other courses if I don't like it after one year. On the other hand if a miracle happens and I get in but decline, it's a lot harder to get back in again if I regret declining it. I'm planning to try my hardest to get in and if I don't get in I'll pick another career path and move on. But if I do get in, I'll try it for a year and see what happens.

Sounds a good plan to me. It's always so hard to know until you actually try it lol - it sucks.

If I were to ask you right now what potential career you're most passionate about, what would you say?

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zhen

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Re: I don't know what to study at uni - help!
« Reply #18 on: May 30, 2017, 05:19:08 pm »
+1
Sounds a good plan to me. It's always so hard to know until you actually try it lol - it sucks.

If I were to ask you right now what potential career you're most passionate about, what would you say?
Being a teacher or a scientist were the things I was passionate about over the last couple of years. But that passion kind of died as soon as I found out about the awful conditions scientists have to face and the lack of jobs and financial security. Teaching also has a lack of jobs and financial security too. Well, I've had a bit of experience teaching, since for community service I ended up teaching prep and grade one students from disadvantaged families English and maths. That was pretty fun, but only because I only had to deal with small groups of 2 to 4 and also because they were all really good kids. But, I don't think that it would be as enjoyable if I had to deal with a larger class of rowdy high school students. So, teaching doesn't look as appealing anymore. I also wanted to be medical doctor throughout my childhood, which may have been because of parental influence, but I'm not so sure anymore because I didn't want to do biology, which is probably going to be the main focus of medicine, since in VCE I heard it's a lot of memory work. So, my plan is to try my hardest and if I get into medicine, I'll try it out for reasons mentioned in my previous post. But if I don't get in, I'll probably do something science/teaching/ commerce (maybe commerce, since I enjoy maths to an extent) related.

zhen

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Re: I don't know what to study at uni - help!
« Reply #19 on: August 16, 2017, 06:15:31 pm »
+2
Sorry I'm bumping this thread. It's been months after I initially posted in this thread and I still don't know what I want to do in university. Right now I'm even more unsure of what I want to do than I was before. I feel like I just want a meaningful career where I can actually help other people out. This year so far I've felt like I've grown in so many ways. I've had many hardships throughout the year. But, my friends and atarnotes have always been there for me when I was depressed and ranting on about my unfair circumstances. I know it's a bit cliche, but I feel like I really want a career that I can look back on and say that I truly made a difference. So, what advice do you all have on this? There's medicine, which is probably the most obvious career choice for helping people, but what other careers do you all think I should consider? I just don't know what to do and VTAC applications have opened, so I'm just asking for some advice.   
« Last Edit: August 16, 2017, 06:22:51 pm by zhen »

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Re: I don't know what to study at uni - help!
« Reply #20 on: August 16, 2017, 06:23:11 pm »
+5
Sorry, I'm bumping this thread. It's been months after I initially posted in this thread and I still don't know what I want to do in university. Right now I'm even more unsure of what I want to do than I was before. I feel like I just want a meaningful career where I can actually help other people out. This year so far I've felt like I've grown in so many ways. I've had many hardships throughout the year. But, my friends and atarnotes have always been there for me when I was depressed and ranting on about my unfair circumstances. I know it's a bit cliche, but I feel like I really want a career that I can look back on and say that I truly made a difference. So, what advice do you all have on this? There's medicine, which is probably the most obvious career choice for helping people, but what other careers do you all think I should consider? I just don't know what to do and VTAC applications have opened, so I'm just asking for some advice.   

If you don't know, choose something broad and includes all the stuff you're good at. Seeing as you've done a lot of the maths-y subjects, maybe try science and you can transfer if you want to. I think once you get in and keep soul searching, you'll figure out a career that suits you. 
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Uni: Bachelor of Science (Hons) - genetics
Current: working (sporadically on AN)
VTAC Info Thread

Mr West

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Re: I don't know what to study at uni - help!
« Reply #21 on: August 16, 2017, 06:30:28 pm »
0
if i was aiming for post grad med, and say i got under 90 or didnt get into biomed at melb or monash, which of the following would be the best to do?

Bachelor of Science at melb (85)
Bachelor of Science at monash (85)
Bachelor of biomed at deakin (80)

Cheers  :) :)

AngelWings

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Re: I don't know what to study at uni - help!
« Reply #22 on: August 16, 2017, 06:36:17 pm »
+4
if i was aiming for post grad med, and say i got under 90 or didnt get into biomed at melb or monash, which of the following would be the best to do?

Bachelor of Science at melb (85)
Bachelor of Science at monash (85)
Bachelor of biomed at deakin (80)

Cheers  :) :)

Depends on the location of where you want to do post grad med. Try to do the undergrad where you want to do the post grad degree, because IIRC, Monash takes mostly Monash undergrads and so forth.
VCE: Psych | Eng Lang | LOTE | Methods | Further | Chem                 
Uni: Bachelor of Science (Hons) - genetics
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VTAC Info Thread

Sine

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Re: I don't know what to study at uni - help!
« Reply #23 on: August 16, 2017, 06:53:23 pm »
0
if i was aiming for post grad med, and say i got under 90 or didnt get into biomed at melb or monash, which of the following would be the best to do?

Bachelor of Science at melb (85)
Bachelor of Science at monash (85)
Bachelor of biomed at deakin (80)

Cheers  :) :)

are you close to monash or Melbourne?

Just curious which uni's biomed are you heading towards?

VanillaRice

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Re: I don't know what to study at uni - help!
« Reply #24 on: August 16, 2017, 07:58:23 pm »
+6
I know it's a bit cliche, but I feel like I really want a career that I can look back on and say that I truly made a difference. So, what advice do you all have on this?
I'd like to share something interesting and relevant(?) about careers which 'help people'. What exactly do you mean by 'helping people' or 'making a difference'? Have you considered careers which might not involve actual 'patient care', and rather than focusing on helping individuals, involve having an impact on entire populations? Think along the lines of potentially designing the newest treatment for those with some form of chronic disease, or developing a public health strategy to reduce road death tolls in youths (these are only examples, but I hope you get the idea  :P).

Hey guys :D
I need advice on uni preferences.
I was thinking of doubling B.Com with something else at UNSW.
I'm looking towards B.Arts, B.Sci or B.Eco with maths major.

Which degrees are most essay-intensive, or are they all similar?
I hate essays.  :P
Arts sounds very essay-ish.
From my personal experience (and of course considering difference between universities)
BA > BEco = BSc in terms of essays and the like, although this of course will depend on the types of units you choose.

I was also seeking a maths-related major in a Commerce degree, but realised the subject matter of commerce units weren't exactly what I was looking for, and transferred to Science this semester. So I guess it really depends on what your other (non-maths) interests are.
VCE 2015-16
2017-20: BSc (Stats)/BBiomedSc [Monash]

zhen

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Re: I don't know what to study at uni - help!
« Reply #25 on: August 16, 2017, 08:22:52 pm »
0
I'd like to share something interesting and relevant(?) about careers which 'help people'. What exactly do you mean by 'helping people' or 'making a difference'? Have you considered careers which might not involve actual 'patient care', and rather than focusing on helping individuals, involve having an impact on entire populations? Think along the lines of potentially designing the newest treatment for those with some form of chronic disease, or developing a public health strategy to reduce road death tolls in youths (these are only examples, but I hope you get the idea  :P).
I feel like it'd be awesome if I could save lives by finding a treatment for a disease or if I could somehow end up having an impact on entire populations. But, I feel like realistically I'm not capable of doing such things and the people who do make these large scale differences are those one in a thousand people, which I don't really see myself being and don't think I'm capable of being. So, I see myself really helping individuals rather than helping populations.

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Re: I don't know what to study at uni - help!
« Reply #26 on: August 16, 2017, 08:23:24 pm »
0
are you close to monash or Melbourne?

Just curious which uni's biomed are you heading towards?

Im pretty much dead middle haha,  possibly a bit closer to monash...

my first preference will be biomed at monash but im just wondering what to do if i cant get low to mid 90 atar.

Should i just do bachelor of science at monash and keep my options for medicine open to deakin, monash and melb?

Cheers

Bri MT

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Re: I don't know what to study at uni - help!
« Reply #27 on: August 16, 2017, 08:40:39 pm »
+8
Sorry I'm bumping this thread. It's been months after I initially posted in this thread and I still don't know what I want to do in university. Right now I'm even more unsure of what I want to do than I was before. I feel like I just want a meaningful career where I can actually help other people out. This year so far I've felt like I've grown in so many ways. I've had many hardships throughout the year. But, my friends and atarnotes have always been there for me when I was depressed and ranting on about my unfair circumstances. I know it's a bit cliche, but I feel like I really want a career that I can look back on and say that I truly made a difference. So, what advice do you all have on this? There's medicine, which is probably the most obvious career choice for helping people, but what other careers do you all think I should consider? I just don't know what to do and VTAC applications have opened, so I'm just asking for some advice.   
Warning: I'm going to (briefly) be arrogant. I use TabForACause and Ecosia to make my browsing count for something, I changed my diet to help the environment, I first started volunteering on a regular basis in grade 5 (tree planting every week), I have done (and organised) fundraising, donated hair, and I entered this year as the equivalent of chairman for two different community groups. It sounds good when I list it like that, but I would struggle to say that I have truly made a difference to the world. I'm not sure if I ever will feel that I have done enough. It's a great goal to aspire to, but don't let it become suffocating. Sometimes helping the community is making someone laugh, being the nice customer, or letting someone know that you care. A relatively small action such as donating blood makes a big difference to the person who receives it.

Uni can equip with a diverse range of skill sets, and every. single. one. could be used to help people/the community.
If there is anything my experience has taught me it is that out of every factor, it is the determined individuals that achieve the most change. If you want to contribute, you will find a way, regardless of what course you choose. From my experiences trying to juggle/balance everything this year, you are best of going for a skill set you have genuine interest in,otherwise it make things much harder for yourself, and when you can't function well you can't help as much. If medicine is something you are only considering because it is "the known way" to help people I would recommend you to not do it. You seem to have an interest in science, and there is so much you can do with science to help people and the community. (I'm actually planning to do a science course, and use it to help others.)

You also don't need to know the path you will take yet, there is so much information that you haven't been exposed to yet, and as you progress through your studies and life you will learn about opportunities and vocations you don't even know exist yet. Maybe your designs will help us move to a more sustainable future, maybe you'll find a find to make vaccines more accessible to impoverished communities,  maybe you'll create a prosthetic which allows someone greater quality of life, maybe you'll use computing to see the links which contribute to disease, maybe you'll find new water purification methods, maybe you'll help us all think big and understand a little bit more how the universe works. Please don't start placing restrictions on your future just because preferences have opened. Maybe it's better for you to not be sure yet, and to remain open to new opportunities.

That all being said, if you realllly want a guide: https://80000hours.org/

Best of luck, it's great that you want to give back -that alone tells me that you will, if you haven't already

zhen

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Re: I don't know what to study at uni - help!
« Reply #28 on: August 16, 2017, 09:11:50 pm »
+1
Warning: I'm going to (briefly) be arrogant. I use TabForACause and Ecosia to make my browsing count for something, I changed my diet to help the environment, I first started volunteering on a regular basis in grade 5 (tree planting every week), I have done (and organised) fundraising, donated hair, and I entered this year as the equivalent of chairman for two different community groups. It sounds good when I list it like that, but I would struggle to say that I have truly made a difference to the world. I'm not sure if I ever will feel that I have done enough. It's a great goal to aspire to, but don't let it become suffocating. Sometimes helping the community is making someone laugh, being the nice customer, or letting someone know that you care. A relatively small action such as donating blood makes a big difference to the person who receives it.

Uni can equip with a diverse range of skill sets, and every. single. one. could be used to help people/the community.
If there is anything my experience has taught me it is that out of every factor, it is the determined individuals that achieve the most change. If you want to contribute, you will find a way, regardless of what course you choose. From my experiences trying to juggle/balance everything this year, you are best of going for a skill set you have genuine interest in,otherwise it make things much harder for yourself, and when you can't function well you can't help as much. If medicine is something you are only considering because it is "the known way" to help people I would recommend you to not do it. You seem to have an interest in science, and there is so much you can do with science to help people and the community. (I'm actually planning to do a science course, and use it to help others.)

You also don't need to know the path you will take yet, there is so much information that you haven't been exposed to yet, and as you progress through your studies and life you will learn about opportunities and vocations you don't even know exist yet. Maybe your designs will help us move to a more sustainable future, maybe you'll find a find to make vaccines more accessible to impoverished communities,  maybe you'll create a prosthetic which allows someone greater quality of life, maybe you'll use computing to see the links which contribute to disease, maybe you'll find new water purification methods, maybe you'll help us all think big and understand a little bit more how the universe works. Please don't start placing restrictions on your future just because preferences have opened. Maybe it's better for you to not be sure yet, and to remain open to new opportunities.

That all being said, if you realllly want a guide: https://80000hours.org/

Best of luck, it's great that you want to give back -that alone tells me that you will, if you haven't already
What I'm about to say might be a bit controversial, so just a warning before reading this. Right now, I feel like if I can support myself financially and feel like I'm making a difference, then I'll live a happy life. In a way, it might even be a bit selfish, since I help others to make myself feel better. I'm not a noble person. Unlike you, I've haven't done much to help people other than pretty basic things. But, I just feel like if I end up in a job that does not feel like it's contributing to anything other than my boss' wallet, then I probably will not be satisfied with that type of life. I want to live my life without regrets.
« Last Edit: August 16, 2017, 10:04:27 pm by zhen »

Bri MT

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Re: I don't know what to study at uni - help!
« Reply #29 on: August 16, 2017, 10:17:12 pm »
0
What I'm about to say might be a bit controversial, so just a warning before reading this. Right now, I feel like if I can support myself financially and feel like I'm making a difference, then I'll live a happy life. In a way, it might even be a bit selfish, since I help others to make myself feel better. I'm not a noble person. Unlike you, I've haven't done much to help people other than pretty basic things. But, I just feel like if I end up in a job that does not feel like it's contributing to anything other than my boss' wallet, then I probably will not be satisfied with that type of life. I want to live my life without regrets.

What I'm trying to get at (even if communicating this poorly) is that there are so many different ways to make a difference, the scope is so huge that it's hard to use it as any sort of filter for figuring out university courses. I'm also trying to say that if you want to make a difference you will, regardless of what course you choose.