Is Law/Actuary Studies degree really hard? (1 Viewer)

[moodchanger08]

I was wondering how hard it would be to be doing a combined Law/Actuary degree, which I hear is super hard, and be working part time. I'm asking because I can't decide if I should stay in Sydney and go the easy route by going to UNSW and doing their Commerce (Actuarial Studies)/Law degree or doing what I actually want to do, which is go to ANU, but would be much harder, and I won't be able to sponge off my parents.

 

[Epic_Postings]

well to answer your main question, it really varies between person to person, but unless you are an absolute genius with both the english language and mathematics, as well as blessed with elephant-like memory, you will find that degree hard at times.

 

[kretzy]

I think it's doable, but there would be a lot of work involved. I do commerce/law and find the commerce part fairly easy (though I'm doing an easy major - international business) but law involves a lot more work, especially reading.

Like Epic_postings said, if you're a whiz at both maths and english there's really nothing stopping you from doing it (though I think you're mad, but only because I hate maths! )

 

[Trajan]

Well moodcharger....it all depends on your background.

Do you consider yourself to be an elite student?

If you're expecting to just get by....forget it. You have to be a top student to pull this kind of progam off.

 

[moodchanger08]

I go to a really good school and my grades are still pretty good so I guess I do consider myself an elite student. I just can't decide if going to the university of my choice is worth the extra hard work, compared to if I stay in sydney and basically just live off my parents.

Is anyone, or does anyone here know anyone who is doing that course at ANU, maybe they could provide some comments on the workload.

Thanks guys for replying.

 

[Trajan]

If you can't live off your parents in Canberra...how will you support yourself?

Work part- time?...like 15-20 hours a week and study law/ commerce full-time?

You'll also being doing everything else for yourself......plus trying to fit in all that law and actuarial coursework.

Why can't you still sponge off your parents in Canberra? One of my mates gets sent like $1000+ each week from his parents in Honk Kong so he can live in Coogee and spend all his precious time studying and not worrying about working.

 

[RogueAcademic]

I just can't decide if going to the university of my choice is worth the extra hard work, compared to if I stay in sydney and basically just live off my parents.

Why is it the uni of your choice?

 

[Evilo]

if I should stay in Sydney and go the easy route by going to UNSW and doing their Commerce (Actuarial Studies)/Law degree or doing what I actually want to do, which is go to ANU, but would be much harder, and I won't be able to sponge off my parents.

If you live on campus at a catered college then you won't pay any transport fees etc. You may also be able to get your olds to pay for the college fees* (and maybe even tetbooks), all you will need to pay for is drinking money. I still have to pay for textbooks, but i still think its a pretty good deal.

*if they pay for rent/food then it's pretty much the same as if you were living at home? just dont show them a glossy UL catalog when showing them anu halls/colleges. (plus UL is well overpriced anyway - but thats another story).

 

[blacksunset]

If you can't live off your parents in Canberra...how will you support yourself?

Work part- time?...like 15-20 hours a week and study law/ commerce full-time?

You'll also being doing everything else for yourself......plus trying to fit in all that law and actuarial coursework.

Why can't you still sponge off your parents in Canberra? One of my mates gets sent like $1000+ each week from his parents in Honk Kong so he can live in Coogee and spend all his precious time studying and not worrying about working.

some of us figure that leaving home is a good idea NOT to sponge off our parents... as part of actually growing up and having ur own life is not doing that....
plus it sounds pretty shit when u meetsomeone cute at a bar and theyre like what do u do? and u go "i sponge off my parents.."
really impressive..

 

[Evilo]

true, but depends what your definition of "sponging" is.

I know a bloke who gets everything payed for (textbooks, car, accom, food etc) - plus he gets $400 a month speding money. Now thats sponging lol

plus it sounds pretty shit when u meetsomeone cute at a bar and theyre like what do u do? and u go ......"

I study law/ commerce full-time?

 

[moodchanger08]

Why is it the uni of your choice?

I want to do an Actuary/Law degree and I really like the ANU law course - I was reading a brochure on it and I really like their electives.

If I stay in Sydney for uni then I can live with my parents but if I move out, then they are most probably going to move overseas, which is what they want to do anyway. They're not really going to help out with uni fees because they want to open a business etc etc, so only by living at home could I possibly get them to pay for things and I would feel bad taking money off them to live in Canberra when I could save a lot of money by staying in Sydney.

I gather from what people are saying that it is quite difficult, if not impossible to be working 15 - 20 hours part time and be doing the course I want to do.

 

[Trajan]

some of us figure that leaving home is a good idea NOT to sponge off our parents... as part of actually growing up and having ur own life is not doing that....
plus it sounds pretty shit when u meetsomeone cute at a bar and theyre like what do u do? and u go "i sponge off my parents.."
really impressive..

Well....how do you expect her to support herself if she is doing full-time law and actuarial studies?

It's not going to be easy to work and attend class......and fit in all the coursework.

Especially if she is going to a new city.....it won't be easy without financial support from your parents. Also she's only like going to be 16-18, so a part- time job will pay peanuts.

 

[Epic_Postings]

plus it sounds pretty shit when u meetsomeone cute at a bar and theyre like what do u do? and u go "i sponge off my parents.."
really impressive..

I think she is more likely to say something like "I'm currently completing my Actuarial Law degree at the ANU", rather than something like

"I sponge off my parents"

or

"I work at woolies"

 

[paper cup]

What do you find appealing about ANU law in particular - is it the public law emphasis?
Which electives are you referring to? (not a judgment, just curious...)
I find it difficult, but my math background isn't as good as a lot of people's and there were some other things in my way as well. In first and second year I worked a few crap jobs and it was difficult trying to reconcile the "hi how are you fifteen dollars please" with the challenging coursework.
It depends - some people do well. I know a girl who works 20 + hr a week, another that overloads. Don't know them that well but they're still in the course!
However a lot of people do drop to a single degree or law/comm, act/finance, act/comm etc.
The covenor for AS thinks that the double degree is pointless because you cannot utilise both at the same time. Commerce and law, or finance and law, or finance and act complement each other much better.

 

[khing]

What do you find appealing about ANU law in particular - is it the public law emphasis?
Which electives are you referring to? (not a judgment, just curious...)
I find it difficult, but my math background isn't as good as a lot of people's and there were some other things in my way as well. In first and second year I worked a few crap jobs and it was difficult trying to reconcile the "hi how are you fifteen dollars please" with the challenging coursework.
It depends - some people do well. I know a girl who works 20 + hr a week, another that overloads. Don't know them that well but they're still in the course!
However a lot of people do drop to a single degree or law/comm, act/finance, act/comm etc.
The covenor for AS thinks that the double degree is pointless because you cannot utilise both at the same time. Commerce and law, or finance and law, or finance and act complement each other much better.

would have to acree re combined degree where you are looking at 2 professional degrees. imho the only 2 professional degrees where combining is somewhat encouraged/makes some sense is accounting/law.

 

[jas0nt]

it's not really that much harder considering you still do 4 units. the subjects you do will be a little more demanding but it's doable.

why would you want to specialise in two areas like that though? are you going to become an actuary during the day, and lawyer at night?

 

[Evilo]

tbh i cant see many cases where both would be needed.

The closest job i could think of: people who calculate risks for insurance companies etc - but they only have the actuarial degree.

 

[humphdogg]

also bear in mind that if you get 99.60+ then you have a pretty good chance of getting a National Undergraduate Scholarship from ANU ($10,000 a year). even if you get lower there are other scholarships you can apply for too.

 

[Krieg]

Everyone I know who enrolled in actuarial/law transferred out of it after a semester. They got through it but found they would rather just prefer one or the other, and transferred into combine programs were the degrees actually complimented each other. So if you do come to Canberra, keep in mind whilst you might come for Actuarial/Law, there's no guarentee you'll like it and still be doing it a few weeks or a semester later.

From my experience working 20-30 hours a week makes uni very challenging for most degrees. Actuarial requires a lot of practice from what I've been told so yeah your current plan would definitely be tough to pull of, especially if you consistently want to do well over the 4-5 years it will take you to complete Actuarial/Law.

I'd say if you can live with your parents it would be the best option, but otherwise you may as well come to ANU and do Actuarial/Law and just transfer if you don't like or can't handle it.

 

[blacksunset]

i havent found one person who is doing actuary and LIKES it...