Need Advice on Uni Preferences (1 Viewer)

[patdaman]

Yeah, everyone's pressuring me to do a law/commerce degree except I hate excessive reading (especially the pretentious language that lawyers use) and I'm kinda not good at writing essays (english was my worst mark at HSC). My best subjects were maths and the sciences (physics, chem, bio).

What I'm wondering is if there is a career that provides a similar income to law with similar or less working hours (they're normally between 50 and 60 hours per week) but which is more based in maths and science instead of english. That said it would be ideal if it had quite a few elements of business and management and stuff rather than pure math/science, and I have a slight adversion to accounting for some reason...

I've looked at actuary studies, however it does seem to be pure mathematics, which may be too much. That said what would be the earning potential of a successful actuary, the institution's website says around $200k, others reckon that its over $500k

I've also considered biomedical engineering, however my physics and chem were better than my bio.

My UAI's well above 99, so I can easily do any course I chose (except medicine, which is annoying). So please, can anyone help me out by giving some ideas of courses and careers which are more maths/science based than law, but which provide comparative returns, any idea is greatly appreciated

 

[ObjectsInSpace]

Choosing a degree based on the job opportunities, hours or the starting salary is quite possibly the stupidest thing you can do.

Why?

Because there are no guarantees. You need to finish you degree - or at least be a significant way through it - before you can start working out your professional career. You should be doing what you love as opposed to what pays well or has job prospects because if you don't love it, you're going to hate your career. And while the average person is expected to go through several career changes in their lifetime, your degree forms the basis of what you can and cannot do, unless you have the time and the money to start studying again.

 

[patdaman]

Perhaps I should clarify, I'm not looking for a degree based solely on salary or working hours, I just don't want to be putting myself at too much of a disadvantage in the long run by chosing a degree which leads primarily to a research role or which would restrict the number of fields I could work in.

Really if I was going for the money I'd stick with the law, but instead I want a degree that is founded more on the subjects that I like doing and that I'm good at (maths and sciences) and which provides the opportunity to earn a competitive salary in the marketplace.

The degree I'm most likely to not finish, and the career I'm most likely to not love are those which are based in english, and at the moment if I do law this is where I'll be heading. What I'm looking for is a degree and career which combines business and maths/science that has the potential to provide comparative returns to a career in law, is that too much to ask?

 

[ObjectsInSpace]

You have absolutely no idea, do you? If so, you've just wasted the past year.

Here's what you should do. Normally you'd have to think long and hard on what you want to do and where you want to go, but time is of the essence and not a luxury you have right now.

Start thinking about where you ultimately want to end up. You clearly have put some thought into this, so this isn't a lost cause. If you know where you want to go and where you want to have a career, it becomes a hell of a lot easier because you can now find degrees that will let you get there.

Asking us where we think you should go is also silly because were don't know you. Chances are we'll never met; to me, you're just a sequence of electronic 0s and 1s on my cmoputer screen. Only you know what subjects you enjoy, so only you can answer the question of where you want to go and what you want to do.

Clock's ticking, so you'd better start thinking.

 

[patdaman]

I spent last year studying, I didn't consider these career paths because I had no idea that I'd have the opportunity to consider them. That said I probably should have started earlier...

I'm not looking for a tailored career plan or anything, just some ideas of courses that I can look at in the small amount of time I have left. Mainly what I'm after is something with a degree of business that is more maths/science based rather than english, and that has the potential to offer similar returns to law (just no investment banking, I don't want to work 100+ hrs per week). I know that I have to finish degree and everything to get there, but I have a much greater chance of finishing if it is based in science and maths rather than english.

 

[ObjectsInSpace]

I spent last year studying, I didn't consider these career paths because I had no idea that I'd have the opportunity to consider them. That said I probably should have started earlier...

I'm not looking for a tailored career plan or anything, just some ideas of courses that I can look at in the small amount of time I have left. Mainly what I'm after is something with a degree of business that is more maths/science based rather than english, and that has the potential to offer similar returns to law (just no investment banking, I don't want to work 100+ hrs per week). I know that I have to finish degree and everything to get there, but I have a much greater chance of finishing if it is based in science and maths rather than english.

The world is your proverbial oyster: you can go anywhere and do anything, with the obvious exception of anything. There isn't much you won't be accepted to. Get yourself a UAC Guide. If your school is half-decent, they should have given you one. If not, you sould be able to get them from your local post office. You should be married to this book because it tells you abslutely everything you need to know. It gives you the details of every single course at every single university in the state and then some: UAI cut-offs from previous years, course pre-requisites, course lengths, mode of study options. Everyting you need is in that book. Go through it and find courses you might be interested in doing, and use this as the basis of your choices. As far as you are concenred, that book is your bible, which is not a bad analogy as it contains all the advice you'll ever need for UAC preferences.

 

[-pari-]

a couple of tips.....
i intially also didn't want a huge workload. i didn't want something that would takeover my life.
but i realised - dont be scared to work hard. if you're above 99 UAI then chances are you worked pretty hard this year, and you probably just dont want to have to push yourself that hard all your life.....
or at least thats what happnd to me

but yeah. dont be scared to work hard - in any profession you choose, to excel you will have to put in the sweat

but apart from that if you're not into law dont do it. but right now, try not to worry so much about the returns/income....choose what you will enjoy. (right now looks like you want a business/science combo...try exploring degrees in those faculties, or perhaps combined degrees). ultimately, any line/field provides the potential to earn big figures. but in any profession - it takes time to establish yourself and get to those big digits.

so for now go with what you'll enjoy.

 

[ari89]

Just note - You'd be surprised how different what you like at school is to what you'd like at uni. Some of my friends who had no zeal for science at school are doing a science course now and love it while others who did the physics/chem/bio combination and loved it have dropped out of their science course or applied to transfer.

So to write off law because you didn't do too well at HSC English seems a bit ignorant. I enjoyed English at school but that doesn't mean I enjoy reading pages and pages of law textbooks (however, I'm odd and do enjoy it out of interest) Also, I thought I'd enjoy finance and accounting subjects more than my economics subjects as I hated economics in year 11 but when I actually got into the real core of the subjects I realised that economics was far more enjoyable

This probably made your decision harder but I think its better than writing off a course you might enjoy because you didn't like a mostly irrelevant HSC subject.

Btw law books these days aren't as pretentious as you may think

 

[live.fast]

LOL dude, you caan do what you want, and a back-up at the same time you know! Do the combined law, and see how it goes - but at the same time, do what you want, elsewhere - at another institute, as a part time diploma/degree - lots of hardwork, but at least this way, you can decide whether you like both, one, the other - or maybe neither!

 

[ObjectsInSpace]

LOL dude, you caan do what you want, and a back-up at the same time you know! Do the combined law, and see how it goes - but at the same time, do what you want, elsewhere - at another institute, as a part time diploma/degree - lots of hardwork, but at least this way, you can decide whether you like both, one, the other - or maybe neither!

He'sprobably not going to see it that way when he has to pay back his HECS fees.

 

[Matt Samson]

Ill give you some advice. Don't listen to anyone else who say they have your "best interests at heart".

Do what you want to do, be happy with life and happy with your decisions. If you don't want to be a lawyer then don't be. People will criticise you for making a decision opposite to what they have told you, but it isn't their life, it is your life (the life you have to live).

Just do what you feel happy with. The criticism will stop after the first six months.

Making your own decisions based on your own tastes shows that you're grown up are able to make lifelong decisions.

 

[pinknails500]

Ill give you some advice. Don't listen to anyone else who say they have your "best interests at heart".

Do what you want to do, be happy with life and happy with your decisions. If you don't want to be a lawyer then don't be. People will criticise you for making a decision opposite to what they have told you, but it isn't their life, it is your life (the life you have to live).

Just do what you feel happy with. The criticism will stop after the first six months.

Making your own decisions based on your own tastes shows that you're grown up are able to make lifelong decisions.

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh he is a fine specimen of a man so logical

 

[haruhi]

B commerce/ science?

 

[RogueAcademic]

Take Matt Samson's advice.

But also keep an open mind and possibly try things like law, it may not be what you think it is if you've never tried it at uni, much less as a lawyer at a law firm.

 

[darkliight]

Other than actuarial (which you already ruled out), have you considered something like combined computer science / business (or comerce etc) or something similar? Little bit of maths, little bit of practical, little bit of business and potential for stacks of money either way you go. No test tubes and beakers though, and if you have no interest in computing it probably won't be much fun.

Edit: Computer science and bioinformatics go hand in hand too, if biology interests you.

 

[Hakz]

Yeah, everyone's pressuring me to do a law/commerce degree except I hate excessive reading (especially the pretentious language that lawyers use) and I'm kinda not good at writing essays (english was my worst mark at HSC). My best subjects were maths and the sciences (physics, chem, bio).

What I'm wondering is if there is a career that provides a similar income to law with similar or less working hours (they're normally between 50 and 60 hours per week) but which is more based in maths and science instead of english. That said it would be ideal if it had quite a few elements of business and management and stuff rather than pure math/science, and I have a slight adversion to accounting for some reason...

I've looked at actuary studies, however it does seem to be pure mathematics, which may be too much. That said what would be the earning potential of a successful actuary, the institution's website says around $200k, others reckon that its over $500k

I've also considered biomedical engineering, however my physics and chem were better than my bio.

My UAI's well above 99, so I can easily do any course I chose (except medicine, which is annoying). So please, can anyone help me out by giving some ideas of courses and careers which are more maths/science based than law, but which provide comparative returns, any idea is greatly appreciated

Very wrong. Dont ask us about your career, you pick it. Grab the course handbook and see what interest you and also read the job opportunities for different courses.

Also the income thing is just silly, as many have said pick something of interest. But also remember you can change courses at uni if you think your current course is disliked.

 

[poppop]

Maybe B Science or B Science in Adv Mathematics?

I find it ludicrous that some parents are still enforcing their choices on their kids.

Simple answer is do what YOUR heart and mind tells you to, not your parents or friends etc. This has even been outlined on the official UAC website I believe, (I remember reading something along these lines on the uac site)
After all, you are the adult and it is your life that you will live and a degree that will take you to that lifestyle which you aspire to. Maybe even a gap year might be beneficial if you are confused about what you want to do with your future.

Also if you don't like it, you can transfer to another degree after a year, so that could be your option.

 

[tensai]

You have absolutely no idea, do you? If so, you've just wasted the past year.

Here's what you should do. Normally you'd have to think long and hard on what you want to do and where you want to go, but time is of the essence and not a luxury you have right now.

Start thinking about where you ultimately want to end up. You clearly have put some thought into this, so this isn't a lost cause. If you know where you want to go and where you want to have a career, it becomes a hell of a lot easier because you can now find degrees that will let you get there.

Asking us where we think you should go is also silly because were don't know you. Chances are we'll never met; to me, you're just a sequence of electronic 0s and 1s on my cmoputer screen. Only you know what subjects you enjoy, so only you can answer the question of where you want to go and what you want to do.

Clock's ticking, so you'd better start thinking.

LOL, I could imagine reading this post was such a waste of valuable time for the poor guy who needs advice.

 

[RabbitRabbit]

If I were you I'd definitely look into Engineering. Very maths and science based and plenty of opportunities into management roles. With the rising demand, graduate career options are incredibly wide. There are also many directions depending on which sciences you like best, so after your first year of doing a general Engineering course, you can choose which branch you are most interested in.

 

[Season]

Engineering is a pretty good field to get into, millions of opportunities and money to be made, as long as you head into the right field.

Also there is a lot of money to be made in nuclear related science, there is a huge shortage of experts in nuclear science, so money would be your new friend.