Commerce/Law

[paulsterio]

I do want to do med but I really doubt I will be able to get in (I realise I suck at UMAT and I probably am not smart enough (or hardworking enough) to be a med student. This was just an option I was exploring in the scenario that I DONT get into med.

Why law, if you don't get into med? Just curious.

I'm not too sure whether I want to be a lawyer or not, but I believe that the skills I would obtain from doing a law degree, alongside a commerce degree would help me a lot no matter what career path I end up choosing. (I still havn't made up my mind on what I want to be)

Why would you do a Law degree if you don't want to become a lawyer? If you haven't made up your mind on what you want to be - you should do it now. I understand that many people wish to go into a degree such as Commerce/Law because it seems prestigious, but if you realise a year into your course that you wanted to do Engineering (for example) instead then you've wasted a lot of your time, not to mention money (HECS) as well as potentially denying someone who wanted to do law of a place there.

[Liuy]

I do want to do med but I really doubt I will be able to get in (I realise I suck at UMAT and I probably am not smart enough (or hardworking enough) to be a med student. This was just an option I was exploring in the scenario that I DONT get into med.

And I've always wanted to go to America and study there (post grad) but obviously I have to do my undergrad here and was just wondering if the Uni I go to here matters when I apply overseas

Pretty sure it doesn't matter too much.

I'm planning on going to the US after I finish up my degree at Monash (may have an internship lined up there ).

And you're only a second year law student..... wow.

[charmanderp]

If you haven't made up your mind on what you want to be - you should do it now.

Wooooo Arts!

[AllAboutTheLGs]

I do want to do med but I really doubt I will be able to get in (I realise I suck at UMAT and I probably am not smart enough (or hardworking enough) to be a med student. This was just an option I was exploring in the scenario that I DONT get into med.

Why law, if you don't get into med? Just curious.

I'm not too sure whether I want to be a lawyer or not, but I believe that the skills I would obtain from doing a law degree, alongside a commerce degree would help me a lot no matter what career path I end up choosing. (I still havn't made up my mind on what I want to be)

Why would you do a Law degree if you don't want to become a lawyer? If you haven't made up your mind on what you want to be - you should do it now. I understand that many people wish to go into a degree such as Commerce/Law because it seems prestigious, but if you realise a year into your course that you wanted to do Engineering (for example) instead then you've wasted a lot of your time, not to mention money (HECS) as well as potentially denying someone who wanted to do law of a place there.

Because I've pretty much eliminated what I don't want to do (which is a big step from where I was a year before) and I'm left with either Med, BioMed/Law or Commerce/Law
Definitely don't want to do Arts (not interested in politics, theatre, international studies and all that), not too keen on Engineering (not a fan of physics).
I like the idea of Med/BioMed/Science atm because I'm really enjoying Chemistry, and the sciency part of things like biomolecules, organic chemistry and stuff. But then again just in case I do want to venture into the banking/business side of things, Commerce would come in handy.
And Law is just an all round good degree to have, and my Dad has connections with a lot of law firms so it would be easier for me to start off in that world, (just don't want to get into something like Criminal Law, but the other types seem interesting).

And wow Sam that is amazing!

[sam.utute]

Thanks guys. Nothing confirmed as of yet, but looking good!

Having connections when doing a law degree is invaluable. Pretty much all of my friends have got a clerkship or a paralegal role at firms through their contacts (especially important in first/second year).
I wouldn't say a Commerce degree is necessary to get into banking/business. I know someone who is working at an IB but did Eng/Law.

[tram]

Thanks guys. Nothing confirmed as of yet, but looking good!

Having connections when doing a law degree is invaluable. Pretty much all of my friends have got a clerkship or a paralegal role at firms through their contacts (especially important in first/second year).
I wouldn't say a Commerce degree is necessary to get into banking/business. I know someone who is working at an IB but did Eng/Law.

ahhhh the need to have good contacts is insane... i reackon it's significantly more important in you want to go into a 'traditional' law role, i.e. into the big six, as the degree by which demand outstrips supply of job is far greater for law roles as opposed to for commercial jobs in like the big 4.

Also just wanted to echo the lack of need for a commerce degree if you want to go into a role in a commercial context. What commercial firms look for generally are excellent analytical skills and a head for numbers, commerce knowledge is teachable, analytical skills, much less so. I know people getting into investment banks with law/arts (we're talking goldman sachs, not just small scale firms) and people with MBBS degrees getting into roles in top management consulting firms like Bain.

Some roles e.g. accountant do require a certain degree of technical skills, but if you're looking for a more broad (and let's face it, interesting) job, then it's wholly possible to go into a commercial degree without strictly having a commerce degree (you would probably have to have a basic grasp of the commercial world though e.g. read the financial review on a daily basis). TT would be able to give a spiel about how you can go into commercial roles with a sole maths background if he sees this.

[paulsterio]

If you're interested in Chemistry, I suggest you drop Thushan a PM, or just PM me and I'll give you his email, he's quite into chemistry as well, and there's quite a large field out there that involves chemistry, including chemical engineering, organic chemistry, biochemistry, lab-work, research, academia...etc.

Medicine isn't really that science-y, believe me, of course it's part science-y, but in the end science probably accounts for around 40% of the course really. Oh, and btw, there's barely any chemistry involved in medicine past the first few weeks

But if you enjoy the other side of medicine, i.e. interacting and working with people, you'll love it, I'm sure

[AllAboutTheLGs]

Thanks for all the help guys! ATARnotes is so helpful ^^

Theres just so many things I like I can't decide ( But its good to know that I don't need a commerce degree if say I wanted to get into the IB/stockmarketing scene as the only major for commerce that interested me was International business (which apparently sucks) and Finance. Not being forced to do commerce means I can probably end up doing something I'd enjoy more like Biomedical Science. Im not like an outstanding maths student though, like I would hope to think that I'm above average like 80-85% student, but im definitely not like a top tier, would that be sufficient? I'm pretty good at numbers but like not insane (I can't do vectors or motion to save my life)

I was talking to my dad about this and he said I could do a summer internship at some law firm this summer holidays. My cousin did it too last year and hes in his 3rd year of law at Griffith. I've been talking to him about what Law's like and he pretty much told me about all the different types of law and to be honest it really seems really interesting. Also I've been watching the tv show Suits and i've decided lawyers are pretty badass.

Paul I've met him at the ATARnotes stall (he signed my book :p) I'll be sure to talk to him about that. And I love working with people! I don't know if I'm too keen on like the deaths and stuff though if I became a surgeon or cancer doctor and like 50% of my patients died :/ I'd feel so shit and powerless.

[ninwa]

LAW IS NOTHING LIKE WHAT IT IS ON TV

However I'm glad you're starting to gain an interest in it. See if you can get your dad to organise some work experience for you at a law firm, just so you can see what it's like. IT'S NOT LIKE ON TV. IT'S NOT LIKE ON TV. IT'S NOT LIKE ON TV.

[charmanderp]

Just curious, what's International Law like in a university medium? If one was interested in working for the UN and such...

[Truck]

Yeah as much as Suits is super badass, I don't think real lawyers are exactly like Harvey Spector .

[burbs]

my Dad has connections with a lot of law firms so it would be easier for me to start off in that world, (just don't want to get into something like Criminal Law, but the other types seem interesting).

Well, hey there...






Seriously: Law and med are fairly different, IMO. I'm doing CommLaw now and its great, but I've pretty much always been keen on law. I have a few friends who went the law path because they couldn't get into med. They aren't enjoying it. They thought doing law would be like TV when it seems to really just be reading.

It's really not worth it for 'prestige.' As for going to USA... unless you have something lined up I wouldn't recommend going there for law. Not only would you have to resit a bunch of exams but the job market there sucks.

Any specific questions - pm me.

[sam.utute]

Yeah as much as Suits is super badass, I don't think real lawyers are exactly like Harvey Spector .

WOOO! SUITS! The only time I've ever wanted to be a lawyer was after watching the show.
99% of the time, I'm 100% sure that I don't want to do law. Then I watch Suits again. Mind-boggled followed by ridiculous desire to be like Harvey.

[ninwa]

Just curious, what's International Law like in a university medium? If one was interested in working for the UN and such...

lol every other law student starts law school thinking "I'm gonna do international law and work for the UN!"

in reality it's a very vague, theoretical area

you're going to need FAR more than a couple of undergraduate electives to get anywhere near the AN because it's super competitive

but here are some of the int law subjects offered at Monash
http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/units/LAW4122.html
http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/units/LAW5136.html
http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/units/LAW4184.html
http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/units/LAW4179.html
http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/units/LAW4155.html

[ninwa]

you're going to need FAR more than a couple of undergraduate electives to get anywhere near the AN because it's super competitive

derp... I meant UN, not AN

my god