Sorry for the rant, in need of desperate help!!!

[sha0017]

Hello all. My name is sha0017, I am currently studying year 12. I think I can get a lot of help on this forum so here it begins. My dream has been of doing MBBS at Monash (Bachelor or Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) which is extremely hard course to get into. Not only you need a insanely high atar score but also have to score well in the UMAT. Here is my story and if you all do read it I would like to thank you all in advance. I am just an ordinary student currently, I used to be one of the smartest in the grades but its slipped out of my hand since year 10. I started working at my parent's shop a lot about 22 hours a week on top of school. Now main point English is my 6th language and is hell for me, and I also think I have a horrible teacher as we only "discuss" in class, I also think he marks to easily on us hence when scaling it drops our SAC score. Not the brightest student in any of my classes. I do Biology, Chemistry, Methods CAS, Futher Maths and did Health and Human Development in year 11 (last year). I can't stop procrastination at home and my method's teacher is very distracting during class. I am in the top 5 of my class in Biology, but the exam was too easy hence dropping my score... So far I think I am doing around average or maybe even a little above. I need all your help on what to do next. I'd like to study with people but no one wants to study with me. So an ATAR Score of 70 seems like a struggle for me right now. I really need your help, after the Methods SAC we had on the last day of last term (Derivatives SAC a new one problem solving and a test). I was very depressed for a week of holidays due to that. Now I am a bit pumped up. Please respond to my desperate plea and give me advice on what to do next or anything to motivate myself. I need to get good grades for all, but it is very hard with family problems as well -nothing financial-. I have check points for all my subject if I don't get a good atar  I think I will be insanely depressed as I think I am a massive burden on my family. Everyone in my family has been a insanely smart with me the exception so far as we know.


Thank You for reading my rage and rant. Sorry just in case for anything. First time posting. Would be helpful if Vegemite, Thushan, lexitu, burbs, Squirderp, charmanderp and many more very respected people respond to me. Thank You all again.

mod edit: removed your personal details for your own privacy and security

[ShortBlackChick]

I'm sorry I'm not respected enough to respond but I believe you should not say your name on here

Click the modify button and get rid of that bit

[Water]

Everyone here is respectful .... I'm sure a lot of people here will give you advice to cope for VCE. As many say, not being able to do MBBS is not end of the world. Many times this preconception has been hammered into you from your parents to actually get into MBBS, and that makes you subconsciously want to get into MBBS because of parental-relatives pressure. But it might not really be what you want in life!

And once again, everyone here is a respectful member of the community. There is no social hierarchy besides Enwiabe being supreme ruler of Atarnotes and his ban hammer.

[pi]

Hi sha0017,

First of all, I'd like to extend the invitation of advice to all members of the forum. Respect, just like the ATAR, is just a number. It doesn't define who we are and can be, and nor should it dictate who can be helpful, kind and understanding

My dream has been of doing MBBS at Monash (Bachelor or Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) which is extremely hard course to get into. Not only you need a insanely high atar score but also have to score well in the UMAT.

I admire the fact that you stand by your dream despite your evident situation However, I think you should broaden your aim, to not just the Monash MBBS, but maybe "Medicine" in general. Why? My reasoning is two fold:
1) You won't become sad if you don't make it this year, as Medicine can also be achieved through graduate entry from a Biomed or Science or other degrees. And uni is fresh start for all, remember that
2) You keep more options open, such as those interstate and graduate-entry options

Just ensure that you're pursuing the field for the right reasons, ie. not the money or parental push/pressure.

I started working at my parent's shop a lot about 22 hours a week on top of school

I can't stop procrastination at home

How do you manage? :O 22, as you say, is a LOT, and it will be very difficult to get the scores you'd like working this much. Is there any way at all to reduce your hours? I'd say 8 hours at maximum if you could manage it.

As for the procrastination, I believe these two issues are entwined. You've got no leisure time because you are either at school or at work for so much time! I don't blame you, his is normal! To cut this procrastination, you really need to drop some of that work. Tell your parents that it is effecting your marks, just drop it for another 5 months or so if you can. It WILL help greatly.

However, if this is not possible, maybe this might help: Have a look at the scores of members like Thushan, paulsterio, shinny, Romperait, Sickle, JDog, funkyducky, luken93, illuminati... YOU want to be like them. YOU want to get into med. I KNOW that they worked very hard for the last few months of their yr12 to get there, YOU now KNOW that. Think, it's only a few more months. Some short term gain, and you may be reaping some very long term gain. Even if that gain isn't a Monash MBBS, you'll see that it will surpass:

So an ATAR Score of 70 seems like a struggle for me right now

And this will help greatly in any graduate entry plans and your own confidence.

It seems blunt, but there are moments when simply "grinning and bearing it" is the best option and the most effective option, especially when things aren't going your own way (you have to work, Eng isn't your best language, etc.). You CAN be successful and you CAN reach your dream of Medicine in Australia, but the work needs to be done first.

I need to get good grades for all, but it is very hard with family problems as well

Sorry to hear that Again, and please don't take this as an insult to your problems (I am not aware of them at all), please try and move on and if possible, ignore them. I know that me typing this is seems a LOT easier than what you may have to get through to get over them, but I wish you the best in this regard

I have check points for all my subject if I don't get a good atar  I think I will be insanely depressed as I think I am a massive burden on my family. Everyone in my family has been a insanely smart with me the exception so far as we know.

no, No, NO, NO! You will NOT be a disappointment if you can, as aforementioned, just dedicate the next few months to studying. Again, easier said than done etc etc, but it CAN be done. How do I know?

I used to be one of the smartest in the grades

You've got potential, and if you're disappointing anyone atm, it's just that sense of potential. You've been at that high level of academia before, you can do it again Seek help from here when you need to, it's a great community! I did, and I can vouch for the effectiveness of it, it's amazing.

So, to sum it up: try and reduce your job hours and if possible, push those family issues aside. From there, grin and bear it and focus on studying from now on. You had great grades once, and you can do it again. If you need a hand, AN is here.


Good luck, and hope this helps

[eeps]

Develop a systematic plan of studying. Have specific times when you're going to study/break times etc. - try to fit studying around your work or reduce the hours you work if possible. The biggest advice I'd say is that don't give up/lose hope; there is still a while yet til exams. Break big tasks down so they are more manageable. If you're intent on doing medicine, apply interstate to other universities as well such as James Cook University, UQ, University of Adelaide etc. as back-ups. And, apologises if I'm not 'respected' enough.

[thushan]

I'd add to this, but Vegemite has summed it all up pretty much.

What I can add though is this - you have these odds. You have a lot against you, you're absolutely right.

Now, you really want to get into med, right? Put it this way, you've got time. You never know what kind of ATAR you are going to get - you may well get into Med at undergrad. HOWEVER - EVEN if you don't, there's a second chance for graduate entry, after doing an undergraduate degree. There are LOTS of graduate entry programs in Australia. The really good thing about it in your case is that it buys you time, buys you time to really turn things around.

Try think of it this way - look at these adverse circumstances in the eyeball, then go OH YEAH? COME AT ME BRO! - take it on! don't let this situation get the better of you! show that you can really grind and knuckle down and the amount of self-esteem and respect you will get from yourself and from others too will know no bounds.

[Special At Specialist]

I know I'm probably one of the least respected people on AN but I will offer my two cents anyway:

You have dreams and you have potential. This is just what you need. Now I want you to write down your goals on a piece of paper or a book and keep them in a safe place. Keep them somewhere where only you can see them. Every night before you go to bed, think about them. Maybe even read them again so that the words fill your head and your imagination.

Now actually picture yourself in 10 years time. Don't just think about it vaguely, but try to imagine every specific detail. Think about yourself getting up out of bed in the morning and getting changed. What clothes are you wearing? What do they feel like? Now you get in your car and prepare to leave for work. What car are you driving? Where do you work? How do you feel about the place you are living? What is the atmosphere like? Are you happy with your life?

The more vividly you think about your future, the more you will be determined to achieve that. After all, determination is all you need. You have been shown to have potential at a young age by scoring high marks, so now you just need the persistance to maintain those sort of marks. You are an intelligent person, so don't kid yourself into thinking otherwise. Don't even question your capabilities because you will underestimate your powers. You can do great things - that's out of the question. The real question is: will you?

Now, think about your goals once more and prioritise them over everything else that is happening in your life at the moment. Place your trust in them and they will guide you on your path to success. Don't ever forsake your dreams and they won't forsake you.

[nacho]

I know I'm probably one of the least respected people on AN but I'm better than everyone anyway

[pi]

I need to get good grades for all, but it is very hard with family problems as well

Sorry to hear that Again, and please don't take this as an insult to your problems (I am not aware of them at all), please try and move on and if possible, ignore them. I know that me typing this is seems a LOT easier than what you may have to get through to get over them, but I wish you the best in this regard

I'd just like to add to this that it's a great start to recovery that you've admitted these problems, whatever they are. Furthermore, looking at my advice here, I think I was being a little inconsiderate.

To elaborate, simply "getting over the issues to the best you can or ignore them" isn't easy, and to some extent, I regret saying that, because it doesn't really mean much in terms of advice. As I said, you've touched on them here, but if you are struggling with them, please do not hesitate to seek help Consult friends, family or you local GP if you need to, they're all calming influences that can help you recover, you're not on your own.

As I don't know what the problems are, I'm just giving some general options so if they're a bit over-the-top sorry haha, but if not, I hope the clarification helps, you're definitely not on your own

[Soul_Khan]

Hey sha0017 it's good that you have come and sought advice on here. First of all as everyone here has noted your ATAR does not in anyway reflect your potential nor your future, it is simply a number which makes it easier to get into the courses you want and gives you more options to choose from, that's it. Don't treat it as if it's the end of the world, because it really isn't. The main thing that you need in life to achieve your goals is an ambition and a desire to achieve those goals (which is something you already have) and putting in the hard yards in order to achieve them.

You have a couple of options if you don't achieve the required ATAR as far as I know of:

- Do a general Science or Bio-med degree and get into post-graduate Med this way

- Repeating Year 12 at TAFE - It's usually frowned upon because people think it's useless and not worth it since you may or may not be able to obtain a higher score, but if you are truly dedicated for that one year of your life and are willing to let go of the past and start fresh then this could potentially be a good option.. but then again it's not an option which I nor other members recommend but just know it's out there and it's possible to do much much better after repeating and realizing your mistakes the first time.

- Do medicine interstate

It's very saddening to hear that you are in a bad time in your life with family problems and depression, but just know that there are always people here to help. If you want someone to talk to, I and other members of this forum will gladly talk to you and give you advice, so don't hesitate to PM us. I also strongly suggest you talk to your school counselor about the issues that you are facing at home, since it's a must that you speak out, you just can't keep these things to yourself. I've been depressed for a very long time as well, it was only when I spoke to my teacher (who is a doctor) about the problems which I was facing and when she referred me to a psychologist that I truly found a way to deal with my depression and anxiety through medication and therapy.

In terms of not being able to achieve a good ATAR, you have just a little over 3 months of school left.. meaning that you still have a chance of changing your ATAR substantially if you're willing to put in the hard work, it's not over yet - VCE is not a race but a marathon and anything is possible at this time of year. You might not be able to get into undergraduate Medicine, but you may get into a Science degree at Melbourne or Monash or even Biomedicine.

Lastly, never give up on your dreams - this is the most important advice that I can give you. You shouldn't give up the hope that you have of ever becoming a doctor just because you don't get the required ATAR or don't get into undergraduate Medicine - you can still become a doctor, it's still within your reach, the only thing that is stopping you is death!!. It might take you longer than other doctors to finally graduate and be able to practice - but in the end you will have achieved your goal and it will be such a big relief in your life that it will all be worth it.. and you'll be even more respected given your background and the long journey that you had to take to achieve your goal.

Goodluck sha0017. I really hope that everything goes well and that you're able to overcome the problems you are facing.

P.S - This thread has made me realize what a wonderful community we have here at AN. You guys are all awesome!

[BoredSatan]

There is always dent if you dont get into med

[sha0017]

I'm sorry I'm not respected enough to respond but I believe you should not say your name on here

Click the modify button and get rid of that bit

By being a member of Atar Notes you are respected in my eyes, so do not worry.

[cyrus_atlantis]

It seems blunt, but there are moments when simply "grinning and bearing it" is the best option and the most effective option, especially when things aren't going your own way (you have to work, Eng isn't your best language, etc.). You CAN be successful and you CAN reach your dream of Medicine in Australia, but the work needs to be done first.

I agree with vegimite completely on this. Know your goal but rather than focusing on, 'I have to get a 99 atar to get into medicine', 'I have to get 40+ study scores'...etc, think 'I have to get as much marks as possible to maximise my chances of getting into medicine'.

Don't think 'oh, I procrastinated, I should have studied', but rather, 'oh, I took a longer break, I better start studying'.
Don't think 'oh, that guy is studying very hard, I'm never goanna catch up to him' but rather, 'oh, that guy is studying hard, guess I'll have to study a bit more too'.
Don't think 'oh, my life is sad and depressing, so it's not worth studying because other people has the advantage' but rather, 'oh, my life isn't as comfortable as others but that doesn't mean i'm not bright enough to achieve just as high'

Rather than concentrating on catching up to that person, focus on what you can do in order to maximise the marks you can get. During preparation and the actual exam, don't think 'I need to get as close to the perfect mark as possible' but rather 'I need to get the most marks possible'. There'll be questions you don't know and not sure about. Sure, go panic for a few seconds. Then get back to finding what marks you can possibly obtain- none? then move on and come back to it later.

I rekon no one can say that they study day and night so don't stress yourself if you find that you're taking a longer break or you're spending the day doing something else. But remind yourself that 'oh, I better start studying, I can play all I want for 3 months after these last high school exams'.

You may have difficult circumstances but I'm sure there are many out there who are also going through difficult things, perhaps even worst. I made a lot of excuses too - like no matter how hard i try, i'm just goanna be a B+ lit student because no one taught me grammer properly, I haven't done chapter reviews all year, my parents are not being helpful...etc. How I dealt with it was to accept the unchangeable circumstances and make the most of what's left. If you don't have time to study at home, then concentrate more in class, do more in class, think more actively at school...etc. Honestly, I realised that if you concentrate hard in class, most of that information would usually remain the week after.

I really do believe that changing your mindset will make it a lot easier to motivate yourself because if you're aiming too high, you scared you're going fail, too low and you don't think it's worth studying for. Rather, aim for doing the best you can given all your circumstances. Don't compare yourself to others because they're not going through the same life as you. See it as competing with yourself because as soul khan mentioned, "VCE is a marathon, not a race" - completely true.

I know it's hard and very easy to give up when there's this overwhelming amount of information and stuff you need to learn and remember but take it a little at a time and bear with it. You know that you have the ability to achieve so don't throw away that confidence just yet. Study all you can, do the exams, results day come, get stressed a little, get results and life goes on. As most on AN has mentioned to you, there are a lot roads you can can take to reach your destination - that's what makes life a journey.

Not like I have much life experience to give advice but there's one that kept and still keeps me going that I'll share with you.



Wish you luck in your hopes and dreams! ^^

[Eriny]

A lot of stuff has already been mentioned, but I'll just add that discussion-based English classes are a good thing, and not a sign of bad teaching. It isvmore likely to engage students than a lot of other methods and a good way to explore ideas. If you have problems with the style though you should be comfortable in asking for help. Same goes for all your classes.