How did you decide?

[walkec]

I was thinking about this the other day while flicking through some uni brochures. How did all of you on AN decide what path you wanted/want to head in after VCE? For me, it was knowing I wanted to work in health, but not really liking science but loving HHD and discovering health promotion. Share your stories I'd be really interested to know, because it can be hard to narrow down options because we are lucky for have so many!

[alondouek]

I was fairly certain that I wanted to do a Biomed double degree at Monash from about year 8; here's why:

Why Monash? Aside from the fact that it's a prestigious, highly-regarded university, there was also the communal factor. I'm Jewish, and Monash has had a strong historical (and current) connection to the Jewish community in Melbourne. Many of my friends' parents earned their professional qualifications from Monash, and I grew up hearing good things about Monash from pretty early on. One week into uni, and I have to say that I'm not disappointed; though it is a whole different kind of stress that what is experienced in VCE.

Why Biomed? In short, it's because I want to help people. I'd do med, but a) I'm not really a 'good-bedside-manner' sort of person, and that whole pseudo-professional interaction aspect didn't really call to me and b) Because I love biological sciences and, as above, I want to use that passion to help people in the future. Biomed is a pathway into medical research and biomedical technological development, and these two very broad areas are frontiers in science that are so worthwhile.

For example, the father of a guy I went to school with is currently developing the bionic eye (albeit at UoM *shakes fist* - here's a Google Talk that he gave: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOokLf3frwE)

Why a double degree? I love biological sciences, but I need to do other things as well . I didn't really want to do arts or anything like that (because I can't face writing another essay so soon after VCE), so the B.Sc I'm doing alongside Biomed gives me scientific breadth.

[Art Vandelay]

I'm doing Arts/Law at Monash. I chose to do law because after having studied a lot about law and society for history, I was really into it. Plus I'm interested in some othercareers related to law, such as foreign diplomacy, government, social work etc.

For the arts component of the degree, I chose to do languages because I'm interested in other cultures and societies, plus I wanna go on exchange

[Lasercookie]

Hmm, well I wanted to study Maths and Physics, so a BSc made sense, but I wanted to also study Film Studies and pursue other interests, so an Arts/Science double made sense (ended up deciding on History as the other set of Arts subjects to do). I didn't really want to do a straight BSc or BA, whilst you can still do electives at pretty much any uni that offers either of those degrees I wanted to follow my interests a bit more than that.

The uni brochures and stuff didn't seem that useful in trying to figure out what course (since they were mostly advertising fluff), what was more handy was looking at the uni handbooks which contains all the subject information etc. Also reading up on these forums and seeing what other people had said about particular subjects was also a consideration.

Careers wasn't a big factor in deciding what I wanted to study, so I haven't really worried about thinking about it beyond maybe doing some postgrad stuff would be neat. That's not really something I can decide now anyway, that decision is something that would be made in a few years time. At the moment it's just that these subjects are my interests so I might as well study them. I guess what subject I'll actually end up majoring/minoring in is something that's flexible at the moment too.

I wasn't really that keen on moving interstate for most of the year, I had really just applied interstate just for the sake of it. I'm pretty glad now that I did decide to look through and apply for those courses back in August last year.

I was thinking about doing Arts/Science @ Monash for most of the year, but yeah after results came out I decided that ANU did offer the better course for the subjects I wanted to do and was able to convince myself that moving to Canberra would be worth it. I didn't want to commute to uni, so my reasoning was that moving out of home was something I'd have to do anyway.

[#1procrastinator]

Originally wanted to go to RMIT for physics...then I found out about UoM ...then I found out about ANU.

I chose ANU over the others because
i) I hate the idea of having to do breadth subjects at UoM
ii) There are more math/physics courses you can take as an undergrad at ANU
iii) I wanted to move out
iv) I was rejected by UoM anyway

[MagicGecko]

I chose Biomedical Engineering @ RMIT because:

1) I love Biology and I have an affinity for tech
2) Its at RMIT (screw Monash, too far, no offence to all Monash AN'ers, IM A WORM!!)
3) sounds cool!
4) Always wanted to work in a hospital (screw Med school i'll be like in a Nursing home by the time I graduate from that thing!)
5) Make family proud
6) SALARY!! <3
7) Have annoying friends that always complain that their arm or leg hurts, so you can tell how great it makes me feel when I tell them to 
    shut up because im studying Biomed Eng and i can easily cut it off and make them a new one
LOVED their presentation at the Open Day!
9) Unlike most Engineering degrees I have a day off! <3
10) ..oh yeah I nearly forgot, I have pretty much wanted to do this ever since I was a kid!
11) JOKES! I think that's enough

[brenden]

>realised I would have dropped out of high-school if not for teachers
>realised I could not have succeeded in Year 12 without teachers
>was touched by devotion of teachers to me after being such a fuck head to them
>realised I was a sick teacher
>realised I would teach for free
>realised getting paid for something you'd do for free is sick as
>realised Monash Clayton was a university with a degree that would let me teach
>was first university that entered my head
>went to that university.

[TrueTears]

monash coz of double degree

[pi]

Undergrad med in Vic is only at Monash, that's pretty much it.

As for why med over actuary (my other interest), I think I've posted it before so search for it if you're keen on that tale

[alondouek]

As for why med over actuary (my other interest), I think I've posted it before so search for it if you're keen on that tale

Sto-ry! Sto-ry! Sto-ry! (plz?)

[brenden]

Sto-ry! Sto-ry! Sto-ry! (plz?)

He did work experience at the Royal Children's. Fin.

[pi]

He did work experience at the Royal Children's. Fin.

Yeah, pretty much. I found that place really inspiring

The *dream* is to work there one day!

[MagicGecko]

Yeah, pretty much. I found that place really inspiring

The *dream* is to work there one day!

Whoa really!? My dream is to work there as well!...As a Biomed Engineer though! 

[Neo]

monash coz of double degree

Sorry for going a bit off topic but what did the availability or option of the double degree offer you personally over the single degree programs?

[Fyrefly]

Liked VCE Accounting, so I decided to do BComm and major in accounting.
Turns out uni accounting is a bazillion times better than VCE Accounting.
Was going to go to UoM (had a guaranteed place and a small scholarship), but Monash bribed me.

I honestly think that one of the best things I can say though, is to point out that I haven't decided what I'm going to do beyond the next five years. Keeps things interesting this way. For people who are stressed by the notion of "I've gotta decide what to do with the rest of my life", please know that there's absolutely no choice you can make regarding your vce subjects or uni preferences or anything like that that will lock you in for life. I know it's very hard to recognise this truth while you're trapped in what I like to call "the vce bubble", but definitely trust me on this one guys.