I suck at uni (huge post)

[amylzs]

Hello! I'm currently a first year student and I feel like I've stuffed everything up. I'm doing a Bachelor of Economics at Monash and nothing seems to be going my way.

I feel like my course is really limited in its scope. Although I'm grateful that I'm getting a course that's relevant to my interest field, being restricted to economics makes me feel like there's less of a chance for me to land a good graduate job (my immigrant parents have huge expectations of me to follow the ordinary career path; they were already disappointed enough when I got my ATAR and wasnt able to do a conventional Commerce course). My first preference for VTAC was Commerce (Melb) followed by Comm/Eco (Monash)

My grades also suck. For various reasons (lack of motivation, laziness) which I can mostly attribute to my self, I haven't been doing well in uni at all. My WAM is currently sitting at around ~60. I keep dreaming of amazing jobs and loads of money, but I can't bring myself to do the work for me to get up to that standard.

At the beginning of the year, I somehow deluded myself into thinking if I took the Commerce core units, they'd consider me more favourably for a transfer. As such, after limping along last semester to my excellent 60, I picked up accounting and business law for this semester for some godforsaken reason. Understandably, given my dismal work ethic, it means that I am not doing well. At all and I'm bracing myself for the worst, for my WAM to drop further.

I spoke to the course advice people, and was told of the strict 70 and 75 WAM requirements for the Commerce and Comm double degrees. I've heard people getting declined with WAM's of 69.5/74.5 and whatever, so I'm 100% sure that I won't get that this semester.

I guess what I'm really asking is:
1. Any tips on how I can pick things up?

2. Has anyone had experience with course transfers? Is the WAM requirement 100% set in stone? I've also heard of some people with amazing personal statements getting through.

3. Is there any way to "negotiate" (really bad phrasing, but I can't think of anything else) with the advisor? I can't help thinking that a 75 WAM would grant me entry into UoM (basically my parent's wet dream).

4. Let's say I'm able to accomplish this with an extra year or two of uni. I don't really mind the extra time spent, or the extra HECS debt, but how would recruiters take it if they see that a) I have a bunch of shitty marks at the beginning and that b) I've taken an extra 'x' amount of time to complete my course.

5. If plan A fails, but I pick up my marks quite a bit but not quite "exceptional", what are some good areas for me to get into as an single Economics major? I'd pick up a second one, but they're all actuarial studies and econometrics and what not (which I think I'd be even worse at). I know of all the positions marked as suitable for Economics, but I'm assuming all of the good positions are snapped up by students with sky high marks with a ton of extracurriculars that I can't stand against. Let's also say that I bomb even further and while I still get my degree and major, I've got a really low WAM/GPA. Is it retail for me for the rest of my life?

Sorry for such a huge mouthful! I've had these questions weighing down on me for a long time, and while I know I should ask a course advisor,  I'm too scared that they'll reaffirm that I'm "doomed". Hopefully some of you guys have some insight on my situation!

Thank you in advance for anything you might have to offer!

[Reckoner]

1. Any tips on how I can pick things up?

Just motivation really. You said that you think you've been a bit lazy, so this could be a place to start. Try staying back at uni for a bit and studying there rather than coming home to. Trying not too obsess about what degree you're in may help you to focus more as well

2. Has anyone had experience with course transfers? Is the WAM requirement 100% set in stone? I've also heard of some people with amazing personal statements getting through.

3. Is there any way to "negotiate" (really bad phrasing, but I can't think of anything else) with the advisor? I can't help thinking that a 75 WAM would grant me entry into UoM (basically my parent's wet dream).

I don't know much about course transfers, so someone else may be more adept to answer this part. But I *think* that the WAM requirement is not necessarily set in stone. I also believe that negotiating won't help a great deal.

4. Let's say I'm able to accomplish this with an extra year or two of uni. I don't really mind the extra time spent, or the extra HECS debt, but how would recruiters take it if they see that a) I have a bunch of shitty marks at the beginning and that b) I've taken an extra 'x' amount of time to complete my course.

If you keep improving your marks each semester then it gives you something to talk about in an interview. Showing that you're able to improve is a good thing. The effect of the extra time would be most likely negative, yes. But it will be pretty much negligible when everything else is considered. AND, this shouldn't even be an issue because...

5. If plan A fails, but I pick up my marks quite a bit but not quite "exceptional", what are some good areas for me to get into as an single Economics major? I'd pick up a second one, but they're all actuarial studies and econometrics and what not (which I think I'd be even worse at). I know of all the positions marked as suitable for Economics, but I'm assuming all of the good positions are snapped up by students with sky high marks with a ton of extracurriculars that I can't stand against. Let's also say that I bomb even further and while I still get my degree and major, I've got a really low WAM/GPA. Is it retail for me for the rest of my life?

Let's just pretend that you are in b.comm. One of your majors will be eco (I assume nothig will change here?), but what would your second one be. Finance? Accounting? Any idea of what else might interest you?
Here's the thing about a second major in the economics degree - it does NOT have to be one of the four that are listed (eco, actuary, financial maths, econometrics). Your second major can be ANYTHING (so long as you meet the requirements for that major). So you could major in the popular combo of economics (which is one of the 4 to meet that requirement) and finance (using the elective you have in the degree) from a straight economics degree. In fact, if you are set in stone to do an economics major, then the bachelor of economics degree is better than the commerce degree (IMO).

So basically if you choose your units carefully from here on in, you can be in almost exactly the same situation as you would be if you were in a comm degree. Your degree would just be called something different, and 1 or 2 of your level 1 units may be different. So don't worry too much about not getting the transfer. It won't change much at all. Talk to the advisers about this though. Don't be scared of them.

Chin up, study hard for the rest of the semester. Apply for the transfer, you never know what might happen. And then you have a few months to just think about things without being distracted by study.

[Fyrefly]

BEco is an awesome degree! You should really be finding that you have a lot of freedom to study what you want with this degree, because up to 50% of your units can be taken as electives (including cross-faculty). There really isn't much difference between BComm and BEco if you're using your electives to study the BComm units. Maybe Reckoner worded it a bit better in his response to your question five, but it's a point worth emphasising.

Forget about ATARs and transfer requirements as a means of comparing the 'worth' of each degree

[ninwa]

1. Try to choose subjects you enjoy or have some interest in. If that's not possible, then figure out some way of motivating yourself.

Try the 30/30 work cycle method for example - you work for 30 minutes straight, then take a 30 minute break. There's even an app for it.

Or have a piggy bank - put $5 in for every hour you do solid work, then use the funds to treat yourself.

2. I only have second-hand experience with law transfers, for which the WAM requirements generally tend to be set in stone, unfortunately. But I would give it a shot anyway. What do you have to lose?

3. I doubt you'd be the first person to try to "negotiate" and I personally don't believe it will work.

4. Again this is only second hand experience and only in the legal industry, but from what I've heard law firms do take an interest in that - if you've started off badly, but improved to some amazing marks in your later years, then that is impressive. It gives you something to talk about in the interview - how you figured out your weaknesses and addressed them, things like that. I've also heard that employers tend to be a bit more lenient when it comes to first year marks, because it's expected that some people will struggle to adapt to uni at first.

5. What are your career aspirations? I don't mean "amazing jobs and loads of money" (everyone wants that!), I mean specific industries or interest areas?

[excal]

1. Consider reaching out to support agencies who can help with study skills; counselling may also be of help. These should be free...

2. Can't comment.

3. Probably not if they are hard benchmarks unless there are really specific things (think disability etc); often demand means the cut-offs are even higher.

3b. Don't let your parents live through you; live your own life!

4. HECS debt - you won't even notice it. Also marks aren't everything...but they do help certainly. I do know of some extremely successful consultants with P averages, but they had networked extensively and established themselves before graduation.

5. See above.