HSC Stuff > The HSC Journey Journal

The Countdown

<< < (4/5) > >>

Joseph41:
Really great to hear from you, and to read your update. :)

✅ UMAT
✅ Trials

Really getting through the year!

justwannawish:

--- Quote from: Joseph41 on August 28, 2018, 12:57:03 pm ---Really great to hear from you, and to read your update. :)

✅ UMAT
✅ Trials

Really getting through the year!

--- End quote ---

Hey!

I'm so flattered that someone's interested in my journal, especially someone as iconic as you haha!

I'm exhilerated knowing trials (oh, these were exams that terrified my year 11 self at the start of prelim) and UMAT are both done. But you've brought me to a startling re-discovery (istg someone is going to say "fresh and intensely meaningful" or some permutation of"discovery" some time in the future, and I'm going to have an heart attack). School is pretty much over, though classes still stride on. I'm getting applications and everything ready for the next year, but I'm kind of afraid of what will happen on the 15th of December. The prospect of not getting in a uni is terrifying, in a way, because that's all I've hoped for down the drain. I'm not entirely sure about how offers work?

Based on what UNSW's website described, it seems like we have:
1. Atar released
2. Interview (first round???)
3. UAC Round 1 Offers
3.5. Is there an interview stage here??
4.UAC Round 2 Offers
and sometime in there we know whether we get in or not.. When I should start looking at changing my preferences just in case I don't get into any of the schools during undergrad?

It also brings me to the idea of doing GAMSAT. Graduate medicine is what I'll be looking into if I don't get in, though its competitive nature worries me. My parents urge me to apply for a non-health related course, and I'll apply to a few other courses I was interested in, though it kind of feels like cheating my passion, especially since I'm writing drafts of why I want to be a doctor. And isn't that the million dollar question?

What will drive me to work at 2am, exhausted mentally and physically, stressed beyond compare, while kids my age will be in bed or out partying? What is my motivation, why am I passionate? To help people is obvious, but it's more than that. It's the prospective of being given a chance to equalise the playing field for everyone. It's my firm belief that, out of all professions, doctors have the most ethical need to be fair and unbiased towards their patients. A life is a life, whether it be a drug addict whose packet-a-day led to their lung cancer or a six year old leukamia patient. To be in a profession where you disband all your negative perceptions is incredibly rare and humbling. Because at the end of the day, you want your patient to be better. It'll be hard and sometimes you will learn to let go of those who you can't save but there is something absolutely beautiful in trying your best to give them the best end or future you possibly could. There's something beautiful in caring about every complex and diverse person that ever met you. And that beauty is something I think we should all praise.

justwannawish:
Got all trial results back and they're not looking pretty at all. The worst thing is that I don't think my results reflected my efforts and that hurts more than getting bad marks back. Don't know what my rank is anymore, but I guess there's nothing to be done about internals. What is done is done.

Just gotta keep working til the end. I can't afford to let go of my dreams because of this. I think I've convinced myself that I have a chance at med, though I wonder whether I should aim for something else since my ranks and marks are looking shabbier by the day.

My second preference was actuary because I really enjoyed a lecture I went to and found it was really intellectually stimulating. I was thinking about applying for co-op there. Like Jamon said, there's no point doing it for the prestige and tbh I don't really know what makes Co-op so different from other scholarships. But it would be an amazing opportunity from all the accounts I've read and I don't want to regret not taking it when I could. Any thoughts?

fkkiwi:

--- Quote from: justwannawish on September 04, 2018, 08:56:00 pm ---Got all trial results back and they're not looking pretty at all. The worst thing is that I don't think my results reflected my efforts and that hurts more than getting bad marks back. Don't know what my rank is anymore, but I guess there's nothing to be done about internals. What is done is done.

Just gotta keep working til the end. I can't afford to let go of my dreams because of this. I think I've convinced myself that I have a chance at med, though I wonder whether I should aim for something else since my ranks and marks are looking shabbier by the day.

My second preference was actuary because I really enjoyed a lecture I went to and found it was really intellectually stimulating. I was thinking about applying for co-op there. Like Jamon said, there's no point doing it for the prestige and tbh I don't really know what makes Co-op so different from other scholarships. But it would be an amazing opportunity from all the accounts I've read and I don't want to regret not taking it when I could. Any thoughts?

--- End quote ---

Sorry to hear about your trial marks. Hopefully you can boss out the HSC and boost your marks then!!

As for Co-op, I would definitely apply for it (you have nothing to lose!!!). The reason why it appeals to so many people and is prestigious is because you get a whole year of industry experience (usually your fourth year) and this year will be more valuable than any time you spend sitting in a lecture room. Of course, you can get work experience/internships otherwise but Co-op is a nice way of doing it as part of your degree. Another reason is that most people who do Co-op pretty much walk out of uni with a job, something that's harder to do with a regular degree. Also, money! Who wouldn't want 18.2k a year??

justwannawish:
I was going to reply a few days ago when I got my UMAT results. But in a strange twist of fate, those results motivated me to have a few days off and just reconsider my life for a bit.

I briefly posted on Sarangiya’s journey about how the UMAT results aren't the be all or end all, and it’s ironic how long it took me to acknowledge that. Because when the results came out, I was heartbroken and felt like that was it, goodbye undergrad med. In retrospect, I had always been over-dramatic, perhaps I should have done drama instead. Let bygones be bygones, hey?

Setting
I had a study period in the library and it was a line where heaps of other kids were there as well. I was in the middle of a conversation when I noticed my phone had lit up- ACER notified me that UMAT results were out. Almost on auto-pilot, I excused myself and went to the bathroom. It was kind of an out of world experience, I didn’t know how I made it there, but I locked myself in a stall, sent a little prayer for any divine deity watching and, with trembling fingers, fumbled out my password and details.

Crunch Time
Then I saw my results. My heart lurched and it seemed like my entire world just shattered see what I mean about dramatics?). You see, I had always needed a high UMAT so my ATAR could afford to be that bit lower. But now, I had to gun for the highest ATAR possible because I had no other choice. Ofc at the time, I didn’t think of it like that, I called my dad and sobbed out, “I’m not going to get into med,” and sent him my UMAT results. And I think his thinking kind of changed at the same time, because for all this time, he had complete faith in my abilities- he believed that I could get a med interview for UNSW or WSU or Monash, that my ATAR could be in the 99s.

That was all ruined.

Results I thought putting my marks here would be more dramatic lol: (62, 52, 60), 174 score, 84 percentile. Would have been so happy if my section 2 was in the same range as my others haha, but apparently my people skills suck  :o
When I went back to the library, my career’s adviser intercepted me- someone in our year had gotten a 100 percentile, another a 99, and both were my close friends. He asked me how I went and I confessed- I got in low 80s. A moment of silence passed and he told me he’d never seen someone with such a low score get into med. He said he was sorry I failed. Was that the nail to the coffin? Perhaps at the time it was.

The day ended and I went home, exhausted. My dad, after pondering the news, was furious and he kind of attacked me about my marks and efforts this year. It was a common scolding and probably shouldn’t have hurt as much as it did. But it did haha. His hurt was a parallel to my own and we both dealt with it in our own ways- he yelled and I cried. It wasn’t fun for either of us, and it’s something I wish to forget than ever live through again.

Hope!
I went through a bunch of UMAT forums and I realised I still had hope. Luckily, my sections were all above 50 and section 1 was my strongest (hey, I predicted this! But don’t hold me accountable for saying it wasn’t that hard). I had a shot for UNCLE, Adelaide and Monash! Not entirely sure if Monash would accept me because I’m interstate and idk how they rank UMAT. JCU was also available!

This is from the god themself:

--- Quote from: Quantum44 on September 08, 2018, 12:40:08 am ---84th percentile is a solid mark, particularly since you passed every section. If you get an ATAR into the 99s, you should be good for interviews at Monash, Adelaide and JMP.

--- End quote ---

Life goes on. And as I posted:

--- Quote from: justwannawish on September 10, 2018, 06:02:41 pm ---Afterwards, as hard as it was, I realised that everything has a reason for happening. Perhaps this will give you an opportunity that you would have never seen before. But you are more than your mark, you're made of all your strengths and memories and stories, and in five years' time, the UMAT would seem nothing more than a bad dream because I know you will make a difference to the world using your courage and passion and drive. I can't wait to see what you'll do in the future because you are capable of so much more!

--- End quote ---

And I hope the same advice also applies for me  :)

On the other hand, I realised how grateful I was for my friends and how much I love them for being there for me. I don’t deserve such gems!

Hopefully, I’ll have better news next time haha!

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page