I still don't know what I want to Do. what should i do?

[disone]

i'm in year 12 and in a couple of days, i have to submit my Vtac applications. At the moment, i'm still confused whether i want to get into science, commerce or design. it's hard to pick because it hard to define what courses can offer and suited for what type of individuals.
any help would be great. thanks guys

[AngelWings]

I’d put some preferences down at least, without refining the order at all. If you’re into design (even somewhat), put those down as preferences somewhere ASAP, as these usually have a range of criteria besides ATAR, such as a portfolio, selection tasks and/or interview. Look into the dates that these extra tasks are due and when to expect interviews or word about them.

You still have plenty of time to refine the order, but slap down some of the courses which require more than an ATAR first (as in put them down as a preference, not necessarily as Preference #1).

Also, it’s okay if all 8 of your preferences head off in completely different directions; nobody is judging you for it or expecting you to stick to one area if you have diverse interests/ strengths. Remember that you can still change your preferences after exams, so you have a little more time to dwell on this.

In terms of what courses you might like, ask yourself questions like “Can I see myself doing that for 3-4 years?”, “What are my interests and strengths?”, “What sort of career do I want?”, “What skills do I already have that I can put to use in my future?”, “What do I want to learn more about?” and so forth. Perhaps an important question to ask is “What do I enjoy about science, commerce or design? Is there a way to mix them altogether or find a course that covers my favourite aspects as much as possible?” If you’re still just as undecided afterwards, consider a more general degree and you can transfer or refine your ideas along the way.

Let me know if you need more help.    

[disone]

I’d put some preferences down at least, without refining the order at all. If you’re into design (even somewhat), put those down as preferences somewhere ASAP, as these usually have a range of criteria besides ATAR, such as a portfolio, selection tasks and/or interview. Look into the dates that these extra tasks are due and when to expect interviews or word about them.

You still have plenty of time to refine the order, but slap down some of the courses which require more than an ATAR first (as in put them down as a preference, not necessarily as Preference #1).

Also, it’s okay if all 8 of your preferences head off in completely different directions; nobody is judging you for it or expecting you to stick to one area if you have diverse interests/ strengths. Remember that you can still change your preferences after exams, so you have a little more time to dwell on this.

In terms of what courses you might like, ask yourself questions like “Can I see myself doing that for 3-4 years?”, “What are my interests and strengths?”, “What sort of career do I want?”, “What skills do I already have that I can put to use in my future?”, “What do I want to learn more about?” and so forth. Perhaps an important question to ask is “What do I enjoy about science, commerce or design? Is there a way to mix them altogether or find a course that covers my favourite aspects as much as possible?” If you’re still just as undecided afterwards, consider a more general degree and you can transfer or refine your ideas along the way.

Let me know if you need more help.    

hey Angelwings that was really helpful thanks a lot. but lets say i do get into general degree what kind of degree is considered general? and how hard would it be to transfer from let's say science to commerce at uni in the same year? thanks

[Sine]

hey Angelwings that was really helpful thanks a lot. but lets say i do get into general degree what kind of degree is considered general? and how hard would it be to transfer from let's say science to commerce at uni in the same year? thanks

Most undergrad degrees can be considered general imo - Arts, Science, Commerce etc Really any degree that doesn't specify a job like Engineering or Dentistry for example. However - these can still be used as "general" degrees but just less commonly done.
It wouldn't be too hard to transfer between science and commerce in the same uni - would need alright marks but nothing too exceptional (probably 70+ WAM is enough for that).

EDIT: the general degrees listed at the start probably give you the best chance of trying out other areas of study via breadths, electives and even selectives within the course so really helps for anyone who has no idea what they want to do straight out of year 12.

[AngelWings]

hey Angelwings that was really helpful thanks a lot. but lets say i do get into general degree what kind of degree is considered general? and how hard would it be to transfer from let's say science to commerce at uni in the same year? thanks

Sine’s already answered these for you, but I just wanted to add that a 75+ WAM is generally considered to be a “safe” or “competitive” WAM at unis like Monash or Melbourne, although you don’t need to be as high to transfer (70+ WAM, as stated before).

If you’re planning to transfer after the first semester/trimester, your ATAR may still be considered alongside your uni grades, so please also keep that in mind.

Side note: I used to have similar interests and also had few ideas of what I wanted to do after VCE. My VTAC preferences back in the day consisted of mostly science, but included commerce, environmental science, architecture (which I did the interview for) and the humanities arts, so I can relate to your dilemma.

[disone]

Sine’s already answered these for you, but I just wanted to add that a 75+ WAM is generally considered to be a “safe” or “competitive” WAM at unis like Monash or Melbourne, although you don’t need to be as high to transfer (70+ WAM, as stated before).

If you’re planning to transfer after the first semester/trimester, your ATAR may still be considered alongside your uni grades, so please also keep that in mind.

Side note: I used to have similar interests and also had few ideas of what I wanted to do after VCE. My VTAC preferences back in the day consisted of mostly science, but included commerce, environmental science, architecture (which I did the interview for) and the humanities arts, so I can relate to your dilemma.

Most undergrad degrees can be considered general imo - Arts, Science, Commerce etc Really any degree that doesn't specify a job like Engineering or Dentistry for example. However - these can still be used as "general" degrees but just less commonly done.
It wouldn't be too hard to transfer between science and commerce in the same uni - would need alright marks but nothing too exceptional (probably 70+ WAM is enough for that).

EDIT: the general degrees listed at the start probably give you the best chance of trying out other areas of study via breadths, electives and even selectives within the course so really helps for anyone who has no idea what they want to do straight out of year 12.

thanks Sine and AngelWings.
i'm just worried that for example going into commerce, not liking it than transferring into science and not liking that either. like to be honest i'm not sure how most people can be sure what the want to do even though the courses are not clear and do not really help you to pick, like tbh i don't know what i would be interested in,  whether it be design (mainly architecture), science/engineering or commerce. do you have any sort of advice that could help myself as well as others in the situation that could help us order our preferences.

EDIT: personally i enjoy a maths problem, problem solving, managing things, coming up with original ideas, creativity, and a social environment where there is lots of communication and interactions with others

[lm21074]

Hey disone!

Universities can be quite ambiguous with the information they present on their main websites.

One way you can get more info from them is by accessing each uni's handbook (i.e. Google search 'Monash Handbook') to see what units (subjects) you would actually be studying, and the majors (basically your focus area) and minors available in each course. There should be a search option on each handbook where you can search for the courses you are interested in selecting for your preferences.

This may help you find out what each course has to offer more specifically and in comparison to other unis' (e.g. the differences between Monash Arts and Deakin Arts).

Hope this helps

[AngelWings]

thanks Sine and AngelWings.
i'm just worried that for example going into commerce, not liking it than transferring into science and not liking that either. like to be honest i'm not sure how most people can be sure what the want to do even though the courses are not clear and do not really help you to pick, like tbh i don't know what i would be interested in,  whether it be design (mainly architecture), science/engineering or commerce. do you have any sort of advice that could help myself as well as others in the situation that could help us order our preferences.

Some tips to order preferences:
1. Have a deeper look and do your research - As mentioned by lm21074, university handbooks (kind of like a study design for courses), contacting unis, going to Change of Preference Days (and some late Open Days) may help to clarify what you want to study. Subject reviews and student testimonials might help too, but just beware of bias. (This is probably the best way to go.)
2. Have a deep talk with people you trust - talk to people who know you well like a friend, your parents or a trusted teacher. They might have some opinions that could be helpful to order your preferences. (Just be cautious of bias.)
4. Talk to the school careers teacher or a careers counsellor, if you know one - they’re trained to give advice, so they’ve got a bit more authority and expertise in the area. It’s definitely worth a trip to see them, if you haven’t already done so. Maybe they’ll be able to clarify that order a bit more.
5. Introspection - Think about what you enjoy the most and what suits you best.
6. Pros and cons lists - Pretty self explanatory: write a list of pros and cons for each area you’re into. If you’re leaning towards one, then that’s probably better as a Preference #1.
7. Think about institute - If you really like Melbourne’s old style buildings and know that Melbourne is super conveniently located near your house, then push courses at Melbourne to the top.
8. Consider opportunities and pathways - Sometimes students want something specific, like the opportunity to study abroad, compulsory placement, small class sizes, a booming social life or a specific postgrad degree. This might dictate a vague order to your preferences.
9. Note specialisations - some institutes are more well known for specific areas, e.g Monash for medicine, as it’s the only Victorian uni that holds an undergrad med degree, or might be better at certain areas e.g. Deakin Law is more focused towards family law, from memory. These reputations have dictated students’ preferences in some cases.

EDIT: personally i enjoy a maths problem, problem solving, managing things, coming up with original ideas, creativity, and a social environment where there is lots of communication and interactions with others

I think you’ve got the right idea; architecture, engineering and scientific research come to mind when I read the sorts of things you enjoy and are good at in the above quote.

May I suggest you have a quick look at some of the career targets found here, as well as trying some career quizzes or skill matching sites, such as the career quiz or skill matching function at Job Outlook? Perhaps those will give you some ideas on what you’d like to study, as well as deeper research into courses you’re into via university handbooks and such.