Uni Stuff > The University Journey Journal

7 8 9, and I might h8 myself | jkay__'s mundane journal

(1/3) > >>

jkay__:
Been on AN for like, 3 months by the creation of ths journal, so hopefully my attempted inclusion isn't too extra.

Who am I? Why am I doing this?I finished VCE in 2019, commencing my studies at The University of Melbourne from 2020. I love Maths (which does not reflect in my VCE results), and I'm not that bad at computers, so due to being untalented in many other areas, I couldn't see how these two specialisations couldn't be a more perfect fit.

I wrote this post for several reasons - possibly helping like-minded individuals who don't know what to do, reviewing subjects for anyone who might be interested in them along with looking back on my journey 4 years later, whoo.

I had been interested in majoring in Actuarial Science for the longest time, all the way from Year 10, and thought that my career pathway had basically been decided. This picture-perfect dream I had however was shattered gradually over the course of Year 12 and had become something irreparably tragic, culminating in my current faint resentment of the major. However, this is absolutely just me being melodramatic, and anyone who signs up for the major - I have huge respect for. It isn't a bad major at all, and there is a HUGE chance that my entire impression of it is biased and off the mark. I'm not an Actuarial student, so anything I say, please take with a grain of salt. Please refer to this thread for a former Actuarial student's thoughts on the Actuarial degree.

As someone who envisioned that Actuarial was the only pathway out for him - my hopes were utterly crushed over the year. I had lost my vision, and I did not know what to do, like at all. Very naturally (and with the advice of my Specialist teacher, along with Unimelb students), my thoughts floated to Data Science. It was not a bad degree at all, and it had the essence of what I wanted to do, which was Mathematics. However, after looking around even more, I was told to do Statistics + Computer Science. Like the indecisive and fickle kid I am, that's where my heart immediately went to, and I have been set on it for the past few months. Numerous people have said it is challenging (fun) and employable to a more drastic extent than anyone doing Actuarial or Data Science, as if I wanted to, I can choose to go into either industries, or I can also branch off to Computer Science, or so on.

It's Summer holidays now and I'm quite happy with the choice that I've made. However, I know that VCE is a busy time, and so many people (that I know of, at least) have no idea what they want to do. Hopefully with this journal, I can emulate the ones who have inspired me in the past, and guide anyone lost through the pitfalls of choosing what to study, perhaps.

I'll be reviewing all the subjects I do both here and in the Subject Reviews & Ratings megathread, and here's hoping that I'll be able to help, even at the most, one person on how Maths/Compsci is like, or how this degree is, etc.

Bachelor of Science (Computing and Software Systems) / Diploma in Mathematical Science @ UoMHave not yet started specialising in Statistics & Stochastic Processes (Diploma)

Study Plan:
Year 1 (2020)Sem 1 | COMP10001 | MAST10008 | PSYC10003 | UNIB10006 |
COMP10001 - Foundations of Computing
MAST10008 - Accelerated Mathematics 1
PSYC10003 - Mind, Brain and Behaviour 1
UNIB10006 - Critical Thinking with Data (Breadth)

Sem 2  | COMP10002 | MAST10009 | SCIE20001 | MAST10010 |
COMP10002 - Foundations of Algorithms
MAST10009 - Accelerated Mathematics 2
SCIE20001 - Thinking Scientifically
MAST10010 - Data Analysis 1
Year 2 (2021)Sem 1 | INFO20003 | SWEN20003 | MAST20004 |
INFO20003 - Database Systems
SWEN20003 - Object Oriented Software Development
MAST20004 - Probability

Sem 2  | COMP20003 | COMP20008 | MAST20005 | MUSI20150 |
COMP20003 - Algorithms and Data Structures
COMP20008 - Elements of Data Processing
MAST20005 - Statistics
MUSI20150 - Music and Health (Breadth)
Year 3 (2022)Sem 1 | SWEN30006 | COMP30027 | MAST30025 | COMP30024 |
SWEN30006 - Software Modelling and Design
COMP30027 - Machine Learning
MAST30025 - Linear Statistical Models
COMP30024 - Artificial Intelligence

Winter Term | EDUC30072 |
EDUC30072 - Positive Careers and Leadership (Breadth)

Sem 2  | COMP30022 | COMP30020 | MAST30027 |
COMP30022 - IT Project
COMP30020 - Declarative Programming
MAST30027 - Modern Applied Statistics
Year 4 (2023)Summer Term | MGMT30019 |
MGMT30019 - The Future of Work (Breadth)

Sem 1 | SWEN30023 | INFO30005 | MAST30011 |
COMP30023 - Computer Systems
INFO30005 - Web Information Technologies
MAST30011 - Graph Theory

Sem 2  | COMP30026 | MAST30034 | MAST30001 |
COMP30026 - Models of Computation
MAST30034 - Applied Data Science
MAST30001 - Stochastic Modelling
Here's what the plan would look like in a spreadsheet. Blue cells hold the major cores/electives, green cells hold the subjects needed to receive the Diploma of MathSc, orange cells hold Compsci electives and grey cells hold the Breadth subjects (scroll down for explanations of what each are)
(would love feedback on the study plan, if I should re-order some subjects or if I'll die doing these subjects, etc  ;D)

Timetables:
Year 1 (2020)

I'll add my timetables after each semester

Thoughts and Reviews:
Pre-Uni thoughts and impressionsMy impressions on this degree have been utterly defiled due to my curiousity of wanting to know and prepare for everything beforehand. Every single person I have talked to have stated that maths at Unimelb is incredibly impossible, and for a lack of a better word, absolutely fucked. However, these assertions of the subjects being impossible have just given me reassurance that I'm at the right place, and I'll most likely continue with my love-hate relationship with Mathematics. These "fucked" subjects (for those who care) are MAST10009 (Accelerated Mathematics 2), MAST20004 (Probability) and MAST30025 (Probability for Inference). Unimaths in general is hard, I guess. And what? What if it's hard? Would you go into a Medicine degree and complain about workload, when it's renowned for being difficult?

The answer to that question is yes, I'm just prepared and am preparing you all for incessant whining on this journal if it does turn out to be difficult, my premature apologies.

This incredible image of University that has been painted for me acts only as fuel to motivate me further, and remind me that University is not High School, where cramming might work for a bit in Year 1, but then massively backfire on you if your work ethics, and independent ability to set up schedules are incredibly lacking (the gist of what I've been advised to do). I talked to a student (Unimelb Class of 2019), who had prescribed me with 8 hours of study a day for first and second year, and 12 hours of study a day for third and fourth years. Whilst this sounds mathematically impossible factoring in classes, I'll try to achieve that goal to the best of my ability.

Then there's social life. I'm planning on going to the sci/eng camps (where I've heard some incredibly FUCKED up shit happens), and enjoying myself. I'll also join a few clubs here and there, but currently, it seems like I'll be living and breathing Mathematics for my time at Unimelb, which 'm not complaining about. There's also raves and clubs, which I guess I could make some time for. That said, I'll be limiting myself to one night out per semester, whether it be dinner out with friends or going to clubs (this excludes dinner with Academic acquaintances, if that situation ever arises). Why party during the year when we get so much time in the summer holidays (unless you do a summer term subject)? I've just heard too many stories of VCE high achievers (I'm not included in this category, rip) going into Uni and messing about because they think they could do well, and then ending up with 42 WAM, and I definitely know that some of my friends (also not high achievers, rip) who will definitely fall into this trap and completely flunk first semester.

I definitely feel safer writing this here though, as I cop fat roasts if I tell any of my friends that I'll have no social life during my stay at Unimelb LMAOO (or maybe I'll also cop some Ls on AN too). In fact, as I heard AM1 is incredibly hard relative to Specialist, I already started a bit of preparation for it, which won't even scratch the surface, but it's better than playing CSGO all day, I reckon.

I'm also having a Year 12 student for Specialist next year. He sounds like he has so much potential, so I hope I don't mess this up LOL
Index of Subject ReviewsI'll be linking my reviews (journal posts) as an index for every subject that I undertake, with the pathways (prereqs) possible for each subject.

A / C indicates that doing only one of the subjects is enough to meet the prerequisite for any subject.
A + C indicates that both subjects are needed to meet the prerequisites.
A + (B / C / D) indicates that subject A is compulsory, and any one of B, C or D can be chosen to meet the prerequisite.
A + B / C + D indicates that A + B is one pathway into the subject, whilst C + D is another pathway.

Computing and Software Systems cores/electives (COMP, INFO, SWEN)These are the subjects that I undertook to satisfy the prerequisites in Computing and Software Systems part of the major, and any other electives taken to expand my Computer Science knowledge.

COMP10001 - Foundations of Computing
COMP10002 - Foundations of Algorithms → FoC / Programming Test prereqs
INFO20003 - Database Systems → FoC / FoA / VCE Algo / Programming Test prereqs
SWEN20003 - Object Oriented Software Development → FoA / VCE Algo prereqs
COMP20003 - Algorithms and Data Structures → 2 Math subjects + (VCE Algo / FoC / FoA) prereqs
COMP20008 - Elements of Data Processing → FoC prereq
SWEN30006 - Software Modelling and Design → ADS + OODS prereqs
COMP30027 - Machine Learning → FoA + Elements of Data Processing prereqs
COMP30024 - Artificial Intelligence → ADS prereq
COMP30022 - IT Project → Database Systems + (Software Modelling and Design / Web Information Technologies) prereqs
COMP30020 - Declarative Programming → ADS prereq
COMP30023 - Computer Systems → Algorithms and Data Structures (ADS) prereq
INFO30005 - Web Information Technologies → Database Systems + (EDP / OOSD) prereqs
COMP30026 - Models of Computation → ADS prereq
Statistics & Stochastic Processes Major cores/electives (MAST)These are the subjects that are absolutely necessary to specialise in Statistics & Stochastic Processes for the Diploma in Mathematical Sciences.

MAST10008 - Accelerated Mathematics 1 → Raw 38 Specialist prereq
MAST10009 - Accelerated Mathematics 2 → Raw 38 Specialist prereq
MAST20004 - Probability → Calc2 + LinAlg / AM1 + AM2 prereqs
MAST20005 - Statistics → Probability prereq
MAST30025 - Linear Statistical Models → LinAlg / AM1 + Statistics prereqs
MAST30027 - Modern Applied Statistics (elective) → Linear Statistical Models prereq
MAST30020 - Graph Theory (Major elective) → (Real Analysis / AM2) prereq
MAST30001 - Stochastic Modelling → (Real Analysis / AM2) + Probability prereqs
BSci electivesBSci electives are any other subject that's in Bachelor of Science.

PSYC10003 - Mind, Brain and Behaviour 1
SCIE20001 - Thinking Scientifically
MAST30034 - Applied Data Science → Linear Statistical Models + Machine Learning prereqs
Breadths Subjects for BSciBreadth subjects are any subject that lies outside of your degree (so for me, any subject that are not BSci electives).

UNIB10006 - Critical Thinking with Data (University Breadth)
MUSI20150 - Music and Health (BArts)
EDUC30072 - Positive Careers and Leadership (??)
MGMT30019 - The Future of Work (??)
Index of my thoughts on each semesterYear 1
Sem 1
Sem 2

Year 2
Sem 1
Sem 2

Year 3
Sem 1
Sem 2

Year 4
Sem 1
Sem 2

I'll be updating this post periodically

flightlogs:
was randomly browsing through recent posts and the mention of stochastic processes caught my eye and i'm super impressed. idk shit about maths but my dad always talks abt it... OP u are venturing into some deep maths territory, mad respecttt. from one class of 19 grad to another, congratulations on finishing your VCE and having solid plans for uni! and as a sydney student, i'm super curious to see how UoM is for you 👀 i love melbourne so i'm excited to hear abt it :-) keep in touch x

jkay__:

--- Quote from: flightlogs on December 21, 2019, 04:30:30 pm ---was randomly browsing through recent posts and the mention of stochastic processes caught my eye and i'm super impressed. idk shit about maths but my dad always talks abt it... OP u are venturing into some deep maths territory, mad respecttt. from one class of 19 grad to another, congratulations on finishing your VCE and having solid plans for uni! and as a sydney student, i'm super curious to see how UoM is for you 👀 i love melbourne so i'm excited to hear abt it :-) keep in touch x

--- End quote ---

You too brother, it's been a wild ride for the past year but it's done and we made it, gang
You might be the first Sydney student I've actually talked to, you going Uni of Sydney? Tell me about that too if you're goin xoxo share our experiences

is stochastic that impressive?

caffinatedloz:
Really enjoyed following your VCE journey and looking forward to future updates. I think that your layout for this journal is great!

jkay__:

--- Quote from: laura_ on December 22, 2019, 01:46:02 pm ---Really enjoyed following your VCE journey and looking forward to future updates. I think that your layout for this journal is great!

--- End quote ---

Ay Laura, nice to see you again, what's been good?

I honestly hated my VCE journal (it was an eyesore), but I got to thank based Sine for inspiring me on his layout lol

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page