Why does everyone care about VCE so much?

[NE2000]

It annoys me as well, why is it that Med is the only course that is looked at with admiration?

Why do some people consider Commerce/Engineering a second rate/or often third rate kind of degree?

Take me - I want to do Commerce. However, I often find people telling me, 'oh you work so hard, you're going to do so well and you could do so much better than that' -

If it's in terms of the pay; people in Commerce do earn quite high salaries. The Maths needed for Actuarial Studies cannot be underestimated. I don't understand why some people look down on Commerce and other degrees such as Engineering/Arts. In the end, it's the individual's interest as to what he/she wants to do.

Perhaps you're getting mixed up with 'looking down' vs. 'not looking up'. I don't know many people who look down upon commerce or engineering. As for not looking up, well I don't think it's about the pay. People don't judge your aspirations simply based on how much money you want to earn. I would think the reason people look towards med is obvious: you are committing your life (incl. long years of training and specialization) to a constant process of learning in order to improve other people's health. A nice way to live.

[vexx]

"If you are doing it for money, there is a commerce building across the road".

Absolutely true. People who think medicine will get them rich are right HOWEVER, this is probably the highest paid occupation but not the highest paid opportunity. The world's richest are mostly-all business people. People who think the only way to earn money is through working is kinda LOL.

actually doctors do not get paid very much at all until after they specialise and the amount of time doctors are working/studying is more than the majority of all other jobs, and what they get paid for that is very little. you wont be earning that much until 10-15 years from med school, depending on how long it takes to get into a specialist college and finish it. quite difficult.

medicine is appealing for some due to the academic stimulation, the pure interest, ability to help others - feel yourself being needed, among other things. i would frown upon anyone who went into medicine purely for the social prestige, money, title and so on.

Believe me, its the money. Even if they don't admit it. You can't be born to love medicine out of interest.

^ what a generlisation, so many will disagree with that, im not sure on this forum but in general! well i've spoke to quite a few people who want to do medicine, and none of them told me they did it for money.
i couldn't care less about money, and i want to study medicine? it appears to be me to be very interesting? does this make me an exception?!
i think not..

[TrueTears]

I care about VCE so I can get into my desired course.

[vexx]

Who would tell you they are doing medicine for money? Lol that would just sound too greedy for money.

would it ever occur to you that some people don't actually care that much about money?

besides there are so many other jobs that are paid better from the start and are much easier.

[vexx]

Then why do they want to do it then?

such ignorance. i just said reasons before..

&&also
considering that being a doctor, you are working most of the time and studying most of the time. its often difficult to have that much of a life outside of it. people would not be able to tolerate such a demanding job unless they enjoyed in someway what they were doing. its a hell of a stressful job that takes us so much of ones time, and you also need to study on top of this.

why would anyone want to do a job like this if it was just for money when there are other jobs out there?

beleive it or not, some people actually choose a job they are interested in!

[minilunchbox]

"If you are doing it for money, there is a commerce building across the road".

Absolutely true. People who think medicine will get them rich are right HOWEVER, this is probably the highest paid occupation but not the highest paid opportunity. The world's richest are mostly-all business people. People who think the only way to earn money is through working is kinda LOL.

actually doctors do not get paid very much at all until after they specialise and the amount of time doctors are working/studying is more than the majority of all other jobs, and what they get paid for that is very little. you wont be earning that much until 10-15 years from med school, depending on how long it takes to get into a specialist college and finish it. quite difficult.

medicine is appealing for some due to the academic stimulation, the pure interest, ability to help others - feel yourself being needed, among other things. i would frown upon anyone who went into medicine purely for the social prestige, money, title and so on.

Believe me, its the money. Even if they don't admit it. You can't be born to love medicine out of interest.

Oh. I actually wanted to be a Psychiatrist because as lame as this sounds, I want/like to help people, and they get paid the least out of all the medical specialties. Also Scrubs. Scrubs helped increase my love for medicine. Anyway, I don't want to do medicine anymore even though I'm still interested is because I know that even if I got in (which is unlikely) I wouldn't be able to cope. So instead I'm going to be a Psychologist who gets paid crap-all and I might pursue that through an Arts Degree which gets a lot of "omg what/this is useless/you're going to end up living in a box/but you can't even draw!!!" from my parents and other people -_-.

[vexx]

^ i'm not sure where you get this information from that "most think its easy money" when you'd have to be quite daft to actual think it is in anyway easy, sure the money is good after 10~15 years but thats such a long time away when you can start earning "easy money" with other jobs relatively fast.

there isn't an interview process for a no reason at most uni's - the interviewers are trained to pick out those with geniune interest from those who are feigning it.

 people are starting to be more aware of the difficulties & stress of being a doctor, even if it is not fully understood.
in the book i'm reading, it was saying how the medical professions have the highest suicide rate, and the second highest alcohol/drug abuse rate. second from bartenders which that was slightly surprising!

[minilunchbox]

Yeah, dentists have the highest suicide rate, I think, which isn't that surpising since it seems like everyone hates them. Aw. And then some of them can't cope with inflicting so much pain on people, especially children.

[m@tty]

Then why do they want to do it then?

beleive it or not, some people actually choose a job they are interested in!

Some - a extreme small proportion.
Btw -  it is great that you realise its a stressful job. Many do not realise that until they step in. Most think its easy money.

Anyone who is going to succeed and be happy must work a job which they are interested in. Sure you can succeed for a few years in a high paying job just for the money, but is that the way you want to live? Think of the subject you liked the least. Now think of donig that subject for 40-70 hours a week. Is that the way you want to live?? Anyone who has the foresight to consider such things will choose a field in which they have interest.

[Gloamglozer]

Is it just me, or has ken deleted most of his posts in this thread?  I'm getting confused with where people are quoting him...

[m@tty]

He deleted all his posts...not cool  :knuppel2:

[Gloamglozer]

He deleted all his posts...not cool  :knuppel2:

Maybe he was too embarrassed at the amount of people quoting him?

[ninwa]

Is it just me, or has ken deleted most of his posts in this thread?  I'm getting confused with where people are quoting him...

Yeah, I think he has, I'm confused as heck too
At least all his posts have been quoted. Deleting posts in a debate is lame, dude. Even if the majority don't agree with you.

Perhaps you're getting mixed up with 'looking down' vs. 'not looking up'. I don't know many people who look down upon commerce or engineering.

Perhaps not engineering, but I know people who look down on commerce and arts (I know a lot of very stuck up people, most of whom do law... coincidence? -_-)
Arts because there is this (erroneous) conception that arts subjects are easy and all arts students are therefore slackers. I'm not sure why commerce though.

[vexx]

as if he deleted all his posts!

>_____________<!!!!!!

gladly i quoted him and all, maybe he didn't like that he was wrong about something ?

[QuantumJG]

could have* would have*
/lol sorry

I care about VCE because:
-I have a sibling who did ~amazingly (sort of)
-My parents compare me to said sibling and family friends even though they want to be a doctor and I'm not 'ambitious' enough to be one
-Bragging rights
-Getting into Uni
-I think I suck at everything so I end up working harder (see, there is a good thing about having shocking self-esteem)
-I have a Ron Weasley inferiority complex where I am always second best compared with my friend/sibling so I really, really want to do well in VCE since there aren't any lockets around for me to stab

Btw med students have a drop out rate of like 50%.

Source?

My specialist maths teacher (his grand daughter was doing a med degree and he was saying how the number left after the first year is around 50% of what started).