OzBargain, Help Me Pick a Degree

caradpam on 19/12/2015 - 11:17
Last edited 19/12/2015 - 11:22

Hey guys.

So I just finished year 12 and received my scores this week. I managed to do well enough that I can get into pretty much anything (besides medicine) and so have so many options open during this change of preference week I'm starting to have doubts.

I have a strong background in science and maths, so I'm leaning towards engineering. Chemical or mechanical seem like the most appealing majors to me. I'd also like to do a double degree in commerce/business as I've heard it could broaden my work opportunities (but I've only done business in school in year 10 and didn't particularly like it).

From the research I've done, the courses between universities seem quite similar. I'm mainly looking at Swinburne, RMIT and Monash. I'm not sure if the Melbourne model so end up with an Master of engineering is the right way to go.

Some pros and cons:
I can get a scholarship to Swinburne to cover half the costs of the degree, but Swinburne still seems like it's developing and people don't think it's very prestigious.
RMIT is close to where I live but I have to choose my major right away.
Monash if more prestigious and has a common first year for eng but getting there takes a long time

I'd really appreciate if you guys can help me out. I'd also like to hear about any experiences you'd had, particularly in studying mechanical or chemical engineering in Victoria.

Thank you!

Education & Work

Comments

      • serpserpserp on 20/12/2015 - 16:30
        +1

        Stop thinking about what you are GOOD at and start thinking about what you are INTERESTED in.

        I was really good at programming/IT as a youngster so I went into dot com startups, then I thought I needed to go back to uni to get "qualified" for my programming skills (that was a mistake) in the end I got into a big corporate through a supposed "prestigious" grad program and hated that too because all the people who were my bosses were actually really hopeless at IT/Programming and just good at managing up. I always wanted to do high finance but never thought i'd be any good at it, I changed careers and do that now and can say I am challenged every day I go to work and work with motivated people (IT people are slackers 95% of them lets face it).

        Don't think about doing Medicine unless you really mean it (and it sounds like you are if you don't like the post-grad way of doing things). There are so many other ways to make good coin and Medicine will eat you alive unless you are really the type of person for it. When I say that I don't mean you need to be a "Type A" personality to pass everything, but it is a slow, long slog in that career that actually pays you pretty poorly for the type of work you do for the first 6 years of your career. If you take any time off you fall behind, you can't just pick the specialty you want to do because everything is highly competitive. You will work extremely long hours, akin to an Investment Banker hours and get paid less for it AND in horrible conditions.

        • caradpam on 20/12/2015 - 17:32
          +1

          Well, the things that I'm good at are the things that I'm interested in. I wouldn't have invested the time in learning these things if I weren't interested in them.

          I'm just worried about the fact that there are very few jobs that I know of in the areas of science that I'm interested in. I really hope that once I get into uni I might be exposed to different career pathways.

          So, do you think it would be wise to start a double degree in the two bachelors I'm interested in, do it for the first year and maybe choose one?

        • mrham on 21/12/2015 - 00:30

          @caradpam: Pick a degree, pick a school (any of them you mentioned are fine) and get experience doing something you enjoy. Once you are qualified it's all about experience. The quality of which will depend on your work ethic and overall dedication to your job/career.

          If you really like science, maths and problem solving medicine is a great career. It might be pretty tough going initially (like any job) but it is bloody rewarding, not just financially.

          Whatever you choose, just stick with it and work hard. The rest will take care of itself.

          Also, our mums share the same occupation :-)

          GL

        • Pyrock on 21/12/2015 - 19:54

          @caradpam:
          You will definitely be exposed to much more career paths (at least with science anyway)
          Also remember that a lot of people will change courses after first year - or at the very least change direction within their course.
          The things you have done so far in VCE really are way too general to get a good look at anything. I know it happened to me - after 1st/2nd year uni my career goals changed quite a bit.
          My advice atm is to just do what you actually like doing (even if finding what this is takes a few tries) and you will find a career path within it.

        • serpserpserp on 23/12/2015 - 20:15

          @caradpam:

          From a personal perspective I think it is wise to start a double degree since you don't know what you really want. Then you can switch it up. I think by the end of your first year you'll really get a good understanding of what you do and don't like, just don't be scared to change and lose time when that happens. Remember investment of time into your education while you are young is so important and it is harder to continue to study as you get older. Spend as much time in your 20s as you can getting the education that is right for you. It is SUCH a luxury to be able to do this.

      • m00c0w on 21/12/2015 - 11:31

        Have you thought about doing a bachelor in maths or statistics? It's actually a field that had relatively good job prospects in the current climate and if you're into maths and science it fits right in with what you like.

  • Candour on 20/12/2015 - 14:14

    very impressive results! well done! a first degree is not going to hold you back with employers. further degrees might be a problem if they do not pay off. double degrees are an overkill as employers might not hire generalists straight into the top management floor. some keep academic departments alive. academic is not a good career path and industry might be suspicious of too credentialled candidates. unless you crack the top jobs, just find the best career for your personality as otherwise you might hate work for life. ADFA is probably good and well paid. the negative reports on harassment and worse in the forces is worrying though. otherwise the forces might be a good career path initially before you move on if you wish. job security is much better and career paths clearer in the forces. their full pay scholarships are better than anything you get from anywhere else.

  • Candour on 20/12/2015 - 20:17

    do some online personality tests to find out what you are like and waht you like. MBTI tests free on the net may help. it is likely that the defence forces might be happy for you to do any degree and then try to find your niche in life. life and work are different from academics. life is an evolutionary process. we cannot give you comfort or certainty. your karma may be different from mine and our experiences may not be relevant. dont over stress. see if adfa is for you. they may be more tolerant of your search for meaning. ultimately life is meant for living. not calculating the odds on uncertainty in the hope that we can eliminate it. we cannot. degrees ultimately do not make us. we do. if I could relive my life decisions they would be different. but I cannot. neither can you. you need to find your way in an imperfect world where change is the only constant. our reactions to change will determine who we are. just explore all the options you wish and see if you can find what gives you joy. that will be your work. not your prison. other considerations like money, status, degrees, approval of ozbargainers etc. are all irrelevant. try and find a good school counsellor who can find some good tests along MBTI lines so that you can at least choose a field which might suit your personality. this is only an unproven theory. nothing is absolute. even if it is sold to you as such. the slippery slope of success has more factors affecting it than just grades. there are no guarantees in life. we cannot eliminate risk from our decisions.

  • johnno07 on 20/12/2015 - 21:18
    +4

    My experience:

    1. Finished a law degree. Didn't enjoy myself all that much - but learnt a bunch (legal knowledge is extremely handy day to day)
    2. Currently doing a bachelors degree in videogames with a focus on programming. Really enjoying myself. Obviously nil job prospects in the non-existent (non-independent) Australian games industry. Managed to talk myself in an IT role in a finance company, working on an internal gamification project.

    Moral: Do something you're passionate about. Be able to sell yourself in a resume/interview. Everything will work out in the end!

    • DeafMutePretender on 20/12/2015 - 23:20
      +4

      Moral: Do something you're passionate about.

      I received an average of A+ in my passion: underwater basket weaving. Wish me luck.

      • GameChanger on 21/12/2015 - 12:17

        There might be a market for it! Just need to find some super rich people who will pay.

      • serpserpserp on 23/12/2015 - 20:16

        Mate there is youtube revenue to be made there!

  • caradpam on 20/12/2015 - 22:07

    Thanks for the help everyone, it's really been useful to see your perspectives.

    Preferences have to be in tomorrow noon. At the moment my first preference is engineering/science at Monash. I feel like the general engineering course would allow me to get somewhat of an insight into each major and better equip me to make a decision. Personally, I think the science degree would benefit me as I would really enjoy those subjects and could continue to learn about chemistry (which I am passionate about).

    At the end of the first year, I think I might choose between one of those degrees to continue, depending on whichever I like more.

    I'd be prepared to work hard either way so ultimately I should be able to do well and hopefully land a solid job in the near future.

    • centrelink on 21/12/2015 - 02:56

      Here is a tip, if there are open spots to join the car racing building team. JOIN IT ASAP! That shit is the most valuable experience and probably gives you the best edge in finding jobs when you are a graduate. I'm pretty sure unis like swinburne, rmit and monash have them and require you to join up in 2nd year, before you are in the senior team. That's like 3-4 pre-experience in your resume before you look for a job and puts you way ahead of most engineering graduates.

      • serpserpserp on 23/12/2015 - 20:17

        Swinburne does have it. Looks like a blast!

    • Bargain Hunter 007 on 22/12/2015 - 11:07
      -1

      Sensible choice, I'm at a tier one engineering consultancy and the majority of young engineers studied at Monash, some at RMIT and none from Melbourne. I would rank the engineering programs offered at each of those universities in that order also judging from what friends and co-workers have said.

      Also I agree with spn, get on that team - will look great on your resume, and it will be just be.. awesome.

  • JudasX on 20/12/2015 - 22:34
    +1

    Take a look here: https://80000hours.org/

    There's some great advice and information :)

  • saine on 20/12/2015 - 22:44

    Double degrees cut down on your ability to flip majors, so not always a great idea if you're not 100% sure about what type of engineering you want to study.

    • caradpam on 20/12/2015 - 23:01

      So should I just do the single and pick chem electives?

      • ShamelessBargains on 20/12/2015 - 23:27

        Smash the engineering degree out in 4 years and get some experience as this is much more valuable than a business degree.

        Single major with electives or dual major if possible?

        You can always tag on a business degree if the workload is becoming too much but it will add another 1.5 years and might not be your real passion.

        Good Luck with your studies too :)

      • saine on 21/12/2015 - 19:22

        Talk to your Uni to make sure there's that kind of freedom in their Engineering course, but yes.

    • serpserpserp on 23/12/2015 - 20:18

      Not completely true. You can ditch the second degree or do a major-less degree on one side usually to pick up the majors you might want to do.

  • Brouw3r on 21/12/2015 - 00:41
    +2

    Think about what job you want and do the degree that will get you that. I wanted to be a chemist, did chemistry, love my job. My sister did what she was told to do (effectively like you are), she got dux of a private school (ATAR 99.70 IIRC), went on to do engineering because of money/prestige/whatever, dropped out after ~2 years and now works as a barista.

    Also don't pay too much attention to the prestige of a uni, the rankings are based on their research profile not their undergrad teaching quality. Find out what the uni's close to you do best and go to the one that best suits. Undergrad doesn't matter all that much, if you want to go into academia go on to do a postgrad somewhere fancy (G8), source: did undergrad at average uni, work for G8 uni now, no one cares where you studied.

    • caradpam on 21/12/2015 - 09:49

      So what do you do now with your chemistry degree if you don't mind me asking? Do you do research at a uni?

      • Brouw3r on 21/12/2015 - 11:09
        +3

        I don't do research myself per se, but I could have gone down that path. I wear a few hats currently but here's a few things I do:

        • I oversee part of an environmental analytical lab where effectively I analyse all the water samples primarily for nutrients although I can do almost everything common in water and wastewater analysis. We get samples from either academics doing the research, or outside (usually government) organisations. Soils/sediments/rocks are more-or-less done by other staff, although there's a reasonable amount of overlap with everything we do.
        • Look after most of the chemistry-ish undergraduate labs, our "undergrad technician" is a biologist so he palms the chemistry to me (our department is Geology/Geography/Soil Science)
        • I do a reasonable amount of fieldwork where I cook, drive and help out where I can. I was a cook while I was in high school and uni so I fit that role well and enjoy getting out and seeing different parts of WA I probably wouldn't see otherwise.
        • Health and safety, probably the most tedious part of my job but I have to make sure no one hurts themselves and follows the uni and legal obligations.

        No matter what you choose, put yourself out there while you're at uni. Volunteer over summer break and start networking ASAP. Having a degree means you get put in a pile with hundreds of others, knowing the right person is what will make the difference in most cases.

        Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.

        • Davo1111 on 24/12/2015 - 11:45

          Are you looking for any workers? :P

          oh wait, you're part of a uni. You've probably got a fair supply of grads

  • John on 21/12/2015 - 01:21
    +1

    I heard someone once said this.. "The future is held by programmers" .. I think this is absolutely spot on.

    From transport, retail, entertainment, accommodation, banking, even universities.. they all have seen major breakthrough in the digital industry. UBER has 0 taxis, ALIBABA/EBAY has 0 items in stock, AIRBNB has 0 rental properties, UDEMY has 0 universities building….. all these successful company have is one powerful apps/website (and idea, of course).

    If I were you, I would study extremely hard to get into this world. Every newborn generation today will soon be fully equipped with smartphones & computers.. and in 15-30 years time they will all be consumers of these gadgets along with all of us who are already in the market. Most old generation who are less tech savvy will pass away then, replaced by this generation.. and you can only imagine the size of the digital market in the future.

    I don't know why, but I believe this is where the breakthrough will continue to happen in the coming years. Mining slow down, brick and mortar retail slows down.. but the digital market keep speeding up at a rapid pace.

    Screw what I like…. I want to be in that industry!!!

    • caradpam on 21/12/2015 - 09:50

      I've thought of that. I don't particularly like programming, but I do like the hardware of these devices, particularly smartphones. Not sure how to make a career out of that though.

      • serpserpserp on 23/12/2015 - 20:20

        Industrial Design my friend.

  • MadMurph on 21/12/2015 - 07:02

    My belated two cents:

    1/ Follow your passions and interests. Don't torture yourself through 3+ years of studying something that bores you just because it has good job prospects. You might not make it to the end, or perform poorly because of disinterest, or even not want a job at the end of it all. If you are passionate and driven enough (and a little bit lucky), you can land yourself a job in any field.
    2/ Do as much as you can during the next few years to give yourself an edge in the market when you leave. A degree with 98% averages isn't enough. I saw when briefly skimming through previous comments that someone suggested a car building team. Stuff like that is perfect. My personal regret from my study is not networking with academics who would have been more than happy to help me excel - some were pushing me to get my high-scoring papers published and or become a campus tutor and I didn't chase it. Most unis have great human resources in terms of folk who will help self-driven students get ahead.
    Congrats on the great score and the exciting future ahead. Don't forget that many people these days go through several careers - the rest of your life does not hinge on this decision. Above all, have fun!

  • lost69 on 21/12/2015 - 07:09

    You don't need an overpriced piece of paper turning yourself into a HECs slave in the process. Everybody always screams university but university is nothing more than a degree mill nowadays anyway.

  • mshanann on 21/12/2015 - 07:50
    +2

    Have you any interest in robotics and autonomous machines? There is lots of future opportunities in this space both here and overseas.
    Agriculture, manufacturer and construction applications are endless.
    If I had my time again I would combine electrical, mechanical and programming.

    I'd also be looking at whether any university programs here can qualify for credits towards a degree at any of the prestigious US tech universities like MIT and caltech. Consider trying to finish out or complete some subjects from these institutions. It will certainly differentiate you from your peers applying for the same jobs. Think outside the box as far as your education - you are not limited to Victoria.

  • User167511 on 21/12/2015 - 08:30
    +2

    Point to note: Chemistry and Chem Eng are two diametrically opposite roles. One focuses on actual physical chemistry and the other is about engineering systems surrounding Chem processes. Just a point.

    • caradpam on 21/12/2015 - 09:52

      I've come to realise that after research actually. My way of thinking is that if I can do a double degree for a year, I can see which one I like better and pursue that in later years. Possibly…

    • karu on 22/12/2015 - 04:48

      Chem Eng at my university was essentially 4 years of pure physics.

      If you think a Chem Eng degree will let you enjoy both chemistry and engineering work, then you are way off.

  • ItsMeAgro on 21/12/2015 - 08:54
    +3

    Do you like computers?

    I studied Computer Science. Now I am paid lots of money to mess with computers all day. I create software that helps keep people safe on construction sites. I never have to put up with rude customers or office politics or other soulsucking BS like in many workplaces. If that sounds good to you, might be something to consider.

    I'm in charge of hiring now, and we recently advertised for ASP.NET programmers with 6 months experience for 85k and struggled to find competent candidates.

    • DashAnimal on 21/12/2015 - 09:20
      +2

      I recommend Computer Science/Software Engineering too. It is heavy on problem solving and logic, and whilst you don't need to be good at maths to be good at computer science, if you enjoy maths then you most likely will enjoy the problem solving that CS involves. The job prospects are ridiculously amazing at the moment, and if you play your cards right (study, extra-curricular, some side projects), then you can really honestly get a job anywhere. If you're good, you'll get some crazy opportunities to intern at some big big companies (overseas and local). And I think one of the best aspects is that CS isn't limited by what companies are hiring. You have the potential to create whatever you want, day to day, and can lead to you starting your own business or working for a larger business. All you really need is the knowledge you have and a computer.

      Here's a nice piece of propaganda: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STRPsW6IY8k

    • peterpeterpumpkin on 23/12/2015 - 10:46

      Out of interest, how did you determine their incompetence? And what type of work history were you expecting from someone with 6 months experience, a prior casual worker, a contract worker or a graduate you'd like to quit their first job?

      I'm not accusing your organisation, but I've known MANY cases where a person tells me they can't find the "right" candidate but in my opinion the person hiring wasn't eligible for their own authoritative position (in qualifications, intelligence or personality). These same people in the same breath mention that there are lots of jobs out there because their organisation has many unfilled positions?!

      I actually believe there may have been no suitable candidates but sometimes the people hiring should look in the mirror.

  • jellykingdom on 21/12/2015 - 09:02
    +2

    PS maybe someone has said this before, but people don't really care what university you went to in Australia. This isn't the US. Noone has ever asked me once where my engineering degree is from

  • VehemenceThePhoenix on 21/12/2015 - 09:21
    +1

    Take the scholarship. I was in a similar position as you a few years ago. Ended up taking the bigger scholarship at the less 'prestigious' Uni and very glad with it. If you get top grades at Uni you should have no trouble finding opportunities regardless of Uni. Also meant much less travel for me. It was great having no debt. BTW I did Mechatronics.

  • nietzsche bargain on 21/12/2015 - 10:08

    Cash money, do a combined business + something at Unimelb or Monash. Don't be fooled by the scholarship, in the longer term that $10k will be immaterial.

    Brand name matters (for commerce related roles) as most desirable corporates' HR campaigns only target G6 unis (not to say they don't accept applicants from others)

    Also, don't be put off by whatever garbage business studies course was offered in high school. Bears no resemblance to the bachelors and real life.

    • serpserpserp on 23/12/2015 - 20:32

      Utter garbage about HR managers. Investment Banks and the Big 4 pay their HR a lot of money to actually look at the people behind the degrees. Trust me if you go to Swinburne and get a High Distinction average or top your class, they are going to look at you just as favorably as someone who scored highly at Monash/Melb Uni etc.

      Then when you get to the interview stage it is all fair game…

  • atris17 on 21/12/2015 - 10:14

    try Quantitive Surveying - Combination of LAW, ACCOUNTING AND ENGINEERING. Work mainly in construction base project

    • Good Salary
    • Good Employment
    • 4year study
    • GameChanger on 21/12/2015 - 12:20

      Actually the prospects are not that good, you may as well do a Civil Engineering degree which is more respected and well can pretty much do Surveying.

  • Gnosh on 21/12/2015 - 10:15
    +3

    If I could give you (or younger me) any advice, it would be the following:

    Stop thinking about what you think everybody in society values. Think about what YOU value. What interests YOU? Be critical of yourself. Ask yourself the questions "why do I value that?", "is this just what I am expected to value, am I actually that passionate about this?".

    If you're anxious about what to choose, think it could be worse when you're a year or two into your degree and realise this is not for you. It might be better to get some experience first, for a lot of people they will travel and work in various jobs before deciding to study, if at all.

    You've mentioned you have a stonger background in maths and science. Challenge yourself to think less about "I'm good at these, where can I apply that", and ask yourself "is this in line with my interests". Money is always a nice thing to have but it will never be worth it if you trade in your happiness. I really stress this.

    Whatever you choose to do, always know that you can pause, stop, or change at any point. It's ok to make mistakes. It's ok to start from scratch. Don't be too hard on yourself. Live according to what you value, not up to what you think other's expectations are.

    Hope this helps.

  • geoffs87 on 21/12/2015 - 10:24

    I see a few comments here about the same tact - if you find something you love doing - that will be the most rewarding - and likely financially rewarding also. The jobs you love, will make it easier for you to go to work each day and strive for success.

    Plus, while studying - you will enjoy what you are learning, more likely to focus time on your studies and get greater marks - something that graduate employers and postgraduate studies like to see!

    What do you want to do?!

  • JepunK on 21/12/2015 - 11:21
    +1

    How about Information Technology - Bachelor in Online bargain Hunting?

  • Tarnos on 21/12/2015 - 11:27

    If I were you, I would go for IT / Electrical. There is a lot of good advice here already so I will try not to repeat. I did engineering at Monash and I found the first year was great all round practical knowledge but didn't really help me choose my major (ended up with Mechatronics because I wanted to still remain versatile). I would say it wouldn't hurt to do the Monash way but I suspect other uni's will give you more wiggle room to choose electives considering Monash may be "wasting" a year if you know what you want from the beginning.

    Your ATAR is very high, which to me would seem like you will be good at learning any subjects you put your mind to. For this reason I wouldn't necessarily rely on just the subjects with the "higher scores" but really what you would like to do. If finding your "passion" sounds like an overused term in your vocabulary which is giving you pressure, have a good think about the job market and the trends. I am working in mechanical engineering in the oil/gas sector and I have to agree with above commenters that the job market in this area (including chemical engineering) is shrinking.

    The reason I suggest to go for IT/Electrical is because this looks like where more jobs are, you mentioned your dad is a network engineer and I am pretty sure you can do well in this area with your ATAR.

    • caradpam on 21/12/2015 - 15:09

      That's the issue, I do not really know which type of engineering I would like and that's why I'm leaning towards Monash's general first year.

      However, I've always had a passion for science (more chemistry and biology) but I don't really know what other career pathways there are besides medicine and research. That's why I would like to at least have a go at engineering because it seems to me like the career options are kind of more clear-cut I guess.

  • FatBlanket on 21/12/2015 - 12:40

    Do what you want, just make sure you will enjoy it and make sure you can become one of the best in your field.

    I studied computer science and got ace marks, I'm working at some crappy company, really really stressful work. Constant deadlines and a lot of pressure.

    I'd say the people telling you to study this regardless of whether you enjoy it are crazy. Only study it if you enjoy it. Heaps of this work is offshored and if you want a good job in aus you have to be good. Maybe I've just been unlucky but from what I've seen so far the field expects long hours and really dedicated employees. The good ones all enjoy programming OUTSIDE of work. They go home and program some more. I wish I'd just been a plumber or something to be honest. I don't think they spend their weekends practicing plumbing?

    • GameChanger on 21/12/2015 - 12:45
      +1

      LOL I don't think any plumber has a 'passion' for it. A lot of people discount trade work but if you to many affluent suburbs you will see many cars are tradies who set up their own business and making a killing.

      • FatBlanket on 21/12/2015 - 12:49
        +2

        Yup, either get a job that is your passion or get a job that pays decent and lets you have your own life outside of work. Just my 2cents.

  • Cyphar on 21/12/2015 - 13:31
    +1

    I can get a scholarship to Swinburne to cover half the costs of the degree, but Swinburne still seems like it's developing and people don't think it's very prestigious.

    I don't think I've ever really noticed WHERE my employees get their degree. Only that they have one. In most fields, prestige counts for very little. If you have a medical degree from Monash or Uni of Melbourne, maybe that counts, but if you had an engineering degree of VU, Swinburne or RMIT, I couldn't care less where it was from. What matters to me more is how well you performed in it. And even then, I'd only pay attention to it for a graduate roll.

    • GameChanger on 21/12/2015 - 13:37

      Exactly, what people forget when Aus was expanding nearly everyone from overseas has come with a degree from Uni's that are not in the top 100 in the world.

      From my experience the only employers I know who discriminate Uni's is the Investment banks graduate positions and even then if you're top of the cream you will least get an interview.

  • High_Point on 21/12/2015 - 13:39

    Going into my final year at Swinburne for mechanical engineering, I'd be happy to answer any questions you have regarding the course.

    • caradpam on 21/12/2015 - 15:12

      Did you have a common first year for our course or were you set on mech eng straight away?

      Also, has Swinburne significantly helped you in finding internships and work experience?

      What kind of projects/internships have you done too?

      • High_Point on 21/12/2015 - 17:24
        +2

        Yep so first year is fairly generic, course structure for mechatronic and mechanical is exactly the same. There are some differences between mech and civil for the first year, probably 2 units for the year. Electrical probably has 4 different units. Courses diverge a bit after that. Don't know about chemical engineering, haven't met anyone during my studies doing it, not even sure if Swinburne offers it.

        As for internships I found the ibl program to be extremely useful, it removes a lot of competition from trying to find an internship position. For mech eng there may have been around 20 positions during my intake and you are only competing against class mates for the positions. So if you score well during uni and don't have the personality of a brick you're pretty much guarenteed a spot. I think they may have changed the course now so that you are guaranteed a position anyway. Don't quote me on it but it looks that way from the course options you can choose from.

        If you're looking for internships over the holidays Swinburne will advertise them but its up to you to apply.

        The ibl position is a bit more than an internship though, its a year of full time work with pretty much no uni work. (Depending on which company you work at will determine how much you are payed, generally around 35-40k)

        I'm pretty happy with how my ibl position turned out, will be entering a part time job from the contacts I made next year.

        As for course work, I believe its pretty standard, thermo, fluid, maths, some materials and structural units. 3rd year has some fairly intense group work projects that are a lot of fun but rather difficult in terms of grading.

        One project was to design and build a laser cut acrylic gearbox to lift a 7kg weight as fast as possible.

        The other project was to design and build a solar powered model boat and race them against other peoples designs.

        First year has a Lego robot building competition, if you like arduino its pretty fun.

        2nd year only had the one group project if I remember correctly, it was a cad (solid works) model design project.

        Didn't do it myself but I would advise joining the SAE team, makes you stand out from other grads and looks great on the resume.

        Posting from my phone so don't mind the grammar.

  • Excelsior on 21/12/2015 - 13:40

    Scanned through the comments and noticed a lot of elitists. Whilst it may be true that some companies only hire from Go8's, I would say things have changed in recent times. I know a lot of people who went to non-Go8's and managed to score graduate roles; whilst the ones who did graduate from Go8 are struggling to find a job. It comes down to each individual. No one really enjoys recruiting another robot who graduated with an 80+ average but has 0 social skills or a life outside of work.

    I myself graduated from a Go8, but I'd rather let someone's intellect and work ethic do the talking, not a piece of paper they have.

  • bdl on 21/12/2015 - 14:11
    +3

    Step 1: do chem eng
    Step 2: buy a RV
    …
    Step 3: profit

  • atris17 on 21/12/2015 - 14:18
    +2

    I feel a business degree is useful, if you decided to do a Double…. Did Pharmacy because I was good at Chemistry and Health Science. Switch to Accounting Degree, was way useful because I am money minded and help up heaps when I got into buying shares, assets etc. Now I am helping my sister and friends setting up a dental practice in NZ and Aus.. I love the business part and will presude additional studies in dental area to get a better understanding. Life is so funny, the future feel secure, but it aint written yet…

    All the best in UNI LIFE

  • Donaldhump on 21/12/2015 - 14:38

    lawyer, u can rape everyone of there money and doesnt even matter if you win….

  • WillKillfor5Cents on 21/12/2015 - 15:21

    I assume you are in it for the moolah, without knowing what you actually wanted. Here's my pick for ya:

    Investment Bankers/Management Consultant - Comm/Law

    Traders - Comm/Science (major in Physics/Math) or Comm/Eng is also good.

    Very competitive fields, if you want to go the corporate routes. Pretty much if you do IB/MC exit opportunities are widest. For Uni, I suggest Mel U/Monash. Not that they are necessarily better, its just mate who worked in the industries pretty much told me they rarely see anyone outside the G8 in their fields. Again, I am not slaming the other unis as crap, but its just lazy HR filtering candidates that way it seems.

    However, if you just wanted to make cash now and fast. Do a TAFE course in one of these fields and get to work asap:

    -Mining (used to be a cash cow, but mining is dead)
    -Oil (almost same situation, but I know a lot of mates making 6 figures in few years doing hard labour in Oil refinery, etc)
    -Builders (Plumbing, Concreter and many more) - Hard labour but $$$

    Good luck !!!

  • AlanHB on 21/12/2015 - 16:28

    Great work on the ATAR mate. I initially opted for a dual Science/Law degree then moved to a straight Law degree.

    I completely back everyone who has suggested that you study something that you are interested in, or at least to find a reason to study other than "that's what everyone else is doing".

    After finishing school with decent marks I went straight to uni and proceeded to bomb my first 2-3 years. I took a year off at that point to find a reason to continue studying. I finally did, and only at that point did I dedicate myself to my subjects.

    So feel free to take some time off if you'd like it, even if it's just 6 months in the real world. And if you dislike studying a subject, you'll most likely hate working in it.

  • big bill broonzy on 21/12/2015 - 17:34

    Dont be afraid to change degrees, i know so many people that hated first year and just decided to finish it because they felt obliged to.

  • smpantsonfire on 21/12/2015 - 18:29
    -2

    These types of questions are retarded.

  • fenrer on 21/12/2015 - 20:25

    Just wanted to add that chemical engineering has absolutely nothing to do with chemistry.(mostly processes and flows) Mechanical is fun… Materials is very niche and everyone seems to end up taking civil as its simpler to comprehend. Be prepared to spend more time at school than other disciplines to earn less credit.

  • marbss on 21/12/2015 - 20:33
    +1

    Great work and I get where you are coming from… I was in your situation 18 years ago.

    Advice: read the book "What Color is Your Parachute?" Do the exercises in the book to help identify your passions and what type of lifestyle you want to create.

    If you are worried about prestige — think bigger than Australia. Think global universities in whatever field you pursue at a grad school. Good luck mate.

  • knackers on 21/12/2015 - 20:55

    I was an avid tinkerer and inventor as a kid so naturally I gravitated towards a Mech Engineering degree.
    Find what tickles your fancy and use your higher education as a way to compliment your skills..

    Love what you do and do it well.

  • cosycatus on 21/12/2015 - 21:43

    I was a chemical engineer turned doctor.

    1. It's better to be a big fish in a small pool than a small fish in a big pool. A high distinction from Swinburine >> a merit from Melbourne.
      No one really cares what university you are from while most of us do acknowledged a high distinction. Not in engineering, not in medicine. And especially medicine because what eventually matters is your specialty.

    2. Have u considered dentistry? I use to think that it's boring staring down pples teeth all day, but it's actually a nice job if you like to do things with your hands. Other than cleaning, plucking out teeth, there's braces, dental implants, crowns caps, rool canal treatement, dentures, teeth whitening. If surgery is your choice, u go can go to med school afterwards and become a maxillo facial surgeon to work on the facial bones , muscles and nerves. I think its a cool job

    • caradpam on 21/12/2015 - 21:59

      I wouldn't mind going down the medicine path. Which uni is best for medicine in Victoria though? Monash, Melbourne or Deakin?

      • [Deactivated] on 21/12/2015 - 23:00

        Melbourne Medical School
        Melbourne Medical School
        Melbourne Medical School
        Melbourne Medical School
        Melbourne Medical School
        Melbourne Medical School

        don't go to USYD. (profanity) incompetent idiots can't get their act together after introducing their MD degree.

      • Dsquall on 21/12/2015 - 23:16
        +1

        Dent + Med is actually not a bad idea for a young person. The maxfax pathway is much less competitive than many of the other surgical disciplines these days and if you have a dentistry degree some unis offer expedited MBBS/MD.

        And which medical school you went to comes secondary to so many other things (knowledge of medicine, anatomy, surgical skills and interaction with bosses to name but a few) it matters most to a select few junior doctors who like to use it as a shield for their own shortcomings or as a tool for discrimination. That said, different medical schools do vary in the quality of teaching delivered (but if you work hard enough, this won't matter).

        One last note though, this is just my opinion but I don't think you should do med for just for the money and status, you'll find these two things are poor motivators in the long run and without motivation both money and status are very hard to come by in medicine. Think of them more as perks rather than a sole motivating factor.

      • cosycatus on 22/12/2015 - 23:29
        +1

        monash and melbourne has a very well establish curriculum. Monash graduate school is basically the undergraduate version, but they shorten the undergraduate first 2 years into 1 year. Both of these school has 3 years of clinical studies ( where u learn on the wards).

        Deakin is new and has the north american style 4 years - 2 years basic science, 2 year clinical.

        Established is very important, because they had medical students for so long, the affiliated hospitals usually have a very good thing going.

        Personal opinion - go for the one with 3 clinical years.

        With dentistry, u are basically good to go when u graduate. You pick up the essential skill in the last 2 year of school. You might work for someone for 1-2 year to learn the tricks of the trade, but there's nothing stopping u from setting up shop the moment u graduate.
        Medicine on the other hand is one long road. You finish internship, if u want to be a GP, that's another 3 years. Anything else will take u another 6 to 10 years. Eg, if u want to be a surgeon, after internship, most pple become surgical RMOs for at least 2 years to slough their guts out and win the favors of surgeons to get recommendations. There's difficult exams to pass before you get onto a surgical training program. Then the training is at least 5 years where u are the workhorse of the surgical unit. Your weekends are burned, your evening are gone. And you need to get some studying done every week. At the end of it, there's difficult exams to pass again become you get your license, but no, you are not on the home run yet to become a consultant doctor. Nowadays with a dearth of jobs in hospital, most pple become fellows for 1-2 years to gain more expertise in an area. And even at the end of it, you might not get a boss job at the hospital ( surgeons might qualify earliest about 35, and once they got a boss job, they just stick around for the next 30 years…so u can imagine how hard jobs are to come by, esp with the influx of Indian trained doctors).

        It's essentially the same if u want to be a medical specialist, only that jobs are EVEN scarcer, the hours worse and you have to deal with a lot of social issues on your way through the training.
        The "healthily" sick people are really easy to treat. Patch them up and they are so eager to go. Those are enjoyable. It's those patient with fathom back pain looking for disability pension, your alcoholic withdrawal dude, your fat obeses patient who wants the hospital to loose weight for her that are the troublesome ones and there's a huge abundance of them, since everything is "free" for them…and they eat away at your soul. Most doctors eventually learn to put on a plastic face and be nice to everyone without really caring, because we all got burned so much.

        • caradpam on 23/12/2015 - 09:37

          Medicine definitely sounds like a tough slog. Should I direct my mate who wants to become a surgeon to your comment?

          Also, if I was interested, where would I study dentistry in Victoria? I haven't done the UMAT so I would ideally need a post-grad pathway.

        • hey on 23/12/2015 - 10:01

          @caradpam: Melbourne University is the only option but that requires you to sit the GAMSAT which is pretty gruelling. Also, spots are super competitive in that there are around 80 spots but only around 20 are CSP while the other 60 are full fee which means you're paying 60k a year in tuition fees - not to mention that it also requires you to complete an undergraduate degree in say, science and maintain a relatively high GPA for competitive entry

        • lemonadeskies on 29/12/2015 - 17:27

          Dentistry is offered at LaTrobe university in Bendigo as well at undergraduate level (5 year course). Requires a high 98/99+ atar though, even though it's not stated explicitlly. Know as I'll be starting next year. Also, no UMAT is required as a school leaver, just ATAR and chem/bio.

          If you want to become a dentist quickly, this is the best option over postgrad. Saves 2 years

    • [Deactivated] on 21/12/2015 - 23:01
      -2

      booooooo….

      engineers who become doctors are traitors. You must like wrote learning.

    • bought on 22/12/2015 - 11:27

      Is doctor much better pay than engineer?

      • cuteduck on 22/12/2015 - 23:47

        yes in most case.. public specialist will earn about 400k+all perks &entitlement ..and private specialist if doing well can earn up to 1mil.

  • [Deactivated] on 21/12/2015 - 22:15

    3rd year Electrical Engineering at Monash here, kinda wish I took Telecoms Engineering at Swinburne as it is a LOT more practical than Monash. Tbh Monash has totally destroyed their Engineering program in the past year (I was lucky enough to take the last year or so of the old structure) so I'd personally suggest Swinburne. Get yourself lots of practical experience alongside any degree in that field and you will be winning. Good luck and congrats on the high score!

  • TurkishDelight on 22/12/2015 - 01:19
    +1

    SO basically everyone here has a double degree.

  • SpaceNinja on 22/12/2015 - 02:37
    +1

    if you really want your career to go straight up, you should try the 90 degree.

  • Lucky13 on 22/12/2015 - 05:44

    Im reasonably new to Melbourne, but I think Melbourne University seems to be the best uni in Melbourne. Im actually currently studying an online degree at Swinburne University and am slightly blown away by how bad the teaching is. I studied at uni in my earlier years and the quality of education was a lot better. Discussing potential career choices is great, but ultimately its your decision in the end. Its best to choose something youll really enjoy as youll be doing it for a while.

  • syousef on 22/12/2015 - 07:42

    Nothing wrong with Swinburne. They run an excellent online Astronomy degree. I did something similar at UWS (Western Sydney Uni now) around 2002 "for fun" (no intention of career change).

    I can only impart my experience. I got >97 - I cruised really…and struggled with a science degree at USyd. Some personal circumstances played a role but I dropped out, was lucky enough and tenacious enough to find an IT job in programming which I was then able to convert into my work experience year so went back and did a Computing degree at UTS. So in the end I only lost a year. Personal circumstances, maturity, a lack of math background (I did 3 unit back then, and dropped the 4 unit due to workload and because questions about the meaning of things were discouraged) all played a role. But maturity most of all. I'd never really had to work very hard in highschool. Yes I did homework and assignments etc. but didn't have to spend a lot of extra time. I'd never really struggled getting a concept or getting my technique on a method up to speed. That all changed when I hit uni.

    Find something you can stand doing for 8 to 12 hours a day every day and do that without wanting to beat your head against the wall and expect to really work hard at whatever you do for the duration of your degree.

  • avhornet on 22/12/2015 - 09:15

    IT + Statistics going towards BigData ,IOT etc

  • kywst on 22/12/2015 - 10:52

    Doesn't matter what you study if you plan on dropping out to become a billionaire.

  • peterpeterpumpkin on 22/12/2015 - 13:59

    Due to technologically-driven redundancy, it's becoming increasingly hard to make career suggestions based on a profile of current abilities and interests. An invention in 2025 can wipe out a job by 2030. Personality is extremely important. Most of the world is filled with paper-pushers. If you're not one, chances are you'll quit your career within a few years anyway from boredom.

    There is a chance that Australia will become a nation of paper-pushers to the rest of the world sometime soon. We're the kid who tries to make money selling uprooted bones while other kids build desalination kits from Meccano. Twenty years ago, when people remarked that biotechnology careers were the future they were right - it's just that Australia might not be the best place to get a job in that field (http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2014/01/16/3926579.ht…). It goes for other forms of technology too. You're probably more likely to find a brilliant developer working on an international pornography website than risk creating or joining an innovative Australian startup. Someone's gotta pay the bills and feed the kids.

    Whatever field you chose, just hope that Australia has a job market for you in 5-15 years. Things get a little easier if you don't care where you call home…

  • aromatase on 22/12/2015 - 15:32

    Don't do medicine, it's not worth the long hours. Dentistry if you like using your hands is a good choice.

  • djthornton on 22/12/2015 - 19:24

    Hey man,
    I'm doing a double degree in Commerce and Advanced Maths (finished school in 2014) and I can tell you first hand that if you're not sure exactly what to do, commerce/science, commerce/engineering, or commerce/maths gives you a broad enough scope (with majors and everything) that you'll be able to find a niche topic that you really love and can focus on in later years or once you go on to do a masters (if that's your plan).
    Hope that helps, if you have any questions let me know!

  • Spentgecko07 on 22/12/2015 - 20:40

    Do what you enjoy

  • blerk on 22/12/2015 - 23:54

    My 2 cents: do Mech Eng at USQ or Deakin or CQU or else Chem Eng at CDU (unfortunately that's the only place I've found for Chem Eng) by distance. Distance ed allows you to earn a living, get a full-time cadetship, have a baby, move interstate, travel, get a mortgage etc. Do not under estimate the need for flexibility down the line.

  • Kapinny on 23/12/2015 - 00:30

    dont do medicine if you want money

    • cuteduck on 23/12/2015 - 20:56
      -1

      this is not true

      • Kapinny on 23/12/2015 - 23:56

        are you a doctor?

  • daniesaurs on 23/12/2015 - 13:56

    I also need help with choosing my degree, it has been bothering me for a long time including during the first change of preference and even now (I can change it Jan 4th and after first round offers).

    I'm interested in doing Engineering, specifically something specialising in programming and also electrical design. My first preference right now is Engineering at Monash (planning to major in Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering), this is mostly due to the $3000 scholarship I was offered and also a lot of people who say the course is good. I have been told that Monash is quite competitive like Melbourne and that I would have trouble standing out. It will take me one bus, two trains and another bus to get to the Clayton campus.

    On the other hand a lot of people I know also say RMIT is more practical and will be more beneficial, they also say that it is a more relaxing environment with great lecturers. I am aware that in the industry both RMIT and Monash graduates have good job prospects and are highly regarded for their engineering courses. The course I am interested in is Engineering-Computer and Network (Honours)/Computer Science, (no scholarships offered yet as I had forgotten to apply, I also just missed out on the 90+ ATAR (89.70)) I have just applied to a scholarship that was still open but I may or may not get offered before the next change of preference hence I don't know if I should switch courses on the 4th or after First round offers.

    Now I am reading some comments in here saying that jobs in the Engineering industry is scarce and that Monash's new course design isn't as practical, whereas CS is recommended by a lot of people (I am interested in CS as well but Monash does not have an Engineering/CompSci degree).

    Can someone please give me some insight on which seems like a better option for me and also the plan of attack I should take in terms of changing my preferences or rejecting my first round offer (if I get a scholarship after the 4th at RMIT).

  • [Deactivated] on 24/12/2015 - 10:54
    +1

    Join the Navy/Airforce (these 2 more comfortable than Army), get a trade which can be used in civvy life later, travel, earn tons of money, invade countries, leave after 6-8 years cashed up and had plenty of time to think about which degree,

    Go to uni with money to spend, and can work part time in trade earning higher wage than $18/hr.

    Finish degree, realise working for employer sucks, start your own business in your trade. Freedom and Profit. Plus, you are a war hero and it's politically incorrect for the 'public not to dig it.

  • OG Puppy Banana on 24/12/2015 - 11:42

    Speaking from experience and taking the view of employability in Australia…

    If you do commerce/IT at Monash and do a brief Industry Based Learning placement (pays well) at a prestigious company like EY/Deloitte/PwC, you'll get that job straight out and have so many jobs to chose from within these huge firms.

    If you aren't keen on firms; Telcos, Banks and Big Energy line up for Commerce/IT and pay overs to recruit you as a graduate.

    The only challenge is to keep a 70+ average, which isn't too challenging of you stay focused.

  • [Deactivated] on 24/12/2015 - 13:12

    Get into business, all I'm sayin

  • Make it so on 24/12/2015 - 17:36

    Like I tell everyone else: don't pick a degree, pick a profession that you can see yourself doing the rest of your life, and which permits you to live the lifestyle you want. No point picking a degree if there are no jobs connecting to it, or you don't like the ones that do.

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