Screwed up year 12 but want to get into engineering/computer science (1 Viewer)

[Ashurbanipal]

Sorry if I posted this in the wrong section.

Hey guys, I was hoping to get some kind of advice and encouragement. I want to study Engineering/Computer Science at UNSW (https://degrees.unsw.edu.au/engineering-honours-computer-science/) which requires an ATAR of 93, but I've basically screwed myself over this entire year and I'm pretty stressed out right now. Here are the averages of my internal assessments for each subject and my ranks:

Studies of Religion: 71.36% - Rank 23/38
Standard English: 55.5% - Rank 28/87
Mathematics General: 57.25% - Rank 26/75
Software Design and Development: 85.25% - Rank 2/10
Ancient History: 73.25% - Rank 7/17

I threw these marks into an ATAR calculator and ended up with 55.5... I don't know how accurate this is or how much my adjustment factors can help bring it up. I'm not sure how much I can really improve for English in a weeks time.

Basically, I've really screwed up. I know my marks aren't that bad, but I really doubt I'd end up with an ATAR of 80 or higher. I feel like a complete failure, I started year 12 telling myself that I'm going to study hard and put in a lot of effort and I had the goal of getting a 93 ATAR but I've been lazy and barely studied this entire year. I mostly only studied during my study periods and sometimes during lunch times at school where I could stay focused but when I got home I usually either procrastinated or ended up becoming extremely sleepy for some reason and usually fell asleep, getting very little done. I was always behind on homework, especially for Maths. My Maths results could be better, but I paid little attention in class in Year 10 and 11 (wasn't really focused for any subject in previous years as well) as I didn't really care about school back then and I'm lacking a lot of basic knowledge which I basically had to teach my self throughout the year. My trial results were very bad for all subjects since I was sick during trials. I was at home for the first two days of trials and I ended up having to do Paper 1 & 2 on the same day. I had a crazy headache throughout my Maths exam (which I actually prepared for and thought I'd do fairly well in) and I left my history exam half way through because I was to sick to even do it so I had to get estimated marks for both subjects, and since my maths results were mostly shit, I ended up with an estimated mark of 48/93. The only subject I did fairly well in during trials was Software which I got 81 in.

I never really cared too much about school until probably about near the end of year 11. Even if I did get in, I know it's going to be hell for me considering I haven't studied Physics, Maths Ext 1, or Engineering. I'm thinking that maybe it might be good to spend next year familiarising myself with these subjects somehow and apply for Uni in 2020.

I was just wondering if anyone could give me advice on what to do. I'd love to get into uni next year - I don't really want to spend an extra year studying for personal reasons (not because I hate studying), but even if I somehow miraculously get in is that really the best option for me in my current situation? What are some alternative ways I can spend next year? FEAS requires an ATAR between 83 and 92.95 so thats basically out of the question. I think I'm probably going to have to do an extra year of studying at some kind of college before I can actually get into my course, however I think I heard my careers advisor say that it's possible to do a Bachelor of Arts and choose the same subjects as the degree you want to do and then transfer to second year of your desired degree if you get good marks, but I'm not really sure how the whole process works. If anyone can suggest some suitable colleges to apply for, or whether or not I should just take a gap year or something, or some other ways of getting into Uni next year I would greatly appreciate it. I feel as if doing an extra year could be beneficial as I could brush up my Maths skills and learn some Physics so I can make my life at uni a bit easier.

Thanks!

 

[blyatman]

It's your rank within the school that matters and the strength of your cohort, the actual marks you posted are irrelevant. I would take that ATAR estimate with a truckload of salt if you input your raw school assessment marks.

If you don't get into your course, you could always enrol into another related degree with a lower ATAR requirement and then transfer across, or enrol into another university with a lower ATAR requirement for CompSci and then transfer across after a year into your preferred uni.

HSC engineering and most of HSC physics is useless, so it doesn't matter if you took it or not. Also, if you do CompSci, you're unlikely to require either of those two subjects. The only thing you actually need under your belt is math (probably 2u level calculus at the very least, with maybe a sprinkle of 3u).

I wouldn't recommend taking a year off to study, chances are that won't actually happen since you'll get complacent with all the free time. Gap years are meant for travelling or whatnot. If you want to study, might as well enrol into a degree and do some basic math courses so you at least potentially get credits you can transfer. If you really want to brush up on your maths beforehand, I'd suggest doing that in the 3 month summer holiday with a private tutor before semester begins, or take a bridging course. Either way, I wouldn't recommend taking a a gap year to self study, it's a monumental waste of time. Most things you need to know are re-taught in your first year anyway.

Also, remember that certain universities have things like bonus point etc, so that might help reduce the entrance requirements.

P.S. I'm an engineer who's had their fair share of study, and honestly there's no need to be frightened about "not knowing enough". In the end you'll probably find that many people are in the same boat as you.

 

[BLIT2014]

You can also do that course at another University and transfer or go into a lower course such as Arts within UNSW and transfer if you gain sufficient wam into the course you want to do. If I were you try and focus on subjects that you believe are most likely to be improved with extra effort, but still study as hard as possible in the last few weeks till HSC is complete. You can still make it significant different. I know with me, a lot of my externals were a lot higher than my internally moderated assessment marks so it is not over by any means.

 

[Ashurbanipal]

You will not get in regardless, you do General Maths and I thing UNSW B Engineering/B Computer Science requires 2-Unit maths and Physics.

It's not actually a requirement, it's assumed knowledge. It's actually also Extension 1 Maths and Physics, which is why I'm trying to find some way to compensate for my lack of knowledge in these subjects before I start uni so I'm not at a significant disadvantage with people who are already familiar.

 

[Ashurbanipal]

It's your rank within the school that matters and the strength of your cohort, the actual marks you posted are irrelevant. I would take that ATAR estimate with a truckload of salt if you input your raw school assessment marks.

If you don't get into your course, you could always enrol into another related degree with a lower ATAR requirement and then transfer across, or enrol into another university with a lower ATAR requirement for CompSci and then transfer across after a year into your preferred uni.

HSC engineering and most of HSC physics is useless, so it doesn't matter if you took it or not. Also, if you do CompSci, you're unlikely to require either of those two subjects. The only thing you actually need under your belt is math (probably 2u level calculus at the very least, with maybe a sprinkle of 3u).

I wouldn't recommend taking a year off to study, chances are that won't actually happen since you'll get complacent with all the free time. Gap years are meant for travelling or whatnot. If you want to study, might as well enrol into a degree and do some basic math courses so you at least potentially get credits you can transfer. If you really want to brush up on your maths beforehand, I'd suggest doing that in the 3 month summer holiday with a private tutor before semester begins, or take a bridging course. Either way, I wouldn't recommend taking a a gap year to self study, it's a monumental waste of time. Most things you need to know are re-taught in your first year anyway.

Also, remember that certain universities have things like bonus point etc, so that might help reduce the entrance requirements.

P.S. I'm an engineer who's had their fair share of study, and honestly there's no need to be frightened about "not knowing enough". In the end you'll probably find that many people are in the same boat as you.

You can also do that course at another University and transfer or go into a lower course such as Arts within UNSW and transfer if you gain sufficient wam into the course you want to do. If I were you try and focus on subjects that you believe are most likely to be improved with extra effort, but still study as hard as possible in the last few weeks till HSC is complete. You can still make it significant different. I know with me, a lot of my externals were a lot higher than my internally moderated assessment marks so it is not over by any means.

Thanks guys, I appreciate your replies. So if I were to do a Bachelor of Arts or something for my first year, can I potentially study the same classes that I would be studying if I was Engineering/CompSci? Because from what I know (which is very little), you can choose any subjects you like in a bachelor of arts to study. If I do end up getting a sufficient WAM and transfer, is there a certain amount if time I need to stay in the course before I transfer? As in, can I do it after my first semester or will I have to stay in the course for a whole year and then transfer into my second year of engineering/computer science?

 

[blyatman]

Thanks guys, I appreciate your replies. So if I were to do a Bachelor of Arts or something for my first year, can I potentially study the same classes that I would be studying if I was Engineering/CompSci? Because from what I know (which is very little), you can choose any subjects you like in a bachelor of arts to study. If I do end up getting a sufficient WAM and transfer, is there a certain amount if time I need to stay in the course before I transfer? As in, can I do it after my first semester or will I have to stay in the course for a whole year and then transfer into my second year of engineering/computer science?

Not too familiar with arts degrees, but if they let you do that, then sure why not. There is no minimum time limit you need to stay in a course. Although that being said, you are transferring across departments, which means you need to go through UAC admissions (contrast that to internal departmental transfers, e.g. from one field of engineering to another, which is sorted out internally within the engineering department, not UAC). I'm not quite sure how often UAC admissions opens, though I'm sure they'd do it at least twice a year to account for international mid-year entry students. In the end, even if you do have to wait a year, it's no big deal - just take as many relevant subjects as you can for your first year. Many students end up switching degrees after one year anyway.

 

[Ashurbanipal]

Not too familiar with arts degrees, but if they let you do that, then sure why not. There is no minimum time limit you need to stay in a course. Although that being said, you are transferring across departments, which means you need to go through UAC admissions (contrast that to internal departmental transfers, e.g. from one field of engineering to another, which is sorted out internally within the engineering department, not UAC). I'm not quite sure how often UAC admissions opens, though I'm sure they'd do it at least twice a year to account for international mid-year entry students. In the end, even if you do have to wait a year, it's no big deal - just take as many relevant subjects as you can for your first year. Many students end up switching degrees after one year anyway.

Thank you, I appreciate your reply.