Need advice... (School Report)

justaguy21 on 27/06/2016 - 23:00
Last edited 27/06/2016 - 23:03 by 1 other user

So the other day i got my report back form school,

If I could say anything I would say that it was absolutely a disgrace. My current outlook looks very bad in the sense that Mcdonalds looks like a future work place for me. If you were wondering what I got in my report score would be about 40.

So the questions are:

What if i do end up getting a bad ATAR (>40) or bad results in general is it the end of the world?

Can i still do courses in Uni? (pref - civil engineering)

and if so what can I do?

Look I understand that Australia does have a lot of jobs that don't require degrees however one of the things are that i want to try to aim as high as I can. Another thing is that as much as I would hate to admit it because of social standing I do believe that my family would look down on me if I were to become something …. low… <—- No offence to anybody but thats something that I personally have to consider in my choice.

Thanks.

Education & Work

Comments

  • spackbace on 27/06/2016 - 23:10
    +9

    You're in year 11, just ditch the gaming or whatever is distracting you and focus on the goal you want to set. It's study habits that you set now, that will see you through uni. If you can't study now and make it a priority, chances are you won't be able to in uni.

    I'm assuming there's a cultural thing going on to think that if you don't get into those top courses, your family will think you failed. Well that's a whole different ballpark, 1 for a counsellor basically!

    So, you've still got 3 semesters left, make proper use of it, learn from your mistakes and move on.

  • kywst on 27/06/2016 - 23:16

    What if i do end up getting a bad ATAR (>40) or bad results in general is it the end of the world?

    It was UAI for me but looking a ATAR on wikipedia for some 30 seconds I think you mean <30? Not sure where 40 comes into the picture.

    Can i still do courses in Uni? (pref - civil engineering)

    Each university will have different entry requirements and these are also based on the popularity of the course among other variables. If you're going to be marked in the 40th percentile I'd say Engineering might not be your forte unless close to 100% of that was from 3 & 4 unit math and you flunked the rest. Seriously, there is a lot of 'complex' math in engineering courses.

    and if so what can I do?

    Get a job and consider waiting until you're 21 to enter as a mature aged student. Alternatively … choose a trade and become an apprentice. Your earning potential as a qualified tradesman can be equal to that of an engineer. Even if you completed an BEng … to get into a major firm is near impossible as the competition is insane and then your stuck floating around for boutique jobs.

    I do believe that my family would look down on me if I were to become something

    I doubt it. Perhaps actually talk to them about it.

  • Clear on 27/06/2016 - 23:29
    +1

    I have a few mates that made it into engineering with a low or no ATAR score. There are alternative ways to enter. One mate used his Cert IV to get in.

    • 18 on 28/06/2016 - 08:40
      +3

      As much as this may be true, it is the long route and it is still not a guaranteed entry to a good university. Given this, you have to do extremely well so you might as well get a good atar now, rather than study heaps later and waste your time + money on these additional courses/certificates.

      • Clear on 28/06/2016 - 09:05

        Yep if you've got the chance go for it. Most people get their Certs through high school or TAFE these days.

      • Banana on 28/06/2016 - 20:39
        +1

        My sibling is in engineering, doing it with 8 other mates from her high school, averaging ATAR of 98, she got 99.35. Sure you might be able to get into the course, but whether you will do well or not is another question. Someone in her course got in via "pathways" and he is struggling. He is on the borderline of failing and my sister has a GPA of 4.0 up until her 3rd year, who do you think would be more employable?

        In saying that, don't be disappointed and give up on your future. Afterall, you are only in year 11. Like spackbase said earlier, it's all about setting up a good study habit! University is so different from high school, you don't get told what to do, you don't get spoon-fed with information. It takes a lot of self-discipline to become a high achiever at uni level. My sister works her arse off to be where she is today.

  • scrimshaw on 27/06/2016 - 23:34
    +1

    There are high paying jobs that require no degrees (say, trades) that you can still get into. So don't fret about things like family looking down on you, you just do your best in whatever you can and get good at it.

    You might feel envious about all the other succesfull people who make it to USyd or UTS or whatever, but don't. Just look at yourself first and start by ditching distractions and getting focused.

    Success in life is all about experience man, it is not as if your fate is decided by your ATAR score. Like others said there are different pathways to get to what you want to do — you can start from a Cert IV or V and then go into a bachelor's degree with credit transfer. Real life work experience also gains you credit points and will count towards certain units in university.

  • bluesky on 27/06/2016 - 23:42

    Look I understand that Australia does have a lot of jobs that don't require degrees however one of the things are that i want to try to aim as high as I can.

    It is a good trait to aim high, and do the best you can. The other considerations are secondary (such as family pressures, although they probably also want the best for you). It is not yet too late; focus on your schoolwork, and you may be surprised by how much you will improve.

  • hmac on 27/06/2016 - 23:58
    +1

    You will not get into engineering in the first year, at any uni with an atar that low. You will have to go to tafe and then us alternate pathways to get into uni

    as previous posts have stated, get your sorry ass off gaming and movies and going out every night and just study, its not hard, hsc is pretty much memorising everything and its not hard to do well

  • [Deactivated] on 27/06/2016 - 23:59
    +2

    Whats wrong with working at Maccas?

    Don't worry about your ATAR score. My score was beyond horrible.. after school i had no desire to continue going to school so i went to get a job working in payroll which made me study Human Resource Management at tafe for 6 months for a diploma. Great pay but i was bored in my position and didn't seem like i would advance. So i tried my luck with a few uni's through UAC and got a bunch of early offers, offering business commerce, Law and psychology. Civil engineering is a bit different but I'm sure there are more than one ways of getting into uni for that course.

    So pretty much i joined uni one year after i graduated high school and still kind of not know what i want to do with life. If you don't get an offer into university use that time to get a taste of what civil engineering is like in the real world and if that's what you want to do.Don't let family or others pressure you into something you are not 100% sure you want to do as it cost a sh-t load to study

    No need to stress out, you're still young and have plenty of time.

  • cDNA on 28/06/2016 - 00:39
    +4

    Are you good at and do you like maths? Specifically, do you want to learn about engineering mechanics (statics, dynamics, force-related analysis etc.)? Do you want to work in large teams? Do you want to constantly argue with people about the best way to do something? Do you want to learn about soil, fluids and different types of concrete mixes?
    *Civil Engineering is for you.

    My good man, consider doing a trade too. Electricians and plumbers make a significant amount of money and many choose their own hours.

  • xoom on 28/06/2016 - 06:17
    +1

    OP a low ATAR is not the end of the world despite what nayeseyers around you say. As others have posted. There are options you can take. Just eye on the prize and you will get there one day. Focus and be determined.

  • 18 on 28/06/2016 - 08:44
    +1

    Have you tried getting tutored in subjects you aren't strong in? I'm currently attending USYD and most of my peers got tutored for high school. It's really really really helpful if you find the right tutor even though it is kinda expensive, but it will be worth it in the long-run.

  • yoonibear on 28/06/2016 - 10:14
    +2

    Won't be the end of the world - there's other ways of getting to where you want to go. Sure you might lose a year or two, but hey it builds character.

    My partner had a horrible ENTER score, she ended up doing a pathway to Uni from TAFE, completed her post grad and now she's high up in the medical field.

  • dogboy on 28/06/2016 - 10:24
    +1

    Have you thought about picking up a trade? Most tradies in Australia earn crazy amounts of money compared to the rest of the world.

  • SeaSalty on 28/06/2016 - 10:33

    If you are struggling with your subjects, you can talk to your year advisor or career advisor for advice. If you are planning to study civil engineering, it is a tough degree so you'll have to step up your game if you want to do civil enginneering. Of course other alternatives are doing TAFE and then transferring to uni, so no it's not the end of world.

  • [Deactivated] on 03/07/2016 - 16:52

    You can study basically anything, anywhere, once you turn 21, as a 'mature age' entrant.

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