can you take a 6 month gap "year" (1 Viewer)

[Bob99]

yeah u right homie I forgot u doing a double degree right?

yeah

 

[jimmysmith560]

thanks for ur reply mate as always.
Just in regards to medicine do you think its a smart idea to repeat year 12 and try for medicine again then?
I never knew that was a thing but apparently it is

No worries mate. Just to clarify, I am not referring to repeating year 12. I am referring to completing the HSC and then using the subsequent year to focus on the application for the Doctor of Medicine, instead of completing the first year of a different degree.

However, to answer your question, repeating year 12 is not recommended in most cases, let alone for a purpose such as studying medicine. Entry into medicine is competitive and repeating year 12 places additional burden on the student, especially since there is always a chance (even if low), that they may not be able to achieve a sufficiently high ATAR and/or other requirements (such as UCAT score), in which case they would have unnecessarily wasted a year. Instead, a more reasonable option would be to study a different degree (so as to not waste time) and study postgraduate medicine or, in the case of the person that I mentioned, take a gap year if the student wishes to study undergraduate medicine.

 

[ExtremelyBoredUser]

Gap year is great given some circumstances such as waiting for med entry or if you want to go do something else. I'm honestly sure most people can handle straight transition into university, you basically have a 3-4 month break so you should be recharged to tackle uni.

 

[mmmmmmmmaaaaaaa]

Out of both options of doing postgrad medicine or taking a gap year to focus on undergrad medicine which pathway would be the fastest to get into medicine then? Thanks.
Which is more competitive as well, postgrad medicine or undergrad medicine? sorry if ive asked a lot of questions but thank you for the wisdom once again jimmy

post grad

 

[jimmysmith560]

Oh yeah sorry for my mistake lol I initially replied to quoted section of ur answer and then I read it and thought that it sounded like I completely misunderstood you but yeah I just didnt bother to change it so sorry for confusing you I completely understood what you were saying

Would this mean that the person would graduate from the HSC lets say 2023 and then for 2024 they dont do a degree and then take the UCAT or something if its even possible? Or have I misunderstood what people normally do if they take a gap year to focus on the application to Med since im not too sure what its like.
Thank you for the info

I believe that's correct. I know that the person (who completed their HSC in 2022) achieved a sufficiently high ATAR, so I would assume that they sat the UCAT again this year for a better result, and consequently a better chance at admission.

Out of both options of doing postgrad medicine or taking a gap year to focus on undergrad medicine which pathway would be the fastest to get into medicine then? Thanks

If the student manages to receive an offer after taking a gap year, then that would depend on the specific program. If they were to study a Doctor of Medicine at WSU specifically (which is a 5-year degree), then the undergraduate pathway would be shorter than programs such as that of USyd (being a 7-year program) and equal to programs such as that of UNSW (being a 6-year program). However, the possibility of not receiving an offer must be considered as such an outcome would result in a waste of time. Here, the postgraduate pathway would be superior (and potentially shorter) since the student would at least guarantee obtaining a Bachelor's degree prior to trying for medicine.

 

[Bob99]

but if you do med you probs already are rich so life is probably good already

 

[jimmysmith560]

Ohhh thank you that does make sense. yeah that clarifies/answers all my questions, thanks again.

just my thoughts but gosh 7 years for undergrad med lmao that's insane

No worries, it definitely is a long pathway. Just one thing, USyd's Doctor of Medicine is studied as a postgraduate degree after completing either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science, hence the program names:

• Bachelor of Arts/Doctor of Medicine
• Bachelor of Science/Doctor of Medicine

The difference is mainly with the stage at which the offer is made. HSC graduates who receive an offer for USyd's program do so after finishing year 12, which means that they would no longer need to worry about applying once they complete the undergraduate component of the program (i.e. Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science). On the other hand, other students would have to make a separate application for the Doctor of Medicine after they complete their Bachelor's degree.

 

[jimmysmith560]

oh ok thank you. Ill just make sure that I completely got it so even though its a post-grad degree/program, once you get in with the usyd postgrad medicine program thing that means you dont have to worry about doing the GAMSAT after finishing the undergrad since you already got into this medicine program where you do a undergrad and then right after you do the doctor of medicine as a postgrad degree?

That is correct.

 

[mmmmmmmmaaaaaaa]

Thanks bro!
I reckon I should take some intiative to google this myself but do you personally know if theres any statistics comparing which method of entering medicine is more competitive than the other or if u just know the answer?

E.g is undergrad more competitive or gamsat more competitive?
I mean I guess the obv answer is they both extremely competitive lol but id like to see the chances

I already told you, it is postgrad

 

[clive guo]

fuck yes i learnt to cook

 

[jimmysmith560]

Thanks bro!
I reckon I should take some intiative to google this myself but do you personally know if theres any statistics comparing which method of entering medicine is more competitive than the other or if u just know the answer?

E.g is undergrad more competitive or gamsat more competitive?
I mean I guess the obv answer is they both extremely competitive lol but id like to see the chances

This is a difficult question to answer with little data (perhaps mmmmmmmmaaaaaaa could provide further insight). Entry as an HSC graduate means that we are looking at a particular number of applicants from a population of approximately 70000 (which tends to be approximately the total number of students completing the HSC each year). This number could be slightly higher to consider those taking a gap year. USyd states that "only 30 domestic and 10 international places are available in these degrees". However, it is not clear whether this only refers to undergraduate admission, or whether the same number of places is made available for those applying for the Doctor of Medicine after having completing a Bachelor's degree.

 

[jimmysmith560]

Oh yeah another question jimmy, so is the degree you did at WSU a 3 year degree with 4th year optional for honours but you also had the option to transfer to USYD to do ur honours there?

So if you were to list ur degree on a resume or linkedin I assume youd put the duration of WSU as 3 years then separaretly youd put 1 year at USYD for the honours or once you finish your honours the degree will be handed out by USYD despite you doing more of the degree at WSU so like youd get a bachelor of commerce from USYD?

unless ur doing another bachelors???

The degree I studied at WSU was a 3-year degree with no option for Honours. There are some degrees for which WSU does not offer the option of an Honours year. Instead, students wishing to do research in those fields at WSU would study a Master of Research.

I did not transfer to USyd, I first completed my WSU degree, then applied for Honours at USyd in January of this year.

In terms of my résumé/LinkedIn, I list them as two separate degrees (which they technically are), consistent with your first suggestion, as follows:

• Bachelor of Business (Advanced Business Leadership) - 2020-2022
• Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) - 2023

 

[jimmysmith560]

Oh ok thank you that makes sense, so how long would the bachelor of commerce (honours) be? like would it be shorter or regular amount of time?

Also I notice that UOW and WSU use bachelor of business when UOW used to call their degrees a bachelor of commerce so thats odd but surely they pretty much the same thing or a business degree is more broad?
thanks again mate

If it is studied at one university, a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) would be a 4-year degree, which is the same as degrees such as a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours). However, a 1-year Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree is just the name of USyd's Honours year in commerce for students not enrolled in a Bachelor of Advanced Studies. These include external applicants like me at the time (i.e. did not study their 3-year undergraduate degree at USyd) and USyd students who studied a different degree (e.g. a Bachelor of Arts).

A Bachelor of Business and a Bachelor of Commerce are essentially the same degree with different names. Since you read the thread "Commerce/Business differences", see quickoats's post discussing the reason for the different names:

BCom vs BBus comes from the Dawkin's reforms in the 80s where non-university degree granting institutions were converted into universities (like modern day WSU and UTS). Older places maintained the BCom name whereas the newer ones used the BBus name. The name really doesn't matter, although some may think commerce sounds a bit fancier/more traditional.

 

[Squar3root]

Do it man

Ur gonna regret not doing it than if u did do it

If u have the means to u should go. But don't just lie around, do something meaningful, study, travel, work etc

 

[jimmysmith560]

I'm thinking of taking a gap year after my first year of uni. I got an 84.17 WAM I want to preserve this for my application. I plan to start a different degree next year so I want to take a year off and focus solely on the UCAT. Is this worth it?

Should I just continue with my degree and do the ucat at the same time? I don't want to drop out of uni and lose the routine even if I hate my degree

I don't know what degree I want to do and I don't like my original degree. I want to change but I don't know what to change to. I was thinking of taking a gap year to think about what career I want and also study for the UCAT at the same time. If I don;t get in, I'll start next year in a new degree. Thanks!

Taking a gap year is not uncommon. Many students who take a gap year usually do so to either:

• Take a break from study after having completed the HSC
• Use the additional time to make an informed decision regarding the career that they wish to pursue (although this may not require that much time), or;
• Thoroughly prepare for the UCAT.

In your particular case, you can prepare for the UCAT either while continuing your current studies, or during a gap year. Each option has some advantages and disadvantages. The main advantage of preparing for the UCAT while continuing your current degree is that you would not delay the completion of your current degree, especially if you do not receive an offer to study medicine. Disadvantages of preparing for the UCAT while continuing your current degree include:

• Potential lack of time to sufficiently prepare for the UCAT (and the resulting risk of not performing sufficiently well) due to the need to focus on your current degree.
• Potentially undermining your university results due to the time needed to effectively prepare for the UCAT.

On the other hand, advantages of taking a gap year include:

• You will have much more time to prepare for the UCAT.
• You will be able to contemplate other degrees/careers during this time.

Disadvantages of taking a gap year include:

• You would not be progressing through your current degree.
• An entire year could be wasted if you do not receive an offer to study medicine.
• Your concern of losing the routine if you stop studying.

In making an informed decision, you should therefore consider your ability to transfer to a different degree (i.e., whether you can transfer to a different degree based on your university results) and whether you would be able to manage UCAT preparations alongside your current studies.

I hope this helps!

 

[xoNat]

I'm stuck I need help. I just wish I could go back and just stay enrolled in my degree. I had so much potential and wasted it away. If I stayed in uni I could've done electives and stuff and found out what I wanted to do. My life is literally stagnant right now. Nothing has changed. I just want a redo.

looking back is not healthy. Focus on the present right now and what you want to do, like you still have your whole life ahead of you

maybe the silver lining to all of this is that you can come back to uni with new experience and maturity if you plan to go back

 

[jimmysmith560]

@helpme:( I am sorry to hear that. I wish to clarify two main things:

1. Not having studied for two years is not problematic in itself. Instead, the lack of a relevant qualification is the barrier to employment.
2. Employers will be more interested in whether you have completed a relevant qualification. They will not focus on the delay in completing your degree, but on the fact that you have a degree in the first place. On the other hand, employers may ask about gaps in terms of experience. However, this is not relevant to you at this stage.

More importantly, it is never too late. xoNat makes very good points in that regard. You can still come back to university and study your chosen degree. Its duration is not important as long as you can make progress towards completing it, which should be your priority. You may initially opt for part-time study in order to avoid placing yourself under too much pressure as someone who is returning to tertiary education. If at a later stage you feel more comfortable, you can take on a full-time study load.

Please never give up! You got this for sure!

 

[idkkdi]

Well this actually happened to me

- I started uni 2022 and got 84.17 WAM
- I decided to take a gap year to focus on UCAT and decide what career I wanted - bombed the UCAT and didn't think of uni the whole time and then lost all motivation for uni/career
- Lost my care for uni and took another gap year because of loss of care/motivation and I didn't know what I wanted to do
- Realised in march this year - wtf am I doing with my life, I should've just stayed enrolled in uni even if I didn't like the course or I should've immediately changed courses
- Come to this year with literally nothing to show for
- Feel so stuck
- Didn't think about how I could just do both UCAT prep and stay in uni
- It's very bad look have 2 years of no education on resume
- I’ll be in uni now for 5 to 8 years (wanna do law)
- Didn't think about how I would explain the gap in education to employers
- Literally anyone with half a brain would stay in uni even if they didn't like their course because I essentially dropped out of uni, what are you gonna if you’re not in uni?
- Delayed potential earnings
- Have literally nothing to do
- This was genuinely idiotic because now I haven't done any uni work/progressed in life for 2 years - it looks like I don't care about uni but I do, I just didn't know if I was sure about my degree, I just wish I had stayed enrolled, basically dropped out and my life hasn’t progressed at all
- I’m seeing people from high school graduate this year and i still have 3 to 6 years left in uni
- I should’ve just stayed enrolled/changed degrees straight away like normal people
- Should asked for advice before making this dumb decision
- Basically ruined my potential
- EXTREME boredom
- I realise now that the whole 'gap year' UCAT thing is for school leavers not people in uni
- Basically for 2 years now I've done no uni work and haven't progressed in my degree at all
- I've always been a high achiever, I just lack common sense and it's taken me now to realise how dumb my decision was
- I don’t care what age I graduate but this was genuinely so dumb
- I need a time machine

u can enrol for sem 2 and then it’d only have been 1.5 yrs of gapping which isnt that much considering a sizeable amount of llb graduates in 6 yrs due to underloading or honours

 

[idkkdi]

Unfortunately I don't want to do this degree. I want to law but I would be in uni for so much longer that's the issue. I finally know what I want to do. It's too late.

assuming ur doubling in law u can make units from ur degree count as credit towards the other major. oh and if ur going to do law at usyd u probably want to make sure that ur willing to go through with it even after questionable marks

I just need someone to talk to. Idk why I thought a gap year was a good idea. I saw it on here and thought that I needed to protect my high WAM so I did it. I'm so ashamed of myself I could've done any uni degree and excelled. I'm book smart I just don't have common sense. Literally everything that could go wrong has went wrong. I got band 6 in hsc, academic achievement in high school and an 84.17 WAM idk where went wrong. even my course coordinators asked me what I was doing for a year. Idk how I got here but I need to get myself out of this. I can't let it get any worse than this. It just made so much sense when I was doing it.

dw being lost on what to do is very normal. in hindsight i doubt 1.5 yrs in uni will look like much when compared against greater things. also it actually plays to your advantage to enter firms at a slightly more mature age compared to peers

 

[idkkdi]

1. Not having studied for two years is not problematic in itself. Instead, the lack of a relevant qualification is the barrier to employment.
2. Employers will be more interested in whether you have completed a relevant qualification. They will not focus on the delay in completing your degree, but on the fact that you have a degree in the first place. On the other hand, employers may ask about gaps in terms of experience. However, this is not relevant to you at this stage.

What do you mean by this exactly?
- Relevant qualification in terms of what?
- Honestly right now i'm deciding between business (accounting) or continuing with my original degree. That way the max I will graduate is at 22. I know I will be okay with either of those courses
- If I change degrees, how do I explain a year gap? This is what I care more about than me not doing any uni for 2 years now.
It would be;
2022 and 2024 - 2026 which is obviously not a good look

dont report 2022 on your resume