confused about life part 2 (1 Viewer)

[just-a-stranger]

ok, here i go again. *sigh*

current situation: enrolled in B Arts at USYD... wants to transfer to B Com at UWS

so looking back in history i finished my HSC in 2007 then went to uni in 2008 (B Arts -USYD). I lasted 5 weeks and decided that I better take the year off for a couple of reasons. I withrew from my units after the census date so i have a sprinkle of DNFs in my transcript. I went back this year to do Arts at USYD and have now realised that Im not enjoying it which may or may not be connected to the fact that I might be getting some pretty ugly results this semester.

I've just decided that I want to transfer to B Communications at UWS. The cut off for the course is 72.6. It wasnt available during the mid year so i have no choice but to wait until next year anyway. Here's the thing, I understand that if you complete a fulltime year in uni, they'll base your transfer application on your uni grades. Because i'm not enjoying Arts there's a pretty good chance that i'll be getting a pretty low GPA.

I know I'll probably get a couple of replies about UWS accepting anybody and everybody but crap or not, i'm sure they have standards regardless. Ok so i guess my question what should I do next semester?

If I don't do next semester, ie defer (again, which btw, i'm not sure if possible) they'll only consider my UAI right? so I have a better chance of getting into the course?

Alternatively I can suck it up and do Arts next sem to try and bring that bloody GPA up but i'm trying to consider the cost here as well since i'm not sure if i'll be able to get my subjects credited into that degree.

PS. Another question, when i do transfer, since it's a different course, my academic transcript restarts.. right? DNFs gone?

 

[Andi0390]

Based on ANU's policy, you can only take a year of program leave. Deferal is when you 'defer' for a year or other time frame before starting your course.

I believe DNF is 'Discontinued not failed' or something similar. I think this has no academic penalty, and therefore does not effect your GPA.

This means that if you do next semester then I guess that you have done a year of full time study. Although I think you have put yourself in an inconvenient situation. After a year of program leave you can't really take more (I believe) without losing your spot (don't quote me on that, thats my understanding as I just got program leave from ANU - and I believe thats pretty standard) but if you take another semester then all your marks will be relevent. Although remember even a pass comes out higher as a GPA that is numerical value ie. although your score is 55 your GPA will have a higher UAI equivalent.

Also remember that not every university ignores first year. This year I applied after one semester for University of Wollongong and University of Western Australia. The both requested transcripts and UWA heavily implied that my entry would be based mainly on transcripts, although I am not sure about how it works over there.

If UWA strictly goes by the first year policy then I think the best thing to do would be to do between one and three courses next semester. That way you would be holding your place as Usyd and still not completing a full year of full time study. If thats what you want you could even do just an IT course or something. Either that or look into program leave. If they are going to take your marks into consideration just do it, maybe even part time, and try as hard as you can. You won't need great marks.

 

[Doomah]

you dont need to "defer" the second semester. you just "drop out". i.e unenroll. just not add any subjects and inform them you want to leave....

this way you would of only done 6 months worth of uni, and UWS will only consider your UAI as you havent done 1 full year at uni yet.

anyway you best confirm this with UWS

also how is B.comm much different to A.arts? especially in the first year. couldnt you do as many b.comm sujbects as possible now?

anyway a GPA of close to 4 would definitly get you into UWS... probably even 3.0? what is your GPA now and do you think you can boost it up to a 4? to do that you probably need credits for all your second semester subjects

yes when you transfer there is no record of your other unis results. i'm not sure if you transfer WITHIN the same uni, if your results from your first degree would still show, i prob think it will

 

[just-a-stranger]

yeh.. i think i might switch to part time next sem so just in case i change my mind i'll still have my place at USYD. that way even if i complete those 2 subjects they'll still only consider my UAI.. right? even though it's from 2007??

hey doomah, I want to do B comm (media production) at UWS which has specific core subjects for its first yr program. With Arts at USYD I can only pick so many subjects especially during the first year... none of which are remotely related to media production. i can maybe (im not sure yet, i have to check with UWS) get the subjects i've done credited as electives, that is, if i even passed any of them... i don't know my GPA yet because i haven't actually received my results but i wouldn't be surprised if i failed any or all of them.

*edit* oh yeh, you're right about the dropping out part but just now i realised that if i drop out altogether and change my mind again (as i usually do) i might need that position after all.

 

[Doomah]

yeh.. i think i might switch to part time next sem so just in case i change my mind i'll still have my place at USYD. that way even if i complete those 2 subjects they'll still only consider my UAI.. right? even though it's from 2007??

hey doomah, I want to do B comm (media production) at UWS which has specific core subjects for its first yr program. With Arts at USYD I can only pick so many subjects especially during the first year... none of which are remotely related to media production. i can maybe (im not sure yet, i have to check with UWS) get the subjects i've done credited as electives, that is, if i even passed any of them... i don't know my GPA yet because i haven't actually received my results but i wouldn't be surprised if i failed any or all of them.

you would REALLY have to check yourself with UWS, and dont just rely on some random operator on the UWS hotline, read the UAC guide, get the UWS handbook, talk to someone in admissions and see whether you do qualify with your 2007 UAI or it will be you GPA. because it seems like your GPA is very bad.

how many subjects have you completed at uni?

you would also have to check if they DNF's counts as having attempted it, or they are just a financial burden.

i believe on the UAC application if you are not a HSC student, you can add things such as work experience and other factors to help in our application.

and may i ask why you are failing so much? i'm sure you are capable, so why the poor marks. even though b.arts is not the degree you want, shouldnt u be motivated to get good marks as a means to get into the course you actually want?

 

[just-a-stranger]

yeh, i think i should check with UAC and UWS just to be sure, that i'll do.

i completed 3 subjects last sem.. (psychology, sociology & anthropology) they're all over the place mainly because first year subjects at USYD sucks and due to the fact i'm quite lost right now..

why am i failing so much? i think it's a combination of my lack of motivation and my inability to make another goal... perhaps the former might even be due to the latter.

i wasn't always like this. I’ve always had some sort of direction. i wanted to become a teacher and move to America to teach disadvantaged students (– two goals in my life that I’ve had since I was little..) but a series of what are supposed to be good events changed things:

Soon after my HSC, one of my teachers got me work experience at a special ed primary school just to give me a feel of what it’ll be like in an attempt to help me out. I didn’t quite like it and so I cut my work experience short and made me realize that teaching might not be for me after all.

Then my mom got me a ticket to America as her graduation present. There was a lot of stuff happening at home during that time… long story short on that one – I didn’t quite like America… I think it had a lot to do with me worrying too much about stuff happening back home while on vacation. That time made me realize how hard it would be to start all over again as well.

Then I got back to Sydney… there I was enrolled in B Arts/B Education with the original plan of going to America in tact. Talk about funny!

So I switched to Arts... lasted 5 weeks in uni, with a lot of stuff going on at home as well, I decided to defer. I went back in this year again to try it all out once more.. but just can’t get enough motivation to really push through I guess because of that lack of goal.

 

[Doomah]

first you should somehow ask Sydney U what your GPA and if the DNF'S affected your GPA the same way as a fail does.... if the dnf'S didnt count as fails then you should be OK, your GPA probably maybe around 4

a gpa of 4 Would be able to get you into b.comm at UWS, so really you should look at this year as a means of getting into what you eventually want to do.

probably best you wait till you get your s1 results and find out what your gpa is then you can go from there.