I am a first year student and I am gonna start life science from September. I have heard a lot about life science that it is very hard to survive. I was aiming for MD but I have realized how hard it is to get there and if i am not able to get into MD after 4 years of life science(which is gonna kill me), there isn’t many options other than going into research or becoming a teacher/professor. The thing that came to my mind was that, I would rather spend 4 years in engineering and get a bright future (high earnings), then do 4 years in BSc and still be v.low compared to engineering. I have even realized that doctor might not be the profession i want. After having thought a lot, I considered going
for Engineering(TrackOne), but the main problem that i am having is that i don’t have Gr12 Physics and I can’t even take it in summer school bcuz its too late.
I have 2 options that I have to decide from now –
1 – Go back to high school and take Gr12 Physics(SPH4U) in night school i suppose till january and then wait for september. It is gonna be free, VERY easy, will start from next year engineering anyhow, I can work and earn some money etc.
2. Continue with Life Science for this year and take BIO150Y1 (necassary), CHM138H,139H (necassary) and PHY131H,132H (to get admission in engineering next year i would have to take this physics course), and 1 more course that would be the easiest of all science courses. This option is v.costly compared to the 1st one, v.difficult as well, but I would have gone through all the difficulty faced in first year when i start engineering next year, so it would give me a head start in engineering next year and hopefully I wont be one of the many people who drop out of engineering. I would have gained experience on how to survive in university. I would even have 1 year of life science attached to my record which could be useful i guess. I would have explored all the career options that I could possibly get into. I would even know if MD is the correct options for me or not.
What would u suggest – Spend 4 years in Engineering or in Life Science?
I know I put more emphasis on the 2nd option but i’m considering both options equally (which is why im terribly confused). So, which option would be better and logical – going back to high school and do engineering next year or start life science and switch to engineering next year?
If I choose my second option, which courses would you suggest that i should take?
Awaiting you reply.
Ali
?
?
?
?
Hello friend.
?
This is a BIG question with many layers. Let me start by saying that I am just one person, with one subjective opinion. But I do have experience, logic, and this job? so hear me out.?
?
You seem to be asking yourself: ?When I grow up, should I be a Doctor or an Engineer??? I?m here to tell you to take 5 giant steps back, and adjust your mindset.
?
While having a general direction of what your career might look like is a good thing at your age, I don?t buy that a 17-yr-old must to commit to one career path (ie. doctor, engineer, jouster at Medieval Times). Break out of the high-school-induced streaming mentality, and give yourself some breathing room!
?
Stop considering undergrad as a painstaking means to a particular profession. You will limit yourself along the way, and probably won?t have a blast. There are 2000 courses offered by the Faculty of Arts & Science each year. You have so many options at UofT, you owe it to yourself to shop around.?
?
So, the question really is? do you like/love physiology? anatomy? human biology? building materials? structures? equations?
?
If you said yes to at least 4 of these? then you?ll be making the right decision with option A (high school + engineering) or option B (life science with engineering option). Point is, there isn?t one right answer. Get out of the mindset that you may make a wrong decision.
?
Ok, I understand that university is a very expensive place for trial-and-error. So, here is my suggestion:
?
Take BIO150Y, CHM138H, CHM139H, PHY131H, PHY132H, MAT135Y annnnnd some Social Science or Humanities course(s) that are of pure interest (and will meet a distribution requirement). Why? BIO, CHM and MAT are core pre-requisites for Life Science programs of study. MAT will give you a taste of Engineering. PHY enables the future pursuit of Engineering and complements Life Sciences. You can drop S courses in CHM and PHY in January if you hate ?em. The elective will give you a break from equation-hell, and potentially lead to the discovery of a new interest!!!
?
Thennnnnnn? in the spring make your decision regarding a transfer to Engineering, pursuing Med School, applying to Medieval Times, etc. You will be amazed at the clarity of your new perspective, and will realize that all of your current worrying was pointless.?
?
Will all that said, if you are crippled with anxiety over the prospect of eliminating all career opportunities in one year of university?(which you won?t!) perhaps taking a year off would be useful for more reasons that just getting a Physics credit and making $$$.
?
?
Got it? Good.
?
Ps. A Life Science degree is not a pre-requisite for Med School anyway. See this related post.
Pps. Didn?t anyone ever tell you that Engineering is one of the toughest degrees ?to survive??! Never mind getting ?killed? by LifeSci.
Ppps. While Engineering will eventually set you up for large job potential, don?t crap on LifeSci. There are tonnes of opportunities in that (broad) field. And don?t say that you don?t wanna do research when you?ve never done it (and trust me, you haven?t).
Pppps. This lecture is coming from a place of love, dear reader. Tough love.
