The Student Room Group

Apply For Civil Engineering For The Hell Of It??

I'm in a pickle. I applied for Dentistry got rejections. Now I am eligble for Extra. Universities seem to despise me and none of them want me. I also got rejected for Medicine with a foundation course in UEA (And I thought I had the requirements they were asking for 'tush' ¬_¬) Seeing as I have nothing to lose I am in a teenage angst kind of mode and shall I do something drastic.. I really feel like doing it, even if it means next ?? YEARS of my life - Civil Engineering? My maths teacher was tellining me that they were looking for more female students in Exeter. I'm in a state. I don't know what to do. It's very fortunate I am not over indulging with food. I'm considering becoming obese. Seriously. I know nothing of Civil Engineering, probably don't have the required grades, they probably don't like me anyway and as far as I understand its a instant rejection, so should I just apply for it as a laugh (a own back to those health sciences) - I have nothing to lose though do I?

Please answer following questions.
a) What do you study in CE (specialised?)
b) Job prospects
c) Many girls do it?
d) Anyone else lost their sanity like me?
-----------
Subjects: English Literature, Mathematics, Chemistry

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1
Are you going to take the place if they offer it to you? Read it back, it seems like you don't really know what to do and you definetely shouldn't be going for something just because a teacher said so.
Reply 2
CE is a very good course and Exeter is a wonderful University.

http://search.ucas.co.uk/cgi-bin/hsrun/search/search/StateId/RzNGOoRpkgEO2Wc-tLxzmOhvV5Mzq-VKFZ/HAHTpage/search.HsEntryReq.run?n=763935#ER-A

It is available on UCAS Extra and you have the subjects needed.
a) What do you study in CE (specialised?)
The design of bridges, coastal defences, tunnels, sky scrapers, dams...lots of things, usually static.
b) Job prospects
Excellent. You will not be without a job in the engineering world, and this type of degree is good for lots of other careers too.
c) Many girls do it?
It's engineering, so not really...but there will of course be some.
d) Anyone else lost their sanity like me?
Almost.
If you want to do something like dentistry or medicine, what's the point of applying for a course that's completely different and that you know nothing about just for the sake of it? If you want to go to uni this year, I'm sure there are some more related science courses in Extra, although only having one is probably holding you back. Otherwise just take a gap year, maybe do A-level biology because it sounds like that would help and reapply for something you actually want to do.
Hey, I'm studying a joint civil and architecture degree at Sheffield and I'm a ...girl :biggrin: haha. I didn't know that much about civil engineering until I got to uni, I just liked the sound of the course on the prospectus, and I get the feeling quite a few people were the same. On my actual course (joint with architecture) I'd say there are about 40% girls, but doing straight civil the number drops to about 15%. Not that many girls really, especially coming from an all girls school, but the guys are all really nice and laid back, and also part of being at university means you'll get to mix with girls from your halls, other organisations etc. so it really doesn't matter. I think I'd much rather it this way round than 85% girls - the potential bitchiness!

Civil engineering has very good job prospects in pretty much any field. I have friends doing civil who are going to do all kinds of summer placements - from engineering to accountancy and investment banking. It's also pretty easy to get sponsorship from companies as there are a lack of civil engineers.

The civil modules I do are all structures related. I know that at Sheffield it is required that you have done Maths and another science to A-level, and most people have done further maths - but don't worry, first year maths is basically the further maths syllabus (I did A-levles Maths-(A), Physics-(A), Geography-(A) and English AS -(A)). We have one maths module every semester - but we are starting to do more and more maths on a computer program called Matlab. We also have a structures module - which is basically mechanics, and a structural engineering design module - where we learn how to design beams etc. and put our knowledge into practice. The other modules that the civils do are water, transport and geotechnics. I can't really tell you much about these as I don't have to do them - I did geotechnics (soil mechanics) in my first year, I found it very tough, but it is interesting as you learn why the leaning tower of pisa leans etc.

We have one or two design projects a semester -which take up a week where you work manically as a group to produce the best design (and win prizes :wink:) These have included desigining and building water slides, a bridge, a roof....its strangely satisfying to see your design tested to destruction!

If you think you'd be interested in the course then definately give it a go - it is a tough degree, but also a fun one. And if you don't like it you can always change courses. The job prospects at the end are pretty much endless- employers tend to really like people with engineering degrees as they are renowned as tough degrees which teach you many skills.

Hope that helps!
Reply 6
Now I'll be the first person to say that Engineering is probably the smartest degree choice you can make, but if you are just doing it for the hell of it, I think it might be a bit of a crushing grind. Lots of work, lots of time, and lots of nerdiness.

As for Job prospects, engineering is the bestest for all that employment stuff (forget all these losers who go on about 'prestige' getting you a job, it's the degree subject first) and Civil is one of, if not the, best for employment out of all the disciplines.

It is a very good choice of degree, but be careful, it might not be fun.
Reply 7
mellonchollie
I'm in a pickle. I applied for Dentistry got rejections. Now I am eligble for Extra. Universities seem to despise me and none of them want me. I also got rejected for Medicine with a foundation course in UEA (And I thought I had the requirements they were asking for 'tush' ¬_¬) Seeing as I have nothing to lose I am in a teenage angst kind of mode and shall I do something drastic.. I really feel like doing it, even if it means next ?? YEARS of my life - Civil Engineering? My maths teacher was tellining me that they were looking for more female students in Exeter. I'm in a state. I don't know what to do. It's very fortunate I am not over indulging with food. I'm considering becoming obese. Seriously. I know nothing of Civil Engineering, probably don't have the required grades, they probably don't like me anyway and as far as I understand its a instant rejection, so should I just apply for it as a laugh (a own back to those health sciences) - I have nothing to lose though do I?

Please answer following questions.
a) What do you study in CE (specialised?)
b) Job prospects
c) Many girls do it?
d) Anyone else lost their sanity like me?
-----------
Subjects: English Literature, Mathematics, Chemistry


Wowowowo

Right. What I dont want to see is another drop out off an esteemed course such as Civil Engineering, so we need to know if you are fully commited to it. If not, then stuff off and take a gap year

Job Prospects

Well with the current recruitment F up that is the NHS training scheme, Civil Engineering probably has the best job prospects at the moment.

I really urge that you research what to do. There is no harm in taking a gap year. What worries me, is that you do not have Physics for Engineering (although Chemistry will offset that) nor do you have Biology for medicine/dentistry)

As I have said before do MORE RESEARCH before committing yourself to a drop out stage. There is no harm in taking a gap year and extra A Levels.
Reply 8
OP, you need to take a step back and do something mad and crazy to give yourself some space. I know that you feel like the world is running away from you at 200mph, but it isn't. There's not point in doing something because it seems like an all right idea, or because the idea of a whole year out (a year does seem like a long time when you're 18, I know) is scary. I think loss of insanity is a fairly common thing amongst A Level students at this point, so it's nothing to be concerned about :p:! If you look more closely at the content of Civil Engineering at Exeter, and it interests you, then by all means go for it. Just don't feel pressurised into making a decision when you aren't ready to.
Reply 9
if you like maths and are good at it, go do mathematics. a mathematics degree would make you very employable. although it does depend on the university aswell..
Reply 10
You can't go far wrong with Civ eng at the moment. I'm just about to finish my Physics degree and I'm planning on a three - four year stint in the marines (for the experience, adventure, money, fitness and enormous responsibility they put on young officers) and then I shall be looking at non-specialist Civil Engineering post grad degrees.

Some of the previous replies have outlined some important considerations about work load and your academic background, so give it some hard thought, but you can do much worse than civil engineering.
Reply 11
If your heart's not in it, you'll struggle with Civil Engineering, simple as that.
Reply 12
Thanks for your replies - they have been ever so helpful! I did more research on it and hey presto I applied for the course~~

I applied to Exeter Uni like 2 weeks ago through Extra, but they haven't replied as of yet, and I am getting very anxious and worried as the dead line for UCAS Extra is coming up in June some time *I've mailed them about this and hopefully they'll reply.* If anyone can give me more information on Civil Engineering that'd be great!
I met a female student at Leeds, she was doing Architectural Engineering after she was rejected for Dentistry.

It is possible that Civil Engineering is for you.
Reply 14
I would show more respect to a MEng qualified civil engineer than a doctor.
mellonchollie
I applied to Exeter Uni like 2 weeks ago through Extra, but they haven't replied as of yet, and I am getting very anxious and worried as the dead line for UCAS Extra is coming up in June some time *I've mailed them about this and hopefully they'll reply.* If anyone can give me more information on Civil Engineering that'd be great!

You haven't said what grades you have from A levels to apply for Civil Engineering. If you've got the minimum grades needed to get accepted in Exeter, then you'll hopefully be successful.

In case you are short of the minimum required grades and if you do not get accepted, you can reapply there (or apply elsewhere) for UCAS Clearing for a 1-yr foundation course after which you can start your degree programme.

Good luck!

Ashique
I looked at Exeter for Civil Engineering, and the problem that I found was that you had to do what seemed to be general engineering for the first year. This can be a good thing if your not sure what kind of engineering you want to go into- but if you know you want to definitly want to do civil i'd go somewhere else......
Reply 17
urm to be honest, you shouldn't really apply for a course you have no idea on....

and also, the reputation of studying in the uk has dropped a lot, u might wanna consider studying elsewhere
Reply 18
i mean the reputation of studying medicine in the uk has dropped a lot.

needed to correct that before i get bombarded with missiles...
tanc
i mean the reputation of studying medicine in the uk has dropped a lot.

Really?? what's your reason behind that opinion?