Not sure on what to do in university

Yeah it's a lot of physical chemistry.

When you say 'making stuff' what do you mean?
You do a couple of practicals where you kinda make stuff?
The chemical plants make products, like shampoo...

I guess that problem solving helps you develop skills you can use in everyday life. But I wouldn't say the stuff you learn really helps in everyday life. You can see exactly how it will relate to a job though. So it's not pointless line some of the stuff you learn at school.

Oh and do you have any knowledge of biochemical engineering how much different is that? Chemical eng does not by any chance include cells and medications does it lol. Like what I was thinking of with meaning making stuff was that you dont like make shampoos in the plant or do you? Because I dont see how that relates to problem solving part. I would like to make a shampoo one week and then make bleach the next lol.

At most Unis biochem Eng is the same except some of your options are taken up with bio stuff. You could just do straight Chem Eng and choose the bio modules anyway. It's exactly the same.

We did a small bio module in first semester which included some cell stuff, but other than that, not really. That will probably change from uni to uni.
It doesn't look at medications in terms of there formula or effect. But medications are produced in a chemical plant so chemical engineering would be involved.

Shampoos are made in chemical plants. You won't physically make shampoo yourself but but you will do all the theoretical work about making it. Like you will be the one that works out what temp you have to mix the reactants at and how to make sure it's all stored properly without waisting energy by over mixing...

Oh ok I understand what you mean thank you for your help I'm just asking a lot of questions because I really need to make my research sorry lol. My friend asked me to find out what the sex ratio looks like as she doesn't want a year with just boys. Do you know who actually makes the shampoos then or the people that make new stuff like making a new product for lo'real or other brands. Thanks again

It's fine
generally speaking the rations aren't that bad. They are somewhere between 30% and 40% female depending what uni you go to. I was worried about the same thing when I started the course but to be honest when I actually got there I didn't even notice.

It depends which company you work for and which department. Sometimes you are stationed within the manufacturing plant and will have direct contact with the people working on the plant and might end up becoming friends. Other times you won't. If you work in research and development you will be stationed in the building with the pilot plant rather than the actual chemical plant.

It's fine
generally speaking the rations aren't that bad. They are somewhere between 30% and 40% female depending what uni you go to. I was worried about the same thing when I started the course but to be honest when I actually got there I didn't even notice.

It depends which company you work for and which department. Sometimes you are stationed within the manufacturing plant and will have direct contact with the people working on the plant and might end up becoming friends. Other times you won't. If you work in research and development you will be stationed in the building with the pilot plant rather than the actual chemical plant.

Hello guys,

I am going into A2 now and I am still not sure on what to do in university. My ideal job would be something that is professional, sometimes office, some traveling and a good income. However I don't think my interests match this. I did Maths, chemistry, History, further maths and German for my AS's and I will most likely drop history. I wanted to do something more towards chemistry than maths. The closest I have gotten to is Chemical engineering. I have a huge interest in Law, however my English isn't the best and I don't think law can be done with my other options.
Here are some facts I have heard about particular degrees please let me know which ones are wrong if any.
pharmacy: boring job, not in demand, well paid
Pharmacology: don't know much but not in demand apparently
Biochemistry: not paid well, hard to find a job
Law: takes quite long, quite hard, well paid
Chemical engineering: oil industry going down

Thank you for your help and time

Hiya

I'm shafting more towards the chem eng than the other degrees I was considering just another question not sure whether I asked already no one told me about this but I was just wondering not doing physics a-level won't be a disadvantage would it? I'm thinking of doing further maths, chemistry and maths in A2.
Thank you so much for your help

It doesn't matter if you don't do physics.
Semester 1 of first year is basically a crash course in physics, bio, Chem, maths and further maths A level. They just teach you the stuff relevant to Chem Eng and it means everyone knows the basics for the rest of the degree

I went to a couple events organised by oxford uni a few years ago. I remember them saying that for a lot of professional jobs, they don't really care what exactly your degree is in. Those types of employers value the "transferrable skills" that you learn from a degree. Or so they say. So do what you fancy! ...or ignore me

Ok so physics won't be a problem. I was looking at UCL and they have AAA for chem eng but AAB for bio eng 😑 (my aim is to go Russell group in london). What module did you enjoy the most so I can research on that? Thermodynamics I did some of just now in chem lol

Why London?

I quite enjoyed mass ballences and energy ballences.

Seconding what people have said about pharmacy. Bear in mind what I'm saying about it is specific to working in a pharmacy, not as part of the NHS or anything else. My mom has been a pharmacist since the early 90's. She's now an area manager of a nationwide pharmacy branch. She advises anyone against it. She says it's not what it used to be and that it's a very very flooded field. The pay isn't worth it, the progression prospects are limited. I don't know if this means much but she has to train newly qualified pharmacists and she moans about their incompetence sometimes? Potentially a possible indicator to the contrast to a degree vs the actual job? The chain also won't accept people who did pharmacy degrees at certain universities as a way of filtering out applicants.
When we went to open days and we'd walk past the pharmacy desks, she'd mutter to me "Don't do it! Don't do it!" jokingly.
On a different but related note: I chose a plain chemistry degree, however I'm still wondering whether I should transfer to chem eng in September for the job prospects.

Yh no more pharmacy for me got a lot of bad stuff. So have you done a year of chemistry? I feel like doing it because in london unis like ucl, imperial aren't as high for chemistry as they are for chem eng. How do you find it would you recommend it I thought their would be lots of jobs for chemistry degree. Also can you tell me about pharmacology?
Thank you for the help

Seconding what people have said about pharmacy. Bear in mind what I'm saying about it is specific to working in a pharmacy, not as part of the NHS or anything else. My mom has been a pharmacist since the early 90's. She's now an area manager of a nationwide pharmacy branch. She advises anyone against it. She says it's not what it used to be and that it's a very very flooded field. The pay isn't worth it, the progression prospects are limited. I don't know if this means much but she has to train newly qualified pharmacists and she moans about their incompetence sometimes? Potentially a possible indicator to the contrast to a degree vs the actual job? The chain also won't accept people who did pharmacy degrees at certain universities as a way of filtering out applicants.
When we went to open days and we'd walk past the pharmacy desks, she'd mutter to me "Don't do it! Don't do it!" jokingly.
On a different but related note: I chose a plain chemistry degree, however I'm still wondering whether I should transfer to chem eng in September for the job prospects.

I'm sorry that wasn't very clear, my bad. I chose a chemistry degree to start next month, I haven't started yet. But I'm already thinking about switching over. Better sooner rather than later I guess! I feel engineering is a more practical "real world" job that would be better paid. I'm still deciding.

I did consider a pharmacology degree when I applied this year but most places wanted a level biology which I didn't have. I can't speak firsthand about pharmacology, however it would be a nice mix of chemistry and pharmacy. You'd probably have more job prospects taking that course compared to taking pharmacy.

Hmm most of the one's I know of don't require it but then the thing is I have a feeling if I were to pick it I would be to a disadvantage. Regarding chem eng that one thing thats stopping me is the unis and the requirements. A chem degree seems plain and makes me feel like I'm not doing something new idk why. I was also considering all the other stuff e.g. biochem,biotech but I decided to not go for that because of jobs bio and respect. So I'm left with either (if it goes by plan) chem eng at a not so good uni, a chem degree at a better uni, pharmacology degree at a better uni but to a disadvantage pftt.

So are you saying that the uni you go to would matter more? Thanks for that its just that you don't want to risk anything. People say go for what you like well what's the point if I dont get a job life won't just go on cause I had studying something I like that's why I worry.

So are you saying that the uni you go to would matter more? Thanks for that its just that you don't want to risk anything. People say go for what you like well what's the point if I dont get a job life won't just go on cause I had studying something I like that's why I worry.