Engineering or Natural Science?
Hi, I'm just finishing year 12 and am still unsure about where life is taking me.
I've just completed AS levels in maths, biology, chemistry, physics and french, and I think they went well. I'm aiming for AAAAB. I got 8A*s, 2 As and a B in my GCSEs.
Originally, up to the age of around 14 I wanted to do medicine. My mum has always pushed me towards that, but I don't think I could cope with the pressure of being a student for the next decade before I can get on and work.
I like art, drawing and designing new things, so I've thought about engineering. The trouble is, though I'm good at physics and am predicted an A, I have no confidence with myself in physics lessons and this holds me back.
Biology is refreshingly easy and simple to understand, so I've thought about doing biology or biochemistry at university, though I've had a think about biological jobs and peering down a microscope doesn't excite me. I like to see things and play with them, like we do in physics practicals.
A little help please?
I've just completed AS levels in maths, biology, chemistry, physics and french, and I think they went well. I'm aiming for AAAAB. I got 8A*s, 2 As and a B in my GCSEs.
Originally, up to the age of around 14 I wanted to do medicine. My mum has always pushed me towards that, but I don't think I could cope with the pressure of being a student for the next decade before I can get on and work.
I like art, drawing and designing new things, so I've thought about engineering. The trouble is, though I'm good at physics and am predicted an A, I have no confidence with myself in physics lessons and this holds me back.
Biology is refreshingly easy and simple to understand, so I've thought about doing biology or biochemistry at university, though I've had a think about biological jobs and peering down a microscope doesn't excite me. I like to see things and play with them, like we do in physics practicals.
A little help please?
I went to the diamond light source a few weeks back in Oxford and I met a few scientists.This one scientist did a degree in chemistry but now she's doing more physicsy kind of stuff. The girl that was giving the talk did biology at university and she helps set up experiments related to finding out structure of proteins and stuff for pharmaceutical companies, but the experiments used high energy x rays, so it was like the perfect interface between biology and physics. One of the guys did chemical engineering and he told us to just do what we like at university and feel happier studying because your university course doesn't determine your future job in most cases.
Natural Science sounds more like you're kind of thing though, where you can do biology and physics whereas biochemistry isn't far into physics at all.
Natural Science sounds more like you're kind of thing though, where you can do biology and physics whereas biochemistry isn't far into physics at all.
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by 344302
I went to the diamond light source a few weeks back in Oxford and I met a few scientists.This one scientist did a degree in chemistry but now she's doing more physicsy kind of stuff. The girl that was giving the talk did biology at university and she helps set up experiments related to finding out structure of proteins and stuff for pharmaceutical companies, but the experiments used high energy x rays, so it was like the perfect interface between biology and physics. One of the guys did chemical engineering and he told us to just do what we like at university and feel happier studying because your university course doesn't determine your future job in most cases.
Natural Science sounds more like you're kind of thing though, where you can do biology and physics whereas biochemistry isn't far into physics at all.
Natural Science sounds more like you're kind of thing though, where you can do biology and physics whereas biochemistry isn't far into physics at all.
Brilliant, thanks for your long and detailed reply. I think in the long term, I'd like to go into business management in a scientific company, but we'll see how it goes. I'll just pick whichever degree seems best, I think. I can always go back to uni later on or something.
I assume you're aiming for Cambridge since you're considering Natural Science? NatSci at Cambridge has one of the toughest first year of any degree in the UK. You decide whether you'd like to be a Phys NatSci or Bio Natsci ad you have to take some core modules but it's pretty flexible in general. Official blurbs here. One thing to think about regarding biology is job opportunity or lack thereof. It's very tough to get a job in biology related field unless you go into research and work towards a PhD, so possibly a long time in academia but most people just end up doing something unrelated. Got a few friends who did Bio and they've all somehow become accountants!
Good physical intuition is essential for engineering, but I wouldn't worry at your stage; it comes with practice, then it becomes second nature. If you enjoy learning how things work and want to make them better, engineering is for you. Engineering is a challenging but rewarding career requiring critical thinking, leadership and creativity so engineers are often one of the happiest employees in surveys.
Good luck choosing your degree
Good physical intuition is essential for engineering, but I wouldn't worry at your stage; it comes with practice, then it becomes second nature. If you enjoy learning how things work and want to make them better, engineering is for you. Engineering is a challenging but rewarding career requiring critical thinking, leadership and creativity so engineers are often one of the happiest employees in surveys.
Good luck choosing your degree
Original post by IntoTheVoid
I assume you're aiming for Cambridge since you're considering Natural Science? NatSci at Cambridge has one of the toughest first year of any degree in the UK. You decide whether you'd like to be a Phys NatSci or Bio Natsci ad you have to take some core modules but it's pretty flexible in general. Official blurbs here. One thing to think about regarding biology is job opportunity or lack thereof. It's very tough to get a job in biology related field unless you go into research and work towards a PhD, so possibly a long time in academia but most people just end up doing something unrelated. Got a few friends who did Bio and they've all somehow become accountants!
Good physical intuition is essential for engineering, but I wouldn't worry at your stage; it comes with practice, then it becomes second nature. If you enjoy learning how things work and want to make them better, engineering is for you. Engineering is a challenging but rewarding career requiring critical thinking, leadership and creativity so engineers are often one of the happiest employees in surveys.
Good luck choosing your degree
Good physical intuition is essential for engineering, but I wouldn't worry at your stage; it comes with practice, then it becomes second nature. If you enjoy learning how things work and want to make them better, engineering is for you. Engineering is a challenging but rewarding career requiring critical thinking, leadership and creativity so engineers are often one of the happiest employees in surveys.
Good luck choosing your degree
I thought I was going to be going to Cambridge before I hit year 12, but I don't think I'll achieve the academic credentials required..
I like biology because it's easy to understand and very straightforward, and because the chemistry in it is easier than real chemistry. I don't however like biology-related careers, other than the prospect of teaching, but a PGCE is my back-up plan regardless of my career path.
I like the flexibility of natural science degrees, other than at Cambridge I also like the programme they have at UEA, which I'm visiting next week.
I think the prospect of engineering makes me quite nervous because I don't feel confident in my own mathematical ability, or my physics intuition for that matter.
I think I'll talk to my teachers about engineering because they might have some insight about whether I'd be suitable; I like to get advice everywhere before making judgements on things because I'm indecisive and I like blaming other people when I make bad choices
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