The Student Room Group

A rant about STEM v the rest

STEM degrees are more difficult than humanities/arts degrees.
Firstly I have about 24 hours of lectures and labs a week, my housemate studying Politics has 8, with 2 days off in the week. And before anyone jumps in with the whole we have to read stuff argument, SO DO STEM students! Independent study, lab reports, coursework the bloody lot! There's no way that the independent study done by the rest adds up to what we do. It may appear you have as little time to do stuff as us but that's just because you're in bed for 15 hours a day and watching Netflix. I have 5 8:30am starts a week, a friend of mine doing English has zero, his earliest is 10am. It's a joke.
I can appreciate that they have their need in some places and they aren't exactly a walk in the park, but they certainly aren't even.

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Reply 1
Original post by The Wavefunction
STEM degrees are more difficult than humanities/arts degrees.
Firstly I have about 24 hours of lectures and labs a week, my housemate studying Politics has 8, with 2 days off in the week. And before anyone jumps in with the whole we have to read stuff argument, SO DO STEM students! Independent study, lab reports, coursework the bloody lot! There's no way that the independent study done by the rest adds up to what we do. It may appear you have as little time to do stuff as us but that's just because you're in bed for 15 hours a day and watching Netflix. I have 5 8:30am starts a week, a friend of mine doing English has zero, his earliest is 10am. It's a joke.
I can appreciate that they have their need in some places and they aren't exactly a walk in the park, but they certainly aren't even.


get ready...
they are coming any minute now
Same thing is happening already on high school, at least one I am attempting to.

Most of people take 2 humanities, 2 languages and those small mandatory biology SL and math SL/studies to their IB diploma because that's said to be easy.

They first wouldnt offer math HL at all because its hard they say. I had to do 80% of national higher math in my 10th year (normally one would use a bit more than 2 years for that) (that isnt quite as high as IB math) with perfect grades to prove I am serious with it. Like, my school thinks math HL is so hard that people should not be allowed to take math HL because its impossible to pass according to them. Others have failed it before so many times. I also take 3 sciences on HL. And according to everyone I am insane and will never pass.

I've been to humanities lessons too, and even if I was absent like half lessons I still got 7 from my midterm exams on business and English. Its considerably easier to get those grades on those subjects.
Original post by TeeEm
get ready...
they are coming any minute now


Let them come, I'm ready.
I've noticed that even though people **** themselves over the STEM vs Non-STEM debate on TSR and to some extent, the comments section on newspaper articles (mainly the Daily Mail), most people actually have more important things to care about in the real world. Even though you may have more work to do than your mates, if you came up to me one day and started whinging about how you get sooo much grief because people say your degree is equal to a non-stem degree, I would much rather deal with your mate.

If you feel the need to have a victim complex then that is up to you but nobody gives a damn about what you're studying. You're nothing special and there are plenty of other 'offended' STEM students around getting the same degree as you. The ones who don't whinge and realise that their degree really doesn't make any better, any more important or even distinctly 'special' are the ones who will be happier and won't be ****ting themselves whenever somebody else beats them at the most unimportant thing.

EDIT: Oh yeah, and before your full keyboard warrior persona comes out, I am studying a STEM degree.
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 5
Original post by The Wavefunction
Let them come, I'm ready.


If you need help call me
I am very angry tonight ...
Original post by Emilia1320
Same thing is happening already on high school, at least one I am attempting to.

Most of people take 2 humanities, 2 languages and those small mandatory biology SL and math SL/studies to their IB diploma because that's said to be easy.

They first wouldnt offer math HL at all because its hard they say. I had to do 80% of national higher math in my 10th year (normally one would use a bit more than 2 years for that) (that isnt quite as high as IB math) with perfect grades to prove I am serious with it. Like, my school thinks math HL is so hard that people should not be allowed to take math HL because its impossible to pass according to them. Others have failed it before so many times. I also take 3 sciences on HL. And according to everyone I am insane and will never pass.

I've been to humanities lessons too, and even if I was absent like half lessons I still got 7 from my midterm exams on business and English. Its considerably easier to get those grades on those subjects.


Oh what a shame. Does the fact that some people choose an easy path have a terrible impact on your life?
b...b...but.. my feelings:frown: fukn laughing at the non-stem people right now.

b..b..but.. arts.. we need variety, we should be creative.
Reply 8
yh but no one cares about pythagoras therom
What are you hoping to achieve with this rant? Sheesh...
Original post by The Wavefunction
STEM degrees are more difficult than humanities/arts degrees.
Firstly I have about 24 hours of lectures and labs a week, my housemate studying Politics has 8, with 2 days off in the week. And before anyone jumps in with the whole we have to read stuff argument, SO DO STEM students! Independent study, lab reports, coursework the bloody lot! There's no way that the independent study done by the rest adds up to what we do. It may appear you have as little time to do stuff as us but that's just because you're in bed for 15 hours a day and watching Netflix. I have 5 8:30am starts a week, a friend of mine doing English has zero, his earliest is 10am. It's a joke.
I can appreciate that they have their need in some places and they aren't exactly a walk in the park, but they certainly aren't even.


In my opinion, if you're happy studying what you're studying, then it doesn't matter if other people seem to get an easier ride than you do or that other people think their degree is worth more than yours because it's more difficult.
A degree's worth comes from what someone wants to do with it and what it means to someone, not from statistics showing how it's far more work than another.
Original post by Moonstruck16
Oh what a shame. Does the fact that some people choose an easy path have a terrible impact on your life?


No, it doesn't, sorry, maybe I worded myself badly. I just think its problemaic that people who are into math and science subjects will in average need to put more effort on their studies to achieve some level of grades than those who take "easy" subject combination. I have struggld with humanities too and I don't undeertsnad a **** in classes, but I think something is wrong when someone as dumb and lazy as me can pull out a 7 by bull****ting something I don't understand myself at all and trying to guess something based on common sense. I think it would be for everyone's good if those humanities courses would be made a bit harder.

I would also like to know why you responded me so rudely. Insulting tone of your reply is entirely unnnecessary for the discussion.
Original post by E air
yh but no one cares about pythagoras therom


I'm pretty sure the people who's responsibilities involve making sure bridges don't fall down care about Pythagoras's Theorem.
Original post by Star-girl
What are you hoping to achieve with this rant? Sheesh...


Nothing. Just venting frustration at the fact I'm already up to my neck in work and my housemates having to do sweet FA
Original post by Emilia1320
No, it doesn't, sorry, maybe I worded myself badly. I just think its problemaic that people who are into math and science subjects will in average need to put more effort on their studies to achieve some level of grades than those who take "easy" subject combination. I have struggld with humanities too and I don't undeertsnad a **** in classes, but I think something is wrong when someone as dumb and lazy as me can pull out a 7 by bull****ting something I don't understand myself at all and trying to guess something based on common sense. I think it would be for everyone's good if those humanities courses would be made a bit harder.

I would also like to know why you responded me so rudely. Insulting tone of your reply is entirely unnnecessary for the discussion.


Thing is, mate, you are not every sixth-form student in the whole entire world.
I didn't study humanities at A-level (apart from a language but that is a whole different category) but I did study them at GCSE. Yes geography and RE were absolute walks in the park but I was never, ever good at history. On the other hand, biology and chemistry were equally walks in the park. So was physics but the fact that I hated it didn't make it seem as easy. Maths was my weakest of the science subjects and even though I got an A, it was not a relaxing process.
Now let's take it to A-level. People ALWAYS complained about chemistry but I could do it with my eyes closed. Show me an A-level history paper and I was like nope. People find different things easy and hard.

Whilst you may think that all humanities students a village idiots because you can breeze through them, for other people they are hard and they will find what you find hard easy.

Now to the most important bit, does the fact that I essentially slept my way through GCSE geography and A-level chemistry affect your life at all? No. Will me ranting about people saying STEM and non-STEM subjects make any difference to your tomorrow? No it won't.

I'm sorry that you were insulted but I was not intending to be insulting to your personally and I personally do not think that I was.
Reply 15
Original post by E air
yh but no one cares about pythagoras therom


you don't so out!
Original post by The Wavefunction
Nothing. Just venting frustration at the fact I'm already up to my neck in work and my housemates having to do sweet FA


Since you're already wasting time when you have so much work you may as well find a more productive way to 'vent your frustration'.
Original post by Moonstruck16
Thing is, mate, you are not every sixth-form student in the whole entire world.
I didn't study humanities at A-level (apart from a language but that is a whole different category) but I did study them at GCSE. Yes geography and RE were absolute walks in the park but I was never, ever good at history. On the other hand, biology and chemistry were equally walks in the park. So was physics but the fact that I hated it didn't make it seem as easy. Maths was my weakest of the science subjects and even though I got an A, it was not a relaxing process.
Now let's take it to A-level. People ALWAYS complained about chemistry but I could do it with my eyes closed. Show me an A-level history paper and I was like nope. People find different things easy and hard.

Whilst you may think that all humanities students a village idiots because you can breeze through them, for other people they are hard and they will find what you find hard easy.

Now to the most important bit, does the fact that I essentially slept my way through GCSE geography and A-level chemistry affect your life at all? No. Will me ranting about people saying STEM and non-STEM subjects make any difference to your tomorrow? No it won't.

I'm sorry that you were insulted but I was not intending to be insulting to your personally and I personally do not think that I was.


I think you're missing the whole point of a rant. No one here is trying to "change someone's tomorrow" it's just a case of venting frustrations.
My ranting won't change anything, but I feel better about the whole situation right now.

Also, I reckon you're a biologist or something of the kind. Tell me I'm wrong.
Original post by Moonstruck16
Since you're already wasting time when you have so much work you may as well find a more productive way to 'vent your frustration'.


Nah, this feels god mandem. Weight lifting also gooood, but thanks anyways
Original post by Moonstruck16
Thing is, mate, you are not every sixth-form student in the whole entire world.
I didn't study humanities at A-level (apart from a language but that is a whole different category) but I did study them at GCSE. Yes geography and RE were absolute walks in the park but I was never, ever good at history. On the other hand, biology and chemistry were equally walks in the park. So was physics but the fact that I hated it didn't make it seem as easy. Maths was my weakest of the science subjects and even though I got an A, it was not a relaxing process.
Now let's take it to A-level. People ALWAYS complained about chemistry but I could do it with my eyes closed. Show me an A-level history paper and I was like nope. People find different things easy and hard.

Whilst you may think that all humanities students a village idiots because you can breeze through them, for other people they are hard and they will find what you find hard easy.

Now to the most important bit, does the fact that I essentially slept my way through GCSE geography and A-level chemistry affect your life at all? No. Will me ranting about people saying STEM and non-STEM subjects make any difference to your tomorrow? No it won't.

I'm sorry that you were insulted but I was not intending to be insulting to your personally and I personally do not think that I was.


Oh, I got my sevens on sciences, I did not say I found those hard. I found them easy and enjoyable.

Only things I'm criticizing is this: On chemistry and physics second best grades in whole group were 4's to people who actually tried (scale is 1-7). On humanities, on business 6 was the worst grade on entire class, and 70% of people me included got a 7. On English 5 was worst grade. THIS is what I am criticizing, why average scores too are so much better for humanities. Personally I find sciences and math easier than humanities but this isnt about me. Its about average performance on my school.

And this: higher level math is seen as so difficult that I had to fight authorities to be allowed to take the subject.

And this is a discussion forum. I am not ranting, I am discussing. Yet you try to make me sound like I am crying or something. Please know that I am just trying to have constructive conversation. With you or with anyone who is up for it.

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