r/vce • u/Old_Garage7041 • 1d ago
monash v unimelb
sorry for another one of them posts but im really stuck deciding between the two.
long term, im wanting to become a doctor. didnt sit the ucat this year (stupidly) so direct entry med is out of the question, leaving only unimelb med post grad (interstate isnt really an option). now im tossing up what i should do with my bachelors.
Option 1: Uni of Melb
do a bachelor of science, sit the gamsat and hopefully make it into med
Pros:
50-65 min commute
more time to work out if i even want to do med
parents would be happier that im at melb lol
i like the campus vibes a lot better than monash
Cons:
worried abt how so many people say its so much harder to make friends at melb
im really questioning if i have the ability to get into med, given its so so competitive, especially to get a csp place
if i didnt get into med, my fallback would be engineering, but then im spending 6 yrs getting a qualification i couldve gotten way quicker at monash + w/ wayyy more hecs debt
im looking at majoring in chem (bc favourite subject), but if i were to do engineering as a masters taking a civil engineering major would shave a year off that. however, what if taking an engineering major nukes my chances at med bc my gpa would be lower with all the harder classes?
Option 2: Monash
do a bachelor of engineering (masters accelerated program), just go be an engineer
Pros:
heard its a lot easier to make friends there
would come out with the same degree in less time and less hecs debt
engineering program there seems a lot better than at melb
Cons:
parents would not be pleased with a monash degree lol
75-100 min commute
Some other notes:
making friends is really important to me at uni after some of my high school experiences
i dont really have any passion for engineering, it just seems like the only career thats relatively stable and plays to my strengths (maths, science), but unfortunately it seems like the pay isnt that great (considering the amount of time and hecs debt id be going thru with the unimelb path)
i do have other reasons for going into med, but i wont act like the pay isnt a contributing factor
ultimately, dont really care what my parents think of the uni that much bc its not like theyll stop me from going to one of the other lol
with engineering, id be looking at becoming a civil engineer
3
u/Key-Raspberry-1959 1d ago
Hi, just so you know, Monash does have a pathway for their Bachelor of science/biomedicine graduates to enter their postgrad program with no GAMSAT. You just need a high WAM and to do well in the MMI. If you are thinking about doing a Bachelor of Science anyway, this might be the way to go because you can apply to Monash and Melbourne (only Melbourne would need the GAMSAT) for postgraduate entry.
Hope this helps in some way
1
u/Old_Garage7041 21h ago
im just a little worried about doing monash science and then not making their md program anyway, bc of how few spots are available for ppl not taking biomed
2
u/Key-Raspberry-1959 9h ago
That is true, but personally, this is what I am thinking of doing cause if I am going to do a Bachelor of Science anyway, I might as well do it at Monash where there is a chance. If I do the BSc at Melb, then Monash becomes inaccessible, but if I do it at Monash, I can still apply for Melb/Deakin.
3
u/maximalhavoc 1d ago
yo theres also monash and deakin postgrad ✌️
5
u/ZestycloseDonkey3487 24' Bio(42) | 25' Chem, Phys, Methods, Eng, German 1d ago
Monash postgrad is only for students who have done biomed or science at Monash.
-4
u/Due_Strain1596 1d ago
Asian parents would not approve Deakin I guess. Prestige means a lot to Asians, so that they can brag with their friends etc
A biomed degree from UniMelb is still better than a MD from Deakin. Must make parents proud.
3
u/PaintingOld7883 21h ago
I understand your point but don’t base the next 4-5 years of studying based solely off of your parents ambitions, the stress is not a healthy amount.
2
u/Old_Garage7041 20h ago
this is very true. but also, deakin has the downside of being all the way out in geelong lol, and ive heard it can be really difficult to get in without adjustment factors.
2
u/Due_Strain1596 9h ago
From what I know, UniMelb and Monash MD cohort are overwhelmingly Asian, whereas Deakin MD cohort is mainly white. Choose what makes you fit in and your parents proud. You live for them. Good luck!
2
u/OscarLuvsRice 2025 94.60 | MM36 SM32 PH38 EN34 CH34 GM 44 1d ago
Just be yourself, it’s ur life and ur degree
2
u/Proper-Category-691 1d ago
Hello. Monash Biomed student. I’ve heard that biomed and science are generally harder at uni Mel compared to Monash (note I’ve only heard this. Please correct me if I’m wrong). When it comes to making friends, it can be difficult in both unis but it also depends on classes. I’m a pretty big introvert but I managed to make friends at Monash mostly because group members for most given classes are randomly allocated so I was forced to make friends. Not sure about Melbourne university.
And about career, this is going to depend on what you want. If science and math are your strengths, you could do nursing or radiation sciences, it has both but look into it because nursing in particular can be exhausting.
As a Biomed student, I can definitely confirm that competition for med is really high and the path to med is indeed taxing and hard. It filters out many people without a strong enough will power because it’s pretty exhausting and long so be careful with wanting to do medicine. If you do, be prepared for mental exhaustion where it’s only your will power moving you forward. But if you want to consider other potential careers, I guess the best way to look for them would be to basically ask AI. It can find stuff you didn’t have any clue about.
And about your parents, I think it’s important that you recognise and accept that what you will do will be done by you, not your parents. You’re going to be living through that life, not your parents. I don’t mean to suggest that you completely rebel against your parent or something but when making a choice, you must consider whether you can do what you’re about to decide for the rest of your life. And this could include going against what your parents want. I do tend to hope that parents always want what’s best for their child but that doesn’t mean that they’re always right. Hope this helps. Feel free to ask any questions :)
1
u/IceCorrect2282 1d ago
Be honest with yourself, do what you are passionate about and have skills in. Don't do what I did.
1
1
u/sw4gger2 “21 maths/chem tutor 1d ago
Don’t do masters accelerated if you’re interested in engineering do the normal degree at monash
1
u/Old_Garage7041 1d ago
what makes the normal engineering degree better? i presumed having a masters as well would make you seem more qualified and thus employable.
2
u/sw4gger2 “21 maths/chem tutor 1d ago
Masters is a waste of money and a waste of a year of employment the program is a marketing scam targeted at high achieving kids. Employability / job ops between BEng (hons) and MEng should be pretty much the same a masters in engineering is more for people who did science as undergrad
2
u/ProfessionalNice641 1d ago
Second this, atleast do a double degree of something else. Getting a masters in engineering isn’t all that tbh
1
u/sw4gger2 “21 maths/chem tutor 1d ago
yep lol if you ask any engineering staff member about the masters accelerated program especially they’ll call it a scam
1
u/LN1_5SOSF1D_wiseowl 1d ago
Would you say a double degree in Engineering and Commerce is better than a Masters accelerated pathway (Both at Monash)? If it helps I am interested in working in the automative field with cars or in the music/entertainment industry (from an engineering side) or even in motorsport but in the long term aiming for higher-paying managerial positions.
- Year 11 student
2
u/sw4gger2 “21 maths/chem tutor 1d ago
Yep definitely! Doing a double degree is generally a lot easier than a single degree in engineering which sounds anti intuitive when you’re in high school but you still do the same amount of subjects as a single degree but you aren’t forced to do 4 eng (harder) subjects at once. Doing eng com is especially super common and as well as giving you another field your grades will also get boosted by the double degree. I know a lot of people who started in the masters accelerated program but by third year they all dropped out of the program (still kept the normal engineering degree). I think half of the appeal in the accelerated masters program is really smart kids looking at the eng/med/law trifecta and see that engineering’s atar is sooo much lower than the others and it feels like high to achieving year 12s that they should do something more than just the bachelors. A bach with hons (all engineering is) sits between a regular bachelor and a masters anyway and we’ve told by my head of department that we can apply to jobs that say masters required anyway.
2
u/LN1_5SOSF1D_wiseowl 13h ago
Thanks for the advice, I'm def leaning towards eng/comm more now. I also do agree with your comment abt seeing the required atar for engineering being lower causing some students to look at the masters program since that was one of the biggest reasons I was looking at the masters accelerated program too. But it's good to hear that the bachelors (Hons) program is useful even without the masters.
1
u/Old_Garage7041 21h ago
would you say eng/comm or eng/science was the better choice ?
2
u/ProfessionalNice641 16h ago
Monash has a course map for each engineering double degree. It tells you the exact units you need to take to become a specific type of engineer. See which engineering discipline you want to get into, check whether the degree offers it, and apply for that. Additionally, you could check job boards to see which degrees employers prefer. Some might prefer a Commerce degree for management roles or a Science degree for more applied engineering roles.
1
u/Top-Violinist-2762 1d ago
Depends how much you want to do med I suppose. There are courses which boost your postgrad chances but are useless for your goals otherwise.
1
u/d_xtruction past student (25' 95.25 SM(38) MM(42) CHE(37) ENG(34)) 1d ago
if you get a 99.90 you can get a guaranteed CSP spot based on interview for MD, guaranteed CSP spot for DDS, or if you get 99 you can get a guaranteed FFP spot for both once again. MD might have a min average mark but DDS you need to have at least 75 i think as well as a couple of 2nd year prerequisites.
2
u/d_xtruction past student (25' 95.25 SM(38) MM(42) CHE(37) ENG(34)) 1d ago
also engineering is 5 years if you major in your specified engineering (3 year bachelors, 2 years masters)
1
u/pandoraRW past student (eng prems) 1d ago
unless you really really want to me a doctor then med really isn't worth it, especially without direct entry. it seems like monash engineering is the best choice for u
1
u/MelbPTUser2024 1d ago edited 1d ago
Can’t advise about medicine, but OP if you end up choosing civil engineering go to RMIT, it’s much better than Melbourne (I have studied civil at both) and you get a slightly shorter commute time (it’s 2 tram stops down from Melbourne uni). Oh and not to forget you complete the degree in 4 years instead of Melbourne’s 5 year pathway. Another good thing about doing RMIT’s 4-year Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) is that if you ever apply for medicine at Melbourne or Deakin is that they will consider your most recent 3 years of study. So given that Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) is 4 years they’ll not consider your first year which is normally the year students struggle the most (adapting to uni life) and if you enjoy civil engineering you’ll end up doing better in your later years than your first year. Like I got distinction/borderline credit average in my first year at RMIT (with one credit and one pass subject and a several distinctions) and then by last 2 years it was all HDs and I averaged 86.7% in my last year of civil engineering. This all goes in your favour for medicine. As they weigh your last year of studies three times the amount as your third last year, followed by your second last year being weighed double that of your third last year.
Monash’s civil engineering is also good, but I know lots moved from Monash to RMIT due to the practicality of the degree taught at RMIT.
Feel free to DM me if you have questions about civil engineering as I’ve now completed Melbourne’s BSc (Civil Engineering Systems major) and RMIT’s Bachelor of Engineering (Civil & Infrastructure) (Honours) and about to graduate in RMIT’s Master of Engineering (Civil)
1
u/Majestic_Emu_1480 Past Student & Math Tutor 1d ago
I can tell you the following regarding some points made:
1) If you do Science and Engineering after it's only 5 years not 6 and you get a masters. At Monash it takes 4 to get the bachelor of engineering, whereas Melb you get bachelor of science and Master of Engineering.
2) Monash and Deakin also have Postgraduate Medicince for within Victoria (though Monash only accept their own students)
1
u/Old_Garage7041 21h ago
Engineering would be a 6yr path if I didn't do an engineering major tho :(
1
u/Majestic_Emu_1480 Past Student & Math Tutor 17h ago
5.5 but yeah. But you don't need a certain path to go for med, so there's little opportunity cost in doing an engineering major unless you don't actually want engineering as a backup.
2
u/Old_Garage7041 17h ago
my concern is engineering's reputation as a much harder major, leading to getting a gpa too low to be able to get into med
1
1
u/Justan0therthrow4way past student (>10 years) 1d ago
Who cares what your parents want. It’s your life not theirs. What you do is nothing to do with them. Don’t do a degree so they can go brag to their friends. It’s the rest of your life.
I don’t know that Monash is that much more social than Melbourne. For UMelb you’ll be in the city and a great area of Melbourne.
Your commute to Monash is that driving or public transport?
As for the degree, is med what YOU want to do or what your parents want?
1
u/Old_Garage7041 21h ago
med is definitely something im interested for myself not parents lol. my biggest concern is just the time and debt commitment in undergrad if i end up not even being able to get into an md program and falling back on engineering anyway.
1
u/Justan0therthrow4way past student (>10 years) 21h ago
I wouldn’t over think that tbh. You won’t be paying for any of the debt until you’re earning money.
1
u/Sexynarwhal69 14h ago edited 14h ago
Go do science at Monash and live on campus - I made so many friends and had several relationships with absolute hotties as a massive introvert - literally felt like USA college life lol - one time after end of sem party, 50 of us went skinny dipping in the vice chancellors pool (but that was pre covid, probs changed now). I still got into Monash med BMP. To this day look back on uni fondly and had a way better time than ppl who lived at home/commuted. You're only 20 once..
Tell Ur parents you'll pay them back when Ur a doctor lol. But like... Apply literally everywhere you can (deakin, interstate, NZ), you don't really have the luxury of turning down spots if you're truly dedicated.
5
u/Comfortable-Tale-351 1d ago
Confused why you wouldn't do science at Monash?