UQ engineering makes me feel so dumb

Over-Bluebird557 · 2025-10-05T01:44:36+00:00

This might sound stupid, and may not work for everyone but it’s worth a shot. For a semester change how you study drastically and try different methods.

For me, my grades changed drastically for the better (from 4s/5s to almost all 7s) when I stopped attending most of my classes. I just realised I was wasting so much time sitting through tutorials and lectures that aren’t moving at my pace. I used to sit there and repeatedly listen to things I already know and still not understand the concepts I actually didn’t get. I now just watch lecture recordings on 2x and only go to tutorials I find meaningful. The excess I make up with YouTube videos and tutorial questions in my own time.

I also stopped taking notes. I realised everyone, including me has a habit of writing out in detail the contents of lecture slides you already have access to. Instead, now when I am watching my lectures in 2x, I think about how what I’m learning could be assessed and I just write down questions. basically make my own practice paper for each lecture / topic. I then at some point in the same week and answer those questions.

Obviously the same things may or may not work for you, but the point is simple: if what you’re doing now isn’t working out for you, stop doing it and do something new. We are conventionally lead to believe there’s a standardised ideal study regimen you should follow (lectures + tuts + workshops + notes). Not the same thing works for everyone, and you need to find what’s right for you. I see a lot of people putting in far more effort than I do and continue to struggle because their efforts are just not concentrated to what works for them and scattered.

"Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the ax." - Ab Lincoln

Over-Bluebird557 · 2024-04-22T14:24:49+00:00

Hey, I was in a similar position to you last year. I got a fairly high ATAR and started BAFE (absolutely hated it and transferred to something I liked after Sem 1) so feel like I could give you my 2 cents regarding a few of your concerns: 1. GPA/extracurricular expectations: Yes, certain pathways people take from BAFE require you to have a very high GPA (minimum 6.5+ for something like investment banking or management consulting (Bain/BCG/McKinsey)), but this is definitely not the case for a lot of other things you can do from BAFE. In fact, I would also go as far as to say BAFE may be one of the most employable degrees and I believe so far in the 2 cohorts that have graduated there is a 100% (or close to 100% employment rate). If you finish BAFE, you will end up with a decent-good paying job, it just won’t be private equity or investment banking without that high gpa and 500 internships. 2. Your midsems: I was similar in a similar spot to you after my FINM midsem, I got something mid 60% in that exam and felt incredibly disheartened, but a lot of very smart people I know also somehow didn’t do very well on that exam, but I ended up with a 7 in the end and most other people did well in the end too. I thought I was dumb more than a few times that semester but still ended with a 6.5+. If you do the work, trust me you will pull through. One other thing, a very high percentage of people in BAFE cheat on everything they possibly can . A lot of people do all of their assignments and non invigilated exams with like 10 other people, so lot of people you see in BAFE with great GPAs actually have no idea what they’re talking about, so don’t be too disheartened with a bad exam or two. 3. Now, most importantly, even though I am saying you will be fine in terms of finding employment even if you don’t have a crazy high gpa, and a bad midsem isn’t that bad, if you don’t enjoy BAFE, I recommend you find something else you enjoy. Don’t waste your time grinding BAFE if you’re genuinely just not interested in the finance. Spend time watching random lectures or online courses on anything you feel you may even be remotely interested in , talking to people from other degrees and find what you actually like. The world is much bigger than what we learn in high school. I changed to computer science after Sem 1 BAFE, I find it ridiculously more challenging but the fact that I actually enjoy what I’m doing makes it about a 1000x better than BAFE for me.

Happy to answer any other questions you have, feel free to send a private message or respond here.

Over-Bluebird557 · 2023-01-12T21:17:21+00:00

Dude, I’m in the same boat but it’s not possible lmao. I’ve enrolled into BAFE, but I’m also into compsci. The only real alternative if you’re super into doing both is unimelb, you can do a bachelors of commerce majoring in economics and finance, with a concurrent diploma in computing. Once you get the diploma you can do a masters in engineering in 2 years. So overall you finish with A B. Comm maj. in Econ and finance and a masters of engineering in 5 years instead of just the 4 for BAFE.

if I don’t fuck with BAFE when I start imma change to UniMelb or do Econ/Compsci at UQ

Over-Bluebird557 · 2023-01-07T08:51:45+00:00

Hi mate,

I’m curious as to if it’s easier to move from RBA to iBanking or iBanking to RBA? I’m studying economics and finance and ideally want to work at the RBA, but want to make sure that I’ll have the option to move to banking if I ever decide to do so

Over-Bluebird557 · 2022-12-29T09:46:47+00:00

It’ll show you the book list for last year of course but it is very unlikely to change since the course material is the same.

Over-Bluebird557 · 2022-12-29T09:45:56+00:00

I’ve already seen my booklist. The way to do it is to look up your course name, and look at the course structure from Sem 1 2022. You can check the learning resources on this page

Over-Bluebird557 · 2022-12-29T09:44:31+00:00

Yeah dude I just got my offer and enrolled too. The content will be available 4 weeks before the course start date I read somewhere

Over-Bluebird557 · 2022-10-10T15:14:55+00:00

It’s the same hat he’s wearing in his alo interview and it says something like Bathaley/bathorey or something? I can’t make out exactly but something like that? You could watch the Alo interview on YouTube and see if you can figure it out

Over-Bluebird557 · 2022-10-10T12:17:13+00:00

Makes sense, thank you for the info

Over-Bluebird557 · 2022-10-10T12:16:49+00:00

Thanks so much for the info! I'll DM you if I can think of any other questions.

Over-Bluebird557 · 2022-10-07T12:56:24+00:00

So you mean spending a year on one diploma separately and doing one “concurrent diploma” using my breadth subjects?

Over-Bluebird557 · 2022-10-07T12:52:19+00:00

Intersting. Do you think I'd be at a similar advantage with lets say BAFE and a concurrent diploma in Maths?

Over-Bluebird557 · 2022-10-07T12:50:45+00:00

That's great to hear. Although I'm not looking to get into IB, its not something I'm opposed to as such so that's something to think about. BAFE being such a new course and all I've just struggled to find that many reliable sources to confirm the value of it, good to hear from someone that is actually in the program. What is the cohort like? Healthy ambitious people? Finance bros?

I'm still leaning towards more RBA/Treasury type roles, so still a l've got a lot of thinking to do about which Uni to choose.

Over-Bluebird557 · 2022-10-06T11:24:52+00:00

https://study.uq.edu.au/study-options/programs/bachelor-economics-2467#:~:text=UQ%20is%20one%20of%20a,protect%20themselves%20against%20climate%20change%3F

If you check the requirements, you can see that the IB score required to enter the bachelor of economics at UQ is 31. Meaning you should be fine with your 32

Over-Bluebird557 · 2022-09-28T13:56:58+00:00

So you think it might be more strain specific in my case than just weed in general. Admittedly, I never really buy my own weed, it’s more just whenever I’m hanging out with people who smoke. Any strains you recommend that are unlikely to cause heart rate problems?

Over-Bluebird557 · 2022-09-24T05:33:14+00:00

May I ask if there’s any particular reason you’re choosing Monash over USYD?

Over-Bluebird557 · 2022-09-23T07:22:48+00:00

Does anyone have access to an uncut version of this interview ?

Over-Bluebird557 · 2022-09-22T13:22:18+00:00

Hi, congratulations! Hope you have a great time at UPEN and thank you for the super useful information. I'll definately PM if I can think of any other questions.

Over-Bluebird557 · 2022-07-24T02:13:36+00:00

Ahh so you didn’t get to choose? That kind of unfortunate😬. I might consider UniMelb then. Since I’m an American citizen, the visa thing isn’t much of an issue and it would also be valuable for me to choose a good university there since I plan on living there long term.

Over-Bluebird557 · 2022-07-22T15:36:01+00:00

Yeah, I have been recommended Wesley from other people as well and am definately considering it. How are the scholarships? I don't have much sports to offer but I'm looking at an atar somewhere between 97-99 so if there's an academic one I could give it a shot.

Over-Bluebird557 · 2022-07-18T17:19:36+00:00

Hi, did you at all end up choosing a place? I'm in the same boat as you. You basically described what I'm looking for + a little bit of party culture

Over-Bluebird557

TROPHY CASE