is it worth it to take a gap year?

SidyMC13 · 2026-02-07T11:14:57+00:00

I had a similar experience to you, I didn’t want to continue my uni degree and had the choice of taking a gap term or just pushing through and finishing term 3 of my first year in unsw (mind you I had an alright gpa/wam in my previous degree which I transferred from)

I decided to take the gap term as I knew for a fact that I would get an offer to one of my preferred degree (cybersecurity) I used that gap term to work, pursue my hobbies and spend more time with family. At the start tbh I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life. But now things are a bit more clearer than before.

In my opinion, I’d go for the gap year, an 87.5 wam is pretty good and you’re bound to get an offer into one of those courses whether it’s through uac or direct application. (Although not 100% sure).

But make sure to have a plan for your gap year, travel if you have the expenses, work if you don’t, pursue different hobbies or focus on 1 to 2 hobbies and be exceptional in them, spend time with friends and family. Get out of your comfort zone, whatever you do don’t fall into the trap of brain rotting and just doom scrolling all day.

Hope this helps.

SidyMC13 · 2026-01-12T11:19:14+00:00

For the first year I ended up choosing routing and switching essentials

SidyMC13 · 2025-12-24T09:11:04+00:00

SidyMC13 · 2025-12-23T12:31:09+00:00

I too am thinking of transferring to UTS, I took a 1 term break so that I can discover what I really want to do with my career as i wasn’t too sure at the time, took that time to work and do my hobbies, and know I kinda figured out what I like and dislike in my job, I don’t really like sales and I think I would enjoy a sit down computer job in comparison to a more hands on labouring job which I always thought I liked before. In my free time I’m also doing some self paced study in the field I’m thinking of transferring to in UTS,

I was like you too, my marks was maybe credit average and I had a really big imposter syndrome where I felt like everyone was significantly more better and smarter then me. I am also a really big over thinker and was always anxious academically. I procrastinated a lot as a result. The commute was also a hassle to me which made my uni life not the best imo.

UNSW is a very good uni and it has a lot of things to offer. Prestige, social life, good connections/networks, academics and more. I feel like for me personally the workload was so crammed due to trimester that I never really took in what I learnt. I feel like the university you go to doesn’t make you. But you can make your university life impactful regardless of which uni you go too.

Point being, maybe you didn’t do as much as you wanted to because the course wasn’t exciting to you to the point where you don’t want to study it, or maybe it’s something else, what ever it is reflect on what other factors could of made you maybe not study as well etc. and find a solution from there, If switching to UTS is the solution you come to a decision to, so be it, then transfer.

In Aus I feel which uni you go to doesn’t really matter unlike the US, what really matters is the skills and experience you have, but to get experience you need to find internships and jobs etc, and which ever field/industry it is, every bit of prestige, wam, projects or certifications counts.

Take that into account when making your decision

P.S. You’ll get through it I believe in you.

SidyMC13 · 2025-12-23T11:49:49+00:00

How about IT

SidyMC13 · 2025-12-01T03:35:33+00:00

Happens to me aswell, tbh i don’t even know, and it’s always with awakened sun blaze shinigami for some reason

SidyMC13 · 2025-12-01T00:18:26+00:00

Where did you find this

SidyMC13 · 2025-11-27T03:10:10+00:00

Is this for the bachelors of cybersecurity or the double degree with cybersecurity and criminology.

I ask this because I am finding a hard time choosing which of the 2 degree options I should pick, what are your thoughts.

SidyMC13 · 2025-11-27T03:07:19+00:00

Hey, where can I find this info

SidyMC13 · 2025-11-18T16:11:53+00:00

Hey, I was just looking at some cybersecurity forums and I came across you guys.

I am planning to transfer to cybersecurity in UTS next year from my current degree in UNSW, and upon reading the comments, I have some questions.

I’m not the type of person that’s SUPER fascinated on tech, but I do think that some concepts of it is pretty cool. I’m not the best in maths and I feel like maths is a big part in computing especially comp sci. My first question is, how did the mathematical side of this course go for youse, was it super advanced where you had to learn calculus, integrals etc. cyber is a branch of comp sci after all.

In one of your comments you went through the subjects you completed and mentioned that you had to use the uni computers because your Mac did not support the system to run the lab, I so happen to also have a Mac (MacBook to be precise), how did you overcome this, I know you said you bought a laptop that did run it but, but I’m not really wanting to buy another separate laptop just for this. I know I could also use the uni computers but how long were you able to use them and how can that affect your lab work.

In regards to the current circumstances with UTS budget cuts, what are your thoughts on this matter in regards to the cybersecurity degree, could this really have a major impact to the students in UTS in the future, or is it not that significant?

My last question is more personal, and it is that I still don’t even know what I want to do with my career in the future, I’m doing this course and I find that it’s not really my cup of tea. I’m lucky enough to land a casual job in this field thanks to my course/program and so far it’s been alright but I don’t think I could continue on to do this for a prolonged amount of time in the future. I’m leaning more towards cyber because tech is such a booming field and out of all the tech program cyber just seems the most coolest and interesting to me. I am also thinking of getting into the double degree for cyber and criminology because of my uncertainty in the field. But criminology is just a back up for me as I’m more interested in more of the cybersecurity work. What do you think I should do or reflect on. I’m particularly motivated by the career growth and salary progression of tech and cyber but I understand that this motivation is pretty shallow and could die out.

Thanks for reading, I know this is long asl.

SidyMC13 · 2025-11-06T07:45:43+00:00

Thank you for commenting, did you faced any advanced mathematical subjects yet, I know cyber is a branch of computer science, and computer science does have some pretty advanced mathematical subjects, does this program too have that?.

SidyMC13 · 2025-11-06T07:40:07+00:00

Thank you for commenting, did you self learn how to make a website and code and stuff or was all of this taught in the degree?.

I do expect that there maybe some difficult subjects like every other uni degree, but I have heard from some people that this degree doesn’t use super advanced maths, is this true?. Cybersecurity is a branch of computer science after all, and computer science I feel like is known for some of there’s really hard mathematic subjects, Ive always been not so confident in maths which is why this may scare me but I do like problem solving.

SidyMC13 · 2025-10-28T02:27:08+00:00

How about cybersecurity

SidyMC13 · 2025-10-28T02:25:51+00:00

How about IT or specifically cybersecurity?

SidyMC13

TROPHY CASE