The mistake I made - I was totally focussed on studying what I want, and when my parents brought up the fact of actually get a job after I graduate, I was all O___O on them, because I hadn't thought of that at all, NOT ONCE. So yeah, make sure you make the decision carefully. Because now I'm stuck in a mini-rut.

Faer, would you be able to elaborate on that? I just noticed that it says you're in your second year of science, so I'm assuming you did a different undergraduate degree before?

Uh, no, I'm not a second year. I mean, I AM considering I've completed my first year, but I haven't actually started it. Sorry for the confusion!

I just finished in Life Sciences I, and I'm thinking of going into Hons. Psychology, or something thereabouts. The thing is, I didn't think at all of whether that would yield a good job or not. My parents prefer that I would've gone into something a bit more like a professional degree, like Engineering. Or commerce, which I'm not exactly eligible for.

Did that help?

Engineering itself has multiple streams, some which are very science related, such as chem eng. I know bio chem eng's (I believe that's one stream, correct me if I'm wrong) that are taking many science courses including biochem lab courses, and they learn things like tissue engineering. Bio-engineering actually seems like an amazing stream to be in, you learn things like how to culture vascular grafts (for implants into patients requiring artificial arteries). The job prospects for a stream like this would be in research, and industry. So compared to civil/electrical eng, this stream is very science-oriented.

Originally Posted by gmoney

Engineering itself has multiple streams, some which are very science related, such as chem eng. I know bio chem eng's (I believe that's one stream, correct me if I'm wrong) that are taking many science courses including biochem lab courses, and they learn things like tissue engineering. Bio-engineering actually seems like an amazing stream to be in, you learn things like how to culture vascular grafts (for implants into patients requiring artificial arteries). The job prospects for a stream like this would be in research, and industry. So compared to civil/electrical eng, this stream is very science-oriented.

Correct, chem and bio engineering is its own stream - it is a 5 year program though as opposed to 4 years for most engineering streams.

Interest, easily.

The bulk of people in university are capable enough to complete university, if they try hard enough. It'll be significantly easier to do so if you're studying what you're interested in. Having just done first year and learning all the things I did wrong with my study habits, the one thing that I think I found most helpful was that I (and everyone I've talked to) excel in what I'm interested in. So while I bombed things like math and physics because I was too bored to put the effort in, I did well in chemistry and materials because I was engaged in the material. Keep in mind that university is a lot more self-taught than high school, the responsibility is yours to learn the material and do well, and it's reaaaaaally hard to sit down and focus endlessly on subjects you have no desire to learn about.

Job prospects are important, of course, but like other people have said, as long as you're not in a really dead-end path, you'll find something that you could see yourself doing after university. Keep in mind there are co-op programs in both science and engineering that can open up new opportunities and allow you to get a feel for what you do/don't like in the field. Unless you have a specific career you're hoping to get into after school is over, you should pick the field you're more interested in, since there's a greater chance for you to find a job you're interested in as well.

Also keep in mind, if you complete a program you're less interested in then move onto a career in the same field and decide you can't stand it enough to work there for the next 30-40 years, you'd have to start back and square one and go through university again to change your career path (depending on what you're switching from/to). And that's not really time or cost efficient.