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To go to University or not to go?


Nacelunk

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I am in grade 10 now. And I am very interested in science (physics, astronomy, chemistry) But when I see some threads/topics on physics and other science (even grade 12 physics) I just can't believe that I will ever be able to understand or remember whole bunch of formulas (but I hope I will become smarter when I grow up :rolleyes: )! Besides I don't know any good ways to earn like 75000-100000$ for my education. There is one more problem - I immirgated from Russia only a year ago and It seems hard to speak english perfectly by the end of high-school.

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You seem to be typing in English pretty well. It will all grow on you if you take an interest and the formulas will learn themselves. I don't know about college but you usually don't have an unreasonable amount of formulas to learn. You should try to get scholorships - many of them. There are also student loans.

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There are also student loans.

I've seen a movie where a guy was cleaning washrooms and floors in college because he couldn't find a good job after the college nor give back the money he loaned. Can it be true in real?

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You generally shouldn't trust movies to be fact, although it could happen.

 

Universities typically have financial aid programs that help you pay for tuition. Those should help, although you'll still need to find a decent job while in college. If you're interested in science, then it's possible that you could be a lab assistant or something like that to earn money and experience.

 

And I must say, your English is very good. You just need confidence that you can manage more advanced topics. Trust me, I never thought I could understand quantum mechanics, but with a bit of thought and time, I can grasp it. All you need is to try.

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But when I see some threads/topics on physics and other science (even grade 12 physics) I just can't believe that I will ever be able to understand or remember whole bunch of formulas (but I hope I will become smarter when I grow up :rolleyes: )!

Stick with us here at SFN and you'll learn a lot. When I came in here back in November of last year, I also knew absolutely nothing about what anyone was talking about :confused:. But after days of searching the forum, a lot of things suddenly clicked on :) .

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I would highly suggest going to college after you graduate. If you do well for the rest of your time in high school, you should easily be able to get loans at the very least. I wish you the best and know that if you need any support or help the SFN forums are here for you to lean on buddy. Good luck! :)

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Those should help, although you'll still need to find a decent job while in college.

Will I have enough spare time? What is the "everyday schedule" of studying in college. I mean how much time do I spend in college everyday?

And I must say, your English is very good

Thank you :)

All you need is to try

I am and I will :)

If you study physics - when will I start studying Theory of relativity, Quantum Theory and other hard subjects?

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Will I have enough spare time? What is the "everyday schedule" of studying in college. I mean how much time do I spend in college everyday?

 

 

You set your own schedule in college. So if you need to make some extra money dont take as many credits for a semester and you can make some extra cash while still advancing. Its all about preperation and being wise with your time. Sacrafice a few years of your life to make your entire life that much smoother. You wont regret it.

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Any concept you've neve seen before can look confusing and complicated. when i was in 1st year of highschool(not sure what the equivalent grade in the american system is. i was 11 at the time) i had a look through the higher chemistry books(16 yrs old) and didn't understand anything in it. Now i'm in university doing a degree in chemical engineering and looking back at higher chem, it seems oh so simple.

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I came here not knowing much... if you're really interested and want to learn then you'll read stuff on the web, here, in books... just make sure it is a reliable source, there are a lot of websites which are wrong and books too.

 

As for equations, don't worry about that. Many you never need to learn off by heart and the few which you do are never that hard once you get to know them. So you'll be given an equation and it will be really big and hard and you won't understand it. But once you have studied it, you know the principles behind it and you have used it many times you will soon just naturally start to remember it, without even trying.

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I am in grade 10 now. And I am very interested in science (physics, astronomy, chemistry) But when I see some threads/topics on physics and other science (even grade 12 physics) I just can't believe that I will ever be able to understand or remember whole bunch of formulas (but I hope I will become smarter when I grow up :rolleyes: )! Besides I don't know any good ways to earn like 75000-100000$ for my education. There is one more problem - I immirgated from Russia only a year ago and It seems hard to speak english perfectly by the end of high-school.

 

I'm in the same boat (apart from the language problem)...and I'm 29! I've only recently rekindled my passion with cosmology which I had when I was in single figures. Don't be put off by equations and such...I'm learning the basics in QM in a few months, and I had a look at the equations a few weeks ago and it scared me to death...now they make a little more sense.

 

As long as you start with basics and gradually progress, which the current course I'm doing is perfect for that, you'll start to realise it's not that hard. It'll be tougher getting your head round the implications of physics...but I've been reading your other thread on 'how many universes', and you're definetly asking the right questions.

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Do you know from what stage (grade 12 subjects, first/second semester of college?) it gets hard to learn things?Iheard that Physics/Math 12 are not that hard but in university, it becimes much harder right away.

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Well I'm studying through the OU, and it's structured differently to doing a regular degree though the outcome is the same (they have to cater for mature students as well...which obviously means going back to basics in some fields), but really, don't be put off.

 

As 5614 said, you can look up anything at any level on the net, and SFN has some very helpful people if you have any questions...don't be scared of asking, I've asked some really daft stuff in the past...and still am, it's just questions I havn't gotten round to studying fully yet, but to get the answers and then see them unfold as you learn is great.

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Yeah. I think I will never lose interest in learning (especially science). The biggest problem for me now is to get money for university...

If I get the student loan, does it pay for room or apartment in or close to university. If yes - is it expensive?

My science teacher says that it costs only 3000-5000$ per year in UBC (University of British Columbia) and people on the forum are talking about 20000 a year! How can it be? Are private universities so much more expensive?

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Slight sidetrack, but Nacelunk mentioned going to UBC... what is the reputation of UBC? Like how prestigious is it?

 

Asking because I could go there (maybe) over the summer and work (like unpaid work experience) there for a bit, it looks good with good facilities and the like, but what kind of reputation does the uni have?

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If your going to study sciences in particular subjects like Chemistry and Physics which are undersubscribed to, there will be loads of diffrerent loans you can apply for.

 

I'm studying Chemistry at UCL next year and aslong as I get BBC in my A levels, I'm eligible for a £3000 grant from Glaxo-smith-klein with what appears to be no strings attached.

 

Also I'm not sure if its the same in Canada but in the UK, things like loans and tution fee's are dependant on your families income so if your not that well off now you will get some finacial help.

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kind of reputation does the uni have?

I actually don't know. It's just a Unversity close to my home

things like loans and tution fee's are dependant on your families income

I've never heard about it. I thought it only depends on how good you finish school. Besides I am going to leave my parents after high school

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You can survive just off a loan, but its always nicer to have a bit of extra money.

 

Also you don't have to pay back your loan straight away after Uni, only when you earn over a certain amount, I think its £16,000 in the UK. For example my brother left university six or seven years ago, but earns hardly anything so hasn't payed any of it back yet.

 

If I were you I would go find a careers person to talk to, they know all about this stuff.

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You can survive just off a loan

Loan also pays for a room, food, etc?

Also you don't have to pay back your loan straight away after Uni, only when you earn over a certain amount, I think its £16,000 in the UK. For example my brother left university six or seven years ago, but earns hardly anything so hasn't payed any of it back yet.

So, I can pay all money at one time or pay 500-1000$ a month?

If I were you I would go find a careers person to talk to, they know all about this stuff.

Who is careers person and where can I find him?

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$10000 dollars a year???!!!:eek: :eek:

wow

 

I got a grant to cover accomodation, no fees, took a total of £5000 in loan that effectively is interest-free and doesn't have to be paid back until I earn quite a lot of money...!! And my grant for my PhD was enough that I've actually taken a pay cut with my first job!!

The only difference from when I went to uni is that now some people have to pay fees, but it's added on the loan and paid back over decades or something. There were such big protests about the idea of anyone paying any fees, I still am against it!!

 

If private uni's cost so much more isn't that a 2-tier system?

 

Oh and if anyone tells you they actually remember all the formulas they're lying ;)

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