Hey, I'm facing a serious problem in my life, deciding what do I want to study. Our education system is a bit different so I'll try to make it easier to understand for American people with exception that we have to choose our "specializations" before even getting to college, each specialization requires different subjects passed on test, and differ in many aspects including how popular, useful and interesting they are.
For example specializations are like: Logistics, geology, IT, sociology, psychology etc. After second year of studies you have to choose like "specialization of specialization" like if you're on geology it'd be geology of oceans, lands, mining etc.
I'm doing my last year in "high school" and have few days to decide which subjects do I want to write test from (we have big high school ending tests in may 2008, results of those test decide on whether I'll be able to study in my choosen college or on selected specialization or not). I also have to decide to write those subjects in basic or advanced form.
Polish and English is needed anyway so that's not a matter, tho I'm not sure about basic or advanced english (test is quite easy considering the fact that only about 2% of Polish population speaks english on basic level and it's youth mostly, I'm not sure how good I am in english really, I'm confused)
The problem is I really like Geography and quite like Biology but there's no college that combines both subjects, there is one I really find nice that requires either biology or geography and it's something like environmental college etc. and it's 3rd best in Poland, I've visited it and I quite liked it.
I'm better at geography but most interesting specializations require biology instead of geography. I'm sure I'll write that test from advanced geography simply because I enjoy it, I'm not sure should I write basic biology as it's quite hard even on low level, I probably won't get enough points to get there anyway so I don't know if there's any reason to even try as it would require really many weeks of studying, 30% is required to pass that test, I think about 70-80% would be the minimum to get there and that would be hard to achieve.. so should I even try?
Yeah I already see answers like "ask yourself do you really want to study there that much" but it's not something I'm really desperate to get. I just find those specializations nice and I think I'd enjoy studying them.
That school is free btw. no money needed and is rather nice
Then there is another school I thinked of for a long time. It's the best IT school in Poland, one of the best in the world.
It's a "Polish-Japanese university of computer technologies".
It's quite expensive but I could handle it. I could easily get there (the school is mostly like "you have the money, we'll give you a try, if you're good enough you can stay") but there are 4 specializations there including 2 I consider : first one is IT and the other one is a new specialization - Information management, most elements of IT but easier, a tiny bit less respected but still really reputable specialization mostly because it's in great school.
I'd have a possibility to study there. First specialization requires passed maths on that test in may or their own maths exam which is actually a bit easier than the first one. Also if I wouldn't pass maths on that may exam I'd be literally fucked (officially I wouldn't finish high school and go to the military), but if I'd decide not to even try passing math on them I could later write this school's own exams and they would decide on my existence in that school (this option would generate extra stress later instead).
The second specialization doesn't require any exams passed as it's a new specialization in that school. The problem starts when I'll tell yall that I hate maths, I like computers etc. I'd like to study IT because it'd give me a great start in the future
but I'm really weak in maths (I mean not THAT weak but maths and IT in Poland is on the worlds highest level).
The second specialization is a bit less hard, I'd have to study the hell out of me, study 10 hours/day for 3.5 years in that school, shitload of work plus this school isn't cheap.
First specialization - IT requires that I'll choose maths on that test in May and pass it or to pass their exam later, is hard as fuck, expensive, shitloads of maths
Second specialization - Information management (mostly like IT but differs a bit) doesn't require any test passed from me, still is expensive, is hard too with shitloads of maths too but actually slightly easier than first specialization but a bit less respected later.
I mean if I'll ever search for a job in the future after the first specialization I'll have a great job instantly, after the second one I'd be interviewed for a longer time, boss will not be sure because I finished a perfect IT school but I took just second best specialization.
There is also a risk I won't handle any of those above because shitloads of work and maths will be too much for my humanisticly trained brain (I attend to a high school with humanistic emphasis). Literally I'd work harder then an Asian because I'd also have a LOT to study to catch up with others.
Also as I said this school is easy to be accepted to but hard to handle later.
I know it's all really complicated but it's even more complicated for me. I don't want to hear "you have to think will you be able to handle that" any more. It's a risk I'm not quite sure about. I've been lazy for a long time but I've got a big motivation to be somebody in the future. The second school would really help me to achieve that, especially on IT specialization but it's the hardest option. I haven't even prepared to it yet, haven't studied maths much, since elementary school I'm always "C" in maths.
The first "environmental-like" school is something I feel good at, I am good at, It's free, has about 30 specialization and it's harder to get accepted but easier to handle. Few specializations require Geography which I will pass anyway but most interesting ones require Biology instead - I'm average in it but I quite enjoy. With geography only I could still study economics, logistics and management which is fair enough but adding biology would give me much more, including some interesting specializations to choose from.
But I'd have 90% of chance to be accepted on one of those few geography related because I'm good at it while having much lower chances to get accepted on any biology related ones, let's say a 50% chance that I'll be accepted on any from about 20 biology oriented specializations.
This school is less respected than the second school but still quite respected as it's 3rd best in Poland but it's like..you know.. just not anything special. I'd be like any other guy who finished an above-average university.
I'm really confused, if you read everything can you please help me to make up my decision? I know it's not the same in here and in America or anywhere else but I also considered moving abroad in the future. What would you do in my situation?
Untill the end of this week I have to tell which subjects do I want to pass and I'll have 7 months to study.
Polish (basic) and English (basic or average?) are needed.
Then I have to choose at least one other subject. I'm sure about advanced geography, but I'm not sure about biology (basic) and maybe basic maths (but I think this one would be too risky, even if I decided to study IT in that Polish-Japanese thing I'd rather pass their own exams which are easier but more stressing, but on the other hand passing maths test would give me 100% chance of getting on IT without those exams. But if I'll fail that maths test I'd be fucked and go to military without possibility to study. what do you think?)
The more subjects I'll choose the more time I'd have to spend studying and actually I'll need to split it between all those subjects. If I won't pass even one of them I'll be fucked.
So it's like a school I would enjoy, rather easier but harder to get (especially on more interesting specializations that require biology), that would teach me things I find nice and interesting but on the other hand a less respected, just another above-average university that is free and could save me some money I collected for that purpose.
vs.
Really special university, fully respected, giving me perfect job possibilities, much easier to get there but really hard to handle, really expensive but I could handle it, with shitloads of highest maths (considering I'm weak at maths and would have months of non stop work to make up on their level - like being weak at maths to being good at highest maths in just a year and then study really a lot to keep up with material).
I know after finishing it I'd have a giant satisfaction and perfect job possibilities as I said before but studying there would be really hard.
If I decided to get there I'd still have a problem - to choose IT - The harder one, with more maths but more respected, also requires math test passed or their own exam later to study there..
or
information management - slightly easier, with a bit less maths but still shitloads, a bit less respected but not needing any exams to study there.
Sorry for writing so much, it might be hard to understand as our system is different than yours. I know it's a bit complicated but I tried to make everything quite clear.
Also sorry if I repeated myself somewhere but I'm really stressed about that decision and I tried to make myself clear, I hope somebody will read this and help me please.
For example specializations are like: Logistics, geology, IT, sociology, psychology etc. After second year of studies you have to choose like "specialization of specialization" like if you're on geology it'd be geology of oceans, lands, mining etc.
I'm doing my last year in "high school" and have few days to decide which subjects do I want to write test from (we have big high school ending tests in may 2008, results of those test decide on whether I'll be able to study in my choosen college or on selected specialization or not). I also have to decide to write those subjects in basic or advanced form.
Polish and English is needed anyway so that's not a matter, tho I'm not sure about basic or advanced english (test is quite easy considering the fact that only about 2% of Polish population speaks english on basic level and it's youth mostly, I'm not sure how good I am in english really, I'm confused)
The problem is I really like Geography and quite like Biology but there's no college that combines both subjects, there is one I really find nice that requires either biology or geography and it's something like environmental college etc. and it's 3rd best in Poland, I've visited it and I quite liked it.
I'm better at geography but most interesting specializations require biology instead of geography. I'm sure I'll write that test from advanced geography simply because I enjoy it, I'm not sure should I write basic biology as it's quite hard even on low level, I probably won't get enough points to get there anyway so I don't know if there's any reason to even try as it would require really many weeks of studying, 30% is required to pass that test, I think about 70-80% would be the minimum to get there and that would be hard to achieve.. so should I even try?
Yeah I already see answers like "ask yourself do you really want to study there that much" but it's not something I'm really desperate to get. I just find those specializations nice and I think I'd enjoy studying them.
That school is free btw. no money needed and is rather nice
Then there is another school I thinked of for a long time. It's the best IT school in Poland, one of the best in the world.
It's a "Polish-Japanese university of computer technologies".
It's quite expensive but I could handle it. I could easily get there (the school is mostly like "you have the money, we'll give you a try, if you're good enough you can stay") but there are 4 specializations there including 2 I consider : first one is IT and the other one is a new specialization - Information management, most elements of IT but easier, a tiny bit less respected but still really reputable specialization mostly because it's in great school.
I'd have a possibility to study there. First specialization requires passed maths on that test in may or their own maths exam which is actually a bit easier than the first one. Also if I wouldn't pass maths on that may exam I'd be literally fucked (officially I wouldn't finish high school and go to the military), but if I'd decide not to even try passing math on them I could later write this school's own exams and they would decide on my existence in that school (this option would generate extra stress later instead).
The second specialization doesn't require any exams passed as it's a new specialization in that school. The problem starts when I'll tell yall that I hate maths, I like computers etc. I'd like to study IT because it'd give me a great start in the future
but I'm really weak in maths (I mean not THAT weak but maths and IT in Poland is on the worlds highest level).
The second specialization is a bit less hard, I'd have to study the hell out of me, study 10 hours/day for 3.5 years in that school, shitload of work plus this school isn't cheap.
First specialization - IT requires that I'll choose maths on that test in May and pass it or to pass their exam later, is hard as fuck, expensive, shitloads of maths
Second specialization - Information management (mostly like IT but differs a bit) doesn't require any test passed from me, still is expensive, is hard too with shitloads of maths too but actually slightly easier than first specialization but a bit less respected later.
I mean if I'll ever search for a job in the future after the first specialization I'll have a great job instantly, after the second one I'd be interviewed for a longer time, boss will not be sure because I finished a perfect IT school but I took just second best specialization.
There is also a risk I won't handle any of those above because shitloads of work and maths will be too much for my humanisticly trained brain (I attend to a high school with humanistic emphasis). Literally I'd work harder then an Asian because I'd also have a LOT to study to catch up with others.
Also as I said this school is easy to be accepted to but hard to handle later.
I know it's all really complicated but it's even more complicated for me. I don't want to hear "you have to think will you be able to handle that" any more. It's a risk I'm not quite sure about. I've been lazy for a long time but I've got a big motivation to be somebody in the future. The second school would really help me to achieve that, especially on IT specialization but it's the hardest option. I haven't even prepared to it yet, haven't studied maths much, since elementary school I'm always "C" in maths.
The first "environmental-like" school is something I feel good at, I am good at, It's free, has about 30 specialization and it's harder to get accepted but easier to handle. Few specializations require Geography which I will pass anyway but most interesting ones require Biology instead - I'm average in it but I quite enjoy. With geography only I could still study economics, logistics and management which is fair enough but adding biology would give me much more, including some interesting specializations to choose from.
But I'd have 90% of chance to be accepted on one of those few geography related because I'm good at it while having much lower chances to get accepted on any biology related ones, let's say a 50% chance that I'll be accepted on any from about 20 biology oriented specializations.
This school is less respected than the second school but still quite respected as it's 3rd best in Poland but it's like..you know.. just not anything special. I'd be like any other guy who finished an above-average university.
I'm really confused, if you read everything can you please help me to make up my decision? I know it's not the same in here and in America or anywhere else but I also considered moving abroad in the future. What would you do in my situation?
Untill the end of this week I have to tell which subjects do I want to pass and I'll have 7 months to study.
Polish (basic) and English (basic or average?) are needed.
Then I have to choose at least one other subject. I'm sure about advanced geography, but I'm not sure about biology (basic) and maybe basic maths (but I think this one would be too risky, even if I decided to study IT in that Polish-Japanese thing I'd rather pass their own exams which are easier but more stressing, but on the other hand passing maths test would give me 100% chance of getting on IT without those exams. But if I'll fail that maths test I'd be fucked and go to military without possibility to study. what do you think?)
The more subjects I'll choose the more time I'd have to spend studying and actually I'll need to split it between all those subjects. If I won't pass even one of them I'll be fucked.
So it's like a school I would enjoy, rather easier but harder to get (especially on more interesting specializations that require biology), that would teach me things I find nice and interesting but on the other hand a less respected, just another above-average university that is free and could save me some money I collected for that purpose.
vs.
Really special university, fully respected, giving me perfect job possibilities, much easier to get there but really hard to handle, really expensive but I could handle it, with shitloads of highest maths (considering I'm weak at maths and would have months of non stop work to make up on their level - like being weak at maths to being good at highest maths in just a year and then study really a lot to keep up with material).
I know after finishing it I'd have a giant satisfaction and perfect job possibilities as I said before but studying there would be really hard.
If I decided to get there I'd still have a problem - to choose IT - The harder one, with more maths but more respected, also requires math test passed or their own exam later to study there..
or
information management - slightly easier, with a bit less maths but still shitloads, a bit less respected but not needing any exams to study there.
Sorry for writing so much, it might be hard to understand as our system is different than yours. I know it's a bit complicated but I tried to make everything quite clear.
Also sorry if I repeated myself somewhere but I'm really stressed about that decision and I tried to make myself clear, I hope somebody will read this and help me please.
it has a really huge campus.
Belgradzka, right outside Natolin Metro.
It's a top 3 Polish university anyway.
