Advice would be great :)

[kane22]

hey everyone,
first time post here i would love some help here.
Late last year i met this girl on a Holiday in Malaysia we hit it off straight away and it was like we we're in a relationship for 2 weeks, im 17 and she is 19 and the problem is that she's from Portugal and i'm from Australia anyways when i got back home we decided to keep the relationship it was like we were in love straight away. We have now been dating for 7 months and i'm going over to Portugal in 2 months to see her which i saved up for with working for 7 months including school which was very hard now the advice is if things are still great next year when i finish school should i move to Europe work my ass off and go live there with her or should i focus on getting the possible scores for my high school certificate and end it with her? I'm in love with her and she's in love with me and i know im only 17 but just thought some views on people would help a lot Thank you.

[Tooki]

You can very easily manage school, working and your girlfriend. I go to uni and I could still manage to balance all 3 things. I would focus on finishing school, taking some time off to save up extra $$$ and flying over there.

[kane22]

You can very easily manage school, working and your girlfriend. I go to uni and I could still manage to balance all 3 things. I would focus on finishing school, taking some time off to save up extra $$$ and flying over there.

what do you reckon would better after i finish school go to university in Melbourne or go to Europe? it's hard not knowing what the future holds

[Tooki]

what do you reckon would better after i finish school go to university in Melbourne or go to Europe? it's hard not knowing what the future holds

I would go to uni in Melbourne and go to Portugal/other European country on study abroad (ideally for a year), unless you can afford to be an international student in Europe. I know how bad the uncertainty can be .

*That is on the basis that you study a degree that easily allows for exchange studies.

[kane22]

I would go to uni in Melbourne and go to Portugal/other European country on study abroad (ideally for a year), unless you can afford to be an international student in Europe. I know how bad the uncertainty can be .

*That is on the basis that you study a degree that easily allows for exchange studies.

Thanks for that i just hope the universitys here do some good exchange programs

[Ejoriah]

We can't tell you what would be better for you - only you know that sit down and figure out the requirements to get accepted to university in Europe, and how much going to Europe costs vs staying in Melbourne for university. If you get a degree in Europe and had to come back to Australia, would the degree you get from Europe translate well into Australia (for eg - were I to get a law degree from the US, it would be worthless in Mauritius, my home country). Would you want to go to Europe for yourself if your girlfriend wasn't in the picture, or are you doing this entirely for her and may be miserable/hold her responsible for being homesick? Can you get scholarships from Europe (part of the whole cost thing). The list goes on!

I personally am all for going away for university... however I come from a small island so that probably influences my mindset. I do believe that international experience is great and will allow you to grow as a person and be more well-rounded. HOWEVER - we cannot know what would be better for you. It is YOUR future, therefore you need to sit down and figure out what YOU want. It's both scary and exciting.

[kane22]

Thanks for that and i'd love to move to go university overseas and be with her cause shes already told me shes not waiting if i go to university here no matter how much she loved me. My parents arent helping me with any funds so i got to do it all myself i can do i as i have already payed for one holiday to Europe but hey, who knows what happens i could go to England and study there its near Portugal and there's good exchange programs between Melbourne and England i guess after year 12 i have to weigh everything up

[Tooki]

If you go to uni in Melbourne, only Melbourne Uni and Monash have 'good' exchange programs. I don't think that Monash offers an exchange program to Portugal but feel free to check other universities yourself.

It really does come down to what you want to study as well.

[kane22]

If you go to uni in Melbourne, only Melbourne Uni and Monash have 'good' exchange programs. I don't think that Monash offers an exchange program to Portugal but feel free to check other universities yourself.

It really does come down to what you want to study as well.

i'm keen on sports journalism and wouldn't mind going to England, i think Latrobe university do a exchange program for that, just really hard to get into but study hard well i'lll do anything for my girl.

[Tooki]

i'm keen on sports journalism and wouldn't mind going to England, i think Latrobe university do a exchange program for that, just really hard to get into but study hard well i'lll do anything for my girl.

If I can get into uni, so can you . Just study hard!

[kane22]

If I can get into uni, so can you . Just study hard!

Thanks and did you do VCE in Melbourne by any chance? just confused with ATAR and all that as i'm still in year 11

[Tooki]

Thanks and did you do VCE in Melbourne by any chance? just confused with ATAR and all that as i'm still in year 11

Nah, I did the HSC in New South Wales.

From what I remember about the ATAR, your final score depends on your mark, your 'rank' in the class/year grade and your school's overall rank.

Basically, just do your best and pick subjects that you WANT to do. I made the mistake of choosing subjects that 'scaled well' and it backfired on me.

[kane22]

Nah, I did the HSC in New South Wales.

From what I remember about the ATAR, your final score depends on your mark, your 'rank' in the class/year grade and your school's overall rank.

Basically, just do your best and pick subjects that you WANT to do. I made the mistake of choosing subjects that 'scaled well' and it backfired on me.

i know those feels regret doing the hardest maths haha, is the ATAR excepted around Europe?

[Tooki]

i know those feels regret doing the hardest maths haha, is the ATAR excepted around Europe?

I don't think so. I am going to presume that the universities look at your raw marks and apply whatever formulas they have to see how 'equivalent' it is.

I dare say that the process is more streamlined with the UK compared to other European countries.

[kane22]

I don't think so. I am going to presume that the universities look at your raw marks and apply whatever formulas they have to see how 'equivalent' it is.

I dare say that the process is more streamlined with the UK compared to other European countries.

Yeah looks like UK would be the easiest thing in my situation, unless i some how learn Portuguese quickly and go there i guess the options are endless its just hard deciding what to do.