Pre-Med Woes

Hello Prospective Students!

Man, that sounds too professional for my tastes. Anyway, sorry for the rush post the other day. While I put off some homework, let me give you a better detailed background of myself.

So I am a Freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences, Class of 2013. I live on Newton in the Cushing Building. I'm currently enrolled in the Pre-Med program and thinking of majoring in Psychology. I'm in the VSA and CSA (Vietnamese and Chinese culture groups) and part of the Parkour Group (PARKOUR!). I also go to this weekly meeting called InterVarsity when I can. It's basically a Christian fellowship service. I'm a BIG Celtics fan and fairweather Red Sox and Patriots fan. Not a big hockey fan.

So let me get down to business: Pre-Med is time-consuming. I'm currently taking Biology, Chemistry, Psychology, Chinese Intermediate, and Freshman Writing Seminar. Oh, and I should also add a Cornerstone Freshman Seminar, a Chemistry Lab, and a Chemistry Discussion session. The Chemistry discussion is basically tacked on to the Chemistry Class. They can be useful, depending on your TA. However, they don't hurt you and you can ask questions and review for test and quizzes and go over homework questions. Now you're probably thinking that seems like that is a lot of classes. But you know what? You're absolutely right!

For all of you who want to do Pre-Med at the schools you're applying to, you will have a lot of work on your hands! Trust me. I know some freshman are taking Biology, Chemistry, and Calculus in the same year. Word of advice: even out your workload. At BC, you don't need to take Calculus freshman year (just Biology and Chemistry). However, if you want to just get it out of the way while it's still fresh, take it.

Technically, for me, I'm taking three science courses. Psychology counts too! So every week, I'm basically reading around 90 pages for all three subjects combined! I'm lucky I ended up with good professors. Here's a little insider tip for how to pick the best professors at BC:

At the UGBC website, you can evaluations of professors made by students who have taken their classes. There is a tab that says "PEPs" which are great Professor Evaluation Profiles and a few study tips. I HIGHLY recommend it for those picking your classes.

A quick little thing before I go (because I'm looking at the time): Cornerstone classes, like the one I'm taking, are basically classes that you want to take because they're interesting and are your choice to take. My class doesn't have homework except some reading. Every Cornerstone class meets once a week, and the professor of the class is your academic advisor for your Freshman year, which is great if you're undecided and don't have a department advisor.

So that's my schpeel of the day. Any questions, feel free to email me at nguyenec@bc.edu.

Peace!

Introduction

Hi Everyone!

My name is Lauren Malishchak and I'm currently a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. I am a Biology major, and also trying to decide if I want to either minor or double major in Spanish.

This year, I live in an eight-man (which is a suite consisting of 4 doubles with a common room and 2 bathrooms) in Walsh on Lower Campus, which is an all sophomore dorm. Last year, I lived in a natural triple in Xavier on Upper Campus. I am still living with both of my roommates from last year-- I think it's really important to note that BC does a great job of matching random roommates up together!

So far, this year has been great. I find I have a lot less class time this year, but I am also way busier. I've gotten more involved in a few different activities, which BC has a lot of! Some of the things I'm doing this year are PULSE (which is a class that fulfills both your theology and philosophy requirements in addition to having a social service component), SAP (the student admissions program), and Appalachia Volunteers (I just found out I'm leading a group and am so excited!!). I also work at O'Neill Library, the main library on campus, and have done so since first semester of last year. I would definitely recommend that anyone who comes to BC get involved right away- you meet so many amazing people and end up getting really close to them.

Well, it's the weekend and I'm so happy we have three days off for Columbus Day. This past week was pretty stressful- I even had an Organic Chemistry test today.

Hope you all have great holiday weekends too!
Lauren

Ommmm...

Hello again,

Week's recap: Wednesday, got a chem test back - improved from last test by 27%! Thursday's chem lab went relatively well, though my partner and I were last out. Ear-training and sight-singing lab (required for music majors, open to all) went well, though I pity those around me who have to hear me sing.

Friday: in-class chem quiz I definitely needed to have studied for more (two quick questions, I got at least one right). Bio exam went well, and Perspectives quiz on Kant was all right. Friday night, silly friends and I built a bed-sheet fort in the study lounge of Keyes, hung out there all night.

Saturday: went to see BC bOp! jazz ensemble perform at biggest show of year - it was phenomenal (they compete and perform internationally). This was followed by two hours of ice skating in the hockey rink in Conte, put on by UGBC - lots of fun!

This is clearly the time of year that Student Admissions starts working overtime. The trees start to shake off the winter with little buds and beginnings of leaves, those all-important letters are being sent to and fro all across the country, and excited and - if at all like me - extremely confused high school seniors start trekking around the globe (or so it seems) to figure out what they want to do next year. For the past weeks and in ever-increasing numbers, BC students get to watch potential fellow Eagles wander around campus wondering what it is that makes our school so great.

Looking back now, I am amazed that it has already been a year since I was doing the same.

I just want to offer what advice I have, being fresh out of the dreaded Common App system: take it easy for a bit. It's always good to sift through data and tour schools and think about pros and cons or however you're trying to make a decision, but your mind and your life can't take too much of that. Take an hour a week or so to just sit back and relax: pray, meditate, write a poem, go for a jog; a general brain de-tox. It will help enormously in the overall process.

One other, more concrete tip: when it comes to choices, reactions can speak louder than anything: put the schools you're considering in a hat, pull them out one-by-one and see how you feel the instant you read it. Relieved? Check it as possible. Very disheartened? Reconsider it. Obviously not a perfect method, but it helped me out.

Good luck, and I can't wait to see any of you around campus, visiting, or perhaps, studying?

Joe

Chemistry goop and other such goings-on

Well hey there!

So, chemistry lab today was probably the most fun I have had in science lab since the fourth grade. We were studying polymers and their properties – translation, we made different kinds of goop, then played with them. I just wanted to share this awesome experience with the world.

Yesterday was a big day for me, I got to office hours of two of my professors for the first time, both of which were extremely helpful (office hours = optional periods where students can come in and ask professors any questions; often regarding class, but not always – Professor Wolfman of General Chemistry talked about the closely-kept secret U2 concert being held nearby). Since I am still up in the air about what major(s) I want to pursue, I am trying to poke around a bit more thoroughly. Though my general biology lecture is around 200 students (the only larger class I have heard of on campus is an economics lecture) and general chemistry just under 100, the professors are great in small-scale office discussions. Most, if not all, professors hold office hours every week at various times. And since I came back this semester with a new drive to get everything I can out of this education, office hours and TA (teaching assistant) discussion sections are invaluable.

Unfortunately, while I would love to stay and talk more about my classes and how to choose them (PEPs are key – student reviews of many teachers throughout the university), and to continue playing with synthesized goop, I have to run to band and dinner, after which I will be reading Rousseau, writing Harmonic progressions in preparation for a take-home midterm exam, quickly going over our chemistry chapter for our quiz tomorrow, and beginning a paper on Calvin’s place in modern philosophical thought. Those Jesuit ideals of a liberal arts education and rounded character not exactly ignored here at BC.

So, until next post!
Joe