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!

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