Attitudes?

[Lovemybabies]

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So today in my gen chemistry class.. a conversation with myself and another student..

Student:"I hate this class, I'm aimin for a C, so it will transfer and then I can complete my major"

Me: Whats your major?

Student: "Pre-med with an emphasis in Psychology"

Me: ohh. ok.. so don't you have to have good grades to get into med school?

Student: "No, med schools prefer you have over a 3.7 but they don't give a **** about your gpa so long as you take the MCAT and pass, they don't care"

Me:Ohh.. really??? Whats passing for the MCAT?

Student: "Anything over a 28"

Me: Oh.. ok.. so all you need to do is maintain a "C" average and pass the MCAT and you can go to medical school?? Don't you need to take more chemistry classes?

Student: "Nope.. med schools don't care what classes you take, you can take anything, besides who needs Chemistry when all I will be doing all day is writing prescriptions"

Me: Mmm hmm..

* So.. on to the lab experiment.. *

Student: "I'll let you do all the calculations because I suck at them"

Me: If you don't at least try and do them, I won't put your name on the paper because its not fair. I'm not going to sit here and do all the work for you to take credit for it.

Student: "Fine, whatever, I don't care, I'll just take a zero for it then"

Me: Ok then..

Just thought I would share.. his attitude really irritated me. I didn't even attempt to correct some of his statements because it would have been a waste of my time.. he wouldn't have listened anyway. Does anybody else encounter other students with similarly poor attitudes?

 

[redsquareblack]

"O'Doyle, I've got a feeling your whole family's going down."

 

[Lovemybabies]

Did I say something that was offensive?

 

[redsquareblack]

Did I say something that was offensive?

Oh, no! Sorry if I was unclear. I was simply quoting a movie in order to communicate that this pre-med of whom you spoke is in for a world of disappointment.

 

[armybound]

Freshman?

He'll probably switch to business and join a frat.

 

[Lovemybabies]

Oh, no! Sorry if I was unclear. I was simply quoting a movie in order to communicate that this pre-med of whom you spoke is in for a world of disappointment.

Ohh ... lol.. ok.. I figured it was a quote of some sort.. I don't catch onto things so easily..

 

[red10]

i tend to avoid other pre-meds when possible.

A guy I know recently decided to go to grad school instead of med school because his GPA wasn't high enough. We were talking about the GRE and he was telling me "oh yea, you don't really have to do well on the GRE, you just have to get within an certain acceptable range, so I'm not worried." I don't know a ton about grad school but I know that the GRE isn't a pass fail type test. Not to mention, he has 1 semester worth of research experience and is trying to get into top 10 biology grad programs.

Again, I don't know a ton about grad school but all I could think while he was talking was *facepalm*

I never discourage people like that from applying to med or grad school. It makes me look a lot better when they go to compare applicants

 

[armybound]

the GRE really isn't a very competitive test. Basically if you make over certain requirements, you get in. Usually that's just a 500 verbal score.

 

[CarlATHF]

Freshman?

He'll probably switch to business and join a frat.

Yes...because all business majors/fraternity members are idiots.

👍 Generalizations ftl

 

[red10]

the GRE really isn't a very competitive test. Basically if you make over certain requirements, you get in. Usually that's just a 500 verbal score.

I know it's not like the MCAT and the math portion is a cake walk but i feel like if I had very minimal research, mid range GPA and was applying to top 10 schools, I'd want to be killing it on the GRE just so I stand out SOMEHOW.
He was talking about not even studying for it...

 

[armybound]

Yes...because all business majors/fraternity members are idiots.

👍 Generalizations ftl

Right, because I called the guy an idiot.

Oversensitivity ftw

 

[armybound]

I know it's not like the MCAT and the math portion is a cake walk but i feel like if I had very minimal research, mid range GPA and was applying to top 10 schools, I'd want to be killing it on the GRE just so I stand out SOMEHOW.
He was talking about not even studying for it...

I didn't study for the GRE. It's really easy.

But yeah, he wants to have some good research experience and a good GPA for top schools. It's all about doing research, so that's key to success in admissions.

 

[apumic]

i tend to avoid other pre-meds when possible.

A guy I know recently decided to go to grad school instead of med school because his GPA wasn't high enough. We were talking about the GRE and he was telling me "oh yea, you don't really have to do well on the GRE, you just have to get within an certain acceptable range, so I'm not worried." I don't know a ton about grad school but I know that the GRE isn't a pass fail type test. Not to mention, he has 1 semester worth of research experience and is trying to get into top 10 biology grad programs.

Again, I don't know a ton about grad school but all I could think while he was talking was *facepalm*

I never discourage people like that from applying to med or grad school. It makes me look a lot better when they go to compare applicants

the GRE really isn't a very competitive test. Basically if you make over certain requirements, you get in. Usually that's just a 500 verbal score.

Like the MCAT, the GRE is on a percentile scale. You don't "get in" with a 500 verbal, which is barely above average. In fields comparable to medicine, a 1200/4.5-1300/5.5 would be competitive. Sure, though, some low-ranking MA in Applied Mathematics somewhere might have req'ts in the 500v/500q (1100)/4.0 range. Most graduate schools won't even look at an application w/ <1000 GRE or <3.0 GPA (as in, it gets tossed and a rejection letter is sent w/o it ever reaching the dept for further evaluation & recommendation). If you reach the 1000 mark, many departments will consider you, but it's kind of like getting a 25-27 on the MCAT -- it may get you consideration at some programs (as in, they look to see if there's anything special about you that merits not throwing your app in the nearest round file whenever they get around to it), but it's still a pretty laughable score.

 

[armybound]

I wish I still had the email responses from when I was applying to grad school and asked some programs what kind of GRE they expected from a competitive applicant.

 

[zetabetazeta]

It's all about "maturity level". He will fall hard, and I actually feel bad for him. =(

 

[apumic]

I wish I still had the email responses from when I was applying to grad school and asked some programs what kind of GRE they expected from a competitive applicant.

It depends upon the type of program. I don't know what you were applying to but a GRE less than 1200 is considered moderately weak in clinical psych (1250-1300+ is "strong") and <1100 isn't even worth trying (it'd be like applying w/ a 25 MCAT). 1000 is more or less average. Most grad schools won't even consider <1000. 500 verbal is something 0.25 SD above the mean IIRC. (The mean for Q is more like 550 w/ SD=150.)

The thing with grad school, though, is that the research match is far more important than the GRE. If the OP's classmate lacks research experience, hell would be more likely to freeze over every other night for 3 weeks straight (while thawing in the day and remaining thawed on the off days/nights) than this kid's chances of getting into grad school. Med school is far more about numbers than is grad school, which is mostly about research match, research potential, and simple drive, etc.

 

[armybound]

It depends upon the type of program. I don't know what you were applying to but a GRE less than 1200 is considered moderately weak in clinical psych (1250-1300+ is "strong") and <1100 isn't even worth trying (it'd be like applying w/ a 25 MCAT). 1000 is more or less average. Most grad schools won't even consider <1000. 500 verbal is something 0.25 SD above the mean IIRC. (The mean for Q is more like 550 w/ SD=150.)

The thing with grad school, though, is that the research match is far more important than the GRE. If the OP's classmate lacks research experience, hell would be more likely to freeze over every other night for 3 weeks straight (while thawing in the day and remaining thawed on the off days/nights) than this kid's chances of getting into grad school. Med school is far more about numbers than is grad school, which is mostly about research match, research potential, and simple drive, etc.

I think you just said the same things I did 🙂

When my wife was looking into grad schools, they told her to score over 1000, and make sure she had at least a 500 in verbal. These were schools like Johns Hopkins, Columbia, and Vanderbilt.

 

[Shinobiz11]

LOL, this guy sounds like a 9th grader in biology class!

 

[orthomyxo]

"O'Doyle, I've got a feeling your whole family's going down."

+1 for Billy Madison

 

[GregoryMD]

A lot of pre-meds are like that. They are the first to get weeded out. It still annoys me though, it's people like him that give pre-med a negative connotation. Then when I come in extremely dedicated, I still get advisors not taking me seriously.

"You want to go to med school? You know becoming a doctor is hard work? It's not even that glamorous, you have to deal with so much crap. It's not worth it. Have you considered becoming a PA or another health-care related career?"

"I've known I've wanted to become a doctor pretty much my entire life. I've even gotten research offers from physicians back when I was in high school, have hundreds of volunteer and shadowing hours. I've done my research and I know I want to continue pursuing the field regardless."

"But it's really really hard. You probably won't make it. College isn't like high school."

"I still have a 4.0 my first semester so far with relatively little effort compared to what I'm capable of. I'm not challenged yet."

Though I don't blame them. I overheard some of the previous conversations with other pre-meds right before me. They sounded a lot like the ones the TC explained.

 

[zetabetazeta]

* So.. on to the lab experiment.. *

Student: "I'll let you do all the calculations because I suck at them"

Me: If you don't at least try and do them, I won't put your name on the paper because its not fair. I'm not going to sit here and do all the work for you to take credit for it.

Student: "Fine, whatever, I don't care, I'll just take a zero for it then"

Me: Ok then..

Just thought I would share.. his attitude really irritated me. I didn't even attempt to correct some of his statements because it would have been a waste of my time.. he wouldn't have listened anyway. Does anybody else encounter other students with similarly poor attitudes?

Seriously, if I have a lab partner like him, I would prefer to do all the calculations myself because I don't trust people like HIM!

You did the right thing!

 

[Tots]

Seriously, if I have a lab partner like him, I would prefer to do all the calculations myself because I don't trust people like HIM!

You did the right thing!

I know what you mean

In my second quarter Gchem lab every-time I let my partner touch something the lab would be ruined.
For some reason he couldn't even read the bottle!
Me: "You got the HCl?"
Him: "Yea, got it from that bottle over there" *points to NaOH*

I had to check everything before he did it

 

[Global Warming]

So today in my gen chemistry class.. a conversation with myself and another student..

Student:"I hate this class, I'm aimin for a C, so it will transfer and then I can complete my major"

Me: Whats your major?

Student: "Pre-med with an emphasis in Psychology"

Me: ohh. ok.. so don't you have to have good grades to get into med school?

Student: "No, med schools prefer you have over a 3.7 but they don't give a **** about your gpa so long as you take the MCAT and pass, they don't care"

Me:Ohh.. really??? Whats passing for the MCAT?

Student: "Anything over a 28"

Me: Oh.. ok.. so all you need to do is maintain a "C" average and pass the MCAT and you can go to medical school?? Don't you need to take more chemistry classes?

Student: "Nope.. med schools don't care what classes you take, you can take anything, besides who needs Chemistry when all I will be doing all day is writing prescriptions"

Me: Mmm hmm..

* So.. on to the lab experiment.. *

Student: "I'll let you do all the calculations because I suck at them"

Me: If you don't at least try and do them, I won't put your name on the paper because its not fair. I'm not going to sit here and do all the work for you to take credit for it.

Student: "Fine, whatever, I don't care, I'll just take a zero for it then"

Me: Ok then..

Just thought I would share.. his attitude really irritated me. I didn't even attempt to correct some of his statements because it would have been a waste of my time.. he wouldn't have listened anyway. Does anybody else encounter other students with similarly poor attitudes?

You know how they say that 80% of pre-meds don't make it to applications? Just take a wild guess as to which grp this student will fall into. OP, keep up your good work!

 

[TheMightySmiter]

I always end up hoping that a lot of people like this apply to med school. That makes the 45% acceptance statistic seem a lot less scary.

Pretty schadenfreude, though.

 

[apumic]

I know what you mean

In my second quarter Gchem lab every-time I let my partner touch something the lab would be ruined.
For some reason he couldn't even read the bottle!
Me: "You got the HCl?"
Him: "Yea, got it from that bottle over there" *points to NaOH*

I had to check everything before he did it

At least yours actually tried!

I ended up w/ this girl who was too afraid to do anything but would pretend to. Labs would take twice as long as they did for anyone else because she would stand there and do nothing. She needed multiple prompts to go and do each thing, so usually for every step of an experiment, it would go something like this:

apumic: [preparing NaOH for titration]
ditz: [twiddling her thumbs]
apumic: "do you know what we need to do next?"
ditz: "I dunno"
apumic: [thinking: come on! this is our 7th titration today...] well, it looks like we need to titrate HCl with NaOH. I don't think we have a solution of HCl yet. Would you mind preparing that?
ditz: "ok" [walks toward 1.0M HCl station]
(5 minutes later)
apumic: [wondering why ditz isn't back yet... so walks over to station and finds her staring blankly at the chemicals] "so did you do the HCl dilution yet?"
ditz: "no"
apumic: "ok... is there a problem?"
ditz: "no... I was just waiting"
apumic: "...waiting for what?"
ditz: "I dunno"
apumic: "do you need help?"
ditz: "no..."
apumic: "ok... let me know when you're ready. I'll go prepare another buret so we can get out soon. Just prepare a couple beakers of the solution and we'll finish up, ok? Let me know if you need anything."
ditz: "ok..."
(5-10 minutes pass...)
apumic: [having finished the rest of the lab minus the actual titration while waiting for his partner...] "how is that solution coming?"
ditz: "---"
apumic: "is it done?"
ditz: "---"
apumic: "have you started?"
ditz: "no, sorry, I was waiting..."
apumic: "here... I'll do the titration. Why don't you start cleaning up dishes that we've used"
ditz: "ok"
(cycle starts over from the top)



I worked with her for most of the semester but I eventually had to switch lab partners because I couldn't afford to get out of class so late every day. For the rest of the semester, her new lab partner got out late every day. I felt really sorry for her new partner who got stuck with her. I think the TA did too... but what do ya do?

 

[zetabetazeta]

I worked with her for most of the semester but I eventually had to switch lab partners because I couldn't afford to get out of class so late every day. For the rest of the semester, her new lab partner got out late every day. I felt really sorry for her new partner who got stuck with her. I think the TA did too... but what do ya do?

I'm glad I had an awesome lab partner, and I'm sorry you were stuck with her 🙁 I actually feel bad for that girl too. Something is wrong with her~~