I Quit

[smq123]

I hate to be 'that guy,' but pre-med/medicine isn't for everyone. I have had COUNTLESS friends who were 'smart, motivated, wanted it etc etc ...' and dropped it. If you know you want it ... go for it. However, it's not for everyone.

I dont understand what you are trying to tell her... no matter how movitivated, smart ect ect she can is or can be she wont make it?

Yeah - that's exactly it. Motivation isn't enough. Being smart isn't enough. Saying "I absolutely want to be a doctor, and nothing else," isn't enough. Sucks, I know, but some people are not cut out to be doctors. I'm not saying that the OP is one of them, but not everyone in this world is cut out for it.

However, my work ethic blows and I seem incapable of gaining a work ethic.

There is nothing that I want more - but I'm seriously starting to wonder if I am incapable of studying. I have taken an actual class on study skills, spoken to counselors about getting better study habits, stuck pictures/posters all over my walls about my future goal of becoming a doctor, and written a list of goals and posted them next to my desk. No help Is it possible to just not be able to study? I mean what the heck - I'm finally in the major I want, pursuing the career I want, and science has always been my favorite and best subject.

You're over-intellectualizing this. You don't need to learn how to do this - just sit down and study!! Don't make lists or posters about your goals - that just wastes time. Just sit down and do it.

If you truly want to be a doctor, you must learn discipline now. If you do make it into med school, pretty soon, it will be up to you to keep your **** together. No one will be watching over you as you study for Step 1 - it's up to you to figure out how to do that efficiently, and to make sure that you stay on schedule. No one will be watching over you during rotations - it's up to YOU to make sure that you stay on top of your reading/studying for the shelf exam (even if you've just worked a 16 hour shift). Without classes everyday/constant reminders, it'll be up to you to stay on top of things.

It's tough, but if you really want it - just buckle down and do it. Good luck.

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[riversoul]

I mean this in the nicest way possible, but you saying you'll only go to med schools in certain cities may not work out for you.

I agree, I forgot who said this but "beggars cannot be choosers." In the super competitive pre-med world, the majority of us are "living on the streets." I applied to 37 schools this cycle...and yes, I'm a CA resident.

 

[drizzt3117]

I agree, I forgot who said this but "beggars cannot be choosers." In the super competitive pre-med world, the majority of us are "living on the streets." I applied to 37 schools this cycle...and yes, I'm a CA resident.

+1, even the strongest applicants don't have any control over where they might end up and borderline applicants certainly aren't in the position to be picky.

 

[lex]

If Calculus is the only thing that holds you back, crack it! Dedicate the whole summer to Calculus. Based on my experience, calculus (I, II, and III) is the easiest Math course. (Algebra is high school stuff) I am a math major, so, trust me on this. Advanced Math courses are much much harder and I did have to work very hard. So, Calculus II should be manageable for an intelligent person as you said you are. If it is too hard, re-take Calculus I. As far as I know, you are not supposed to use a calculator in lower division Maths. Only upper division Math courses let you use it, yet you generally won't need it anyway since you'll be doing proofs instead of calculation. So, if your school's Calc I allows calculator, take it somewhere else or challenge yourself by foregoing calculators during exams. If you can't do Calc I in your head, technically speaking, you don't deserve to pass the class anyway. That's the rule of thumb.

The bottom line is, if Calculus is in your way, conquer it! No exceptions.

But, if there's more to it. Then I would suggest you do a reality check. This is how I decided my major: if I keep getting non As for courses in my major or I have to work hard yet do not get an A, the major is not my call and I should consider other major/profession. Personally, I don't want to spend the rest of my life feeling inadequate and have to do "hard homework" for a paycheck. Give it a try and see how it turns out for you.

Good luck!

 

[cheezer]

sit down and do more calculus problems. it's calculus II. there's no rhyme or reason to it, just do more problems and apply and reapply the techniques you've been learning in class.
1. anyone can overcome calculus through brute force. (doing lots of problems)

2. to quit over a calculus class is silly. you're talking about a lower division undergraduate course. thousands before you have passed it and thousands after you will pass it. adjust your study habits to ensure that you too will pass it.

 

[UTBME]

Quick question...is 21 hours for a quarter the same as 21 hours for a semester? 21 hours in a semester is suicide, but looking at the classes you've listed, your courseload doesn't look too terribly bad.

The only thing I could suggest is to drop calc 2 now, and take it at a community college your Spring Quarter 2008. I think another poster suggested that you can take a CLEP/Placement Test for Spanish? You might want to look into that as it'll save you lots of hours. I guess if that doesn't work, you said you're proficient in Spanish, so you probably don't need to work as hard in that class and you can spend more time on an easier Calc 2 class with an easier community college professor.

 

[foreverLaur]

Quick question...is 21 hours for a quarter the same as 21 hours for a semester? 21 hours in a semester is suicide, but looking at the classes you've listed, your courseload doesn't look too terribly bad.

The only thing I could suggest is to drop calc 2 now, and take it at a community college your Spring Quarter 2008. I think another poster suggested that you can take a CLEP/Placement Test for Spanish? You might want to look into that as it'll save you lots of hours. I guess if that doesn't work, you said you're proficient in Spanish, so you probably don't need to work as hard in that class and you can spend more time on an easier Calc 2 class with an easier community college professor.

Essentially, yes. It is hard to compare because when I took 21 hours at a semester school, it was business courses and 3 were honors and that also was suicide.

Average Quarter: 3 classes at 5 hours each
Average Semester: 5 classes at 3 hours each

It is just calculus that bothers me - I can't understand why I still don't get it the third time around, despite having my dad try to teach me (he took 3 quarters and 2 semesters of calc), hiring a tutor, being supplemental books and doing problems in those too, going to the math help lab, etc...

Everything else comes so easy... but with the crazy time I am spending to try to pass/understand calc, I am beginning to neglect my other courses.