mlong:
Firstly, let's clear this little misunderstanding up right away. I have not nor will I ever imply that someone is at a "low end" school. That is simply not how I feel or work. I am a first generation born in the United States to a Peruvian immigrant, education is important, and frankly, there are NO shortcs to anything good. That is the honest truth. My mother became an X-Ray tech barely knowing the language. She even got a GED. She attended a small City Collge in San Francisco, and has done well for herself, and my father is American, and a hard working painter for the schools. There is no LOW END to me, Education is valuable. I went to trade school and became a massage therapist. I did a hospital internship. I certainly didn't think that was low endeducation.
I can make no assumptions based on your homeschooling background. I don't know how your parents home schooled you. I know there are differences between being in school, and being homeschooled. Perhaps the value in going to college for you would be simply learning to be in that environment where there is class with more than one person? I am not saying you don't know how to do this. I am jsut sayin there are things to be learned. I chose a small private school for my premed education at the age of 29 because I know that I don't fare well in huge classroom environement, I have supportive instructors and great peoplearound me. What if I had never had a classroom larger than 30 people? I may not have known that about myself. Take it as the same thing, even if you feel ou are beyond your peers, it is good to learn from them why that is and how you can socially interact with them. I am very happy for you that you got into a ivy league school, that really is an accomplishment, take the time to enjoy it. Remember the quote that the Friar says in Romeo and Juliet "Careful my son for he thatdoth run shall surely fall."
If you have hurry up and get the hell out and into the workforce mentality, you will find so many obstacles at every turn. You'll find something tripping you up, relax, learn from your current set of circumstances, and time will pass quickly. This is the time for you to make friends, and meet people. You may need them later. I am making so many contacts here, it's mind blowing, and that in and of itself is worth the experince, and worth the slightly above state tuition that is charged.
The challenge you are being thrown mlong is how willing are yo to stay in college? If you truly feel that you need to go faster, then cme up with an IEP degree and work it out with your college. That way you can be completely self reliant and go at your own pace. Most coleges have IEPs now. And I can imagine that Ivy League schools have a ton of them. Make your challenge to meet someone influential each day each week, network, make friends, you never know who somone's father or mother is, and they can help you.
As far as the text, I am one of those people mlong, and frankly it's a good thing, and allows me to learn, and remember things and look them up years later, but I am by no means an expert in everything, and I ENJOY the learning experiences I have day to day with my friends, my instructors, people around me in the world. Whaever that day holds there is always something to learn. Look at the challenge as picking up something new each day. I hope you see the beauty and the newness in each day. I hope you find somehting to learn.
The pocess is not arbitrary, it has it's reasons. Tenacity is something that is built in a person and takes time. You're seeking instant gratification. If you geteverything when you want it how you want it, without having to work at it really, I mean send your apps off and get in, where's the learning process in that? I don't know what your age is, but college gives some life experience. I am not saying you don't have this, but make it your challenge to get throug college and stay in, and show your tenacity, dont tell it show it and your perserverence.
No, there is no comparing colleges and such, but you know.....get your education. Get a degree, and then t least you have something if something happens to your dream for medicine, I am not implying it will. In fact I hope people keep straight and focused ontheir goal, it's always on their minds. Goals can change, life can change. Keep all possibilities in mind.
If you really want I guess you ca go to a place you like for a few courses or your premed courses and transfer them back to your ivy league school, and then just get your degree from them. Thing can be done in different places at different schools.
mlong, it is GRAND and GREAT to have your reasons for medicine, and a strong educatonal committment. Why don't you show that educational committment by getting a degree in something you absolutely enjoy, and getting the pre-med pre-reqs on top of it?
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