Worth it to learn Greek?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

deomnibusdubitandum

Full Member
7+ Year Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2016
Messages
160
Reaction score
190
I've been posting a lot recently but it's because I'm trying to finally nail down my school schedule for the next two semesters. I'm a philosophy major and have the opportunity to take classes to learn how to read and write Greek. It's something that interests me but it would require a lot of time and effort that could be placed elsewhere. I suppose that my question is: would learning Greek be anything that would stand out on an application? Or is it mainly trivial? Taking these few extra classes wouldn't push back my graduation date at all but I'm still trying to figure out if it's worth it to be in these classes when I could be focusing on other things.
 
Unless you can gain competency to perform as a professional translator, probably not
 
I've been posting a lot recently but it's because I'm trying to finally nail down my school schedule for the next two semesters. I'm a philosophy major and have the opportunity to take classes to learn how to read and write Greek. It's something that interests me but it would require a lot of time and effort that could be placed elsewhere. I suppose that my question is: would learning Greek be anything that would stand out on an application? Or is it mainly trivial? Taking these few extra classes wouldn't push back my graduation date at all but I'm still trying to figure out if it's worth it to be in these classes when I could be focusing on other things.
Your philosophy major would be more likely to stand out in an application. I also majored in philosophy and was asked about it in all my interviews.

Take Greek because you're interested in it, not because it'll stand out on your application.
 
Exactly what Darmani said--learn Greek if it'll complete your life, don't bother if you're only doing it for med school.
 
Don't do it for us.
Languages have intrinsic value, but in terms of medical need in the US, the largest non-English speaking community speaks Spanish.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I've been posting a lot recently but it's because I'm trying to finally nail down my school schedule for the next two semesters. I'm a philosophy major and have the opportunity to take classes to learn how to read and write Greek. It's something that interests me but it would require a lot of time and effort that could be placed elsewhere. I suppose that my question is: would learning Greek be anything that would stand out on an application? Or is it mainly trivial? Taking these few extra classes wouldn't push back my graduation date at all but I'm still trying to figure out if it's worth it to be in these classes when I could be focusing on other things.
It would be pretty cool if you could read ancient Greek, I know a friend that took three years of hieroglyphics and can read the lettering on ancient runes
 
I've been posting a lot recently but it's because I'm trying to finally nail down my school schedule for the next two semesters. I'm a philosophy major and have the opportunity to take classes to learn how to read and write Greek. It's something that interests me but it would require a lot of time and effort that could be placed elsewhere. I suppose that my question is: would learning Greek be anything that would stand out on an application? Or is it mainly trivial? Taking these few extra classes wouldn't push back my graduation date at all but I'm still trying to figure out if it's worth it to be in these classes when I could be focusing on other things.
No.
Learning Spanish will at least be useful, though.
 
Don't do it for us.
Languages have intrinsic value, but in terms of medical need in the US, the largest non-English speaking community speaks Spanish.

Plus, schools in certain regions would love to have you if you speak something common in the region like Polish in Chicago, Bosnian in StL, Arabic in Detroit, but that's more important for residencies where you have actual clinical responsibilities and you'd need something resembling actual fluency.

/Though Polish is less of a language and more of a linguistic Calvinball that exists entirely to torture people who try to learn it.
 
Plus, schools in certain regions would love to have you if you speak something common in the region like Polish in Chicago, Bosnian in StL, Arabic in Detroit, but that's more important for residencies where you have actual clinical responsibilities and you'd need something resembling actual fluency.

/Though Polish is less of a language and more of a linguistic Calvinball that exists entirely to torture people who try to learn it.

Dzien dobry!
 
Top