Stomaching the bitterness of the final years of undergrad.

[Borborygmi]

So it's the second last year of my undergrad at UofT. It actually feels like a particularly long road since I did a year of part-time studies while working before I transitioned back into undergrad since I already had a career.

 

Beginning late last term, but becoming very apparent this term, is how bitter I am with this whole absurd, political experience. The feeling has come from the fact that this entire ugrad experience has had very little to do with learning and almost everything to do with solving riddles, playing some disgusting academic game and being taken advantage of both monetarily and psychologically.

 

I still have many of the same goals I did when I ventured into doing another undergrad degree at this point in my life (no longer a spring chicken), but it's becoming very difficult to continue working diligently while being this angry and bitter with how my experience has been in the last three years. At this point, I'm actually unsure of how I'll be able to handle this for another year during the application cycle for professional school, etc.

 

I'm sure many here do not feel this way, but I'm sure I'm also not alone. Did this feeling change for any of you into grad school, med school, vet school, whatever-post-undergrad education?

[Erk]

I hated my last bit of undergrad, so I went off and did something else for a while. I taught English in Japan for a bit through the JET programme; it was a really great experience, and helped rejuvenate me a lot for grad school. Getting some life experience really helped make school seem less like a pointless endeavour.

[DOC_Ma]

My presence on this site increases dramatically during exam time.

Anyway I feel you man. At least we got things to do to take our minds off of school from time to time and you know what I am talking about . Hang in there, 1 more year then u will be in a pass/fail system.

[mm88]

Keep your head up, its almost over!

 

Because whether you'd like to believe if or not...your undergrad experience could be far worse. PM me for details, if you wish. LOL

[larva]

LOL I can vouch for mm88

(PS what is your DTG count at??)

 

I also hated undergrad, for what it's worth. Only in my last year did I get to take one or two courses that I WANTED to take, and it totally changed my perspective on what school is supposed to be.

 

I hope you get a chance to relax and recharge this summer!

[DragonX]

I can sympathize with this. It seems like I spend the majority of my time just dealing with the professor's tricks or beating the university's system sometimes. A good number of the tests I wrote were more about gigantic curves than actually doing well on them. I remember one of my professors asked us to count how many carbons there were in this gigantic molecule just to waste time in our test. I've found that there is also a 'system'. I spent a lot of time just studying the material.. and then you find out that there are past tests being sold around that are almost identical to the last year's. It's like there's all these in and outs that you don't necessarily know of unless you know people who are in the 'loop' .

 

With that being said, I've had amazing experiences at university too. I've met a few professors this year that I really connect with .

 

If professional school is really what you want, keep working hard, you will appreciate it at the end. Every place has it's negatives, no time or place will ever be perfect. Just do what you can and embrace opportunities as they come ... there are downsides to the insitution, but there are a lot of upsides too . Congrats on making it this far!

[bloh]

Are you referring to post-secondary education in general or are you leaning towards medical school admission? I disagree about university education in general but that may be because of my major. I truly felt like my major was constructive and prepared me for a career in that field.

 

With respect to medical school, I totally agree. It is really just a game with very specific rules. If you follow them diligently, you will eventually get in. But if you get bitter and angry at the rules and requirements of the game (no matter how ridiculous and unfair they can be at times), you won't get far.

[suziep100]

As a pre-med student in last semester of undergrad, I honestly feel really burnt out and lost in mixture of different thoughts.

 

Looking back, I feel like the whole purpose of my undergrad degree was to get the marks to get into med school. I want to go to med school and I sincerely hope that I could get in, but when you have been surrounded by people who spend at least >95% of the entire conversation talking about going into med school and getting married, I can't wait to get out of my life right now.

 

Then there comes the thoughts about back-up plan. I didn't enjoy my undergrad, and after completing the pre-med requirement courses, I just lost interest in biology. But at the same time, I feel that i'm somewhat obligated to develop myself in biology-related area to improve my application if I don't get into med school, which leads me to regret so much for not having thoroughly searched about my alternative choices, or figuring out what I like/don't like much earlier.

 

Bottom line is, I can't wait to get over with finals, pull good marks, and I really want to just get outta here and really sort out my thoughts.

[Lost&Found]

I know I'm not in my final years yet (I'm finishing up first year), but I can relate to what alot of you are saying. The pursuit for medical school is a game and there are always winners and losers. I'm so afraid of being one of the losers, though, that I feel like I'm not getting the most of my education. I wish I could offer words of wisdom, but I'm seeking those from other people at this point. I hope that you all find a way to fill that void and I hope that I do too.

[thehumanmacbook]

As a pre-med student in last semester of undergrad, I honestly feel really burnt out and lost in mixture of different thoughts.

 

Looking back, I feel like the whole purpose of my undergrad degree was to get the marks to get into med school. I want to go to med school and I sincerely hope that I could get in, but when you have been surrounded by people who spend at least >95% of the entire conversation talking about going into med school and getting married, I can't wait to get out of my life right now.

 

Then there comes the thoughts about back-up plan. I didn't enjoy my undergrad, and after completing the pre-med requirement courses, I just lost interest in biology. But at the same time, I feel that i'm somewhat obligated to develop myself in biology-related area to improve my application if I don't get into med school, which leads me to regret so much for not having thoroughly searched about my alternative choices, or figuring out what I like/don't like much earlier.

 

Bottom line is, I can't wait to get over with finals, pull good marks, and I really want to just get outta here and really sort out my thoughts.

 

Suzie, I can most definitely sympathize with your plight.

 

Coming into the med game relatively late compounded with a bad relationship that ruined my marks (nearly perfect grades first year, did horrible second year due to that relationship, doing much better in third year currently) I find myself in a precarious situation. I want to get into medical school, and I feel that because I'm "behind" that I'm forced to adopt the mindset of a gunner. I may perhaps, have become the thing I used to hate the most.

 

However, these experience do provide some perspective onto why some people act the way that they do. The system is cruel sometimes, forcing many of us to scrutinize and mold our choices into making ourselves "the ideal medical school candidate". That elusive 4.0 GPA. That 40+ S MCAT. ECs that blow the roof of a reader. Research in Nature. Glowing letters of reference. Sometimes it turns us into a massive competition about who has what, and the continuing question of "are we good enough?" Are we ever going to be good enough? Is there a chance for redemption?

 

I think the only thing that we can do is to gain more faith in ourselves. In the quest of impossible perfection, we probably gained much more than we think we have. It is also great to be rooted in what you love, med school or not. Learning new things, exploring, spending time to help others will help bring that interest back. Do things for you, not for the sake of competition and most definitely not for the sake of med school.

 

If it gains any slight consolidation, I believe that GPA is not too much of a part of admissions today. Although it is great to be close to 4.0, it's not the end of the world if you're at...say a 3.8 cGPA wise. Weighting formulas help, and as long as you make cutoff, have a great MCAT and decent ECs, you're good for an interview (which is being worth more and more). We can't all be crazy 4.0 students (though I know some, and I think they're crazy...every single waking moment are marks in their mind. the pressure must kill them, and social skills....are lacking). GPA is just one part of the equation, and once you're above, there's very little difference. Just don't drop below a certain cutoff and if so, work harder to make that cutoff.

 

Be proud of who you are; at the same time, be open to change and happiness

[s5260205]

I hated my last bit of undergrad, so I went off and did something else for a while. I taught English in Japan for a bit through the JET programme; it was a really great experience, and helped rejuvenate me a lot for grad school. Getting some life experience really helped make school seem less like a pointless endeavour.

 

Wait, can you do JET without a Bachelor degree?

[frozenarbitor]

 

I think the only thing that we can do is to gain more faith in ourselves. In the quest of impossible perfection, we probably gained much more than we think we have. It is also great to be rooted in what you love, med school or not. Learning new things, exploring, spending time to help others will help bring that interest back. Do things for you, not for the sake of competition and most definitely not for the sake of med school.

 

 

I like your view mac. But honestly, I think aiming for medicine in a way forced me to take on many roles (EC) that I probably wouldn't have if I wasn't in the game, and I learnt so much from them. So I see it as a good thing. I have also enjoyed my undergrad so far (I'm third year), especially this year because most of the courses I took actually interest me. I can totally sympathize with the burnt out feelings. There are stressful times that just make me wanna quit, but eventually I pulled through and I do feel proud of myself afterwards. I would probably be rather miserable with a easy and slack undergrad if I wasn't aiming for medicine.

[TheBoss]

We can't all be crazy 4.0 students (though I know some, and I think they're crazy...every single waking moment are marks in their mind. the pressure must kill them, and social skills....are lacking).

 

I agree with your advice that it may not be advisable to aim for a 4.0 for the sake of med admissions, but I don't think it's fair for you to characterize 4.0 students as crazy and socially inept from your anecdotal experience.

[goleafsgochris]

I agree with your advice that it may not be advisable to aim for a 4.0 for the sake of med admissions, but I don't think it's fair for you to characterize 4.0 students as crazy and socially inept from your anecdotal experience.

 

Yeah, also research does not back that up. I remember from some of my grad school readings that higher GPAs are positively associated with social competancy, even at the upper end. I guess bashing high GPA people for social ineptitude is a defence mechanism rather than a statement based on reality.

[thehumanmacbook]

Then my apologies. I guess I have the bad luck to meet some of those who aren't as socially adept as compared to your experiences.

[apache]

nope, i still resent a lot of the undergrad academic experience, but owing the bank and government 150 g is a strong motivator... med school's is better than undergrad in the sense that you get a better and truer "education" (small groups, most instructors give a ****, most clinicians you shadow care and will take the time to teach you), it's also easier and less competitive academically speaking, at least in the pre-clerkship years, there are also a lot of personal supports. however, undergrad was more fun and had more variety in both material and people i interact with.

 

btw, i thought undergrad sucked in undergrad too.

 

I'm sure many here do not feel this way, but I'm sure I'm also not alone. Did this feeling change for any of you into grad school, med school, vet school, whatever-post-undergrad education?

[Soenuedo]

The world of pre-med's have changed drastically. I find myself questioning so many things, and life would probably have been much simpler if we had not decided to take on this route.

 

I can completely relate to the experiences that you guys have had, and for me, life being a pre-med has destroyed one of my close friendships. This makes me think constantly about whether this is all worth it in the end, but like others have already mentioned, being a pre-med has changed me drastically.

 

I am at U of T myself, and it can be quite a hurdle sometimes. Albeit the hard times, there come the good times, and they are definitely rewarding. I think being a pre-med has given us priceless motivation, and even if I don't get in, I will have earned experiences that will count for life.

 

Good luck to everyone!