College visits and general angst

[Catlover4100]

I just went to a college open house. It's a huge public university with outstnding research opportunities, but I'm not keen on half of my classes being in a big lecture hall where I'm just a number. Unfortunately, since I'm commuting and there are only 4 colleges within 1.5 hours from my house, If I don't get a hefty financial aid package from the private schools I like, I don't have much choice.

My biggest source of frustration is finding out that for my degree, not only do I need two semesters of calculus, I also need two semesters of calculus-based physics. That's not the worst part -- I also need to get a minimum of an A- in them. I want to go to vet school, but I need like at least a 3.8 math/science GPA. I'm a bio and chemistry person, not physics and calculus. Gosh, and to think I was worried about organic chemistry!

Ugh, maybe I should just major in something I actually have a natural talent for, like English. I studied my but off to get low 90s in high school physics and precalc, so it's not looking too hot for me. Sorry for the rant, I'm just frustrated

[Hadron]

I'm jealous. Here, medical/vet schools don't care at all whether you have a good maths A-level. I'm taking further-maths (which basically covers most of what first year maths degree people have to learn). I looked at the King's college medical school website and found that they only count further maths at As level (probably because they don't want to give maths nerds, like me, an advantage). But I think I'm fine anyway, since I aced biology and chemistry.

By the way, can't you just go to vet-school/medical school where you are straight out of high school? Your education system seem soo confusing.

[Catlover4100]

Originally Posted by Hadron

I'm jealous. Here, medical/vet schools don't care at all whether you have a good maths A-level. I'm taking further-maths (which basically covers most of what first year maths degree people have to learn). I looked at the King's college medical school website and found that they only count further maths at As level (probably because they don't want to give maths nerds, like me, an advantage). But I think I'm fine anyway, since I aced biology and chemistry.

By the way, can't you just go to vet-school/medical school where you are straight out of high school? Your education system seem soo confusing.

I'm sorry, it seems like the system always plays against our strengths! Here, we have courses called Advanced Placement (AP) and College Level Examinations Program (CLEP). They are like college courses, but the AP ones are even more difficult in many cases. Colleges want to see a bunch of them on your transcript, but then they won't accept most of the credit because grad schools want to see the classes actually taken at the college, apparently. So basically, they want you to slave away for nothing.

I wish I could enter vet school right out of high school. I'm not sure exactly how your system works, but here you have to get a Bachelor's degree (4 or more years), and then apply for admission to grad school. If you go for a Master's degree, it is generally 2 years. If you are applying for a PhD or professional degree, it is 4 or more years. Some professions, like specific medical specialties, require residencies, which are an additional 3-7 years!

Ugh, the educational system stinks

[Hadron]

Really? Well, here you can actually get into medical school straight out of (our version) of high school. The medicine degree takes generally 5 years to complete, after which you become a junior doctor, and are given the option of training further for a particular speciality. I actually still have no clue what speciality I'm going to choose. It's even possible that I will go more into the research area of medicine.

I think we are allowed to enter medical school so early because from the age of 16 we can choose our own subjects (usually 3 or 4: I chose maths, further maths, biology and chemistry), and study about them in a more intensive way. So we have more knowledge about the subjects we want to do at uni earlier on. I don't know if it's a good thing to put so much academic pressure on people at such an early age, though.

[Catlover4100]

Originally Posted by Hadron

Really? Well, here you can actually get into medical school straight out of (our version) of high school. The medicine degree takes generally 5 years to complete, after which you become a junior doctor, and are given the option of training further for a particular speciality. I actually still have no clue what speciality I'm going to choose. It's even possible that I will go more into the research area of medicine.

I think we are allowed to enter medical school so early because from the age of 16 we can choose our own subjects (usually 3 or 4: I chose maths, further maths, biology and chemistry), and study about them in a more intensive way. So we have more knowledge about the subjects we want to do at uni earlier on. I don't know if it's a good thing to put so much academic pressure on people at such an early age, though.

That's awesome! I wish our system worked like that. I had enough course credits to graduate from high school a year early, but my school wouldn't let me because they wanted me to take a stupid 20-week class called participation in government.

[spacefiller]

Check to see if they offer 'calculus/physics for biology majors' which are less intensive versions. If they offer them and chemistry is not going to be your main focus, they might be an option for you.

[rctriplefresh5]

Originally Posted by Catlover4100

I just went to a college open house. It's a huge public university with outstnding research opportunities, but I'm not keen on half of my classes being in a big lecture hall where I'm just a number. Unfortunately, since I'm commuting and there are only 4 colleges within 1.5 hours from my house, If I don't get a hefty financial aid package from the private schools I like, I don't have much choice.

My biggest source of frustration is finding out that for my degree, not only do I need two semesters of calculus, I also need two semesters of calculus-based physics. That's not the worst part -- I also need to get a minimum of an A- in them. I want to go to vet school, but I need like at least a 3.8 math/science GPA. I'm a bio and chemistry person, not physics and calculus. Gosh, and to think I was worried about organic chemistry!

Ugh, maybe I should just major in something I actually have a natural talent for, like English. I studied my but off to get low 90s in high school physics and precalc, so it's not looking too hot for me. Sorry for the rant, I'm just frustrated

HEY, dont feel to down on yourself!! i have a goal of going to med school, and i need around the same requirements as you do. when i graduated high school the highest level of math i had successfully completed was algebra 1 THATS RIGHT ALG 1. anyway, when arriving to college i knew that id need calculus and beyond to pass the mcat.(i know you dont need calculus for the mcats but to understand the physics you do) anyway long story short, i had to retake a non credit algebra class in college, and then i aced algebra 2/intro to right triangle trig in a 6 week course. and i am now currently in college algebra/ trigonometry (and i think we do some intro to precalc here) if all things go over as well, i should be taking calculus in the summer (with organic chem 1 and 2 lawd help me) as with you i need to maintain the 4.0 gpa i have. however for some reason this semester ive been sort of depressed and unmotivated, even though the math has seemed easier than the 6 week course i aced. for that reason i am down to a B, in coll alg,trig. not to mention all of the chemistry lectures and labs im taking im also considering switching to a field where im more talented naturally in. something like elementary education, but i heard jobs are scarce since everybody wants to do that. my point is that you were able to successfully get an A in precalc while in high school. you are leaps and bounds ahead of me. i know you can be successful if you choose to be. I am in a community college though, so i think even if i fall below the 4.0 mark the gpa and grades i get, dont transfer to a 4 year school. i think medical school will only look at my 4 year schools grades, which kind of sucks for me, because ill be taking all of my hardest classes their. i mean i plan on finishing calculus, and orgo 1 and 2 for completion of my associates degree, i cant imagine what classes ill be taking for my bachelors. another thing that sucks is they implemented A- now, so instead of 89.5-100 being an A, now 91.5 is an A.
btw if youre going into vet school for the money i just want you to know vets dont make a lot at all which is surprising. i used to want to be a vet, but i heeard its one of the most competitive fields to get into ,and is way harder to et into than being a doctor. all that work for 60k a year....