On Chem 1A

I have a lot of respect for Chem 1A. Why? Because it gave me a run for my money. Here's a little bit about the class for all you potential pre-meds coming to berkeley:
Berkeley has one of the best chemistry departments in the US- our chem is top notch. Thus, it's only fair to say that berkeley's chem class (even general chemistry) is harder than some chem classes in other schools. Chem 1A has four midterms and one final. They've been changing the system around, but this year, our grade was solely based on our exam points- midterm 1 = 75 points, midterm 2 = 100 pts, midterm 3 = 100 pts, and midterm 4 = 75 points. Depending on how you do on non-exam points (which consists of homework, lab, quizes, iClicker, etc), points are added or deducted from your exam points (calculated from an equation). The final is worth 250 points, so about 40% of your grade- which is huge...
Also, the class is curved, so up to 85% is an A, and up to 70% is a B, and so on.

When I calculated my grades before my final, I determined that I would need a D on my final in order to get a B in the class (with non-exam points added and a slight further curve at the end of the semester- it's complicated). So, I studied all week  during dead week/RRR (a week of no school to study for finals) and went in to take the chem final semi-confident. Mind you, I read that the final usually drops peoples' grades by 10%, so I was freaking out before and after the final. 16 pages and 3 hours later, I was ready to blow my brains out. I have never taken a test that hard before. The next day, short answer scores were up and what do you know? I got a C! But I couldn't psyche myself out just yet because the multiple choice scores would really mess me up. So, the next day, I check my grades online and see that I got a C on my multiple choice! Resulting in a B overall in the class!! Whoo!!! I didn't fail gen chem! I was literally ready to cry, I was so relieved and happy. After the final, I was prepared to accept a C in the class.
I know this may be a random post, but I posted this for all the future premed Chem 1A-ers who are worried about chem. I wasn't so worried in the beginning of the semester because I did ok in AP chem in  high school. Let me tell you, don't let AP chem fool you about berkeley's chem.
So, Good luck to you all and let me know if you have any questions!

-K

On My College App Story

Congratulations to those of you who have completed and submitted your UC applications (which I believe was a while ago)!

In all honesty, I felt the UC applications were easier than the common apps, mostly because the common apps have so many restrictions as to the word limit and topic.

But now that the UC apps are done, you can focus all your time and energy on the common apps. ; )

Here's my college app story:

I started writing my stanford application towards the end of August (that's how badly I wanted to get in- needless to say, that didn't happen), but it was one of the last applications that I finished because I wanted it to be perfect. I also worked hard on my Ivy League applications but not nearly as much as I should have. I revised each essay (every college that I applied to had 2-3 essays) about 4-5 times because I was never satisfied with it. When winter break began, my family decided they were going to go to the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas. Unfortunately, they were leaving during the time apps were due, so naturally I couldn't go. They were gone for three days and for those three days, I sat in front of the computer madly trying to tie loose ends in my essays, surviving off of oranges and water the entire time- literally. We also got a puppy a few months before so I had to tend to him constantly. January 1st came and went and by that time, my entire computer screen was filled with word document icons for my essays (I applied to a ton of colleges).

And then, the only thing left to do was wait....

The wait was even worse than actually writing the applications (not to scare you or anything ; ). I'm not quite sure when the UC admission decisions came out, but when they did, my parents were so thrilled that I got into all of them, especially Berkeley and UCLA. I, on the other hand, had eyes only for Stanford (sad, I know). A month or so later, the common app schools began releasing their admission decisions. I got rejected from most of the schools, accepted by a few, and waitlisted by others. I was crushed by my rejections and even planned to make a dart board out of them...

I chose to go to berkeley for a number of reasons. First off, if it wasn't a highly prestigious school, I didn't feel like going to the east coast was worth it. So, I decided to stay in California for at least my undergrad. Second, Berkeley offered nice financial aid, which is always a bonus. Third, USC and UCLA (which were the other schools I was considering) had that air of superficiality about them that I didn't like so much. So, Berkeley it was. (Sad to say, I had anxiety attacks all throughout my decision making process)...

I thought 'I'm going to try to transfer to a different school as soon as I get the chance.' Since Berkeley wasn't my first choice, or second, or third, it was hard for me to accept the fact that i'll be having to go there. Then, when I attended orientation and got more situated, Berkeley slowly started to warm up on me. I'm not saying I love Berkeley 100%, but I think I'm getting there- one failed midterm at a time. : )

So my advice to seniors who are freaking out about college and this game we call College Admissions: work hard - really hard- these next few weeks on getting your applications just the way you want them, and then, throw down your pencil, take a deep breath, kick something (preferably not anything living), and then take a nap. You deserve it : ) Second semester of senior year, go crazy. As long as you don't fail your classes or drop significantly in grades, the colleges won't rescind your acceptance. Senioritis - bring it on!

Have fun with your friends, spend lots of time with your family, and just relax, because this is the only time when you can. Trust me, you'll thank me later for it. : )

-K

On Saying Farewell

Today was the last day of my very first semester in college and my first real pursuit of being a pre-med at UC Berkeley.

Man, was it hard.

But it's not over since I still have to take my finals.

So, here is some info about the classes that I took this semester, which I hope will help you in picking classes (should you come to UC Berkeley):

- Chem 1A (general chemistry): Hard, very hard. If you're not premed, I advise you to take this class in the spring with an easier teacher. However, if you are premed, then taking chem 1A in the fall might help you on the MCATs. I'm not completely sure since I haven't taken the MCATs yet, but that's what I hear.

-Math 16A: Easy, very easy. I believe i've only gone to two lectures during the whole semester (in the beginning) and I've managed to get very high grades on both my midterms. I can't say the same thing about the final just yet. If you're planning on being an IB major, then I'd advise you to take the 16 series. However, if you're planning to be a MCB major, then you have to take math 1A, which I hear is quite difficult, even if you scored well on the AP test.

-Anthro 2AC: Decent class. The professor (Lightfoot) is very enthusiastic about the subject. The tests are fair and the discussions are pretty easy. It's a great class to fulfill a breadth requirement.

-Psych 2: easy class. The GSI who teaches the course (Rosner) is somewhat monotonous but can be funny at times. The exams are fairly easy and your lowest out of 3 is dropped.

Getting a good GPA in college, and especially at UC Berkeley, is very hard. I didn't realize this until I calculated my possible gpa. In high school, getting an A or A- doesn't affect your GPA. However in college, it does.

In all, I think my first semester in college was a success, regardless of grades and gpa. How, you ask? Well, for one thing, I made a successful transition from home to college. I had so much fun this semester with my roommates and the new friends I made. I was able to see professors who truly cared about their subject matter and was excited to share their knowledge with their students. Too bad my gpa will be abysmal.. hahaha ; )

-K

On Roommates

I could probably fill pages upon pages of things that I was terrified about before coming to college. One of the things that ranked pretty near the top of the list was: Roommates. I come from a small family of four, my family consisting of my parents and my younger sister. So I always had a room to myself and didn't really have to share much. Living in a dorm my freshman year, I knew I would have to share a room, closets, desks, etc with one or two other people. But that wasn't really the problem. I didn't mind sharing space with others. The thing I was worried about was whether or not I would get along with my roommates or whether my room would become a sanctuary or hell. Aspiring to go to medical school, I coveted silence and a studious atmosphere. So naturally, I was quite worried. I wanted my room, although shared, to be a place where I could study and get work done. Others at Cal warned me that this would not happen- that the library would become my best friend as a premed.

So move-in day came along and I was able to finally meet my roommates (I live in a triple). Turns out, I couldn't have asked for better ones. Although, keep in mind, they weren't the ideal roommates I was hoping for (I was hoping for premeds such as myself so that I wouldn't have to worry about studying). My roommates are loud, incredibly funny, fun-loving people. But they're also extremely considerate, caring, and selfless. The three of us eat together, play together, and study together, and that's what makes my time at cal more bearable. When I feel like going to sleep early, my roommates never hesitate to turn the lights off, even when they have work to do. When I want to go out to get something to eat, one of my roommates is always willing to go with me. And when I'm bored or restless, one of them is always on call to hang. Mind you, this doesn't happen 24/7, but it happens often enough that it makes me feel like the three of us are a family, a unit, that was always meant to be.

My roommates are not big party-ers, drinkers, or smokers, but occasionally, they'll go out and do God knows what. And when they do, I get to enjoy a few peaceful hours to myself. And believe me, when you get to college, those hours are like paradise.

But I'm one of the lucky ones. I know a few people who don't interact with their roommates and therefore, have no bonds with them. If that happens, the atmosphere in their room is likely to get very awkward, and frankly, be no fun at all. And then there are those who's roommates are uncontrollable. This, too, can lead to a very awkward atmosphere, but probably more fun than having no interactions with your roommates. ; )

In all, most of you will have roommates that you get along with so don't fret too much. Your roommates will become your best friends at college (if your best friend/s haven't come with you to the college) because you're around each other all the time. It can't be helped (in most cases) : ) So make the most out of it!

One word of advice for incoming freshman: When you find out who your roommates are, try to arrange who gets what and where before you move in- makes moving in a whole lot easier and faster. Also, you won't have to arrive as early and in such a hurry on move-in day.

-K

P.S If you have any questions or would like me to write about something in particular, please feel free to ask!

On Affirmative Action

Affirmative action is a bitch.

In high school, I didn't think it was such a big deal. Sure, colleges might be slightly prone to choosing minority students over majority students I thought. Boy was I wrong... I have never felt so much disdain about being asian-american before, until the rejections came along. And it wouldn't have been so bad if the minority students at my school also got rejected from said schools, but nope. And I wouldn't have felt so bad if they had better academic standing or had better extracurriculars, but once again.. nope... I had a few friends in high school who were applying to the same colleges that I was applying to. We had similar test scores but I had much more 'promising' extra currics than my friends did. To my surprise, my friends got accepted into schools that I got rejected from. I was baffled. I read their personal statements and didn't feel they outshone mine too much (my test scores and extra curriculars are posted on my previous posts). But then I realized, my friends were minorities. That realization was a big blow to my ego. Now I realize that race isn't the only factor that plays in college admissions, but man, it's a big one.

Asians (this includes Indians as well) have to outshine the brightest minority applicants ten-fold. They also have to do better than the best of the applicants. Why? Because there are so many over-qualified asians applying to the same schools you are applying to (this entails top tier privates and Ivies). In addition to race, it seems like the more you suffered in life, the better your chances will be when applying to colleges.

However, one set of schools diverge from this criteria: UCs. UC schools do not practice affirmative action (thankfully). Unfortunately, my friends who got accepted into the schools I also applied to mentioned above, got rejected from the UC schools that I got accepted into. Weird isn't it?

Will this ever change? I don't think so. And as much as I hate affirmative action, I feel like like it's almost necessary- almost. If schools didn't practice affirmative action, asians would dominate every school in the US. And where would the diversity go? Would everyone get a fair shot at the same schools? So for those of you just applying to colleges, don't be too disheartened if you get rejected from your dream school. And for those of you who are attending a college that was not your first (or second or fifth) choice, just remember that no one really looks at your undergrad school. Do the best at the place you're at and focus on getting into a good graduate school, because in the end, that's what counts (easier said than done).

-K

On Applying to College

Over the weekend, I went home and attended one of my friend's birthday parties. There were a lot of high school seniors there who asked a lot of questions on the college application process and med school. So, here are a few things you should know about applying to college:

1. The Essay
I know a lot of people say this, but write about something you are passionate about because it shows. Also, write your essay as if you're talking to a person or writing in a diary. The better the words flow, the more your personality shows through. Another thing, try to write about something unique, a topic that not everyone talks about. Do you have any experiences that helped shape who you are today? Or do you have a special talent that helped you grow, or a special person in your life perhaps that really impacted you? In all, I think the adcoms want to see why they should pick you above the others. So give them a reason to. : )

2. SAT SAT SAT
Throughout my years of high school, people told me test scores aren't everything- that colleges will look for well roundedness just as importantly as test scores. I don't think this is quite true. My opinion is: If your scores don't make their cut, then they won't seriously look at anything else. Moral of the story: SAT/ACT scores are critical. Getting around 1900 and above should be good for UCs, as long as you have extra currics to back you up. While 2200 and above is needed for top tier schools, such as private schools and Ivies. As far as ACTs go, you can think of a 31 as around a 2100. I believe for top tier schools, you need to get around 31~32 and above.

3. Extra Currics
Lets say the adcoms have a pile of applicants with similar test scores. The next thing they will most likely look at is your extra currics (apart from your essay which is, in my opinion, the most crucial part of any application). Once again, they probably want to see what sets you apart from the other applicants. If you have a passion, like juggling, pursue it- write your essay on it ; ). Although, here's something I believe is ironic: make sure you're at least up to par with the other applicants. Meaning, if all the pre-med bio major applicants did volunteering or research, make sure you also have similar activities listed on your application since those activities seem to be pretty standard for bio premed majors.

If you have any further questions about the application process, the essays, or being premed in general, feel free to shoot me an email or comment : )

-K

On Weeder Classes

The one myth that really scared me coming into college was the notorious "weeder classes". These classes included chemistry, biology, and physics I believe. Basically, all the classes all the intended pre-meds sign up for. Unfortunately, being a pre med myself, I will be taking said classes and praying against all hope that I do remotely well in them (meaning, don't fall below a B). Right now, I'm taking chem 1A at berkeley, one of the weeder classes at cal. And so far, it's winning. The second chem midterm that I mentioned in my last post was absolutely ridiculous. I think one girl cried during the test it was so hard. However, the test difficulty varies by year. And since this year seems to be the hard year, next year should be easier, at least that's what the practice test trends are- easy-hard-easy-hard.

We'll see how bio and physics go.

-K

On Being a Pre-Med at Berkeley

I am a first year student at Cal and an intended Integrative Biology major and of course- I'm premed. Here's a bit of background info:

I attended a somewhat competitive public high school in CA, graduating at the top of my class with around a 4.7-4.8 gpa (took 12 AP classes). Throughout high school, I followed the typical formula to get into a good college with med school in mind. So I volunteered, conducted research, did a lot of extracurriculars, and got good grades. However, my SAT/ACT scores fell a bit short with 2100/31 respectively. For those of you still in high school, remember that even though extra currics and gpa are very important for college admissions (especially for UCs), without a good SAT/ACT score, it's very difficult to get into a prestigious private school- such as Ivies (I got waitlisted at some Ivies and private schools). So, with the schools I got accepted into, I was torn between going to UCLA and UC Berkeley (since both schools offered great financial aid). As a premed bound student, I had the same dilemma that many premeds face when considering between UCLA and Cal. For a while, I was set on going to UCLA, mainly because they had a med school on campus, making it easier to get volunteering and clinical exposure. Also, Berkeley is notorious for extreme grade deflation, and that scared me -- a lot. On the other hand, Berkeley is seen as a more "prestigious" school by the general public (although some UCLA-ers might disagree : ) and med schools recognize the difficulty cal students face trying to attain a good gpa (or so they say : ). After writing and re-writing my pro/con list for both schools, I decided to visit UCLA (i've already visited berkeley). Needless to say, I didn't like it very much. Sure, it was beautiful, but Berkeley's culture and historic feel felt more "right" to me. So, it was decided. I was going to go to UC Berkeley.

When I started school in late August, I enrolled in Chem 1A (gen chem), Math 16A (first semester calc I believe?), Scandinavian lit (although changed to Anthro 2AC - don't believe people when they say scan. lit is supposed to be the easiest english class because it was in no way shape or form, easy), and Psych 2 (psych for non-majors). A lot of my friends wondered why I was taking such "easy" classes after taking it tough in high school. My answer: Because I'm pre-med.

A lot of people say not to go into a science major if you are looking to go into medical school since it helps you stand out from the rest of the applicants. However, premed prereqs are hard enough as it is. And you want to add more classes to an already difficult load? That didn't sit well with me. Juggling premed prereqs with a full schedule of classes for your major will be challenging.
I chose Integrative Biology because I always wanted to be a bio major that focused more on macro scale bio rather than micro scale, such as molecular cell biology, and I was fortunate to have my classes for my major overlap my premed prereqs. Problem solved? .. Not quite.

You see, I did well in high school. I didn't think AP classes were very difficult and I assumed that college classes would be similar to my AP classes.... Wrong.... Oh so very wrong...
I had my chemistry midterm a few weeks ago and I completely failed it. I knew the material going into the midterm and felt pretty good about it afterwards. So somewhere in between, disaster struck. For the next few days I went through phases of wanting to drop chem or drop out of school and become a hermit... slightly drastic right? But that's how I felt. I thought to myself "How can I do better on my other midterms if I knew everything on this midterm and still failed it?" So for the next few weeks, I've been getting help anywhere and any time I could, dropping in and out of office hours periodically.
Here's some advice to incoming students at Cal or any other college: DO NOT GIVE UP. A few bombed tests or even a not-so-stellar freshman gpa will not kill your chances at med school (believe me, I researched this for hours : ).

I think I've written enough for my first post. Here's a piece of irony for you.. I have to take my second chemistry midterm today in about 4 hours. Time for some last minute cramming : )
Wish me luck!

-K