Dear Reader II

Hey K, this blog is incredible and exactly what I need right now. I'm going to Cal this fall and majoring in Integrative Bio, just like you. I just had a few questions: 1. you mentioned in a previous post that an A is different than an A- in college, whereas in high school they're weighted the same when calculating GPA-- could you explain that a little? 2. how much time do you spend studying/reading/doing homework each day? (are you a bad procrastinator?) haha :) 3. what do you do in your spare time (if you have any)? 4. ... are you male or female? 5. Looking back on your first semester, is there anything you would change? would you do anything differently? Thank you so much!! you're a lifesaver.

Dear Anonymous,

So glad I could help! :D

1. In high school, there is no difference between an A and an A-. If you get three A's and three A-'s on a report card in high school, then your GPA is a 4.0. If you get the same grades in college, it's lower (depending on how many units each class is worth). There is no difference in grade points between an A and an A+, but there is a difference between an A and an A-. For example, let's say in college, you took three classes, each worth 4 units. If you get A's in all three classes, your GPA would be a 4.0. However, if you got one A-, then your GPA would be a 3.9. Unfair, isn't it? ; ) 

2. How much time I spend studying/reading/doing homework is difficult to say. There are periods of time when I spend five/six hours straight just studying and/or doing work (but that's when I have midterms/finals coming up). Other times, I work for an hour or two and then take a break. In all, after my classes, I make sure to dedicate a good portion of my day to getting my work done because after 8 pm or so, my will to work leaves me hahaha. (This is not including the study groups I go to- which take up even more time). Also, living in Unit 3, it was difficult to study after that time since my floor was really social and people would come into our room periodically and sit there talking (I'm not a big library person). (I tend not to procrastinate too much ; ) 

3. In my spare time, I hang out with my roommates/floormmates/friends. My roommate and I like to watch movies so we spend a lot of time doing that. I also go get Boba with my friends frequently, or yogurt. Sometimes we go to SF :). I don't drink or party much, but my roommates go a few times a month, either to the frats or to the clubs in SF (and they also have full class loads- although not premed, one is taking all the premed classes). Karaoke is always fun, albeit a bit pricey. However, keep in mind that this is not every day. There are some days that I stay in my room the entire day, although not that often. There isn't really a dull moment here; you can always find something to do : )

4. I am female : ) 

5. I can either give you a philosophical answer or a straight forward answer to this question hahaha. My philosophical answer would be- no, I wouldn't do anything differently or change anything, because then I wouldn't have anything to grow from. My first year was an intense learning experience for me, and a very humbling one at that. However, a straight forward answer would be- yes, I would change a few things if I could. First, I wouldn't go into my first midterm with a big head. Since the lectures were a breeze, I naturally thought the test would be too. Make sure to take your time and use ALL the time they give you to double/triple/quadruple check your answers. Go to professor office hours and SLC study groups religiously. Take advantage of drop-in tutoring! Also, don't freak out if you fail your first/second/third midterm, most likely, many others did too ; ). Do ALL of the practice tests they offer and get familiar with the testing style of your teacher-fast. Study during thanksgiving/spring break (easier said than done). And lastly, don't be afraid to have a little fun. Make sure you indulge in the complete college experience when you can. Go to a frat party, join a club, do an intramural sport, volunteer, take fun classes- classes that you actually want to take- not just GPA boosters ; ). This is the only time when you will be able to. Get close to your roommates/floormates- you'll be stuck with them for a year and most likely, they'll become some of your closest friends. 

Your first year will go by quickly so make sure to enjoy every minute of it! 

I hope this helps! Have a great summer and see you next year! 

From,

K 

Dear Reader I

Hey K! LOVE YOUR BLOG! Its EXACTLY what I've been googling for these past few months! I have a few questions and concerns, and would love some advice in return! Well, I've been accepted 2 UCB as a fall freshman as a MCB major, on the obvious PREMED path.. I'm definitely, definitely, without a doubt, interested in GOING to med school. Becoming a doctor is my goal and I won't survive without becoming a doctor. I graduated as salutatorian, at a pretty competitive private school, with 4 APS and a 2100 on my SAT. I LOVE Berkeley... its always been my dream school (after Brown- but didn't get accepted :( ). As much as I really want to go to Berkeley, I'm really frightened by premed, as a whole. Premed is just an undetermined path to medicine- I'm constantly worried over whether or not I'll get into med school (ANY MED SCHOOL) after four years of studying hardcore like a maniac. I'm going to take a huge risk, for something that is very out of reach. According to the stats found in UCB's Career Center, only 50/120 students actually get into med school and thats ABOVE THE NATIONAL PERCENTILE! Woowzer! Those statistics are just hard to get over! A safe school, like USC, only accepts 11/100 students that actually apply! You see, I have the chance of going to a 7-year med program (definite entry into medicine the moment I enroll) in an international country. The problem with such a school is that I HATE it! The environment, the people, the quality eduction- is just unbearable! But on the up side, its a straight away ticket to medicine (a huge bonus in my factor)... Now, my problem is this, should I go and risk my career by going to Berkeley (and possibly not get into med school) or go to a 7-year, decent, program that declares me a physician the moment I enter (because failing is not an option!)...? So, to you I ask, how is premed really? Is it possible to get As and maintain a 3.9 gpa at Berkeley, without losing your mind? does grade deflation actually exist? What choice would you make? DETAILS please and thank you! -Erica PS Sorry for the length of the message! and LOVE THE BLOG!

Dear Erica (I hope you don't mind your comment being published ;) 

Everyone is afraid of getting into med school at one time or another because, you're right, it's very difficult to get into (a decent med school anyway). However, you don't need a 3.9 GPA or all A's to get into a med school. And realistically, it's near impossibly to attain it, especially for a pre-med student. If you look at the stats for US med schools, a lot of people get into decent schools with 3.5 GPAs and MCAT scores of over 30. If you're looking to get into, let's say, UCSF or Harvard med, then perhaps higher scores are needed. But keep in mind that GPA and the MCAT aren't everything. Extracurrics and the interviews are also extremely important. That being said, you're not going to want to study like a maniac 24/7. You're going to want to experience what college is really like (I hope :), go to parties, participate in sports/clubs, and do other various activities, including volunteering, research, etc. The dilemma with the 7-year program is a tough call and one that I'm reluctant to answer since this is an extremely important decision that you will have to make and one that will affect your life forever. So my advice is this: don't be afraid to take risks and challenges- be it at berkeley or at the 7-year program. If you feel like you will be miserable for the next 7 years if you decide to go with the program and you will regret not going to berkeley, then perhaps going to that program is not the best idea. Being premed at Berkeley is not a walk in the park. You have to put in a lot of time and effort into it- much more than in high school- because everything is different in college- the way the tests are written, the way the lectures are given, the way you have to study- everything. But you get used to it after a while, and things become less frightening as time goes on. Being a premed doesn't mean the end of a social life. If you're smart enough to get into berkeley, then you're smart enough to manage your time wisely ; ) As for grade deflation, Berkeley is known for its grade deflation, which is to say that getting better grades here might be slightly more difficult than getting good grades at other schools. The curves are difficult since all the premeds take similar classes at once and Berkeley isn't afraid to give you failing grades (whereas some private schools withdraw you from a potentially failing class). Nevertheless, Berkeley has some pretty amazing professors who will blow your mind. The ideas you come across, the environment you are exposed to is quite unlike any other (but then again, i might be slightly bias ;) I chose Berkeley over other schools because it was the best fit for me. Sure, I oftentimes wondered what it would have been like to go to a different school, but in the end, I never regretted my choice of coming to Cal, and for that, I am truly thankful. If you decide to go with the program with the mindset that you will be miserable there, then there is a greater likelihood that you will be. So if you choose that school, then go with an open mind and a positive outlook (you'll thank me for it later ;). Yes, Berkeley will be challenging, but if you REALLY want to go to med school, then I'm sure you'll find a way to make that happen if you decide to come to Cal. Like I said before, don't be afraid- there are so many students who will go through the challenges with you :) My advice is to go where you will be happy and have no regrets later- afterall, you only go through college once :) If you come to Cal, there will be a lot of help waiting for you and you will have to work like you've never worked before. But with that comes the opportunity to see how far you can go, a chance to attend a med school where you will be happy at, even if it's not a great med school (and i'm sure you'll be able to get into A med school ;). And if you choose to go to through with the 7-year program, make sure to go with a positive attitude and an open mind. Wherever you decide to go, you'll have a great experience! Sorry for not being more of a help-I know it's going to be an extremely difficult decision so if you have any other questions or concerns that I can help you with, don't hesitate to ask!  I hope you have a great rest of the summer and good luck with making your decision! 

Wishing you the best,

K 

On the Summer After

So you just finished high school. Now what?
My advice: enjoy every bit of this summer. It'll pass way too quickly and before you know it, you'll be working your brains out for your first midterm.
The summer after I graduated from high school, I traveled to Korea and stayed with my grandparents for around two months, along with my cousin. When I was there, my grandparents, as a graduation gift, bought tickets to go to Hong Kong and Macau! So the four of us, my grandparents, my cousin, and myself took a tour of Hong Kong, and I must say, it was very very hot and humid hahaha. When we got back, the rest of my family and my uncle's family arrived in Korea and all of us went on a trip to Phuket, Thailand (also very hot and humid). Then we took a tour of north Korea, going all the way to the DMZ (the demilitarized zone between south and north Korea).

During our stay in Korea, a family friend, who happened to be a PD working for SBS (Korean TV channel) gave us tickets to go see Ooh Cha Sa (Korean televised comedy show), which was amazing since we got to go back stage and meet the actors (when I went to Korea this past winter, I went to see the Korean variety show Star King). In all, that summer was truly unforgettable and I was semi-ready to buckle down and tackle whatever challenges Berkeley had to offer. Or so I thought ; )

Remember to cherish every moment with your family and friends. Although you may be dying to move out of the house and start your life as an independent college student, remember that your time with the ones you love is very limited. Make sure you leave your home on a good note- help your parents around the house and siblings, have lunch with your friends often, take lots of pictures- both stupid and fun. This is your only summer where you are finished with everything and have everything to look forward to- make it last :D

-K