The Extra Points
I had a conversation with some of my pre-med friends before a biology discussion section. Many of my friends had ambitious schedules for the next semester, quite similar to mine, yet complained that their involvement in a term-time job would interfere with their studying and academic success. They mentioned having to drop certain classes and potentially change their entire course of study if things didn’t work out.
After this discussion, I pretty much realized that I was primarily successful as a pre-med student because I had something my less-privileged peers lacked: time. I had the time to ensure that I was able to get the extra points needed for an A in a pre-med class instead of an A-. I had the time to engage in meaningful, pre-med related extracurriculars for my own benefit, rather than working jobs for the purposes of paying a bill. I was paying for my additional time with money. They weren’t.
People tend to claim that as Yale students progress from freshman to senior year the community of pre-meds tends to shrink, due to waning student interest, rigor of the course load, and just general student desire for something less neurotic. However, I do know that there will be some of my peers who will quit because they don’t have time. They don’t have time because it’s apparently not included in the financial aid reward.
After this discussion, I pretty much realized that I was primarily successful as a pre-med student because I had something my less-privileged peers lacked: time. I had the time to ensure that I was able to get the extra points needed for an A in a pre-med class instead of an A-. I had the time to engage in meaningful, pre-med related extracurriculars for my own benefit, rather than working jobs for the purposes of paying a bill. I was paying for my additional time with money. They weren’t.
People tend to claim that as Yale students progress from freshman to senior year the community of pre-meds tends to shrink, due to waning student interest, rigor of the course load, and just general student desire for something less neurotic. However, I do know that there will be some of my peers who will quit because they don’t have time. They don’t have time because it’s apparently not included in the financial aid reward.
