Topic: My ACT scores have come back.
stickybuns !bENfolDsOU started this discussion 15 years ago #15,676
I made a 29. Are you guys proud of me?
SQUARED :3 !L.....AlN. joined in and replied with this 15 years ago, 3 minutes later[^] [v] #273,040
No.
Anonymous C joined in and replied with this 15 years ago, 1 minute later, 5 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #273,041
Not that impressive really. Try again.
stickybuns !bENfolDsOU (OP) replied with this 15 years ago, 3 minutes later, 8 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #273,042
SQUARED :3 !L.....AlN. replied with this 15 years ago, 1 minute later, 9 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #273,043
Killer Lettuce !!iNo3FkiZx joined in and replied with this 15 years ago, 2 minutes later, 11 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #273,045
I don't know what ACT is, so no.
Anonymous E joined in and replied with this 15 years ago, 10 minutes later, 22 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #273,048
that's pretty good, it's not ivy league good but you'll still get into a good state school provided you have a high GPA
Anonymous F joined in and replied with this 15 years ago, 24 seconds later, 23 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #273,049
That's a pretty good score, stickybuns.
stickybuns !bENfolDsOU (OP) replied with this 15 years ago, 3 minutes later, 27 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #273,051
@273,048 (E)
It's my first time taking it, so I'm going to work on getting it up when I take it again in March. My only real problem areas were math and science (mostly because I hadn't had much of the math on the test like trig). And my GPA was a 4.0 until some fucking chemistry class which i scored one point below an A :/ So it's shit now.
@previous (F)
Thank you, mon ami.
It's my first time taking it, so I'm going to work on getting it up when I take it again in March. My only real problem areas were math and science (mostly because I hadn't had much of the math on the test like trig). And my GPA was a 4.0 until some fucking chemistry class which i scored one point below an A :/ So it's shit now.
@previous (F)
Thank you, mon ami.
Anonymous E replied with this 15 years ago, 1 minute later, 28 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #273,052
@previous (stickybuns !bENfolDsOU)
Try for a 30 or a 31, that will make a huge difference.
What schools are you thinking about?
Try for a 30 or a 31, that will make a huge difference.
What schools are you thinking about?
stickybuns !bENfolDsOU (OP) replied with this 15 years ago, 6 minutes later, 35 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #273,055
@previous (E)
I'm confident I'll be able to get that. I took it this time with writing as well, so I'm sure I'll get that next time. I've made a 32 on science before in a practice ACT, so I know I can get my science score much higher than the 24 it is now.
I haven't narrowed it down, honestly. I'm putting thought into McGill University in Montreal, and also into The New School in NYC. I'd love to get into somewhere like Stanford or Carnegie-Mellon, but I don't foresee that happening. I just want to get away from Tennessee; I don't want to stay in the South forever.
I'm confident I'll be able to get that. I took it this time with writing as well, so I'm sure I'll get that next time. I've made a 32 on science before in a practice ACT, so I know I can get my science score much higher than the 24 it is now.
I haven't narrowed it down, honestly. I'm putting thought into McGill University in Montreal, and also into The New School in NYC. I'd love to get into somewhere like Stanford or Carnegie-Mellon, but I don't foresee that happening. I just want to get away from Tennessee; I don't want to stay in the South forever.
Anonymous F replied with this 15 years ago, 30 minutes later, 1 hour after the original post[^] [v] #273,057
@previous (stickybuns !bENfolDsOU)
If your end goal is something beyond a bachelor's, you don't necessarily need to jump directly to your dream school.
If your end goal is something beyond a bachelor's, you don't necessarily need to jump directly to your dream school.
stickybuns !bENfolDsOU (OP) replied with this 15 years ago, 2 minutes later, 1 hour after the original post[^] [v] #273,059
@previous (F)
I do plan on going to a masters or Doctorate. I've heard that it's better to go to the same school for all of it, and not switch schools. is that not true?
I do plan on going to a masters or Doctorate. I've heard that it's better to go to the same school for all of it, and not switch schools. is that not true?
Anonymous G joined in and replied with this 15 years ago, 1 minute later, 1 hour after the original post[^] [v] #273,060
@previous (stickybuns !bENfolDsOU)
These days, I'd say it's pretty retarded spend more than four or five years in college, but whatever floats your boat
These days, I'd say it's pretty retarded spend more than four or five years in college, but whatever floats your boat
stickybuns !bENfolDsOU (OP) replied with this 15 years ago, 1 minute later, 1 hour after the original post[^] [v] #273,061
@previous (G)
Well I'm going to be a failure in the real world anyway, so I might as well learn some shit before then.
Well I'm going to be a failure in the real world anyway, so I might as well learn some shit before then.
Anonymous G replied with this 15 years ago, 1 minute later, 1 hour after the original post[^] [v] #273,062
stickybuns !bENfolDsOU (OP) replied with this 15 years ago, 1 minute later, 1 hour after the original post[^] [v] #273,063
@previous (G)
I like the way you think. I could do that.
If I seem really inept when it comes to college knowledge, it's because I am. Very very few people in my family have college educations, so I really have no idea what to expect.
I like the way you think. I could do that.
If I seem really inept when it comes to college knowledge, it's because I am. Very very few people in my family have college educations, so I really have no idea what to expect.
cccuuunnttt !CaTLdYmooc joined in and replied with this 15 years ago, 15 seconds later, 1 hour after the original post[^] [v] #273,064
@273,059 (stickybuns !bENfolDsOU)
No, it's the opposite ime/imo. You want to build as big an academic network as possible, and be exposed to different ideas. People who do all their academic work at one school develop a very insular view of the discipline and don't get the benefit of having more contacts when they go back to get recommendations, jobs, etc.
No, it's the opposite ime/imo. You want to build as big an academic network as possible, and be exposed to different ideas. People who do all their academic work at one school develop a very insular view of the discipline and don't get the benefit of having more contacts when they go back to get recommendations, jobs, etc.
stickybuns !bENfolDsOU (OP) replied with this 15 years ago, 2 minutes later, 1 hour after the original post[^] [v] #273,065
@previous (cccuuunnttt !CaTLdYmooc)
I never thought of it that way. That's a really great point. The more people I know and the wider my knowledge of my subject, the better off I'll be when looking for jobs and such. I really never thought of that. Thank you!
I never thought of it that way. That's a really great point. The more people I know and the wider my knowledge of my subject, the better off I'll be when looking for jobs and such. I really never thought of that. Thank you!
Anonymous G replied with this 15 years ago, 20 minutes later, 1 hour after the original post[^] [v] #273,069
@previous (stickybuns !bENfolDsOU)What's important is that you develop skills necessary to seek employment. College does not guarantee a financially and socially secure future.
Anonymous F replied with this 15 years ago, 6 minutes later, 1 hour after the original post[^] [v] #273,073
derp
(Edited 9 minutes later.)
Anonymous F double-posted this 15 years ago, 11 minutes later, 1 hour after the original post[^] [v] #273,082
@273,059 (stickybuns !bENfolDsOU)
Okay, whenever I try to post this reply, I get an error. I put it in a fucking pastebin.
Okay, whenever I try to post this reply, I get an error. I put it in a fucking pastebin.
(Edited 3 minutes later.)
Anonymous I joined in and replied with this 15 years ago, 11 minutes later, 2 hours after the original post[^] [v] #273,084
@273,059 (stickybuns !bENfolDsOU)
That's horrible advice. It's called intellectual inbreeding, seriously. Academia encourages, and expects that you do undergrad and post-grad work at different institutions. Where you do your undergrad work doesn't matter as much as you might think.
What field of study are you planning?
That's horrible advice. It's called intellectual inbreeding, seriously. Academia encourages, and expects that you do undergrad and post-grad work at different institutions. Where you do your undergrad work doesn't matter as much as you might think.
What field of study are you planning?
stickybuns !bENfolDsOU (OP) replied with this 15 years ago, 2 hours later, 4 hours after the original post[^] [v] #273,210
@273,082 (F)
Ahh, okay. I guess a lot of the graduate-level stuff I need to figure out on a college-to-college level (and probably after I get an undergrad degree).
@previous (I)
I've heard from a number of people that where you get your undergrad degree doesn't really matter, though I still really want to go somewhere nice for those 4 years. It's kind of a matter of pride, no matter how silly that may be. Sure, a degree may be basically the same regardless of school, but I still want to go somewhere nice and respected. I don't want to be one of those people who goes to the local state school and then never goes on to bigger and better things. I want to start big and keep going, so to speak :/
I've not entirely narrowed it down yet, but my heart is currently tugging towards psychology and journalism stuff. If I go the psych route, I'll definitely have to go to graduate school to get a doctorate and also to med school so I can prescribe meds and such.
In terms of journalism, I have a lot of options. Large organizations prefer (from my research) people with some sort of specialty (they'd prefer someone with a degree in economics to write about economics topics rather than someone with solely a journalism degree). I considered majoring in communication with minors in economics or polisci (or maybe philosophy) and then going to a graduate-level journalism degree (which some schools offer). I'd have a base for the journalism degree in the communications major and knowledge in other fields to broaden the scope of my writing through the minors. And with that degree path I could also take 'unrelated' classes to broaden my knowledge to write about. Like, I'd love to take a course in eastern European history. Alone that'd be useless, but with something else I could use that to give me an edge in certain types of journalism (albeit not many).
But I'm not really knowledgable about any of this stuff, so the insight of someone who knows what they're talking about would be appreciated.
Ahh, okay. I guess a lot of the graduate-level stuff I need to figure out on a college-to-college level (and probably after I get an undergrad degree).
@previous (I)
I've heard from a number of people that where you get your undergrad degree doesn't really matter, though I still really want to go somewhere nice for those 4 years. It's kind of a matter of pride, no matter how silly that may be. Sure, a degree may be basically the same regardless of school, but I still want to go somewhere nice and respected. I don't want to be one of those people who goes to the local state school and then never goes on to bigger and better things. I want to start big and keep going, so to speak :/
I've not entirely narrowed it down yet, but my heart is currently tugging towards psychology and journalism stuff. If I go the psych route, I'll definitely have to go to graduate school to get a doctorate and also to med school so I can prescribe meds and such.
In terms of journalism, I have a lot of options. Large organizations prefer (from my research) people with some sort of specialty (they'd prefer someone with a degree in economics to write about economics topics rather than someone with solely a journalism degree). I considered majoring in communication with minors in economics or polisci (or maybe philosophy) and then going to a graduate-level journalism degree (which some schools offer). I'd have a base for the journalism degree in the communications major and knowledge in other fields to broaden the scope of my writing through the minors. And with that degree path I could also take 'unrelated' classes to broaden my knowledge to write about. Like, I'd love to take a course in eastern European history. Alone that'd be useless, but with something else I could use that to give me an edge in certain types of journalism (albeit not many).
But I'm not really knowledgable about any of this stuff, so the insight of someone who knows what they're talking about would be appreciated.
Anonymous F replied with this 15 years ago, 35 minutes later, 4 hours after the original post[^] [v] #273,236
@previous (stickybuns !bENfolDsOU)
You probably want to start getting interested in the details of a grad program around junior/senior year in college. (because, yeah, people change their minds a lot about what they want to do over the course of their schooling) By knowing the requirements for programs that interest you, you can better tailor the end of your college experience toward meeting those goals. (GREs, becoming involved in relevant research/internships, making an impression on professors who can write you letters of recommendation, etc.)
If you plan on going for an advanced degree, then your undergrad institution generally isn't so important. A lot of the general education stuff is mostly the same shit and can be done anywhere as long as you learn it. It doesn't hurt to make it into a nice school for undergrad, but you're just doing undergrad stuff there - it doesn't have to be the place you want to end up.
If you plan on jumping into a career after getting a bachelor's or just want to keep that option open, then going to a school with a good name probably matters more.
tl;dr: Get into a nice school for undergrad, but don't worry if it's not your dream school for a graduate program.
You probably want to start getting interested in the details of a grad program around junior/senior year in college. (because, yeah, people change their minds a lot about what they want to do over the course of their schooling) By knowing the requirements for programs that interest you, you can better tailor the end of your college experience toward meeting those goals. (GREs, becoming involved in relevant research/internships, making an impression on professors who can write you letters of recommendation, etc.)
If you plan on going for an advanced degree, then your undergrad institution generally isn't so important. A lot of the general education stuff is mostly the same shit and can be done anywhere as long as you learn it. It doesn't hurt to make it into a nice school for undergrad, but you're just doing undergrad stuff there - it doesn't have to be the place you want to end up.
If you plan on jumping into a career after getting a bachelor's or just want to keep that option open, then going to a school with a good name probably matters more.
tl;dr: Get into a nice school for undergrad, but don't worry if it's not your dream school for a graduate program.
(Edited 1 minute later.)
Anonymous I replied with this 15 years ago, 38 minutes later, 5 hours after the original post[^] [v] #273,248
@273,210 (stickybuns !bENfolDsOU)
> I've not entirely narrowed it down yet, but my heart is currently tugging towards psychology and journalism stuff. If I go the psych route, I'll definitely have to go to graduate school to get a doctorate and also to med school so I can prescribe meds and such
Yeah, psychology != psychiatry. Big difference, don't get them confused :p
If you go the medschool route, you have a lot of options for what you can major in as an undergraduate. Engineering, mathematics, biochemistry, and many many other degrees will work as long as you make sure you take the appropriate courses required for med schools. And don't put off studying for the MCAT.
Can't speak for the journalism side of things.
> I've not entirely narrowed it down yet, but my heart is currently tugging towards psychology and journalism stuff. If I go the psych route, I'll definitely have to go to graduate school to get a doctorate and also to med school so I can prescribe meds and such
Yeah, psychology != psychiatry. Big difference, don't get them confused :p
If you go the medschool route, you have a lot of options for what you can major in as an undergraduate. Engineering, mathematics, biochemistry, and many many other degrees will work as long as you make sure you take the appropriate courses required for med schools. And don't put off studying for the MCAT.
Can't speak for the journalism side of things.
Fox !FXYGNx1XR. joined in and replied with this 15 years ago, 6 minutes later, 5 hours after the original post[^] [v] #273,249
29's okay, I guess
stickybuns !bENfolDsOU (OP) replied with this 15 years ago, 6 minutes later, 5 hours after the original post[^] [v] #273,253
@273,236 (F)
See I don't know exactly if I'll go on to a graduate program (though I'd like to), so I want that nice school to aid in a job search.
@273,248 (I)
From my understanding, you need your PhD in psychology and a medical degree to be a psychiatrist. O_o
Honestly, I don't even know if that's a route I want to go down. My big desire in that is to work in a large metropolitan area and focusing on Teenagers and young adults dealing with depression, eating disorders, etc. I don't know the feasibility of that, but that's what I'd like to do..
I really wish I didn't have to take things solely to get a job. I genuinely want to learn things in college. If cost wasn't a factor, I'd go for as long as possible taking courses in everything I could. I enjoy learning, but most of the things I want to study most are useless.
See I don't know exactly if I'll go on to a graduate program (though I'd like to), so I want that nice school to aid in a job search.
@273,248 (I)
From my understanding, you need your PhD in psychology and a medical degree to be a psychiatrist. O_o
Honestly, I don't even know if that's a route I want to go down. My big desire in that is to work in a large metropolitan area and focusing on Teenagers and young adults dealing with depression, eating disorders, etc. I don't know the feasibility of that, but that's what I'd like to do..
I really wish I didn't have to take things solely to get a job. I genuinely want to learn things in college. If cost wasn't a factor, I'd go for as long as possible taking courses in everything I could. I enjoy learning, but most of the things I want to study most are useless.
Anonymous C replied with this 15 years ago, 1 minute later, 5 hours after the original post[^] [v] #273,254
@previous (stickybuns !bENfolDsOU)
No, a psychiatrist is simply an MD who does a psychiatry residency. No PhD.
No, a psychiatrist is simply an MD who does a psychiatry residency. No PhD.
stickybuns !bENfolDsOU (OP) replied with this 15 years ago, 1 minute later, 5 hours after the original post[^] [v] #273,255
@previous (C)
I misheard my psychology teacher then. Psychologist requires a PhD, and psychiatrist requires a MD. I thought Psychiatrist was like an extension of psychologist..
I misheard my psychology teacher then. Psychologist requires a PhD, and psychiatrist requires a MD. I thought Psychiatrist was like an extension of psychologist..
Anonymous I replied with this 15 years ago, 2 minutes later, 5 hours after the original post[^] [v] #273,256
@273,253 (stickybuns !bENfolDsOU)
> My big desire in that is to work in a large metropolitan area and focusing on Teenagers and young adults dealing with depression, eating disorders, etc.
Sounds like you'd enjoy being a psychologist more than a psychiatrist. Modern psychiatrists don't really do counseling, it's mostly just ask questions, try to diagnose a patient with something and then medicate them. It's rare for a psychiatrist to talk and counsel like a psychologist does.
But there's also the prestige. Psychology isn't quite as prestigious as psychiatry since it requires a PhD and not an MD, which can be easier to get... it varies a lot more than an MD.
> My big desire in that is to work in a large metropolitan area and focusing on Teenagers and young adults dealing with depression, eating disorders, etc.
Sounds like you'd enjoy being a psychologist more than a psychiatrist. Modern psychiatrists don't really do counseling, it's mostly just ask questions, try to diagnose a patient with something and then medicate them. It's rare for a psychiatrist to talk and counsel like a psychologist does.
But there's also the prestige. Psychology isn't quite as prestigious as psychiatry since it requires a PhD and not an MD, which can be easier to get... it varies a lot more than an MD.
Anonymous C replied with this 15 years ago, 41 seconds later, 5 hours after the original post[^] [v] #273,257
@273,255 (stickybuns !bENfolDsOU)
No, they have completely different approaches. And psychiatry is one of the shittiest specialties you can go into if you're going to the trouble of med school.
No, they have completely different approaches. And psychiatry is one of the shittiest specialties you can go into if you're going to the trouble of med school.
Anonymous I replied with this 15 years ago, 1 minute later, 5 hours after the original post[^] [v] #273,258
@previous (C)
Yep. And MDs are a presumptuous bunch, by nature. You won't be looked up to, at least by other MDs.
Yep. And MDs are a presumptuous bunch, by nature. You won't be looked up to, at least by other MDs.
(Edited 15 seconds later.)
stickybuns !bENfolDsOU (OP) replied with this 15 years ago, 2 minutes later, 5 hours after the original post[^] [v] #273,259
@273,256 (I)
I think my desire for psychiatry came from my idea of psychiatry being psychologist+. Now that I have a better understanding of the differences, I think you're right.
I don't really care about the prestige, I just want to be able to both help people and make a good living from it.
@273,257 (C)
What makes it one of the shittiest specialties?
I think my desire for psychiatry came from my idea of psychiatry being psychologist+. Now that I have a better understanding of the differences, I think you're right.
I don't really care about the prestige, I just want to be able to both help people and make a good living from it.
@273,257 (C)
What makes it one of the shittiest specialties?
Anonymous C replied with this 15 years ago, 14 minutes later, 6 hours after the original post[^] [v] #273,262
@previous (stickybuns !bENfolDsOU)
Pay, lifestyle, prestige, nature of the work. It's filled with foreigners and people do badly in med school, including those who had to go to the Caribbean to go to med school at all. Prestige of fields is kind of a fashion though, it changes.
It's also ridiculously competitive to even get into a decent, funded clinical psych program currently (much more so than grad programs in other fields, I think it has to do with APA accreditation requirements limiting the number of seats). If you're interested in it, you need to start planning pretty soon in college and get research experience asap... I wouldn't wait till junior or senior year in college to think about it. PsyD programs exist also and are less competitive, but expensive (generally unfunded) and a bad idea career-wise.
Pay, lifestyle, prestige, nature of the work. It's filled with foreigners and people do badly in med school, including those who had to go to the Caribbean to go to med school at all. Prestige of fields is kind of a fashion though, it changes.
It's also ridiculously competitive to even get into a decent, funded clinical psych program currently (much more so than grad programs in other fields, I think it has to do with APA accreditation requirements limiting the number of seats). If you're interested in it, you need to start planning pretty soon in college and get research experience asap... I wouldn't wait till junior or senior year in college to think about it. PsyD programs exist also and are less competitive, but expensive (generally unfunded) and a bad idea career-wise.
(Edited 45 seconds later.)
stickybuns !bENfolDsOU (OP) replied with this 15 years ago, 11 minutes later, 6 hours after the original post[^] [v] #273,268
@previous (C)
I'm starting to think I don't want to be a psychiatrist now. I'm not even sure why I want to be, other than the helping teens thing. I think it's because I like science, but I'm not talented in the natural sciences. Psych is a social science, so there's less math and shit involved. I'm better in humanities and such, like history and English. I just find science cooler.
I'm starting to think I don't want to be a psychiatrist now. I'm not even sure why I want to be, other than the helping teens thing. I think it's because I like science, but I'm not talented in the natural sciences. Psych is a social science, so there's less math and shit involved. I'm better in humanities and such, like history and English. I just find science cooler.
Anonymous C replied with this 15 years ago, 2 minutes later, 6 hours after the original post[^] [v] #273,269
stickybuns !bENfolDsOU (OP) replied with this 15 years ago, 1 minute later, 6 hours after the original post[^] [v] #273,270
Anonymous I replied with this 15 years ago, 34 minutes later, 6 hours after the original post[^] [v] #273,280
@273,262 (C)
> If you're interested in it, you need to start planning pretty soon in college and get research experience asap..
Agreed. Summer internships are a great use of OP's time. Apply for them after the fall semester of your freshman year. Typically called "research experiences for undergraduates" (REUs). the NSF, NIH, HHMI, and many other organizations fund these things. Housing and everything. Great way to check out new schools too for ~10 weeks.
> If you're interested in it, you need to start planning pretty soon in college and get research experience asap..
Agreed. Summer internships are a great use of OP's time. Apply for them after the fall semester of your freshman year. Typically called "research experiences for undergraduates" (REUs). the NSF, NIH, HHMI, and many other organizations fund these things. Housing and everything. Great way to check out new schools too for ~10 weeks.
Anonymous I double-posted this 15 years ago, 1 minute later, 6 hours after the original post[^] [v] #273,281
@273,270 (stickybuns !bENfolDsOU)
It's not that bad. High school science doesn't do science justice. They try to cram in a lot of concepts and just skim over it all. College courses go into more detail and you understand exactly why an equation or procedure works. At least that was my high school experience. Maybe you went to a better highschool :)
It's not that bad. High school science doesn't do science justice. They try to cram in a lot of concepts and just skim over it all. College courses go into more detail and you understand exactly why an equation or procedure works. At least that was my high school experience. Maybe you went to a better highschool :)
(Edited 21 seconds later.)
stickybuns !bENfolDsOU (OP) replied with this 15 years ago, 5 minutes later, 6 hours after the original post[^] [v] #273,283
@273,280 (I)
I'll definitely be looking at internships regardless of my area of study. That's a big reason I like the journalism route, because of the variety of places I could intern. I'm a great writer from what i've been told O_o
@previous (I)
That's why I think I'd like science in college more. I'd much prefer learning a handful of things in-depth than cram a load of concepts in without going into the why's of them.
I'll definitely be looking at internships regardless of my area of study. That's a big reason I like the journalism route, because of the variety of places I could intern. I'm a great writer from what i've been told O_o
@previous (I)
That's why I think I'd like science in college more. I'd much prefer learning a handful of things in-depth than cram a load of concepts in without going into the why's of them.
Anonymous K joined in and replied with this 15 years ago, 13 hours later, 20 hours after the original post[^] [v] #273,632
@previous (stickybuns !bENfolDsOU)
I had some shit to say but my Goddamn phone won't post it. Watevs. Good luck bro
I had some shit to say but my Goddamn phone won't post it. Watevs. Good luck bro