<p>Your right Miami, it’s a pretty crazy mental situation. I mean it is my fault that I performed poorly for so long in undergrad before waking up, but now that I finished strong I know I had the ability to do well from day one. </p>
<p>It does hurt a lot that I destroyed my chances for my dream school (Columbia) just because I didn’t wise up when taking gem Chem and ochem, but that’s the past and there isn’t a point in beating myself up over it now.</p>
<p>I just wish people in my culture could be more open minded and accept the fact that I will be a doctor and not try to define me as a “Harvard graduate” for the rest of my life.</p>
<p>browntown123, When DS was applying to a private college in the south (he had not been got in yet when this happened), one of his friends said to him: “Why would you apply to that school? The students there are pretentious!”</p>
<p>A parent whose child was applying in the same year as DS told me in the face that, if my child applies to and goes to one of the XXX schools and I do not “prevent” him from going there, I really do more harm than good to him.</p>
<p>These are just a few anecdotal examples, of course. But it demonstrates that there are just many “sick” people there no matter which side of fences you are in – Some of them may be even close to you. You just need to learn to ignore them.</p>
<p>"I mean it is my fault that I performed poorly for so long in undergrad before waking up, but now that I finished strong I know I had the ability to do well from day one. "</p>
<p>-Do not ever feel sorry for something that cannot be changed. Nobody died, everything else as bad as it could be is a learning experience (positive approach vs. your negativity). Negativity will never ever bring you anywhere in your life no matter what you do. Staying positive and learn from your past experiences is the only way to go, it is not a cliche, it is successful life that you can build with your own hands, nobody can do it for you. Keep this in mind. People who do not see it this way are loosers, do not listen to them. You can be with your family, listen to them, be respectful and more so love them always and take care of them when you are in position to do so. However, you need to keep your own course and get thru the door that is open for you instead of breaking thru the locked ones. Best wishes, keep smiling, it helps.</p>
<p>Thanks Miami, I appreciate that advice and it certainly is true.</p>
<p>Negativity doesn’t help, I would know because I had three years of depression that made me lose my way because of it.</p>
<p>That said it is a lot easier said than done. It just kills me from time to time to know that I could have been in a much better situation if I hadn’t lost sight of my goals from day one in school.</p>
<p>I can deal with the fact that I will never be good enough for Columbia because like you said, I can’t really change the past.</p>
<p>It’s just hard to be around people who judge you and think they are better than you just because you aren’t a graduate from an “elite institution” with a high gpa like the majority of Indian premeds.</p>
<p>I will try my best to shut them out and keep doing what I can to get into med school. I guess punching them in tue face would just be too uncivil.</p>
<p>Also being non Indian must give you a different view on things because it isnt necessary to go to Harvard to be successful which is the way any other rational person should think.</p>
<p>I just hate being Indian, so much stupid ideologies in this culture i don’t even know where to begin.</p>
<p>No, no, say no to yourself. I have been in much worse, it is not easier said than done. If you keep your course, everything else just falls into place. It does. You are not in bad place at all, there are very many (majority) who are mcuh worse off. You should feel priviliged, lucky, thankful. Forget all your obstacles, some others have many many more, just trust me. I am a very old person with very extansive and diverse life experience, I have much wider prospective than many others.</p>
<p>YOU have decided to give this “I’m an Indian” issue too much power. ONLY you are allowing this to happen. No one else can force you give “being Indian” so much power. Many people of Indian descent (or some other demanding cultures) choose to throw off that albatross of unrealistic expectations and make reasonable goals based on “real life”.</p>
<p>You are allowing yourself to be paralyzed by silly expectations/demands. Only complete idiots think that only those who’ve graduated from tippy top med schools are successful. There’s no evidence to back up that crazy thought process.</p>
<p>Repeat after me…Being Indian is not what defines me. Other people are not going to define me. My actions, my hard work and my reasonably set goals will be what defines me. I will define me.</p>
<p>Don’t be silly, be smart.</p>
<p>The best revenge is success. Your success will speak volumes…and it will shut the heck up these crazies.</p>
<p>P.S…I’ve just adopted you…you’re now French/Italian. ;)</p>
<p>Yay!! I’m french italian!! (though I hope im not one of those jersey shore Italians lol). thanks mom2!</p>
<p>But seriously though your right mom2 and I agree with you. Going to a top med school isn’t the only way to be successful in life and I will continue to try and shut these people out (as painfully annoying as it maybe).</p>
<p>However I do regret not doing well initially in undergrad and killing my chances for Columbia but past is the past. No point in moaning over what I can’t change.</p>
<p>My goals from here on out are:</p>
<p>1) since my cgpa is only a 3.3 I’m thinking that I will do a masters and travel abroad to India to do some work in public health.</p>
<p>2) I’m interested in applyying for a Fulbright to India but I’m worried my gpa will hold me back since India is a very competitive country. Anyone have insight into this?</p>
<p>3) if time permits, I may be interested in getting a phd before med school since I would love to do cancer stem cell research and use stem cells as a way to treat cancer - really cool field.</p>
<p>3) I’m gonna work at the local hospital near my new uni and want to work for the hospice service.</p>
<p>These are just a few things I want to do and I know that I’m probably the only Indian to be doing all this before med school. Most of my Indian friends are in bs/MD programs or graduating from top schools and are already going to good led schools. They aren’t shy about making that clear to my face but w/e I don’t care. It my life and I’m French Italian now anyways, so I can be done with the stupid mentality that plaques this stupid race.</p>
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