I am having pc issues and after finishing this response I lost the whole thing before I could post it >=[
So here it goes again...!
I am usually not on this side of the block because it is cricket quiet but thank for starting this interesting thread! I made notes because there were so many people I wanted to reply to!
Im 24 AA female from the midwest. Been a lurker on this SDN forever. I was planning on applying for 2014 cycle but I am very discouraged because I am not a competitve applicant. Ive finished undergrad with bio major and Im sitting at a 3.2c and 2.8/2.9s (depending on MD or DO apps). I spent most of undergrad telling myself I was going to get my girades up, every semester I had a plan, and it always fell through. At this point I know medicine is what I want but I guess it is not something I want bad enough to get. I dont know how to get my internal motivation back. I am not trying to make excuses but this is something real I am experiencing. I don't feel like I am uncapable or a lazy person, but once so much doubt builds up it is hard to dispel. I hate to be that person who gives up but this feeling is smothering me.
I will be starting an informal post-bac this fall, but I don't know how Im going to get straight As when I could never do it during undergrad. Ive been struggling with the mcat--I've never taken it because I dont prepare well then I cancel it. I am in a mcat prep course and was really going to just quit the whole thing a few weeks ago and take the gre and settle for something else to do. I guess you can only achieve greatness if you have the right stuff--IDK what that stuff is but I dont think I have it. Maybe a mediocre life won't be so bad.
How do you all who maintain 4.0s do it? I don't have many distractions/responsibilites in my life---boyfriend, kids, hubby, time consuming hobbies...so its just me against me. And right now Im losing =[
As to the whole URM debate...IDK if it really exisits as hardcore as people say it does on SDN, or how much it helps, but to those who say its unfair? UNFAIR?!! You can't even read the history books to see how unfair things really were because they left so much out! I swear people act like the 1950's/civil rights movement was a million years ago. It wasnt. Or that the "official" end of slavery ended all the ramifications of such and put everyone on a level playing field. Thats a joke. Anyone who thinks racism isn't alive and well is delusional, those from other races as well as our own. If you haven't heard of Dr. Umar Johnson, I recommend you YOUTUBE him. He is a child psychologist out of Philly and pan-africanist. He has many great lectures regarding our people so check him out on your down time. I think some of his views are kinda polarized but hes on point most of the time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2Mw2jeRzvQ
As to the question of AA males in STEM---I agree that they are few and far between. Most of my pre-meders were from Kenya, Nigeria, central africa, west africa,,, all over africa really but not many black americans! And that is males and females. I am west African myself but born in U.S.
I hate to say it but the succuessful AA man is a dying breed. They have been a target and have been naturally selected against by the system. This is not a coincidence. It begins in elementary school and is a very methodical process. Dr. Umar's speaks a lot on this topic. I hate it how society views AA males as unintelligent, unable to support their families, unable to organize, like they want to live their lives in prison and be killed by street violence etc...this a relatively new phenonmenon that has taken some decades to implement but now works like a well oiled machine.
So shout out to all the brothers who are beating the odds and setting an example for the generations after us :0) But you guys need to be the rule and not the exception if we are ever going to move ahead. Sorry another rant!
Oh and Ive been natural since 2009 with a dozen setbacks but I am still loving it.
To iave9963:Ive been researching stocks for a long time--I really want to invest but I dont know where to start. I guess the process is pretty straight forward but there are so many options, where to start? Any advice?? Im trying to build some wealth but its dang near impossible when you don't have much. Im doing the whole saving precious metals thing--like on silver saver--but that seems like it would take forever a day :0|
And locks are SEXY if done right/well-maintained, so dont fudge em up! lol
To ChemEngMD: Awe thanks for the natural love!
To PhysioG318: You said you were getting ready for your MCAT, did you ever set a date? How is it going/did it go for you? Im looking at late June if I can get my ish together.
To Ambitionista: I love your user name! ;o>
To WhittyPsyche: rofl at vanilla chocolate swirl soft serve =^D
To iTariqPreMD: You live in Peoria right? I think you may be the closest to me in this thread?! Also you had me scrambling through my dictionary throwing out words I haven't seen -phosphoinosititde?? Niceee haha. And IDK, I know I don't look friendly but Im not un-friendly...so maybe the AA females around just have put off an uninterested vibe but once you get to know them they aren't that bad??
To WalkByFaith (and all those who attend SNMA): I joined over a year ago but I am not active at all. I dont know how to get started--or even what the SNMA does? I feel like I am the only person trying to do what Im doing in my neck of the woods ...and for the last 5 years I didnt care about that...but now I feel like I am in the middle of the ocean on a piece of driftwood (and I am as anti-social as they come without having a personality disorder lol) IDK, but it would be great to network
((O__o))
Are the conferences only held annually?
To those of you who watch scandal have you seen this paraody vid by chescaleigh?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZ7cB7sVeM8
And also are there any AA muslims in this thread?
Congradulations you've reach the end of this ridiculously long post! lol
no mean to derail the thread at all...I love everyone 
what's good ladies? 
