Pre-med students give up beaches for books

While many students will spend spring break sipping margaritas and sunning themselves at the beach, a dozen pre-med students will spend next week deep in study. They're preparing for the April 16 Medical College Admission Test, and for them, sunny beaches will have to wait.

"I'm going back over all my old texts and notes," said Gregg Ebersole, a junior from Sterling studying chemistry. "I pretty much have to review my entire collegiate career." Ebersole, a pre-med student, won't be getting much sun during his vacation. He's got more important things on his plate. "I'll probably wake up around 9 and just study pretty much all the way through the day," Ebersole said. Gail B. Robinson, the Health Professions adviser, said the test's length and subject matter make it the hardest part of the pre-med program.

"It's all day long," Robinson said. "It's five and three quarters hours testing time. There's two science sections and two non-science sections." Robinson said physical science, biological science and verbal reasoning are the three subjects covered by the test. Robinson said the verbal reasoning portion often causes problems for the students because they have spent their academic careers studying math and science. "The MCAT is rigorous," Robinson said. "It's kind of a mental and physical marathon, and after they come out of it, they don't know how they've done. Even if they've done well, they really don't know." Ebersole said he can't forget about the 15 credit hours he's taking this semester.

"I have four tests the week I'm taking the MCAT," Ebersole said. "Professors won't reschedule tests for me." Besiana Liti, a junior from Naperville studying physiology, will also be far away from sand and waves as she finishes test preparation she began seven and a half months ago. "I usually do spend spring break away from books recuperating," Liti said. "I'd rather be in the Bahamas." Since she started studying for the test in September, Liti has developed her own schedule. She said this semester, she and two friends have taken practice tests every weekend.

"I want to say I study at least an hour a day and four or five hours on weekends," Liti said. "There's only so much preparation you can take." Ebersole and Liti are awaiting break, but not because it means they can relax. Liti said she is looking forward to reading a lot, stepping up her preparation and not having classes to get in the way of her studying. "I'm nervous, but I didn't use to be," Liti said. "Back in September, I was thinking I had so much time to prepare, and now it's March. It's creeping up on me." Hearsay from past test takers hangs heavy on Ebersole's mind, he said.

"I'm not nervous yet, but I will be," Ebersole said. "I've heard of people wetting their pants in the room or getting up leaving and crying." Ebersole and Liti won't come back from break with a full-body tan, but if their studying goes well, they'll definitely have something to smile about. "After you're done with the MCAT, it's like you've finally climbed Mount Everest and nothing can take you down," Liti said. "Unless you don't do well. Then it's like tumbling down the mountain."