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Majoring in: Genetics and psychology
From: Cedar Rapids
Dream job: Physician

You’re a freshman, and you earned a 4.0 your first semester. What is the secret to earning good grades?
I work hard. I’ve always been a perfectionist about my grades – it’s always been a focus of mine. My mom has encouraged me to do the best I can, and I have the attitude that ‘work ethic builds up.’ Studying in college is different than studying in high school, but if you work hard now, it will pay off later. Stay on top of your schoolwork, and remember your final goal. My grades matter for med school, so I constantly tell myself, “if you slack off now, you won’t get into med school.” It keeps me going.

Why did you choose Iowa State for genetics?
For a few reasons: I really love the “big school” feel. I like that Iowa State’s campus is cohesive and put together, and Ames is around it – verses the buildings being scattered around Ames. Also, the genetics program is great. The genetics path is such an up-and-coming field in medicine. When I get to med school, there will be tons of applicants, so whatever I can major in now to help me stand out will help and I think genetics will do that for me.

You’re involved in Pre-Med Club. What do you like about it?
Pre-Med Club offers some really cool opportunities, like touring the Des Moines University and other Iowa med school campuses, hearing great speakers, and MCAT study groups. It’s also nice to be involved in something that’s medically-geared, since my major is not.

What else do you do for fun?
I’m involved with Dance Marathon, which raises money for the Children’s Miracle Network. Also, my friends and I like to go to Cyclone Cinema movies. They always have something good playing – and most of the time they’re new movies, which is pretty cool.