Take tests, not Adderall
by Eileen Smolyar
Columnists | 11/10/09
Posted online at 11:07 PM EST on 11/9/09
Students at Brandeis may know or begin to understand what it's like to study for graduate school entrance exams by their senior year. Whether they decide to study through a preparation course like Kaplan or single-handedly tackle the GRE, LSAT, MCAT and the like, the dedication, strength and perseverance to vanquish a graduate admission exam and start a journey in the real world is unmatched by the amount of stress that was induced when we took the SAT that introduced us to the college application.
The score you receive is your brand-mark, your label under a percentile. You are officially categorized for viewing by the admissions office of your preferred graduate school. To add to the pressure, school work begins to pile up even more as you progress to the next academic year, and your responsibilities cannot be put on hold. You must pay the bills, go to work, keep in touch with family and friends and so on.
So, how is a twentysomething supposed to cope with the stress of taking a graduate exam?
In hindsight, a competitive drive isn't always bad. It isn't necessarily unhealthy to be motivated enough to accomplish a goal and not let anyone or anything get in the way. However, when the desired objective becomes all-consuming and you're willing to use any means to gain an advantage, danger strikes.
In my preparation course for the LSAT, the final lessons were brainstorms about what to do to conquer stress and remain focused. The proctor mentioned eating healthful foods, such as high omega-fatty foods and almonds, but a fellow student piped in with a different idea: Adderall. Another student started lamenting that taking Adderall without a prescription can lead to addiction and detrimental effects on your health, but the student who voiced the original idea had a definitive gleam in his eyes that clearly said he wasn't too keen on accepting a handful of almonds instead. Furthermore, the glazed looks on the rest of the class showed that stress was detrimental to their focus.
The score you receive is your brand-mark, your label under a percentile. You are officially categorized for viewing by the admissions office of your preferred graduate school. To add to the pressure, school work begins to pile up even more as you progress to the next academic year, and your responsibilities cannot be put on hold. You must pay the bills, go to work, keep in touch with family and friends and so on.
So, how is a twentysomething supposed to cope with the stress of taking a graduate exam?
In hindsight, a competitive drive isn't always bad. It isn't necessarily unhealthy to be motivated enough to accomplish a goal and not let anyone or anything get in the way. However, when the desired objective becomes all-consuming and you're willing to use any means to gain an advantage, danger strikes.
In my preparation course for the LSAT, the final lessons were brainstorms about what to do to conquer stress and remain focused. The proctor mentioned eating healthful foods, such as high omega-fatty foods and almonds, but a fellow student piped in with a different idea: Adderall. Another student started lamenting that taking Adderall without a prescription can lead to addiction and detrimental effects on your health, but the student who voiced the original idea had a definitive gleam in his eyes that clearly said he wasn't too keen on accepting a handful of almonds instead. Furthermore, the glazed looks on the rest of the class showed that stress was detrimental to their focus.
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