Health Professions

Allyson Richards ’21

Class Year

2021

Area(s) of Study

Major in Biology
Minor in Business

Hometown

Michigan City, Indiana

Graduate Study

DMD
University of Louisville
School of Dentistry

What made you choose Lake Forest College?

One of the reasons I chose Lake Forest College is because I could be a student athlete. Lake Forest College provides the opportunity for student athletes to play the sports they love, while prioritizing academics and being a student first. I always knew that being a part of the volleyball team was important, but the classroom came first. In addition, I chose Lake Forest College because of the small classroom size. At Lake Forest College, you are not a number, you get to establish a connection with your professors which was important to me.

How did a liberal arts education make a difference for you?

The small class sizes at Lake Forest College and the liberal arts curriculum helped me connect to my fellow students and professors. This connection made it easier to get help when I needed it and to engage with my course work.

What experiences outside of the classroom do you think helped prepare you for DMD studies?

Being a student athlete prepared me more than I thought it would. It allowed me to develop good time management skills and to work ahead in my studies where possible.

How did your time at Lake Forest help you prepare to apply to graduate school?

Lake Forest College and the faculty prepared me for dental school through offering a challenging and rewarding curriculum for my degree and by pushing me outside of my comfort zone. Time and time again I had to give long presentations, work in groups, and master difficult lab techniques on top of it all. However,this taught me that I can get through anything that is assigned, even if it is outside of what I'm used to. After graduating, my fear of giving a long and challenging presentation no longer exists.

What do you think of the new Health Professions Program between Lake Forest College and Rosalynd Franklin University?

I think that is an AMAZING experience that I wish I got to be a part of. It gives students more experiences compared to other undergraduate pre-health programs.

What skills and experiences at Lake Forest do you believe will help you be successful?

I think that Lake Forest College prepared me for so many different skills in and outside of my health profession. Not only does the College teach you hard work, it also teaches you how important relationships are in any profession, health related or not. Lake Forest College provides lab techniques and other classroom skills that other programs do not have.

What advice would you give a high school student looking to pursue pre-health and is considering Lake Forest College?

I would encourage high school students to really use Lake Forest College advisors and professors to your advantage. They are all extremely knowledgeable in pre-health fields and can be very helpful. I remember feeling lost when I was applying to dental schools, but my advisor and professors all led me in the right direction and made it less stressful.