Time flows like water.
Years pass like a shuttle weaving through fabric.
In the blink of an eye, two years had passed.
1995.
One day in April.
Adam stepped into the examination hall.
Today, he was here to take the MCAT.
The MCAT stands for the Medical College Admission Test in the United States.
For the past two years, Adam had been waking up early and staying up late, working exceptionally hard. He had completed his undergraduate credits in both biology and psychology and was on track to receive dual bachelor's degrees in May.
Since he was determined to start medical school in the fall, he needed to take the MCAT now. Then, as soon as he received his bachelor's degrees, he would submit his application to the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). Everything had to be settled before June; otherwise, he would have to wait another year.
Fortunately, Adam had both financial resources and Leonard's connections. Although time was tight, it was not a major issue.
The MCAT is designed to test knowledge in natural, behavioral, and social sciences, as well as prerequisites for medical research, problem-solving skills, and critical thinking.
The test consists of four sections:
1. Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems
2. Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems
3. Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior
4. Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills
Looking at the exam's content, it was easy to understand why Adam had initially chosen to major in biology at Columbia University.
Biology is closely related to medicine. Without an undergraduate degree in medicine, studying biology significantly reduced the time needed for a post-baccalaureate pre-med program to pass the MCAT.
His psychology degree was also valuable—it not only enhanced his ability to anticipate risks but also saved him the trouble of separately studying behavioral psychology, critical analysis, and reasoning skills.
As for social sciences, chemistry, and physics, they were no challenge for Adam.
After all, these were just foundational subjects; it wasn't like he had to conduct deep research on string theory.
Like the SAT, the MCAT is offered multiple times a year, and passing it once is sufficient. However, unlike the SAT, where students can submit their highest score, medical schools review all MCAT scores.
Thus, it was best to achieve a high score on the first attempt. Even if a student improved their score later, medical schools might still eliminate them based on their earlier performance.
The acceptance rate for medical schools had consistently remained below 3%, with Harvard Medical School accepting fewer than 1%. After filtering out "highly qualified applicants," the remaining spots were minimal—perhaps only 0.5%.
Given these circumstances, the admissions bar was exceptionally high, selecting only the best candidates. Any flaw in an application could result in immediate rejection.
As Adam entered the examination hall, he glanced around and noticed that most test-takers were older. Few, like him, were taking the MCAT in their junior year of college.
The exam lasted a grueling seven and a half hours, with six hours and fifteen minutes of test time and one hour and fifteen minutes of break time. Even so, for most candidates, it was an incredibly demanding challenge.
However, Adam possessed outstanding endurance. This level of examination was barely a challenge for him. Additionally, he was well-prepared and in peak condition.
When the test ended, he walked out of the hall looking completely at ease—without even a hint of excitement.
He drove back to his apartment.
"Surprise!"
As soon as he walked in, several heads popped out, shouting in unison.
"Wow!"
Adam exclaimed dramatically, "You guys! I—I'm truly surprised!"
Monica and the others were pleased with his reaction. They knew how important today's exam was for Adam, so they had planned a surprise party for him.
Heather stepped forward and gave him a warm hug.
"Thanks for the heads-up," Adam whispered to her with a chuckle.
"Heh," Heather teased. "If I hadn't warned you in advance, who knows if you would've fired a shot by accident?"
For the past two years, she had maintained a close relationship with Adam, frequently spending nights together. During holidays, whenever Adam and Juno planned hunting trips in the woods with Karen, Heather would always tag along.
As a result, she was well-acquainted with Adam's cautious nature. In fact, she had even been influenced by Adam and Juno, becoming unusually meticulous herself.
For instance, Monica had planned the surprise party behind Adam's back, but of course, she had to involve Heather. Otherwise, they wouldn't even have been able to get into Adam's apartment.
An ordinary person might have kept the surprise a secret.
But Heather knew Adam disliked surprises. If he wasn't notified in advance, a supposed "surprise" could turn into a shock—or worse, a serious incident.
After all, Adam's apartment was stocked with numerous firearms and ammunition. Allowing Monica and the others to throw a party there without prior coordination could lead to major trouble.
This was also why Monica and the others shared spare keys among themselves, but Adam never gave anyone a key to his apartment.
"Adam, how was the exam?" Chandler asked with concern.
"Excellent," Adam replied confidently.
"Yeah!"
Everyone cheered once more.
After the initial excitement, people dispersed and started chatting in smaller groups.
American parties are like that—there's a main theme and a central figure, but once the theme is acknowledged, everyone socializes freely.
After all, Americans value their freedom—everyone is their own protagonist.
Still, Monica's close-knit group stayed around Adam.
"I'm going to call Juno," Adam said, kissing Heather before heading to his bedroom to make the call.
Since Juno shared the same ambition and always synchronized his progress with Adam, he had, of course, taken the MCAT that day as well.
In fact, ever since Adam decided to fast-track his undergraduate studies two years ago, Juno had done the same.
"How did it go?" Adam asked.
"What do you think?" Juno replied.
"Alright, congratulations."
"Same to you."
Juno was just as confident as Adam.
While there were many brilliant students in medicine, the proportion was significantly lower compared to mathematics or physics. The two fields weren't even in the same league.
With a normal IQ, one could study medicine, and with enough effort, not only become a doctor but even a top-tier physician.
However, in mathematics and physics, without an exceptional IQ, the best one could do was teach high school science. Earning a Ph.D. in those fields was incredibly challenging, and becoming a leading expert or professor was nearly impossible.
With Adam and Juno's genius-level intellects, they weren't just among the best in medical students—they were at the top. On top of that, they had spent three years preparing. The MCAT was no problem at all.
"After we graduate in May, we'll submit our applications and secure our med school offers before June. During summer break, how about we celebrate? I'll bring Karen, and you bring Heather. What do you think?" Juno suggested.
"Sounds great," Adam agreed. "Where do you want to go?"
"How about East Asia?" Juno said excitedly. "It's mysterious and fascinating."
"Let's decide later," Adam chuckled. "We should check with Karen and Heather first."
"Fair enough," Juno agreed.
After a few more words, they ended the call. After all, Monica and the others had gone through the trouble of planning a party for him—it wouldn't be right for him to stay on the phone the whole time.