<p>phuriku,</p>
<p>In any endeavor in your life, there will be a certain amount of “busy work” required. It will be distasteful, it will be beside the point, and it won’t further your understanding of the subject matter, but it will be required none the less. Applying for grants for research is a perfect example. Taking 5 terms of physics when you’re a biology major in order to get a Caltech degree is another. Doing well on a standardized test in order to get into college falls into this group. If you refuse to spend time learning skills that aren’t immediately useful to you, you will not do well either at Caltech or in the scientific community.</p>