Choosing a major?

[CorrieNC]

Hey! I'm looking for a bit of objective advice. I am currently an indecisive 1st year, I am currently a biology major. I like biology a lot but I feel like with the pre-requisites plus professional school (pre-vet or pre-pharmacy (unlikely but possible pre-med or pre-dent), again indecisive) that I will have plenty of science time. I really love social sciences/studies too and if the health profession didn't work out I'd be completely happy in those fields.

I can do the prerequisites two class a semester (as a double bio/chem minor) and then have my major classes (10 total). I am really unsure which major though I would like to pursue I am considering Sociology, Religious Studies, Philosophy or English. I like all of them and I really could see myself doing well in any of them. I've taken classes or will be taking next semester in each of them but I am worried I won't be able to decide or make a decision that will later hurt my chances.

Does anyone have any advice how to choose or how you chose your major? Anyone have anything to say about getting a non-science degree before pursuing a science based career?

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[moosenanny]

I really love social sciences/studies too and if the health profession didn't work out I'd be completely happy in those fields.

I am worried I won't be able to decide or make a decision that will later hurt my chances.

You seem to have already realized that it doesn't matter what you major in for vet schools, as long as you have fulfilled each schools' pre-requisits (which can vary somewhat). Some even say it's an advantage to not major in biology or animal science since it will make you stand out, or possibly make your interview more interesting and memorable.

Only you can decide what you're most passionate about and find most stimulating as far as choosing your major. Any of the choices you listed sound great! Perhaps look up each major's individual requirements and elective offerings. Read course descriptions and see which ones sound more amazing than the others. If you read about the requirements and are dying to take some classes over others, that will help you with your decision. Also, some majors may have different capstone classes or thesis requirements, which could steer your toward (or away from ) that major.

If after doing this sort of internet research, and still no direction, you could try talking to students at your school who are majoring in those areas. Ask them why they like their major, or what they don't like.

You also said that you'd possibly be happy working in the social sciences, rather than pursuing vet school/the health sciences. In this case, you could choose your major based on what jobs it can lead to - so maybe explore where those majors could lead you post-college.

Finally, I don't see how this decision could "hurt your chances" for vet school. If you are too indecisive for too long, it could delay your ability to graduate from college on time, which could be a financial burden and not work into your "life plan" for yourself. However, since you're only a freshman, I wouldn't worry too much about this. Most schools let students declare their major as late as Spring of Sophomore year (at least mine did), so you have a long way to go before needing to decide officially.

If all else fails, continue taking a variety of classes and see which one(s) you like best!

 

[SocialStigma]

If a non-science major is what would make you happier then go for it - it just might take you longer to fulfill all the science prereqs depending on how much elective space you get per year.

I'm in a health sciences major but I really enjoy psychology (and I would definitely be majoring in psych if I didn't want to pursue vet med/med), so I'm minoring in it. My favourite courses are bio/science ones but after that it's courses like social psych, abnormal psych, motivation and emotion etc.