What major should I pick?

[Dr.J.D]

I wanna become a doctor but if pre reqs take like 1-2 years then I wanna be learning something that I love and that makes me a more interesting candidate for med school. I bet 90 percent of med school candidate have a 3.2-3.7 gpa and 31 mcat and and are ALL bio or chem or biochem majors. You know what I mean? I like history and English but my family will laugh at me.

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[peridotthecat]

Take the prereqs, major in whatever you want-adcoms don't care

 

[Geo16]

https://www.aamc.org/download/321496/data/factstablea17.pdf
That is not true. Bio makes up about 50% of matriculant, but that's because 27k students have applied.
Humanities and Social Science majors do come in as much strong applicant as other majors.
Major anything you are interested in!

 

[peridotthecat]

Also, the search function exists for a reason

 

[Geo16]

Bio Science: 10676/27653 = 38.6%
Humanities: 1073/2193 ≅ 48.93%
Math and Stats: 192/438 ≅ 43.84%
Physical Science: 2319/5102 ≅ 45.45%
Social Science: 2277/5629 ≅ 40.45%

See? I am not Stats major (I got an A in Stats, but meh (LOL) )
but I can surely see that majors do not matter.

If you like history, join the rank of other 5629 Social Science majors!

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I majored in math because I enjoyed it. Adcoms do not care what you major in, so pick something you enjoy and can maintain a high GPA in.

 

[eteshoe]

I'll just say that whatever you major in - try to make it a bit marketable in case you decide to take a gap yr(s) before med school or choose not to pursue this path.

 

[kingdomheart]

I would've majored in computer science if I could go back, cause I find it interesting personally. You do you man, do english or history if you think you will excel at it and complete your prerequisites. The plus side is that students who major in humanities score higher on the CARS section, and a lot of the MCAT is reading.

 

[VolibearMain]

I wanna become a doctor but if pre reqs take like 1-2 years then I wanna be learning something that I love and that makes me a more interesting candidate for med school. I bet 90 percent of med school candidate have a 3.2-3.7 gpa and 31 mcat and and are ALL bio or chem or biochem majors. You know what I mean? I like history and English but my family will laugh at me.

Pick an easy college if you can

Pick a relatively easy major. Theres no need to major in quantum physics with a double major in electrical engineering and a minor in Chemical instrumentation. No

If you want to be a doctor youre not going to be using 50% of the prereq stuff. About 10-15% from chemistry/orgo, 5% from physics, 80% from biology biochem, and 20% from psych. This percentage is for what you need in medical school. By the time you become a surgeon, radiologist, what ever, youre going to need 10% of it.

Pick a major with a fallback plan. Its great to pursue something youre interested in. I think what the guy said above about compsci is very true. Theres just too many unemployed/barely employed bio majors out there.

Its much more worth it if you take your full 4 years, and maybe an extra year to touch up those prereqs than screw up your GPA, and spend multiple years trying to repair it.

 

[kingdomheart]

Pick an easy college if you can

Pick a relatively easy major. Theres no need to major in quantum physics with a double major in electrical engineering and a minor in Chemical instrumentation. No

If you want to be a doctor youre not going to be using 50% of the prereq stuff. About 10-15% from chemistry/orgo, 5% from physics, 80% from biology biochem, and 20% from psych. This percentage is for what you need in medical school. By the time you become a surgeon, radiologist, what ever, youre going to need 10% of it.

Pick a major with a fallback plan. Its great to pursue something youre interested in. I think what the guy said above about compsci is very true. Theres just too many unemployed/barely employed bio majors out there.

Its much more worth it if you take your full 4 years, and maybe an extra year to touch up those prereqs than screw up your GPA, and spend multiple years trying to repair it.

I don't agree with choosing an easy college to attend. On the AAMC website, there's a table that details what adcoms find important and difficulty of the undergraduate university is one of them. Everything else I agree with.

 

[VolibearMain]

I don't agree with choosing an easy college to attend. On the AAMC website, there's a table that details what adcoms find important and difficulty of the undergraduate university is one of them. Everything else I agree with.

They dont care if you went to princeton. Its not easy to get a 90th percentile MCAT and prove your school is very comprehensive and grades harshly. so you end up with a 3.2 gpa and a 30 mcat and no one wants you.

Pre interview, youre just a GPA and an MCAT to an Adcom.

On the other hand you pick a moderate university, get a 3.8, get a 30 MCAT still because the MCAT isnt that hard with a prep class. And you get in. (most likely).

Moderate universities tend to be better for undergrad anyway since you have more access to your professors and you dont learn much additionally at top colleges.

 

[Goro]

TLDR for all of the above: Adcoms don't care what you major or minors are, only that you do well.
You should care, though.

 

[Lucca]

Any student who applies, regardless of major, will most likely have the classic prereqs (Gen Bio I/II, Gen Chem I/II, Gen Physics I/II, Organic/Biochem, adv bio I/II, Math/Stats, English, likely Psych/Sociology as well). That is more than enough for an adcom to evaluate. Major in what you want, that you will do well in, that is the most important thing

View attachment 208230

Can we just staple this chart to every pre med advising office in the country? Along with the one with the weighted application components pre and post interview?

 

[VolibearMain]

Can we just staple this chart to every pre med advising office in the country? Along with the one with the weighted application components pre and post interview?

Its just important to remember institution name means nothing. 2.5 importance = almost nothing.
It was the same rules when applying in highschool, it was the same when I applied to law school. not surprised its the same in med school.

Doing well, and having a major in something you can earn money in, and enjoy your job in should the med school rout fail is important.