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Is it not smartest to pick an easy major, get good grades with less effort. As opposed to a difficult major that you enjoy but that you might do poorly in because it is difficult.
Why not pick an easy major?
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Moving to hSDN.
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The difficulty of the journey is not the key to success, it is the affinity that your heart has for the task at hand that will cause you to do well.
In undergrad, the classes that I did the worst in were the easy ones that I just wasn't interested in. (Yeah art appreciation, I'm looking at you.)
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Im not in highschool im not sure why asagacious keeps moving my thread. I may have said I was in previous posts but im not, so stop moving my threads and answer the question so we can all learn something..
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I hate to sound like an old man, but you need to think about college as more than a means to an end. You have the opportunity to learn a ton about anything you like. You will never have that opportunity again.
If you pick a major because you think it is easy but don't really like it, you will end up hating it by the end, not trying, and will do worse than if you picked something you like and are motivated to learn about.
Also, later on, when someone asks you what you majored in, and you say "X", and they ask why, do you really want to say "because I thought X would be easy"? Even if you lie and make up a fake "good" answer, would you be OK with yourself?
This is 4 of the best years of your life that you will never, ever have back.
If you pick a major because you think it is easy but don't really like it, you will end up hating it by the end, not trying, and will do worse than if you picked something you like and are motivated to learn about.
Also, later on, when someone asks you what you majored in, and you say "X", and they ask why, do you really want to say "because I thought X would be easy"? Even if you lie and make up a fake "good" answer, would you be OK with yourself?
This is 4 of the best years of your life that you will never, ever have back.
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Only choose "easy" major if you "like" it.
However, hard...if you "like" it, it will become "easy" to you.
However, hard...if you "like" it, it will become "easy" to you.
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Medical schools require certain pre-requisites that are a part of "harder" majors. I would think it would be smarter to have the usual Biology or other similar major but then to take electives that you enjoy.
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I think it's a great move. Unless you develop a passion for something, why wouldn't you take a major you could coast to a 4.0 on? A premed buddy of mine did it, and that put him in a much better med school position than me. There's no point in being a physical chem major if you're premed, unless you really enjoy phys chem. Adcoms look at all majors equally.
Ideally, you find a major you love, but if you don't, why not go for an easy one? Better, why not find an easy one that you love.
Ideally, you find a major you love, but if you don't, why not go for an easy one? Better, why not find an easy one that you love.
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/thread.
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Thread moved to hSDN.
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Threads merged.
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Sure, major in what you can get A's in with ease and can enjoy. However majoring in a non-biology major can be annoying when it comes to scheduling classes.
I personally majored in psychology with a neuroscience concentration and I have to constantly choose between classes and push back psych classes for prereqs classes or upper level bio classes.
So in the end a bio major can be material wise a bit more difficult than another major, but by taking this path you're effectively double majoring.
But yes, don't major in a subject that you think will be impressive to others. You should major in something you can succeed in and get A's in.
I personally majored in psychology with a neuroscience concentration and I have to constantly choose between classes and push back psych classes for prereqs classes or upper level bio classes.
So in the end a bio major can be material wise a bit more difficult than another major, but by taking this path you're effectively double majoring.
But yes, don't major in a subject that you think will be impressive to others. You should major in something you can succeed in and get A's in.
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The biggest mistake I made as an undergrad was studying to get good grades, not to learn the material. Now I'm re-reading stuff in stats and neuroscience as I prepare for grad school because I crammed on nearly every big test as an underclassman.
To answer your question, whatever your end goal is (MD, PhD, MA, MPH, or a Bachelor's in Engineering) approach every undergraduate class like this will be your only chance to have time to study that topic because once it's behind you it all starts to blend together. A major with more rigorous coursework, more laboratory instruction, and opportunities for research and possibly teaching assistantships will best prepare you for a solid job after you graduate (or to get into a competitive grad program). Yes, some curriculum may be harder than others, but if you are serious enough about your education you will take the time to learn and master those topics in order to be successful (the tutoring sessions will become your best friend). In my experience, the students who took the easiest classes to pad their GPA rarely make it very far, it's all dependent on your level of investment. Keep up with the reading, study something every day, and don't put off that paper that's due on Friday until late Thursday night. Then how difficult the class is wont matter because you have made the effort to turn the tables in you favor.
To answer your question, whatever your end goal is (MD, PhD, MA, MPH, or a Bachelor's in Engineering) approach every undergraduate class like this will be your only chance to have time to study that topic because once it's behind you it all starts to blend together. A major with more rigorous coursework, more laboratory instruction, and opportunities for research and possibly teaching assistantships will best prepare you for a solid job after you graduate (or to get into a competitive grad program). Yes, some curriculum may be harder than others, but if you are serious enough about your education you will take the time to learn and master those topics in order to be successful (the tutoring sessions will become your best friend). In my experience, the students who took the easiest classes to pad their GPA rarely make it very far, it's all dependent on your level of investment. Keep up with the reading, study something every day, and don't put off that paper that's due on Friday until late Thursday night. Then how difficult the class is wont matter because you have made the effort to turn the tables in you favor.
