ACS Certified Biochemistry vs Non ACS

[oran berry]

I'm currently trying to figure out my major(s) before I enter college in August. The biochemistry major at my school has two tracks: the ACS certified and the non ACS certified. I'm wondering what significance would the ACS certified degree have over the non ACS certified? Sorry, neurotic premed here. I would like to double major so I can learn about all of my other interests (Philosophy or Psychology) but the ACS certified track requires me to take more classes which will make me unable to accomplish this. Any opinions?

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[Tots]

If one major is going to make you take extra classes you don't really want to take and exclude you from exploring other interests don't do it.

 

[Confused2626]

I'm not sure how significant ACS accreditation is, you might want to research that. Will not going to an ACS certified program preclude you from applying to graduate programs, for example?

I'm an engineering student, and for us ABET accreditation is everything. Your degree is basically useless if you aren't in an accredited program. So this is something you should definitely look into.

 

[Bacchus]

ACS certification is not going to get you into medical school. AMCAS doesn't even ask if your degree is going to be certified. All certification requires of you is one more analtyical-type class with a lab.

 

[Bacchus]

We don't go to the same school but here is a snippet my department chair sent to us:

Biochemistry Track: Students must successfully complete all required courses for the Biochemistry major and any one of the following four options as one of their Biochemistry Electives: (1) Chemical Synthesis Laboratory (CH 416); (2) Instrumental Analysis lecture and laboratory (CH 376/377 – also requires CH 322); (3) Physical Chemistry Laboratory II (CH 424 – also requires CH 322); or (4) 3 credits of Undergraduate Research (CH 450).

 

[oran berry]

Not from my university, but I found some information that might be helpful:
"For some students the full ACS program may not be appropriate. For example, students who plan to enter medical school have more need for additional courses in Biology than for the full complement of upper level chemistry courses. "

So it seems that ACS certification is almost negligible in the application process. Thank you everyone for your input, I've decided to stick with the Non ACS degree until someone provides proof that it is insufficient for medical school.

 

[Bacchus]

I'd stick with just one major, too. You can take electives in courses you find interesting or summer classes.

 

[oran berry]

Ah, I've been thinking about that too Bacchus..I'm just so torn about whether I want to take one or two majors.

 

[qmcat]

My undergrad offered ACS cert also along with the usual chem or biochem degree, and I found it completely useless. The only time that having an ACS might slightly help (note "slightly") is if you plan to go into industry either doing chemistry for a commercial company or pharmaceuticals. All the ACS cert shows is that you've completed more classes/requirements to show that you went through a more rigorous program that will prepare you better for the industry (where you will spend most of your time in lab).

But, my profs have all said that a Chem major is a Chem major and it doesn't really add much to do extra. About half of my profs have B.A.'s in Chemistry also rather than B.S.'s in Chemistry. In the end, it all doesn't matter that much.

To tell you my story, I started college in the B.S. Biochemistry with ACS cert program. Eventually, I switched over to a B.S. in Chemistry (no cert) program. But, now after graduating, I realized I should have just done a B.A. in Chemistry and gotten a double major in Music or something fun. After all, Med schools don't care what your major is. They just want a good GPA/MCAT and all the other EC junk.

 

[jtimmer1]

At my school, we have a B.S. in Chemistry with Biochemistry option ACS-certified/non-certified. The difference between the two is only one class.

 

[qmcat]

At my school, we have a B.S. in Chemistry with Biochemistry option ACS-certified/non-certified. The difference between the two is only one class.

If the difference was only 1 class, and you like the class and can fit it into your schedule, then yea I would go for it.

In my situation, the difference between ACS cert and non-cert was 3 classes. This is because if you're not doing the ACS cert, doing research and giving a presentation or completing a thesis counts as 2 upper division electives. But, going for ACS at my school means research can't count for an upper div elective, so you'll be stuck taking 3 other upper div classes (which is most likely p-chem at my school because we don't have any electives besides p-chem, haha). It's complicated, but most people I know who go through the Chem or Biochem program at my school eventually lower their degree to non-ACS-cert or they end up getting the B.A. because Chemistry is so much work.

Ah, I've been thinking about that too Bacchus..I'm just so torn about whether I want to take one or two majors.

My advice would be think very carefully before committing to the Chemistry or Biochemistry major. When I was a freshman, I prided myself on being a Chem major because everytime you tell someone you're a Chem major, they are like "whoa" cuz everyone knows it's a hard major. But, I didn't know I was shooting myself in the foot until Junior/Senior year when you start feeling the burn of the workload expected from Chemistry students. The two things I dreaded the most were taking over a years worth of physical chemistry and being in LAB all the damn time. Some of my friends who were math or comp sci majors were taking 25 quarter units and still having time to party, where I was only taking 15 quarter units, and guess what... I was stuck in lab... all the time.

So I would recommend majoring in something that you absolutely love. Only commit to Chem or Biochem if you're seriously interested in it. If you're only slightly interested in Chemistry or Biochemistry (probably because of high school chemistry or science), doing a minor would probably be enough to give you a good understanding of the subject.

 

[dw2158]

Thank you everyone for your input, I've decided to stick with the Non ACS degree until someone provides proof that it is insufficient for medical school.

no one is gonna provide that proof. 🙄

I'd stick with just one major, too. You can take electives in courses you find interesting or summer classes.

yes. double majoring is kinda pointless--med schools won't care much and all the second major will do is take time away from what you want to/should be doing. just take a handful of electives and call it a day.

My advice would be think very carefully before committing to the Chemistry or Biochemistry major. When I was a freshman, I prided myself on being a Chem major because everytime you tell someone you're a Chem major, they are like "whoa" cuz everyone knows it's a hard major. But, I didn't know I was shooting myself in the foot until Junior/Senior year when you start feeling the burn of the workload expected from Chemistry students. The two things I dreaded the most were taking over a years worth of physical chemistry and being in LAB all the damn time. Some of my friends who were math or comp sci majors were taking 25 quarter units and still having time to party, where I was only taking 15 quarter units, and guess what... I was stuck in lab... all the time.

So I would recommend majoring in something that you absolutely love. Only commit to Chem or Biochem if you're seriously interested in it. If you're only slightly interested in Chemistry or Biochemistry (probably because of high school chemistry or science), doing a minor would probably be enough to give you a good understanding of the subject.

agreed. i majored in biochem and felt many of these same things... but i loved it. there is something to be said for knowing that you've pushed yourself really hard in college and done well! but it is a HUGE commitment. have you even started college yet? why decide what you want to major in before you even get there? 😕

 

[jtimmer1]

My advice would be think very carefully before committing to the Chemistry or Biochemistry major. When I was a freshman, I prided myself on being a Chem major because everytime you tell someone you're a Chem major, they are like "whoa" cuz everyone knows it's a hard major. But, I didn't know I was shooting myself in the foot until Junior/Senior year when you start feeling the burn of the workload expected from Chemistry students. The two things I dreaded the most were taking over a years worth of physical chemistry and being in LAB all the damn time. Some of my friends who were math or comp sci majors were taking 25 quarter units and still having time to party, where I was only taking 15 quarter units, and guess what... I was stuck in lab... all the time.

So I would recommend majoring in something that you absolutely love. Only commit to Chem or Biochem if you're seriously interested in it. If you're only slightly interested in Chemistry or Biochemistry (probably because of high school chemistry or science), doing a minor would probably be enough to give you a good understanding of the subject.

I concur, I was going to get a B.S. in Chemistry/ option in Biochem (ACS-certified), but the courseload is exactly that- B.S. Not to mention Math courses up to Calc IV, along with calculus based physics.

I moved to B.A. in Chemistry, and B.A., possibly B.S. in Biology.