annoying question

[Omyss]

ok i know that you shouldn't be choosing programs based on what you think adcoms will like, but in this case each of the following options interest me, so the determining factor is which program combo would give me the most advatage:

i could stick to an honours specializtion in chem and biochem which is basically a chem major with some biochem courses, and and research project in chem or biochem in 4th year. Typically my electives should be in either chem or biochem which would leave me with less room for philosophy elctives.

i could just do a straight chem hon/spec. degree and take philosphy minor. This makes my chem studies more specific as i will be taking more advanced chem courses, but it allows the extra room for a phil minor (or at least some phil electives). This involves a research project in chem in yr 4

double major chem/phil or double major biochem/phil

Any opinions would be great.
ps. i am going into third year and have already taken introducrtory biochem and genetics... the only reason i'm contemplating on sticking with some biochem, is b/c i've read onSDN that adcoms like it and i have some interest in the topics.

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[Law2Doc]

ok i know that you shouldn't be choosing programs based on what you think adcoms will like, but in this case each of the following options interest me, so the determining factor is which program combo would give me the most advatage:

i could stick to an honours specializtion in chem and biochem which is basically a chem major with some biochem courses, and and research project in chem or biochem in 4th year. Typically my electives should be in either chem or biochem which would leave me with less room for philosophy elctives.

i could just do a straight chem hon/spec. degree and take philosphy minor. This makes my chem studies more specific as i will be taking more advanced chem courses, but it allows the extra room for a phil minor (or at least some phil electives). This involves a research project in chem in yr 4

double major chem/phil or double major biochem/phil

Any opinions would be great.
ps. i am going into third year and have already taken introducrtory biochem and genetics... the only reason i'm contemplating on sticking with some biochem, is b/c i've read onSDN that adcoms like it and i have some interest in the topics.

Honestly, the majors and minors won't matter to adcoms. Not one lick. If you think adcoms give particular weight to one major over another, you may want to find a better resource than whatever you've been using.
However, the research project might give you something interesting to talk about, and maybe a better LOR, so that would be what I would focus on.

 

[MinnyGophers]

ok i know that you shouldn't be choosing programs based on what you think adcoms will like, but in this case each of the following options interest me, so the determining factor is which program combo would give me the most advatage:

i could stick to an honours specializtion in chem and biochem which is basically a chem major with some biochem courses, and and research project in chem or biochem in 4th year. Typically my electives should be in either chem or biochem which would leave me with less room for philosophy elctives.

i could just do a straight chem hon/spec. degree and take philosphy minor. This makes my chem studies more specific as i will be taking more advanced chem courses, but it allows the extra room for a phil minor (or at least some phil electives). This involves a research project in chem in yr 4

double major chem/phil or double major biochem/phil

Any opinions would be great.
ps. i am going into third year and have already taken introducrtory biochem and genetics... the only reason i'm contemplating on sticking with some biochem, is b/c i've read onSDN that adcoms like it and i have some interest in the topics.

I guess it really depends whether you prefer biochem or chem. Do you know what kind of research project you're going to be doing in both?
If you already took intro biochem and genetics, it's already more than enough for the adcoms to be happy.
One thing you could do is also stick with the chem/philo double major and also try to fit some other biochem classes in, which I think would be easier to do than to try to fit specialized chemistry classes (which usually are reserved for chem majors) into a biochem major.

 

[LizzyM]

Honestly, the majors and minors won't matter to adcoms. Not one lick. If you think adcoms give particular weight to one major over another, you may want to find a better resource than whatever you've been using.
However, the research project might give you something interesting to talk about, and maybe a better LOR, so that would be what I would focus on.

Having taken some humanities courses (philosophy or other humanities) will help but Law2Doc is correct: those of us on the adcom don't care about majors/minors.

 

[Omyss]

thanks for the answers guys,

So from what i gather you guys are saying that it wouldn't matter if i took a minor/major in humanities so much as if i atleast took some humanities electives?

Also for the biochem topic, would adcomes "like it better" if i took chem/biochem hon/spec. with a research project in biochem, than if i did the chem hon/spec with a chem research project?

Does it look bettter if i take more advanced biochem courses or does it not matter as long as i have the intro biochem course?

 

[Omyss]

bump for the above Q's...

 

[Law2Doc]

Also for the biochem topic, would adcomes "like it better" if i took chem/biochem hon/spec. with a research project in biochem, than if i did the chem hon/spec with a chem research project?

Does it look bettter if i take more advanced biochem courses or does it not matter as long as i have the intro biochem course?

You can phrase it any way you want, the answer is still that they don't care.

In fact, I'll go as far to say that in terms of courses, majors, minors, if the sentence starts with "does it look better", the answer is almost always "no -- they don't care. do what you like better". You need the prereqs and that's it. Hope that helps.

 

[MinnyGophers]

thanks for the answers guys,

So from what i gather you guys are saying that it wouldn't matter if i took a minor/major in humanities so much as if i atleast took some humanities electives?

Also for the biochem topic, would adcomes "like it better" if i took chem/biochem hon/spec. with a research project in biochem, than if i did the chem hon/spec with a chem research project?

Does it look bettter if i take more advanced biochem courses or does it not matter as long as i have the intro biochem course?

There is no "looking better" to adcoms... they don't give a crap what you took, especially if it's just a small difference between biochem and chem. They are both difficult majors, and it all comes down to what you enjoy the most.
Most med schools don't require you to take biochem, so if you took intro biochem, you already have a leg up.

 

[Law2Doc]

you already have a leg up.

Perhaps a leg up in school, not admissions, lest the OP is still confused.

 

[MinnyGophers]

Perhaps a leg up in school, not admissions, lest the OP is still confused.

yes, that's what i meant.

It seems most people are just trying to do whatever they think adcoms "want"...

 

[Law2Doc]

yes, that's what i meant.

It seems most people are just trying to do whatever they think adcoms "want"...

If I were an adcom, I'd come on here and mess with folks -- tell everyone I wanted them to major in something more offbeat, like fine arts, dance, or photography.

 

[MinnyGophers]

If I were an adcom, I'd come on here and mess with folks -- tell everyone I wanted them to major in something more offbeat, like fine arts, dance, or photography.

ahahaha, I'm definitely going to consider becoming an adcom.