Biology or Psychology major???

[cvpmvp33]

hello all,
I am still confused on what to major in. I will be a junior and am currently a psychology major with a minor in Bio. But i was thinking about to just switch to Biology as a major. However, I do need to raise my g.p.a a bit so i thought doing a psychology major would be better to raise my g.p.a, and just take microbio, cell bio, genetics, biochemistry, and anatomy and physiology on the side. What do you guys think????

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[Dan3223]

You just need to consider what will help you out the most in the long run....

Why do you need/want a psych degree?
Your GPA might be better with psych, but admissions people know that.
A bio GPA of 3.3 looks better than a mass comm 3.7 .... know what I mean?

Also, a science based major will help you out in dental school more than the psych degree. You will be taking pretty much all science classes in dental school... so psych wont really help you there.

So unless you really have a passion for psych, I would suggest switching to bio or something similar.

 

[reapply2007]

I've heard you need to produce consistent academic performance under challenging circumstances. Hard-degree study area with less than a 3.9 theoretically means more than your less-difficult study area with above a 3.9. Either way, you'll typically need two years chem, one year calculus, one year physics, and at least a year of biology(bare minimum). For me, a degree in biochem requires all of this plus requires biochem-another "recommended" class at most dental schools.

Whatever the degree, I'd say you need to show that you are already working at the level needed in order to do well in dental school. AADSAS breaks out your "science" GPA from the rest of your GPA. The result is a "science" bio/chem/physics GPA, "other" science, and overall GPA. Any classes taken in a psychology department do not count as either bio/chem/physics GPA or under "other" science GPA, psych is reflected only in overall GPA. Check the AADSAS website or search SDN for other people who have already felt the frustration of a 3.8 containing a 3.0 bio/chem/physics or "other" science GPA. All three breakouts of GPA are important. I wish I could give you the magic GPA numbers-no one really knows.

 

[aggie.teacher]

I changed from biomedical science to psychology during my sophomore year because I was disillusioned by medicine. Here I am now, having "discovered" dentistry, and I'm not worried at all because I don't have a degree in a hard science. Most schools want diverse students and non-science majors are that. I feel like 90%+ dental applicants are biology majors. Major in what you enjoy, excel in your science courses no matter what direction you take, and be a well-rounded student either way. GPA isn't everything, either.

 

[whiskeysour]

I changed from biomedical science to psychology during my sophomore year because I was disillusioned by medicine. Here I am now, having "discovered" dentistry, and I'm not worried at all because I don't have a degree in a hard science. Most schools want diverse students and non-science majors are that. I feel like 90%+ dental applicants are biology majors. Major in what you enjoy, excel in your science courses no matter what direction you take, and be a well-rounded student either way. GPA isn't everything, either.

i agree.

biology is a cookie cutter premed/predent degree. you have all dental school to take these courses. major in something else...i majored in biochem and in my opinion was a lot tougher than bio but i enjoyed the extra math and chem i had. if you like psych, do psych.

good luck

 

[americanpierg]

Why do you need/want a psych degree?
Your GPA might be better with psych, but admissions people know that.
A bio GPA of 3.3 looks better than a mass comm 3.7 .... know what I mean?

Actually no...I dont know what you mean. I dont know what a "mass comm" degree is, but if someone has a degree and are applying to dental school, Its safe to assume they have completed all the prereq sciences and probably even a couple upper level science courses. A 3.7 anything with these completed will look better than a 3.3 bio, and even a 3.3 engineering. You may take into account the difficult of the degree when the gpas are relatively close, ie 3.8 to 3.7, but 3.7 to 3.3 is a joke. Get ur music degree, complete all the prereqs and take a couple upper level scienc classes, earn ur 4.0 and get accepted above all the 3.0 astrophysicists.

 

[issa]

Actually no...I dont know what you mean. I dont know what a "mass comm" degree is, but if someone has a degree and are applying to dental school, Its safe to assume they have completed all the prereq sciences and probably even a couple upper level science courses. A 3.7 anything with these completed will look better than a 3.3 bio, and even a 3.3 engineering. You may take into account the difficult of the degree when the gpas are relatively close, ie 3.8 to 3.7, but 3.7 to 3.3 is a joke. Get ur music degree, complete all the prereqs and take a couple upper level scienc classes, earn ur 4.0 and get accepted above all the 3.0 astrophysicists.

yes, thats right

 

[kaDa]

Look at the types of classes you'll be taking in Dschool...many are upper lvl bio or biochem. No, you aren't required to major in bio, but if you can pull the grades its a win-win situation imho. You should take some upper lvl bio classes even if you don't end up majoring in bio. Although, I am a biochem major and potentially double major in bio too so I'm a little biased .