BS v. BA?

[Niikkiiii]

Hi friends, I'm back again. (Did you miss me? 🙂 )

I had a quick question regarding which would be better for medical school. I have the option of getting a BA in biology with a minor in whatever I choose, or just a BS in biology. I wanted to know if medical schools have a preference (I've been told it is BS or it doesn't matter, so I'm confused.)

I do enjoy the sciences, but at the same time I do enjoy taking other classes such as things like literature or even photography (forensics too, haha). I also don't want my GPA to be affected if I have a really heavy science load (Even though I understand that it should not be the main reason to go for the BA.)

The school I am going to has come up with this new BA/minor thing, but I don't want to be a guinea pig. (And both the BS and the BA still do have the same prereq classes for medical school.)

Okay, so long story short, do medical schools prefer one or the other?

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[gyngyn]

We really don't care.

 

[gyngyn]

Do we even really notice?

Correct! We don't even notice.

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

As someone who did a BS, I can tell you it’s easier to do prerequisites and kill two birds with one stone because it will also count for your major. (At least it did for me years ago—i could have done a BS or a BA in my major, but the BS hit the prereqs more). But if you want to do BA, then do what you like—med schools don’t care.


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[LoveBeingHuman:)]

As someone who did a BS, I can tell you it’s easier to do prerequisites and kill two birds with one stone because it will also count for your major. (At least it did for me years ago—i could have done a BS or a BA in my major, but the BS hit the prereqs more). But if you want to do BA, then do what you like—med schools don’t care.


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I would like to add to this post with my own experience. In the university that I attended, the difference between the pre-med reqs. and a full biology major was only 4 courses.

 

[AllBleedingStops]

As previously covered by authoritative sources, it doesn't matter. But I would like to note that at most schools, you can get a BS with a minor or minors. It usually isn't that hard as long as you choose your classes wisely.

 

[Niikkiiii]

As previously covered by authoritative sources, it doesn't matter. But I would like to note that at most schools, you can get a BS with a minor or minors. It usually isn't that hard as long as you choose your classes wisely.

I will see if I can go this route, but apparently the BS for biology is rigorous, and we aren't allowed to minor. (From what I have read so far.) So I may have to just go the BA with a minor route instead.

 

[AllBleedingStops]

I will see if I can go this route, but apparently the BS for biology is rigorous, and we aren't allowed to minor. (From what I have read so far.) So I may have to just go the BA with a minor route instead.

Never heard of anything saying a person "is not allowed" to minor in something. Discouraged maybe. Although perhaps that is a school or program specific limitation. At my undergrad, people were allowed to triple major if they wanted/could. And we were allowed up to 3 minors and unlimited certificates (although usually the certificates were harder to earn than most minors).

 

[deleted861396]

My chemistry GPA started kicking my ass halfway through college, so when it came around to applying to medical school I think I made the choice to bite the bullet and take the extra courses for a BS instead of a BA just because I wanted a backup option in graduate school or something else (and a BS would afford me more opportunities to do so).

 

[Master Thinker]

Also some schools offer B.S. only to engineers, whereas the premeds all got B.A. or A.B.

 

[TypeADissection]

The answer is yes