NOTE: Accidentally posted this in Exam HQ due to a posting error. Can somebody please delete that? Thanks!
Hey,
First things first, I apologize for asking this question. I can see that it's been asked a few times before, although I'm still going to continue posting, as I'd also like a little information on my choice(s) of a major.
Anyway, I've heard from a number of people that "college major doesn't matter to medical schools, so long as you keep your GPA high". While this may be true to an extent, I have heard from other (reputable) sources that your major can have a good or bad effect on your chance of admission, depending on what it is. For example, I had initially been considering majoring in psychology, given the interest I've had in the field for such a long time. However, I was discouraged from taking this path by friends, who told me that psychology is typically taken by slackers, thus, my majoring in that could look bad on medical school applications.
So lately, I've been trying to decide between doing a major in Astrophysics (which I find to be compelling, I just don't know whether or not I'll be able to wrap my head around the advanced math) or doing a double-major combination of International Relations and Russian. I'm relatively confident that I'd be able to do well in those two areas, as I've always had a penchant for both politics and language. I'd probably enjoy that combination, too, while not having to worry about getting buried under anything other than the required math courses I'd have to take as a prospective medical student.
Now I have to ask - if I pursue the latter option, might it come back to haunt to me? I've seen several people on this forum state that they are majors in, or are going to major in subjects such as philosophy or political science. This gives me "hope", though I'd appreciate additional feedback from people who know more about the medical school process than myself. Honestly, I have no clue whether or not IR and RUS are common majors.
I guess it's also worth noting that I'm probably going to have to be a community college loser for a year, after which I'll be transferring to Michigan State University (I'd try for UChicago or somewhere similar, but I'm an ice dancer, and, given that male ice dancers are rare, I get extremely high-quality lessons for free in Detroit). I'm one of those *****s who had been in "gifted" and "advanced" classes since first or second grade, but ended up flunking a boatload of courses junior year due to lack of caring. I've since turned things around (all A's last trimester without trying, even though I only have a normal schedule. Still, I did perfectly fine on the AP tests last year, regardless of my grades in the classes themselves. I'm not worried about not being able to do college-level work). My ACT scores, while not extremely exceptional, were good enough to merit me a boatload of mail from prestigious universities, while most of my friends got stuck with exclusive invitations from ITT-Tech.
I'm planning to retake the ACT (took it in the midst of my junior year crash. Still got >99th percentile scores in English and Reading, but I know I could have done much better in math and science) later this year, so I can have something else to throw in when I submit my transfer application.
Don't know if any of that was relevant. It'd be nice if people could give me some feedback on my planned majors, as well as offer any study tips that work for them. I've always been the kid who passed without trying due to natural interest in some fields, but I know that isn't liable to cut it in college.
Anything helpful is appreciated.
Hey,
First things first, I apologize for asking this question. I can see that it's been asked a few times before, although I'm still going to continue posting, as I'd also like a little information on my choice(s) of a major.
Anyway, I've heard from a number of people that "college major doesn't matter to medical schools, so long as you keep your GPA high". While this may be true to an extent, I have heard from other (reputable) sources that your major can have a good or bad effect on your chance of admission, depending on what it is. For example, I had initially been considering majoring in psychology, given the interest I've had in the field for such a long time. However, I was discouraged from taking this path by friends, who told me that psychology is typically taken by slackers, thus, my majoring in that could look bad on medical school applications.
So lately, I've been trying to decide between doing a major in Astrophysics (which I find to be compelling, I just don't know whether or not I'll be able to wrap my head around the advanced math) or doing a double-major combination of International Relations and Russian. I'm relatively confident that I'd be able to do well in those two areas, as I've always had a penchant for both politics and language. I'd probably enjoy that combination, too, while not having to worry about getting buried under anything other than the required math courses I'd have to take as a prospective medical student.
Now I have to ask - if I pursue the latter option, might it come back to haunt to me? I've seen several people on this forum state that they are majors in, or are going to major in subjects such as philosophy or political science. This gives me "hope", though I'd appreciate additional feedback from people who know more about the medical school process than myself. Honestly, I have no clue whether or not IR and RUS are common majors.
I guess it's also worth noting that I'm probably going to have to be a community college loser for a year, after which I'll be transferring to Michigan State University (I'd try for UChicago or somewhere similar, but I'm an ice dancer, and, given that male ice dancers are rare, I get extremely high-quality lessons for free in Detroit). I'm one of those *****s who had been in "gifted" and "advanced" classes since first or second grade, but ended up flunking a boatload of courses junior year due to lack of caring. I've since turned things around (all A's last trimester without trying, even though I only have a normal schedule. Still, I did perfectly fine on the AP tests last year, regardless of my grades in the classes themselves. I'm not worried about not being able to do college-level work). My ACT scores, while not extremely exceptional, were good enough to merit me a boatload of mail from prestigious universities, while most of my friends got stuck with exclusive invitations from ITT-Tech.
I'm planning to retake the ACT (took it in the midst of my junior year crash. Still got >99th percentile scores in English and Reading, but I know I could have done much better in math and science) later this year, so I can have something else to throw in when I submit my transfer application.
Don't know if any of that was relevant. It'd be nice if people could give me some feedback on my planned majors, as well as offer any study tips that work for them. I've always been the kid who passed without trying due to natural interest in some fields, but I know that isn't liable to cut it in college.
Anything helpful is appreciated.
