Declare Minor or Stick to Electives?

[pandemia]

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I like political science and was looking into minoring in it. However, I was wondering if it's better instead to take courses from a wide variety of fields like humanities, earth sciences, english and stuff (declare electives) instead of minoring in one discipline

 

[H Y F R]

I like political science and was looking into minoring in it. However, I was wondering if it's better instead to take courses from a wide variety of fields like humanities, earth sciences, english and stuff (declare electives) instead of minoring in one discipline

Better for what? You're not clear at all... And what phase of your education are you in and what do you plan to do?

 

[pandemia]

Better for what? You're not clear at all... And what phase of your education are you in and what do you plan to do?

Better in a sense that I'm a more well rounded student, or taking electives from various disciplines to increase my GPA then be restricted to just taking political science courses which could potentially turn out to be hard. I'm finishing up my undergrad with a few electives to spare.

 

[H Y F R]

Better in a sense that I'm a more well rounded student, or taking electives from various disciplines to increase my GPA then be restricted to just taking political science courses which could potentially turn out to be hard. I'm finishing up my undergrad with a few electives to spare.

I get that my friend. But you're still not clear as to what you want to pursue - MD, DO, Caribbean? But for the sake of assuming that you are pursuing a career in medicine since you are in this forum.....

There are many paths that can be taken towards a goal. Taking classes from any direction to boost your GPA is a reasonable tactic, yet is something that med schools are familiar with and don't do cartwheels when they see it. How about taking some upper division courses within the department of your major, assuming you are a science major, to challenge yourself and to show medschools you are up for a healthy challenge? If you are a chem major, say an organometallics course or advanced inorganic, or molecular genetics? If you are a bio major, how about a biochem 1 or 2 with lab? I know it's hard, but if you intend on pursuing this goal of medicine, it is important to step out of your comfort zone of classes that will guarantee you the easy A and instead do something tough, push your limits, and see what you are truly capable of....

I speak from my own experience. I was a so so undergrad with a ~3.6 cGPA. To improve my chances, I didn't take Mickey mouse classes to boost my GPA. I just finished my MS in chemistry, graduated with honors with just short of a 4.00 GPA (3.99 i think), and got tons of research experience, pubs, presentations, and volunteering along the way. No need to go crazy like me and get an MS in anything, but the point is to think, act, and execute like a physician in your daily life until the wonderful moment that you actually become one.

 

[kpcrew]

if i were you, i would just not declare a minor, to leave my options open for time slots and for interesting courses.

 

[Neurosis]

unless you're really invested in any particular area of study, minors are really pointless. If I were you I would just stick to the major, take interesting/easy courses to boost my GPA, and call it a day.