Does a minor mean anything to medschool?

[vincikai]

Does a minor mean anything to medschool? I mean I want to take all these upper level science classes in bio, chem, and phy just because it's a fun thing to do, but in the end I wont have enough time to finish a whole other major requirements.

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[Carmenita79]

Does a minor mean anything to medschool? I mean I want to take all these upper level science classes in bio, chem, and phy just because it’s a fun thing to do, but in the end I wont have enough time to finish a whole other major requirements.

IMO it would be most meaningful if you are a science major and get a non-science minor or vice-versa. Probably not as meaningful if, for example, you are a Chemistry major and get a minor in organic chemistry (since it probably only represents an extra class or two)

 

[LizzyM]

From what I've heard talking with other adcom members over a period of ~6 seasons, no one ever mentions that an applicant has a minor in x or y. Sometimes the major will be mentioned when the adcom member summarizes the application but never the minor.

 

[Chris Benoit]

I think it's true that the minor will be more impressive if it's in a totally different field from your major, especially with the bias towards concentration in one area during undergrad (but that's a different stoy =p). I've wondered this myself, as both my majors are life sciences related (albeit one, public health, is more of a social science at times) and my minor, chemistry, is a hard science. Anyone who has actually bothered to take advanced chem classes knows that they can be about as similar to say genetics as Egyptian architecture, but adcoms will definitely be more impressed with the non-science course.

A science related minor in addition to a science major may, however, make you appear more attractive for certain research positions.

 

[NoSoupforYou13]

Minors don't matter.

They only come into play during the interview if the interviewer asks if you have other interests, and then you can point to the minor (if it is in a completely different field).

 

[Punkn]

Yeah, I'm a social work major and a math minor. Kind of a unique combination. I guess I'll find out this fall if my schools actually care! 😉

 

[novawildcat]

I was a chem major and got a minor in economics. I just did it out of interest. I would suggest to get as many minors as possible for everything you are interested in. Do it though because you find it enjoyable.

 

[JohnnyOU]

A minor in Spanish is helpful sometimes. It won't get you in...but can weigh in your favor.

Just my opinion.
Johnny

 

[DF38]

My pre-med advisor told me that your minor (what it is, or even if you have one or not) doesn't matter, and so far all the advice I've gotten from her has been good.

 

[DrBowtie]

Most people can basically back into a chem minor just by taking the pre reqs ending up short 1-2 classes -> hence not impressive.

 

[Chris Benoit]

Most people can basically back into a chem minor just by taking the pre reqs ending up short 1-2 classes -> hence not impressive.

I don't know about your school, but at mine, as well as some other schools in the state, the only pre-med prereq that will go anywhere towards satisfying a chem minor is Ochem. Even after that is completed, at least 4 more upper division courses must be taken. And further precaution, none of those can overlap with your major courses.

 

[Addb]

A lot depends on how your school handles minors. Basically with 3 extra classes, I have a choice between either two degrees (science and language) and a minor (engineering), or one degree (language) and three minors (two science and engy).

I'm taking the two degrees. If I really pack in the summer classes next summer, I can push for a 4th minor (math) if I go the one-degree route, but I still think a second degree will be more helpful.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Does a minor mean anything to medschool? I mean I want to take all these upper level science classes in bio, chem, and phy just because it’s a fun thing to do, but in the end I wont have enough time to finish a whole other major requirements.

No.

 

[SBBunny]

I'm thinking about a math minor (I will have a chem major). I'm one class away, but that would mean that I'd have to bust some serious ass in the second semester of my senior year. My premed advisor (who has been fairly helpful even though she has low standards) said that my transcript will show my interest in math even if I don't get the minor. Either way, your application will probably have about the same chances in the process. Just my (relatively uninformed) opinion 🙂

 

[OSUdoc08]

I don't know about your school, but at mine, as well as some other schools in the state, the only pre-med prereq that will go anywhere towards satisfying a chem minor is Ochem. Even after that is completed, at least 4 more upper division courses must be taken. And further precaution, none of those can overlap with your major courses.

I was 1 semester away from a chem minor. If I had simply taken biochem on top of the pre-med courses, I would have recieved the minor. I just simply didn't care.

 

[Caristra]

If you take it just to be able to say you have aminor, then no. If you do something with the minor, then I certainly hope so. I am a double major in two sciences and have an english minor. One of my best LOR's and a few of my EC's are related to that minor. I don't think anyone will care about the classes but I think the related activities will help show that I am not just a one trick pony.

 

[OSUdoc08]

If you take it just to be able to say you have aminor, then no. If you do something with the minor, then I certainly hope so. I am a double major in two sciences and have an english minor. One of my best LOR's and a few of my EC's are related to that minor. I don't think anyone will care about the classes but I think the related activities will help show that I am not just a one trick pony.

I never got the double major thing.

What's the point?

You're just spending more time and money in college, as well as wasting valuable free time and making life in general more difficult. You'll be in the same MS-I class with all of the single majors anyway.

 

[tinymissdr]

Hello,
I'm currently majoring in chemistry and minoring in psychology. I'm thinking about double majoring in both chem and bio and keeping my psychology minor. I spoke to my chem advisor regarding it. I explained to her that I wanted to be a gastroenterologist and how each of my majors applied to what I wanted to in life. They (both my advisor and the chair who was there when I officially changed my major) were very impressed with my justification.
Anyway, the point is if you all think it'll look impressive or not that I'm double majoring in both chem and biology? Will the schools look more highly upon it or not? I know most student double major because it does look better.
Another question, does it look better if I not only graduate with honors but from the honors program at my school rather then nothing at all? I know that sounded stupid but sometimes stupid questions are better asked.
Thanks everyone,
<3 lu

 

[Addb]

I never got the double major thing.

What's the point?

You're just spending more time and money in college, as well as wasting valuable free time and making life in general more difficult. You'll be in the same MS-I class with all of the single majors anyway.

Depends again on the double major. If you really like something, and you come in with a killer amount of AP creds, or can clep most of it (like a language degree), then it really isn't that much more work. I get to spend a semister abroad, and finish most of my language degree (that which I didn't test out of).

Now if you are getting a chemical engineering degree on top of a biology degree with a certification in biomed engineering and want to do primary care... then yes. You are wasting time and money.

 

[Caristra]

I never got the double major thing.

What's the point?

You're just spending more time and money in college, as well as wasting valuable free time and making life in general more difficult. You'll be in the same MS-I class with all of the single majors anyway.

I can't speak for others, but for me it was about getting everything I could out of my undergrad experience. I wanted to major in biochemistry but it is not a major offered at my school. So I just did the next best thing and did a major in bio and a major in chemistry. I have a full scholarship at my school so I did not have to worry about the money. I was smart about when I took my classes so it's only taking me four years which is the normal time for college to take. Actually senior year is going to be my lightest year, mostly research. I figured I was fortunate enough to get this scholarship I might as well get as much out of it as I could since It's once in a lifetime.

As for wasting free time- I don't think it was a waste, I still had plenty of free time for EC's and relationships and such. Plus I lie at home, so I am certainly not missing out on family time. I get way more than the average college person of that. My friends say I have the personality of an old woman, asleep at eleven. As for making life harder I just enjoy being busy.I don't think life was harder.

It's silly to double major because you think it will help get you into med school. You're right, you end up in the same MSI class as everyone else. I did not do it for any med school. I did it because it was the education I wanted.

 

[Rafa]

Do a double major if you're interested in both subjects. I'm doubling because I'm really into the two subjects I'm majoring in. You can only spend so much time in college - if you spend it exploring what you're interested in, you'll get a lot more out of the experience. 🙂

 

[Joel Fleischman]

Hey guys...Im an M3 and just ran across this post to see what the CW is. I was a double minor... I was an engineer, so the minor in math was like one extra class and the psych minor easy if you took all of your electives in psych (of course) + a few classes... easy if you came in with some AP credit.
long story short... of all the places I interviewed ( 5, I think)...It was never mentioned.
If you do some integrating research between your minor and your major it may be helpful, or if its something that you have a real drive and interest in, go for it, but otherwise it probably wont be noticed.
but just my 0.02

 

[OSUdoc08]

I can't speak for others, but for me it was about getting everything I could out of my undergrad experience. I wanted to major in biochemistry but it is not a major offered at my school. So I just did the next best thing and did a major in bio and a major in chemistry. I have a full scholarship at my school so I did not have to worry about the money. I was smart about when I took my classes so it's only taking me four years which is the normal time for college to take. Actually senior year is going to be my lightest year, mostly research. I figured I was fortunate enough to get this scholarship I might as well get as much out of it as I could since It's once in a lifetime.

As for wasting free time- I don't think it was a waste, I still had plenty of free time for EC's and relationships and such. Plus I lie at home, so I am certainly not missing out on family time. I get way more than the average college person of that. My friends say I have the personality of an old woman, asleep at eleven. As for making life harder I just enjoy being busy.I don't think life was harder.

It's silly to double major because you think it will help get you into med school. You're right, you end up in the same MSI class as everyone else. I did not do it for any med school. I did it because it was the education I wanted.

Ah, I guess it depends on the person. I wanted to get out of college and into medical school as quickly as possible. I did undergrad in 3 1/2 years. I had no interest in taking all of those non-medical courses.

 

[Addb]

Hello,
I'm currently majoring in chemistry and minoring in psychology. I'm thinking about double majoring in both chem and bio and keeping my psychology minor. I spoke to my chem advisor regarding it. I explained to her that I wanted to be a gastroenterologist and how each of my majors applied to what I wanted to in life. They (both my advisor and the chair who was there when I officially changed my major) were very impressed with my justification.
Anyway, the point is if you all think it'll look impressive or not that I'm double majoring in both chem and biology? Will the schools look more highly upon it or not? I know most student double major because it does look better.
Another question, does it look better if I not only graduate with honors but from the honors program at my school rather then nothing at all? I know that sounded stupid but sometimes stupid questions are better asked.
Thanks everyone,
<3 lu

Double major because of two reasons: 1) you are honestly interested enough in chem and bio to take all the mindraping upper level courses, and you love every minute of your laboratory classes of both types, or 2) you can find a way to skip most of the requirements.

There is no real reason to spend all that extra time getting a bio degree on top of a chem degree unless you want to go into research or go to a top school. I would say just keep your chemistry degree and double major in psych. It seems you are really interested in it, and you will already have at least half the degree done from your minor. Just my take though.

Oh, and the honors college, at least at my school, is more of a utility than an app stamp. I get to register for classes early, and the honors gen-ed courses are all small (my current poli sci debate class is 10 people) and discussion oriented. Nice break from the lecture sciences.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Double major because of two reasons: 1) you are honestly interested enough in chem and bio to take all the mindraping upper level courses, and you love every minute of your laboratory classes of both types, or 2) you can find a way to skip most of the requirements.

There is no real reason to spend all that extra time getting a bio degree on top of a chem degree unless you want to go into research or go to a top school. I would say just keep your chemistry degree and double major in psych. It seems you are really interested in it, and you will already have at least half the degree done from your minor. Just my take though.

Oh, and the honors college, at least at my school, is more of a utility than an app stamp. I get to register for classes early, and the honors gen-ed courses are all small (my current poli sci debate class is 10 people) and discussion oriented. Nice break from the lecture sciences.

If that's the case, then you need to get a Ph.D. --> not an MD/DO.

 

[Caristra]

Hello,
I'm currently majoring in chemistry and minoring in psychology. I'm thinking about double majoring in both chem and bio and keeping my psychology minor. I spoke to my chem advisor regarding it. I explained to her that I wanted to be a gastroenterologist and how each of my majors applied to what I wanted to in life. They (both my advisor and the chair who was there when I officially changed my major) were very impressed with my justification.
Anyway, the point is if you all think it'll look impressive or not that I'm double majoring in both chem and biology? Will the schools look more highly upon it or not? I know most student double major because it does look better.
Another question, does it look better if I not only graduate with honors but from the honors program at my school rather then nothing at all? I know that sounded stupid but sometimes stupid questions are better asked.
Thanks everyone,
<3 lu

The question of whether or not it will look impressive disturbs me. Only do the double major if it something that you are interested in, not to impress adcoms. it is pointless to double major just because it might look good to an adcom because 1) They will see through it 2) It really does nt make that much of a difference. So long as you are in excellent your academics are fine.

Do what makes you happy, not what you think adcoms might want.

 

[Caristra]

If that's the case, then you need to get a Ph.D. --> not an MD/DO.

yeah, I shoulda mentioned: I am very interested in those none medical courses because I want an MD/PHD joint degree or an MD with researchr ecognition. That probably also says something for the amount of time I am willing to spend in school and how much I love taking those classes 😍 viva la research

 

[Tribeca]

The question of whether or not it will look impressive disturbs me. Only do the double major if it something that you are interested in, not to impress adcoms. it is pointless to double major just because it might look good to an adcom because 1) They will see through it 2) It really does nt make that much of a difference. So long as you are in excellent your academics are fine.

Do what makes you happy, not what you think adcoms might want.

I totally agree with this post. Don't waste your time, energy, and money doing a minor or doing a double major just for the sake of looking good on paper. Just like with choosing your major, choose a minor that interests you - it'll be more rewarding in the long run. When I entered college, I debated whether I should take Biology or Child Development as a pre-med. I ended up choosing Child Development because it sounded more interesting to me. I'm taking a circuitous path to med school, but I believe that I've led a rewarding career that'll someday make me a more insightful pediatrician as a result of my course of study in undergrad.