Does what you major in matter?

[SilverBandCry!]

For instance, I was thinking of majoring in a social science. Do med schools care about your major? Will they give less weight to your application because they think that it is an easy major?

Thanks!

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[kenmc3]

For instance, I was thinking of majoring in a social science. Do med schools care about your major? Will they give less weight to your application because they think that it is an easy major?

Thanks!

No - med schools dont care as long as you complete all the pre-reqs. It is a good idea to take some other science courses as well.

 

[JulioFly]

I was an English Lit. major in undergrad. It's my opinion that med schools don't care at all what you major in. As long as you do well and accel in whatever major you choose (as well as your sciences prereqs), you should do well. Med schools look at numbers before they look at specifics. At interviews, it seemed to me that they liked seeing non-science majors too. They will always ask you about it because it stands out. My advice is to major in 1. what you enjoy and 2. what you are good at. if those two things are the same then that's even better!

 

[Matt0751]

Just make sure you take the base classes and BioChem, other than that Med Schools eat up humanity classes

 

[RunnerMD]

I double majored in psych and history and never was questioned about it. However, if you're nervous or you are just interested in the "hard" sciences, you might want to consider minoring in a science (that's what I did). Hope this helps!

 

[gary5]

Adcoms like unique applicants, so a non-bio major is attractive. Maybe consider a minor in bio just for the background info.

 

[Mixtli]

I majored in bioengineering, I didn't get a super high MCAT, bad distribution score distrubition(8 = VR), but good GPA. But, being different helps. I have 14 interview invites/24 schools. The interviewers are impressed at an unique applicant. So I would pick a major that you like that makes you standout.

 

[odrade1]

Pick a major that you can do well in and that you enjoy. Nothing else matters as long as you are good at everything you do (for your resume).

 

[astrife]

I would say the easiest course-load would be a biology or biochem major... as all the reqs fall right in line with med school pre-reqs... sure you can major in psych, but you're going to have to take all the classes that are required for your psych major on top of the pre-med reqs...

sure it seems easier... but I would rather take 1 hard class... than 2 reg. classes

 

[taddpole]

I majored in Judaic Studies. It is slightly tougher since the two areas (pre med reqs and my major) dont intersect at all, so it was basically like completing two separate majors. However, with that said, I enjoyed it a TON. You have all of medical school to study sciency type of things, learn something different while you can.


Good luck

 

[Telemachus]

As others said, doing well is more important than doing a specific major. Just be sure to fully embrace what you are doing and just really go for it.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

They don't care, although an unusual major could actually serve you well as conversation fodder during an interview. I can hear it now, the question I know will get asked in probably every interview I have: "You majored in mortuary science, received an associates in that and then bachelors in biology and chemistry? Why mortuary science?"

 

[scalpel179]

It certainly helps to major in something that has a good overlap of the required courses. I on the other hand, took the longer road and first majored in Nursing. Then I had to return and take a majority of the required science classes. In the end, I think the experience has helped. I have received interviews to most schools and acceptances to a majority as well. It certainly was not the run of the mill science major.

 

[WholeLottaGame7]

I was an English Lit. major in undergrad. It's my opinion that med schools don't care at all what you major in. As long as you do well and accel in whatever major you choose (as well as your sciences prereqs), you should do well. Med schools look at numbers before they look at specifics. At interviews, it seemed to me that they liked seeing non-science majors too. They will always ask you about it because it stands out. My advice is to major in 1. what you enjoy and 2. what you are good at. if those two things are the same then that's even better!

You'd better hope they don't care, because you're an English major and just spelled "excel" as "accel."

It's OK, unlike other posters on here would, I'm not going to question your potential doctorhood for it. I'm just amused by the irony. It's kinda like people swapping "effect" and "affect," except in this case "accel" is not even a word, it's just the first half of "accelerate."

 

[SilverBandCry!]

Thanks for your advice. I was considering majoring in Psychology or Human Development. What do you think about that?

 

[S@xplayer]

Here is my advice:

If you are good at science classes and enjoy them; choose a science major.

If you are good at them, but don't particularly want to major in them, don't. Just make sure that you get the pre-reqs and also take genetics / biochem if you can. Next year, I have been told verbatim that several schools will require biochem (2 semesters).

Ok the reasoning; if you love science and choose a science major to prepare yourself, you will be fine because you are dabbling in materials you enjoy. I am a biology major and I loved it, because I like the material. DO NOT major in biology / chem or finer areas if you don't enjoy it ie.. don't do it just for med school. There are NOT alot of job opportunities after graduation if you do not get in the first time around (I know, I've tried) for a pure science major. Maybe look into the temporary education route.

Better advice; don't do a science major if you truely don't love it. Choose something enjoyable, get the prereqs (and a few more if you can) and graduate with a degree you enjoy. Having good marketability after graduation for a job helps. Biology major = hard to find employment unless you want to do research and are in a largly populated area.

Just my two cents.

 

[SilverBandCry!]

Here is my advice:

If you are good at science classes and enjoy them; choose a science major.

If you are good at them, but don't particularly want to major in them, don't. Just make sure that you get the pre-reqs and also take genetics / biochem if you can. Next year, I have been told verbatim that several schools will require biochem (2 semesters).

Ok the reasoning; if you love science and choose a science major to prepare yourself, you will be fine because you are dabbling in materials you enjoy. I am a biology major and I loved it, because I like the material. DO NOT major in biology / chem or finer areas if you don't enjoy it ie.. don't do it just for med school. There are NOT alot of job opportunities after graduation if you do not get in the first time around (I know, I've tried) for a pure science major. Maybe look into the temporary education route.

Better advice; don't do a science major if you truely don't love it. Choose something enjoyable, get the prereqs (and a few more if you can) and graduate with a degree you enjoy. Having good marketability after graduation for a job helps. Biology major = hard to find employment unless you want to do research and are in a largly populated area.

Just my two cents.

Thanks. I am actually interested in a major in Cornell that is called Human Development. You don't think that majoring in it will hurt or adversely affect my chances? Since it is not as rigorous as the sciences.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

You'd better hope they don't care, because you're an English major and just spelled "excel" as "accel."

It's OK, unlike other posters on here would, I'm not going to question your potential doctorhood for it. I'm just amused by the irony. It's kinda like people swapping "effect" and "affect," except in this case "accel" is not even a word, it's just the first half of "accelerate."

i don't know about you, but at my college, spelling wasn't a required course for english majors. imo, critical thinking, good knowledge of relevant literature and rhetoric trump spelling abilities.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

For instance, I was thinking of majoring in a social science. Do med schools care about your major? Will they give less weight to your application because they think that it is an easy major?

Thanks!

no to both. as others have said here, non-bio majors actually have an advantage because we contribute diversity to a class. also, medical schools are really into communication skills, and having a humanities or social sciences major helps show that you have those skills. i would say that if you're a non-science major, it's probably good to do well in your science courses (definitely more a's than b's) and have a high science gpa. oh yeah, some schools also want you to take some upper level courses beyond the prereqs, so you might want to fit some of those in.

talk of "easy" and "hard" majors is an obsession at sdn, and it's total bs, imo. in undergrad, i initially majored in chemistry and then switched to history. neither was harder or easier -- they were just different. my chemistry friends always thought their non-science classes would be easy, and they wound up struggling to make b's.

 

[UCLA2000]

For instance, I was thinking of majoring in a social science. Do med schools care about your major? Will they give less weight to your application because they think that it is an easy major?

Thanks!

Actually, what some of the other posters have posted is not exactly accurate. Medical schools are more forgiving of borderline gpa's with people who have biochem or engineering majors, however they don't penalize people for having a social science major. To the contrary, the majority of people in medical school had "social science majors". Those students are considered more desireable because they add intellectual diversity to the class.

 

[jon stewart]

where can i find info on the majors of students who apply? Does the msar list them or can i get that from the amcas website?

 

[SilverBandCry!]

where can i find info on the majors of students who apply? Does the msar list them or can i get that from the amcas website?

Yes, this would be helpful.

 

[Law2Doc]

where can i find info on the majors of students who apply? Does the msar list them or can i get that from the amcas website?

I don't see an AAMC listing of majors in terms of number of applicants, matriculants, but from personal observation I question the prior poster's assertion that most of the people in med school were social science majors. Most, I think, were regular science majors, but the percentage of non-science certainly is rising each year, and the traditional biology major for premeds is becoming a thing of the past. AAMC does seem to keep tally of GPA and MCAT scores by major. For the various data AAMC offers, see http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/

 

[jon0013]

i dont really think it matters so much....i double majored in Biology and Asian American Studies just to prolong my stay in college by 1 year....gives you some unique things to talk about but honestly any major is fine as long as you do well in your pre-reqs and have fun with your classes...