Double Major help in Med School admission

[lifesciencedude]

I am currently a biology major planning to double major in another science discipline like maybe neuroscience. Would a double major help in med school application. Do med schools consider double majors to be standout applications. Thanks for your help with my question.

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[beepbeep197]

I am currently a biology major planning to double major in another science discipline like maybe neuroscience. Would a double major help in med school application. Do med schools consider double majors to be standout applications. Thanks for your help with my question.

I think if there's one thing I've learned major does not matter. Just major in something you enjoy and take the required classes for med school and you're set. Majoring in something that you don't like just to look impressive to med schools is not worth it at all. College is one of the few times in life when you can really explore your interests and take classes for fun, so please take advantage of that! I know this doesn't answer your question directly, but in my experience, it's better to major in something you really find interesting. I'm an anthropology major and I have talked about my major during all of my interviews, not to flex about the difficulty of my classes, but to talk about the different issues that it exposed me to and how it shaped my path to medicine.

 

[NY_Med]

I was a triple major in undergrad and it was brought up multiple times in interviews. I think the main thing is you cannot use the dual majors as a reason to compensate for the lack of extracurriculars. My interviewers were impressed with the fact that I had multiple majors AND managed to have great EC's on top of that.

 

[KnightDoc]

I am currently a biology major planning to double major in another science discipline like maybe neuroscience. Would a double major help in med school application. Do med schools consider double majors to be standout applications. Thanks for your help with my question.

Not at all. They care about grades, prereqs, and rigor of classes taken. Not what your major is, or how many you have.

If anything, excelling in a difficult, non-science major might allow you to stand out, but the best course of action, by far, is to just stick to what you like and can do well in, without worrying about trying to impress anyone. Stand out applications rise and fall on the ECs and how you tie them together in your narrative.

 

[jhmmd]

I am currently a biology major planning to double major in another science discipline like maybe neuroscience. Would a double major help in med school application. Do med schools consider double majors to be standout applications. Thanks for your help with my question.

GPA & MCAT trump all else because you have to pass the cursory GPA/MCAT screen when you apply. If you are interested in both majors and think that you can get a high GPA being a double major, then go for it. But don't do it just to try to stand out.

Remember that being interested in what you're studying will help motivate you to study more (==> better grades)!

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Nope. Do it if you want to and can do well while also doing everything else you need to do.

 

[allseasons]

I was a triple major in undergrad and it was brought up multiple times in interviews. I think the main thing is you cannot use the dual majors as a reason to compensate for the lack of extracurriculars. My interviewers were impressed with the fact that I had multiple majors AND managed to have great EC's on top of that.

Seconding this and disagreeing with others here. There's a lot of caveats to a double major and the risk is absolutely not worth the reward unless you are very very sure of yourself (I was).

I was a double major double minor with one of my majors being Computer Science. My ability to do that and graduate with a 4.0 was brought up at almost every single one of my interviews, even by the Dean of Admissions at Harvard. I was frequently asked how I balanced all of that work with great ECs. Not to mention, computer science skill is rather rare/unique in medicine, so having that major undoubtedly enhanced my application.

In your case, I don't think a double major would be worth it even if you are sure of yourself, as biology and neuroscience are very close fields, and it's unlikely it would be of any noteworthy achievement. Not to mention biology and neuroscience are probably the two popular majors for pre-meds, so no diversity there either.

@NY_Premed What were your three majors? You can be more generic if you think it might be too identifying. My major isn't actually CS, just very closely related.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Seconding this and disagreeing with others here. There's a lot of caveats to a double major and the risk is absolutely not worth the reward unless you are very very sure of yourself (I was).

I was a double major double minor with one of my majors being Computer Science. My ability to do that and graduate with a 4.0 was brought up at almost every single one of my interviews, even by the Dean of Admissions at Harvard. I was frequently asked how I balanced all of that work with great ECs. Not to mention, computer science skill is rather rare/unique in medicine, so having that major undoubtedly enhanced my application.

In your case, I don't think a double major would be worth it even if you are sure of yourself, as biology and neuroscience are very close fields, and it's unlikely it would be of any noteworthy achievement. Not to mention biology and neuroscience are probably the two popular majors for pre-meds, so no diversity there either.

@NY_Premed What were your three majors? You can be more generic if you think it might be too identifying. My major isn't actually CS, just very closely related.

You’re falling into some logical traps here. Small sample size and anecdotes plus a bit of a false dichotomy. One or two students with anecdotal experience doesn’t trump stats and numerous adcoms saying a double major isn’t likely to help you very much or at all. Now if you double or triple majored and got a 4.0 AND had good ECs, that will impress them (but a 4.0 will impress them anyway). But that leads into the next point. Of course getting a 4.0 with two majors and two minors and a good app otherwise got attention. No one would ever say that wouldn’t. But that will not be the majority of people doing a double major.

 

[LizzyM]

Never confuse what is talked about at an interview with what got you the interview or what will get you admitted.

Most pre-meds do the same things as all the rest and yet it is more fun to talk about something novel so interviewers, who are interviewing dozens, (sometimes over 100) applicants in a season, will look for something out of the ordinary to ask you about. We don't care what you major (or double major) in but it might be one thing that is out of the ordinary.

(Biology and neuroscience as a double major doesn't bring anything novel to the table.)

 

[allseasons]

You’re falling into some logical traps here. Small sample size and anecdotes plus a bit of a false dichotomy. One or two students with anecdotal experience doesn’t trump stats and numerous adcoms saying a double major isn’t likely to help you very much or at all. Now if you double or triple majored and got a 4.0 AND had good ECs, that will impress them (but a 4.0 will impress them anyway). But that leads into the next point. Of course getting a 4.0 with two majors and two minors and a good app otherwise got attention. No one would ever say that wouldn’t. But that will not be the majority of people doing a double major.

I don't think I was falling into any logical traps based on your response.

"Now if you double or triple majored and got a 4.0 AND had good ECs, that will impress them (but a 4.0 will impress them anyway). But that leads into the next point. Of course getting a 4.0 with two majors and two minors and a good app otherwise got attention. No one would ever say that wouldn’t. But that will not be the majority of people doing a double major."

Totally agreed, and that was exactly what I meant when I said: "There's a lot of caveats to a double major and the risk is absolutely not worth the reward unless you are very very sure of yourself (I was)." For the vast majority of people, it absolutely will not be worth it.

 

[crimsonly]

Learned it the hard way, do not do a double major if it will compromise your GPA. Go take some global poverty, wine-making and film classes instead. Didn't listen to my seniors who told me this and now wish I did.

 

[allseasons]

Learned it the hard way, do not do a double major if it will compromise your GPA. Go take some global poverty, wine-making and film classes instead. Didn't listen to my seniors who told me this and now wish I did.

yea, I did it, it worked out for me, and I still wish I didn't lol. even then idk if the effort was worth the reward.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I don't think I was falling into any logical traps based on your response.

"Now if you double or triple majored and got a 4.0 AND had good ECs, that will impress them (but a 4.0 will impress them anyway). But that leads into the next point. Of course getting a 4.0 with two majors and two minors and a good app otherwise got attention. No one would ever say that wouldn’t. But that will not be the majority of people doing a double major."

Totally agreed, and that was exactly what I meant when I said: "There's a lot of caveats to a double major and the risk is absolutely not worth the reward unless you are very very sure of yourself (I was)." For the vast majority of people, it absolutely will not be worth it.

I didn’t see the second half of your post on my phone for some reason.

 

[jojofu]

I would pick the one major you are most interested in, and if you can get a 4.0 after the first year and a half, then consider adding a second major in another field you really want to explore. Of course, you could pursue both from the beginning, but in terms of med school apps, GPA will be the most important in this conversation.

 

[allseasons]

Only pick up a double major if the curriculum triggers your curiosity and is something you genuinely want to learn (whether it helps or doesn't help). I went to school for Clinical Exercise Physiology because I enjoyed the curriculum and needed to take on more credits to play 4 years of Fball. The Biology degree was just my curiosity about what I was missing in upper-level biology courses (and MCAT Prep).

bro wtf
you did triple major and were in varsity football??? and had time for ECs
damn bruh

 

[CuCl2]

as others have said, it’s probably not worth it if you sacrifice your GPA or time that could be spent in research or clinical or non pre med passions, just because doing two science majors is so hefty. At least at my school, no one really does bio with neuro, as they’re two of the hardest majors; and the brave few that have tried usually don’t get approval from either department. The other thing is they’re somewhat similar? So it might not be all that interesting to adcoms (But I truly have no idea lol). I feel like doing two disparate majors could maybe, just maybe have a slight payoff, as long you’re passionate. My experience - I’m a neuroscience major but also added poetry writing as a double major because it‘s only a few more classes than the minor, and I knew it wouldn’t significantly impact my gpa or time outside of classes spent studying, since it’s more creative/humanities-based. I’ve gotten interview questions about it because it’s an interesting combo, and I think my passion for writing shows through when I talk about it, which is cool.
TL;DR - double majors aren’t worth it unless you know you can definitely handle the extra workload & it’s a combo you’re passionate about/interested in - doing it for the sake of apparent difficulty has diminishing returns, IMO. Minors are usually sufficient

 

[NY_Med]

bro wtf
you did triple major and were in varsity football??? and had time for ECs
damn bruh

+1
impressive @NY_Premed

Thanks guys, it was a grind lmao

 

[Arsartium]

Agree with much that has already been said. Adding another science major (especially bio related, exception might be physics and CS) doesn’t necessarily make you more interesting to adcoms.

Non-science majors tend to interview incredibly well though. Generally, their ability to craft and communicate a story both verbally and written surpasses most applicants. Taking as many non-science classes that spark your interest (especially writing intensive ones) is to your benefit no matter your major for enhancing communication skills alone.

 

[allseasons]

Agree with much that has already been said. Adding another science major (especially bio related, exception might be physics and CS) doesn’t necessarily make you more interesting to adcoms.

Non-science majors tend to interview incredibly well though. Generally, their ability to craft and communicate a story both verbally and written surpasses most applicants. Taking as many non-science classes that spark your interest (especially writing intensive ones) is to your benefit no matter your major for enhancing communication skills alone.

CS doesn't even count as science under AMCAS haha, even though science is in the name
But yes, physics, CS, and Math were in my and my friends experience been the few science majors that were considered "noteworthy".
I had a friend do a double major in Bio and Comp Sci + Math (one major). Insane course difficulty and near 4.0.

 

[LindaAccepted]

I am currently a biology major planning to double major in another science discipline like maybe neuroscience. Would a double major help in med school application. Do med schools consider double majors to be standout applications. Thanks for your help with my question.

A double major in two sciences is not a differentiator. If you majored in bio and philosophy or music or English lit, that would be differentiator. It would also be really hard. And a big mistake, if you are not interested in the second major.

Only double major if you have a real passion for both topics and can do so without compromising your GPA.

 

[PhD_to_DO]

I am currently a biology major planning to double major in another science discipline like maybe neuroscience. Would a double major help in med school application. Do med schools consider double majors to be standout applications. Thanks for your help with my question.

I was a double major (Microbiology and Community Health Promotion w/ a minor in Sociology) in undergrad, not because I thought that it would help get me to medical school but because I was 1) Genuinely interested in both topics and 2) One of the degrees was a requirement for the job that I worked in undergrad; the agency that I worked for made a deal with me. Essentially, if I was a student in the field, then they would hire me and keep me employed. Of the four interviews that I had, the topic of my double majoring only came up once in relation to my work with the BLM movement a few years back. I don't really think that the double major was a make or break in the admissions process and I'm not sure that it helped me to stand out in comparison to some of the other things in my application. If I hadn't had the job that I had at the time when I was in undergrad, I would have stuck with Microbiology and called it a day.

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

Not materially but could make a difference marginally. For example, having a unique academic interest to talk about.