Double Majoring - Not such a good idea afterall?

[StayFocused]

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Title pretty much says it all. I am currently an undergraduate at Lincoln Memorial University (location of Debusk College Of Osteopathic Medicine), and I have a few questions regarding the worth of a double major from an application stand point.

I am currently double majoring in biology + mathematics. You might be wondering why mathematics, and to be honest, I don't have that great of a reason other than I really enjoy working with numbers and mathematics fascinates me. I don't want to have a profession that deals with mathematics per say, but after getting 8 hours of college math out of the way via AP tests in high school, I figured why not take advantage of the opportunity to double major in 4 years while in school - especially in something that really fascinates me. (On a side note - I'm one of two, yes, TWO math majors for the class of '10. Crazy.)

Now, my problem. I'm only in my second semester of my sophomore year, but it's never too early to start analyzing your GPA. If I look at my overall GPA, I currently sit at a 3.37, nothing great I know. If I factor out the math classes I have taken thus far, I have an overall GPA of 3.46, still not great, but a little more respectable. I assume when admission teams look at my science GPA, they will factor in all my math classes. With this being said, my science GPA is a 3.31 with my math classes, and a 3.46 without my math classes.

Basically, what I'm trying to get at is my math classes aren't going to get any easier (Advanced Calculus I/II, Linear Algebra, etc etc), so I don't really see my GPA (both overall and science assuming they will take all my math classes into consideration for the science GPA) increasing by any large amounts by the time I graduate. Is it worth risking .10-.20 of a GPA point so I can satisfy my enjoyment of math? In my opinion, potential schools I apply to would take into consideration the difficulty of a mathematics major (not trying to boast) and the effect it had on my GPA. Maybe I'm completely wrong.

Thanks for taking the time to read and respond. 🙂

 

[RoyalFB]

Title pretty much says it all. I am currently an undergraduate at Lincoln Memorial University (location of Debusk College Of Osteopathic Medicine), and I have a few questions regarding the worth of a double major from an application stand point.

I am currently double majoring in biology + mathematics. You might be wondering why mathematics, and to be honest, I don't have that great of a reason other than I really enjoy working with numbers and mathematics fascinates me. I don't want to have a profession that deals with mathematics per say, but after getting 8 hours of college math out of the way via AP tests in high school, I figured why not take advantage of the opportunity to double major in 4 years while in school - especially in something that really fascinates me. (On a side note - I'm one of two, yes, TWO math majors for the class of '10. Crazy.)

Now, my problem. I'm only in my second semester of my sophomore year, but it's never too early to start analyzing your GPA. If I look at my overall GPA, I currently sit at a 3.37, nothing great I know. If I factor out the math classes I have taken thus far, I have an overall GPA of 3.46, still not great, but a little more respectable. I assume when admission teams look at my science GPA, they will factor in all my math classes. With this being said, my science GPA is a 3.31 with my math classes, and a 3.46 without my math classes.

Basically, what I'm trying to get at is my math classes aren't going to get any easier (Advanced Calculus I/II, Linear Algebra, etc etc), so I don't really see my GPA (both overall and science assuming they will take all my math classes into consideration for the science GPA) increasing by any large amounts by the time I graduate. Is it worth risking .10-.20 of a GPA point so I can satisfy my enjoyment of math? In my opinion, potential schools I apply to would take into consideration the difficulty of a mathematics major (not trying to boast) and the effect it had on my GPA. Maybe I'm completely wrong.

Thanks for taking the time to read and respond. 🙂

If this is true, I think it is crazy to double major in math. Focus on Biology and get your numbers fix in with some Sudoku while your on the pot. 👍

 

[DrMidlife]

The DO app service (AACOMAS) doesn't count math as science. AMCAS and TMDSAS count math as science.

If calculus wasn't the most fun you've had in your life, it's probably safe to assume that your math GPA will go down from here. Also, you'll stop seeing numbers after calculus, other than letting epsilon be greater than zero.

I've got a pure math degree, and imho its long-term value is a hard-earned ability to not shy away from an impossible problem that can't be visualized, modeled, described to a non-mathematician, or applied in any tangible way. In applied math, by contrast, you would have an inkling how to prove that no more than 4 colors (or was it 5?) are necessary to delineate areas on a map (such as the US states). Helpful for the practice of medicine? Not in any clinical sense.

My view is that your major doesn't matter, as long as you're (a) interested in it and (b) can show academic prowess in it.

Best of luck to you.

 

[t-funk]

Just in case you didn't kow, if you are applying osteopathc, math is not included in your sciences GPA so that's a good thing. If you wanted you could always minor in math instead of majoring. I was only a 5 classes away from a math degree and got to modern algebra and it was proofs and theoretical stuff and I hated it and dropped my math major to a minor. The fun/applied stuff (IMO) like Calculus, Diff EQ, and Matrix Theory/Linear Algebra would all still typically be in the minor w/o that theoretical stuff. Just another perspective, possibly. About the .1-.2 GPA points, I'm the type to say it's worth the risk to learn about stuff you enjoy but others will disagree. The ADCOMS will most likely not care that your GPA is lower bc of the math courses you took, they will take it at face value IMO.

 

[t-funk]

The DO app service (AACOMAS) doesn't count math as science. AMCAS and TMDSAS count math as science.

If calculus wasn't the most fun you've had in your life, it's probably safe to assume that your math GPA will go down from here. Also, you'll stop seeing numbers after calculus, other than letting epsilon be greater than zero.

I've got a pure math degree, and imho its long-term value is a hard-earned ability to not shy away from an impossible problem that can't be visualized, modeled, described to a non-mathematician, or applied in any tangible way. In applied math, by contrast, you would have an inkling how to prove that no more than 4 colors (or was it 5?) are necessary to delineate areas on a map (such as the US states). Helpful for the practice of medicine? Not in any clinical sense.

My view is that your major doesn't matter, as long as you're (a) interested in it and (b) can show academic prowess in it.

Best of luck to you.

Beat me to most of my points, oh well. 👍

 

[StayFocused]

The DO app service (AACOMAS) doesn't count math as science. AMCAS and TMDSAS count math as science.

If calculus wasn't the most fun you've had in your life, it's probably safe to assume that your math GPA will go down from here. Also, you'll stop seeing numbers after calculus, other than letting epsilon be greater than zero.

I've got a pure math degree, and imho its long-term value is a hard-earned ability to not shy away from an impossible problem that can't be visualized, modeled, described to a non-mathematician, or applied in any tangible way. In applied math, by contrast, you would have an inkling how to prove that no more than 4 colors (or was it 5?) are necessary to delineate areas on a map (such as the US states). Helpful for the practice of medicine? Not in any clinical sense.

My view is that your major doesn't matter, as long as you're (a) interested in it and (b) can show academic prowess in it.

Best of luck to you.

Thanks for the information. I enjoy calculus most of all - probably the reason why I got a B+ in Calc II and a B+ in Calc III. I am currently in differential equations II, and it wasn't my favorite class last semester, lol.

 

[Willh]

I double majored in Literature and Biology.

Interviewers loved it...I was getting all kinds of questions about books, grammar, etc. And apparently it worked -- I've had no shortage of acceptances.

 

[Tachymeter]

I was going to try a math degree in addition to my biology one but I dropped it. I got a 4.0 in Calc I, but a 3.0 in Calc II, I wasn't about to try my luck to see how I did in Calc III.

 

[t-funk]

I double majored in Literature and Biology.

Interviewers loved it...I was getting all kinds of questions about books, grammar, etc. And apparently it worked -- I've had no shortage of acceptances.

I got a BA in Anthropology and a BS in Geology and I don't think Anthropology was mentioned once in 6 interviews. You're lucky, I would have loved to be able to talk about anth, which I love. 😍 I think most of my interviews were spent with the interviewers getting to know me and try to figure out if I could handle medical school with kids.

 

[Wylde]

is math a hard major? Im thinking about switching to it, this semester is my first semester ever without a "number crunching" math course and i'm missing the black and white of it all.

 

[StayFocused]

is math a hard major? Im thinking about switching to it, this semester is my first semester ever without a "number crunching" math course and i'm missing the black and white of it all.

Well, I would say so. Like chemistry, biology, etc., it has its different branches (as mentioned in previous posts). Some you will enjoy and grasp quickly, some you will have to put some work into. I have the benefit of attending a private school where I am 1 of 2 math majors in my graduating class. This results in close relationships with my professors and their desire to keep me as one of their majors (I mentioned to one of them about dropping in fear of sacrificing a lower GPA for medical school, but they assured me they would work with me whenever I needed to help improve my grade. 🙂). If you are a thinker, and like to know the "why" and "how", then math is something to look into. It is not all rote memorization like some information can be in other subjects. If you are really interested in it, have a talk with your current math professors and see what kind of insight they can give you.

 

[KelbornCmd]

I double majored in Literature and Biology.

Interviewers loved it...I was getting all kinds of questions about books, grammar, etc. And apparently it worked -- I've had no shortage of acceptances.

I've had the same experience as a double major in Biology and Classics. I think I've spent almost as much time in interviews talking about history and archaeology as I have spent talking about the future of medicine, etc. In general, I think double majors earn respect because they show that you can really work hard in different fields.

 

[BlueCow]

Title pretty much says it all. I am currently an undergraduate at Lincoln Memorial University (location of Debusk College Of Osteopathic Medicine), and I have a few questions regarding the worth of a double major from an application stand point.

I am currently double majoring in biology + mathematics. You might be wondering why mathematics, and to be honest, I don't have that great of a reason other than I really enjoy working with numbers and mathematics fascinates me. I don't want to have a profession that deals with mathematics per say, but after getting 8 hours of college math out of the way via AP tests in high school, I figured why not take advantage of the opportunity to double major in 4 years while in school - especially in something that really fascinates me. (On a side note - I'm one of two, yes, TWO math majors for the class of '10. Crazy.)

Now, my problem. I'm only in my second semester of my sophomore year, but it's never too early to start analyzing your GPA. If I look at my overall GPA, I currently sit at a 3.37, nothing great I know. If I factor out the math classes I have taken thus far, I have an overall GPA of 3.46, still not great, but a little more respectable. I assume when admission teams look at my science GPA, they will factor in all my math classes. With this being said, my science GPA is a 3.31 with my math classes, and a 3.46 without my math classes.

Basically, what I'm trying to get at is my math classes aren't going to get any easier (Advanced Calculus I/II, Linear Algebra, etc etc), so I don't really see my GPA (both overall and science assuming they will take all my math classes into consideration for the science GPA) increasing by any large amounts by the time I graduate. Is it worth risking .10-.20 of a GPA point so I can satisfy my enjoyment of math? In my opinion, potential schools I apply to would take into consideration the difficulty of a mathematics major (not trying to boast) and the effect it had on my GPA. Maybe I'm completely wrong.

Thanks for taking the time to read and respond. 🙂

From reading your post, you are obviously are not doing well in your math classes. If you enjoy math and are good with math then there is no reason why you should not make an A. But since your mind is focused in getting into medical school, it is imperative that you get a high GPA. Thus I suggest you to drop the math and focus on the science classes and classes that you can make A.

On a side note, Advanced Calculus I/II, Linear Algebra, and Differential Equation are not hard math courses. The hard math are topology, group theory, elementary analysis, nonlinear dynamics, and differential geometry. If you major in math you may have to take a few of those courses as a requirement.

 

[StayFocused]

From reading your post, you are obviously are not doing well in your math classes. If you enjoy math and are good with math then there is no reason why you should not make an A. But since your mind is focused in getting into medical school, it is imperative that you get a high GPA. Thus I suggest you to drop the math and focus on the science classes and classes that you can make A.

On a side note, Advanced Calculus I/II, Linear Algebra, and Differential Equation are not hard math courses. The hard math are topology, group theory, elementary analysis, nonlinear dynamics, and differential geometry. If you major in math you may have to take a few of those courses as a requirement.

That is the most absurd thing I have heard - so anyone who doesn't make an A in the classes for their major is not doing well? So all these people with <4.0 science GPA's...my point.

Since when is a B+ average through 21 credit hours of math a bad thing? You don't take a class to just make an A - you take the class to learn the material. Yes, the 'A' is what admissions look at, but I'm sure they wouldn't mind seeing a B+ considering my attempt at double majoring.

And on your side note, topology, group theory, nonlinear dynamics, etc etc are all classes that would be taken at a graduate level. Undergraduate curriculum consists of your basic Calculus I,II,III, Advanced I,II, D.E. I,II, Linear Algebra, Modern Algebra, Geometry, Statistics, etc. So yes, I am doing well in my math classes in my opinion, thanks for your concern though. 🙂

 

[nascardoc]

Title pretty much says it all. I am currently an undergraduate at Lincoln Memorial University (location of Debusk College Of Osteopathic Medicine), and I have a few questions regarding the worth of a double major from an application stand point.

I am currently double majoring in biology + mathematics. You might be wondering why mathematics, and to be honest, I don't have that great of a reason other than I really enjoy working with numbers and mathematics fascinates me. I don't want to have a profession that deals with mathematics per say, but after getting 8 hours of college math out of the way via AP tests in high school, I figured why not take advantage of the opportunity to double major in 4 years while in school - especially in something that really fascinates me. (On a side note - I'm one of two, yes, TWO math majors for the class of '10. Crazy.)

Now, my problem. I'm only in my second semester of my sophomore year, but it's never too early to start analyzing your GPA. If I look at my overall GPA, I currently sit at a 3.37, nothing great I know. If I factor out the math classes I have taken thus far, I have an overall GPA of 3.46, still not great, but a little more respectable. I assume when admission teams look at my science GPA, they will factor in all my math classes. With this being said, my science GPA is a 3.31 with my math classes, and a 3.46 without my math classes.

Basically, what I'm trying to get at is my math classes aren't going to get any easier (Advanced Calculus I/II, Linear Algebra, etc etc), so I don't really see my GPA (both overall and science assuming they will take all my math classes into consideration for the science GPA) increasing by any large amounts by the time I graduate. Is it worth risking .10-.20 of a GPA point so I can satisfy my enjoyment of math? In my opinion, potential schools I apply to would take into consideration the difficulty of a mathematics major (not trying to boast) and the effect it had on my GPA. Maybe I'm completely wrong.

Thanks for taking the time to read and respond. 🙂

My opinion is this....if you can keep your overall GPA where its at (not lower than a 3.0), or higher, rock the MCAT and still get your double major....than by all means do it. As previous posters have said, your math grades will not count towards your science gpa for aacomas (but it does for amcas, the MD app), so make sure you do well in your science classes to increase that gpa. I don't know for sure, but I would imagine that adcoms take major into account when looking at gpa, especially for med school. I think a 3.0 in engineering looks different from a 3.0 in biology b/c adcoms know they can find a ton of other bio majors with a higher gpa than 3.0.....but again, this is speculation on my part. I think the bigger issue besdies gpa is the MCAT. Make sure you devote enough study to that to get a good score. I don't think a major will make up for a low score, so don't rely on that at all. But I do think a solid MCAT can make up for a lower gpa, i,e, 3.0 gpa. If you think a double major will have a huge impact on your MCAT scores, then take an easier semester of math and focus on the MCAT. Don't be afraid to take an extra semester if need be...you want to do well on that test, 25+.

Good luck with everything and maybe I'll see you down in the cafe one day at LMU 😉


And Diff Eqns suck...I hated that class, almost more than orgo 🙂

 

[Jamers]

Title pretty much says it all. I am currently an undergraduate at Lincoln Memorial University (location of Debusk College Of Osteopathic Medicine), and I have a few questions regarding the worth of a double major from an application stand point.

I am currently double majoring in biology + mathematics. You might be wondering why mathematics, and to be honest, I don't have that great of a reason other than I really enjoy working with numbers and mathematics fascinates me. I don't want to have a profession that deals with mathematics per say, but after getting 8 hours of college math out of the way via AP tests in high school, I figured why not take advantage of the opportunity to double major in 4 years while in school - especially in something that really fascinates me. (On a side note - I'm one of two, yes, TWO math majors for the class of '10. Crazy.)

Now, my problem. I'm only in my second semester of my sophomore year, but it's never too early to start analyzing your GPA. If I look at my overall GPA, I currently sit at a 3.37, nothing great I know. If I factor out the math classes I have taken thus far, I have an overall GPA of 3.46, still not great, but a little more respectable. I assume when admission teams look at my science GPA, they will factor in all my math classes. With this being said, my science GPA is a 3.31 with my math classes, and a 3.46 without my math classes.

Basically, what I'm trying to get at is my math classes aren't going to get any easier (Advanced Calculus I/II, Linear Algebra, etc etc), so I don't really see my GPA (both overall and science assuming they will take all my math classes into consideration for the science GPA) increasing by any large amounts by the time I graduate. Is it worth risking .10-.20 of a GPA point so I can satisfy my enjoyment of math? In my opinion, potential schools I apply to would take into consideration the difficulty of a mathematics major (not trying to boast) and the effect it had on my GPA. Maybe I'm completely wrong.

Thanks for taking the time to read and respond. 🙂

I was a triple major myself and if I could go back in time I wouldn't change that. I am now part of the interview team and I have to say that anything different stands out; double majors always draw our attention and lead to questions (always a positive). In addition and more importantly, it makes you stick in our minds. Let's face it, almost everyone is a biology major with a 3.5 GPA and a 25 MCAT...snooze. If you are able to throw something different in there, you have a better chance of being remembered after you walk out that door. Basically, If you like what you are double majoring in then stick to it.

 

[pamolive]

I got a BA in Anthropology and a BS in Geology and I don't think Anthropology was mentioned once in 6 interviews. You're lucky, I would have loved to be able to talk about anth, which I love. 😍 I think most of my interviews were spent with the interviewers getting to know me and try to figure out if I could handle medical school with kids.

I so wish I would've gotten a double major in anthro. I bet if you were applying to joint MPH DO programs it would've come up.

 

[gasapple]

Quadruple majoring is where it's at. Holla.

 

[fish54]

If you enjoy math, then go ahead and double major in it! I think it will make you a stronger applicant because you will be more well-rounded. I have heard over and over from admission committees that they want "well-rounded applicants who have studied subjects other than biology." As an undergrad, I double majored in English and Biological Sciences because I have always enjoyed reading and literature since childhood. I believe it made me a stronger applicant and I got asked English/book/author questions at all of my interviews. Good luck!

 

[lord_jeebus]

Not that this should make your decision, but I've been pleasantly surprised to see how many residency program directors noticed and were impressed by my multiple majors.

Med schools did not seem to care 4 years ago...

 

[spazzz]

math gets easier the higher level you go. i got a D in calc, but aced everything after linear algebra, I was a minor.