For a friend but also kind of curious myself

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LuciusVorenus

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I know this has been asked before but it's kind of of a different variety...

I have a friend who's getting a major in immuno/hema with a specialization in virology. She's planning on graduating in 5 years instead of 4 years and use the extra time to do a lot more research and ECs etc. but the reason for 5 years isn't because she can't finish her major in 4 but because she also wants to get a minor in art history and either psychology, Spanish, or medical anthropology and be able to do a lot more research.

Will med schools care if she took 5 years instead of 4 and wonder why she didn't just not do the minors or will they just not care? In other words, while I know double majors are a valid excuse for 5 years, are minors?
 
Will med schools care if she took 5 years instead of 4 and wonder why she didn't just not do the minors or will they just not care? In other words, while I know double majors are a valid excuse for 5 years, are minors?
They will not care. It's apparent she's staying busy, and as long as her GPAs are good, no worries.
 
i am in no way an expert on this, but my opinion would be that they'll understand. if she doesn't have gpa issues and a lot of remedial work, they'll be able to get the hint that she was just really busy.
 
They won't care.... As long as there aren't many W's and 10 hour semesters on the transcript, they will be fine.
 
Thumbs up to your friend.

If anything it will make her a more interesting applicant.
 
It won't matter to schools.

I would argue not to do it though unless this friend is just naturally wealthy. It won't help much with research opportunities, chances of getting in to med school, or really be of any benefit that I can see. If this person is wealthy and wants to hang out taking art history courses, by all means go for it.
 
I know this has been asked before but it's kind of of a different variety...

I have a friend who's getting a major in immuno/hema with a specialization in virology. She's planning on graduating in 5 years instead of 4 years and use the extra time to do a lot more research and ECs etc. but the reason for 5 years isn't because she can't finish her major in 4 but because she also wants to get a minor in art history and either psychology, Spanish, or medical anthropology and be able to do a lot more research.

Will med schools care if she took 5 years instead of 4 and wonder why she didn't just not do the minors or will they just not care? In other words, while I know double majors are a valid excuse for 5 years, are minors?

impressive. You should persuade her to do art history 😀

definitely not spanish or psychology.

imo
 
Minors actually don't matter. Neither does 5 vs 4 years.

Psychology is a lot more useful than Art History, although I think a class in Art History would be fun to take (I took the AP one in High School).
 
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