GPA in different college majors

[cliff618]

I am an incoming senior, and is set on Pre-Med/ Med school path. I've spent the summer talking to doctors, and so far it seems that Med School looks primarily at GPA/ MCAT, and not the major. However, I am interested in either majoring in a science, such as biology, biochem, or chemistry, or Chemical/Biomedical engineering.

Would it be better to get a higher college GPA in a science than a lower GPA in engineering? For example, would a 4.0 in Biochem be better than a 3.2 in Chemical Engineering, in terms of being accepted to med school?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[deleted357625]

I am an incoming senior, and is set on Pre-Med/ Med school path. I've spent the summer talking to doctors, and so far it seems that Med School looks primarily at GPA/ MCAT, and not the major. However, I am interested in either majoring in a science, such as biology, biochem, or chemistry, or Chemical/Biomedical engineering.

Would it be better to get a higher college GPA in a science than a lower GPA in engineering? For example, would a 4.0 in Biochem be better than a 3.2 in Chemical Engineering, in terms of being accepted to med school?

Yes, basically the two main factors are GPA/MCAT. Just get the highest gpa you can, avoid engineering, ppl end up changing majors because it can ruin your gpa pretty bad. Pick the major you like and the one you think you will do well in.

If you have a higher gpa than an engineering student your already at an advantage regardless how difficult the major. Also, the major can be non-science, that actually makes you stand out more. The main thing is to take the pre-requirement courses for med school then your good.

Ppl choose bio major because it tends to overlap with the medical school pre-reqs, but bio majors are too typical and boring to adcoms.

 

[deleted393595]

Yes, basically the two main factors are GPA/MCAT. Just get the highest gpa you can, avoid engineering, ppl end up changing majors because it can ruin your gpa pretty bad. Pick the major you like and the one you think you will do well in.

Made it really big so you can't miss it. Here's why: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=823539&nojs=1

Ppl choose bio major because it tends to overlap with the medical school pre-reqs, but bio majors are too typical and boring to adcoms.

What he said. Major in Bio not because you think it's a "requirement" for med school but because you enjoy it. But if Ancient Babylonian History is your thing, then by all means go ahead and do it.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Pretty much reiterating what everyone else has said, don't go into engineering. You should also find a major which has a nice balance of fun and easy, don't choose one based on what you think an adcom will think when they see it.

 

[cliff618]

@ElCapone thanks for the link, but I was hoping you could clarify something. They kept mentioning something about a science GPA, but I'm unsure how that would differ from the normal GPA. Which one does the adcom look at?

 

[deleted393595]

@ElCapone thanks for the link, but I was hoping you could clarify something. They kept mentioning something about a science GPA, but I'm unsure how that would differ from the normal GPA. Which one does the adcom look at?

No problem. I'm new to the process since I'm an entering college freshman, so you're better off asking that question on the Pre-Allo forum, but I think that the ADCOM looks at both and weighs them equally. Your sGPA (Science GPA) is the GPA of only your science classes, like Bio and Chem. Your regular GPA is the GPA of every class you've ever taken.

 

[deleted357625]

Made it really big so you can't miss it. Here's why: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=823539&nojs=1




What he said. Major in Bio not because you think it's a "requirement" for med school but because you enjoy it. But if Ancient Babylonian History is your thing, then by all means go ahead and do it.

👍

 

[I'm No Superman]

No problem. I'm new to the process since I'm an entering college freshman, so you're better off asking that question on the Pre-Allo forum, but I think that the ADCOM looks at both and weighs them equally. Your sGPA (Science GPA) is the GPA of only your science classes, like Bio and Chem. Your regular GPA is the GPA of every class you've ever taken.

Science GPA is actually the GPA of your BCPM classes (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Math) So classes like Calc and Astronomy would count towards your sGPA if you took them.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=552026

^ a little out-dated, but I'm sure that it hasn't changed much.

 

[Lil Mick]

Unless you can get a high gpa (3.6+) while majoring in it, avoid engineering. Some engineers make it to medical school; others wind up with a very low gpa, a high MCAT, and few to no offers. Also, you don't have to major in a science during undergrad. Major in something you like and will do well in. As long as you have the 8-10 required classes for medical school, you can major in something like philosophy 🙂

 

[zwitterion34]

I think Lil Mick is right. Major in something that will yield the highest GPA. As long as you have your pre-reqs taken care, I don't think there is too much difference between an engineering major and another major when it comes to adcoms. As for me, I will major in Biochemistry because I like Chemistry and Biology a lot.