How Did You Choose Your Major?

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Dbate

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I ask the eponymous question because I am currently in the process of choosing my own major and am stuck between a major where I am more adept and a major I find more interesting.

The choices are: biology and chemistry. Biology is easier for me and I have done really well in biology classes (I already took the hardest bio class at my school and got a B+ and I got an A- in intro bio). On the other hand chemistry is vastly more interesting to me, but I got a B+ both semesters of intro chem.

If you were in my position would you choose the easier and less interesting major or would you opt to pursue the more challenging, but more interesting, major?

Also, are B+'s poor enough marks to be concerned about chemistry capabilities? I am asking because I want to know if the average chem major breezes through intro chem.
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take whatever is easiest. I wouldn't major in chem if you got a B+ in intro...
 
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How far along are you? Freshman to be? Have you looked at a biochem major? You may have found your calling if your institution offers it. Your uni may be like mine and not offer it. In that case, if you are a freshman, choose either. The first two years of a bio major versus a chem major are almost identical. That should give you sufficient time to dabble and decide which major fits you.
 
I really liked chemistry and I really liked biology. Biochemistry.
 
In regard to your question about grades, if you don't really expect to be getting better than B+s consistently, don't do that major. 3.3s are fine here and there, but it shouldn't be a habit. You don't want to come out of college with a bunch of science classes and a 3.3-3.4 sGPA.
 
That's okay. He goes to Yale.
 
I like the brain and perception/memory/learning/cognition/consciousness/etc, so I went with psychology. Later on I realized that I was more interested in the bio side. I should have went to a school that offered neuroscience or biopsychology. I took my fair share of bio-type psych courses so I don't feel too much regret. I also did a lot of self-learning in the areas that weren't offered as courses.

Try to pick something that you are good at and interested in. Maybe another major? But if you have to choose between the two, I would go with what's easier. I could always read up on interesting subjects on my own if those courses were too difficult and would seriously affect my GPA. :thumbup:
 
What ever intro class didn't make me want to die of boredum. Bam welcome to my major.

So I picked business management and biology just because the pre regs for med school are half the requirements for the major.
 
I majored in what I fell in love with and what made me feel that would make me a more well-rounded individual. I ended up double majoring and double minoring and then getting a graduate degree in a completely unrelated field. One of those majors dropped my GPA slightly low by SDN standards.

If you are only going to have one major and it has to be one of those two options, I would suggest thinking of it in terms of a marriage.

Would you rather have a relationship with someone you find interesting, but who is only ok in the realm of "bedroom marital relations" (ahem!) Or would you rather have someone who isn't as interesting but the "relations" are fabulous. Personally I would pick the former and try my best to improve "relations."

God I sound so old by saying "relations." I'm turning into my great grandma.
 
i majored in biochem cuse it overlaps so nicely with the premed prerequisites. and also the job oppoetunities for this major ist bad. but i also know the top money is in fiance, so i am going to double major in economics to go with it. be realistic, i understand the argument that you should chase what you like, but just keep in mind, if you major in what you like, and you dont get paid alot, you will end up feeling that what you are interested in is unimportant. and soon enough with bad $$$ ull end up disliking it. i think the #1 rule of thumb is to chase the $$$, cuse once you accmulate enough $$$ you can go do w/e the hell you want.
 
One day I was bored, so I opened a book and started doing physics problems. After doing a few I thought it was kinda fun.

Thus I majored in physics.

Moral of the story, study what you enjoy. I got As in my physics classes because I liked it.

Edit: Except for Theoretical Mechanics. That class can burn in &#*&!
 
I like both chemistry and biology, that's why I chose biochemistry. Haha.
 
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I lived in Austria for 2 years, came back to the states, had to drive 2 hours a day to school, no time for labs due to that and a night job, so I majored in German :). Majoring in subjects you picked up in foreign countries ftw ;)
 
Keep in mind that the curricula of intro bio and intro chem aren't really indicative of the entire major. I would just stick with what you're good at for now, but still take a couple chem classes for interest's sake (plus you've still got to take orgo I and II). I was interested in chem for a bit because I really liked orgo and did well in it. Then I tried out p-chem and it was a snooze fest. I'm glad I still had an alternate plan.

Right now I'm a senior and a neuroscience major. I chose it because it conveniently has all of the pre-health requirements (sans physics) and I'm working in a neuro lab so it just makes sense.
 
PreMedder said:
quoted for truth
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disagree. I did really well in all of my high school science courses (95+ in bio/phys/chem), but in my freshman science courses, I aced physics (highest mark in class), chem, calc, but f*cked up bio really badly. I nearly failed the biology midterm (what can i say... i hate botany and remembering dates of evolutionary events). I thought about switching into physics or chem because it was a lot easier for me, but ultimately, biology was a lot more intellectually exciting for me. I talked to some upper level friends and people in grad school, and they all agreed that first year courses suck anyway, and are not representative of material later on. I just grit my teeth and memorized everything i needed to in order to get an A- for the first year bios.

I didn't pick bio because i thought it would get me a good job or because i thought it would look good on my transcript. it was the only subject (other than art... but i hate art school) that I felt like I could read, study, and completely immerse myself in for 4+ years and not gouge my own eyes out in rage. Looking back, i think it was a good decision.

Don't let one or two courses (especially early in your undergrad career) change your mind. Do what is REALLY going to interest you, make you happy for the rest of your undergrad. If the subject interests you at soe fundamental level, it will be much easier to stay motivated. Academically, there is nothing worse than having to study for courses that you couldn't care less about. If you don't believe me, go talk to seniors that chose majors that they hate for easy marks or because of parents.
 
Do what is REALLY going to interest you, make you happy for the rest of your undergrad. If the subject interests you at soe fundamental level, it will be much easier to stay motivated.
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That really only applies to a certain extent. I loved my physics but had to bust my butt for a 3.0 major GPA. That was pretty darn good by UNC's standards, but med schools disagree. All the motivation in the world wasn't enough to make up for the fact that the classes were disgustingly hard.

Academically, there is nothing worse than having to study for courses that you couldn't care less about.
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The above goes both ways. If you're taking classes that are beyond easy, it doesn't really matter how little you care about what you're doing. You'll still get A's if you complete the work. I don't really recommend taking something you don't like just because it's easy, but if you find a major that's tolerable or better that also happens to give out A's like brochures at a college fair, that would be a great choice.
 
Neurobiology because I like biology and want to be a neurosurgeon
 
I doubled in Biophysics and Chem because it brought together all the subjects I really enjoyed (physics, math, bio, chem) without overdoing it and spending 3-4 classes in one semester on the same subject. Spreading the love, if you will.
 
MilkmanAl said:
That really only applies to a certain extent. I loved my physics but had to bust my butt for a 3.0 major GPA. That was pretty darn good by UNC's standards, but med schools disagree. All the motivation in the world wasn't enough to make up for the fact that the classes were disgustingly hard.
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I guess i've been just lucky enough that something I really really enjoy is also something that comes fairly easy to me. But yes, valid point. Even if you enjoy the actual subject, if it is really mentally impossible to get a high GPA, it would be a tough call. But If the OP is getting B+s now, i don't think a consistent A- average would be out of reach.

MilkmanAl said:
The above goes both ways. If you're taking classes that are beyond easy, it doesn't really matter how little you care about what you're doing. You'll still get A's if you complete the work. I don't really recommend taking something you don't like just because it's easy, but if you find a major that's tolerable or better that also happens to give out A's like brochures at a college fair, that would be a great choice.
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It might be just that i'm dumb, but I've taken a pretty good range of courses in all diff subjects in college and i didn't really find any that were so easy that i could just dick around all the time and get an A (other than 1st year physics since i'd already done calc based physics in highschool and total bird courses like astronomy for arts majors). Also don't really undersatnd the point of not doing anything challenging for the sake f a good GPA (i'm shelling out my own dough so i'd like to learn something that i think is useful).

Compromise: You could always do a "tolerable but fairly easy" major with a "hard but more interesting" minor. But really, all dependent on how hard the actual coursework is and how much the GPA means to you. If i hadn't taken the harder program I'd probably have a 3.85~3.9 instead of a 3.7 but i don't think the ~0.1 difference would have been worth it for me.
 
So my professor just released the grade distribution report from our chem class and the results are...well a little troubling.

27 A
25 A-
40 B+
38 B
15 B-
6 C+
4 C
3 C-

52 As (33 %)
93 Bs (59 %)
13 Cs ( 8 %)

The class average is 3.253100

To put what that actual means in perspective, I got a 79 without the curve and ended up with a B+. Which means that people who got B- and down actually failed in terms of absolute grading, but still "passed" the class. This makes me think grade inflation may actually be true. Or, to interpet the information in a better light, probably 98% of the people in my chem class were in the top 10 people in their high school and about 69% were valedictorians, so maybe the work really is hard :/....or our professor is just being an easy grader :)
 
Deciding between psychology and sociology. Why? Because i enjoy both subjects.
 
I worked in a neuropathology lab studying proteins, thus I chose Biochemistry. My second major fell out of my love for cells, thus cellular biology. The minor in chemisty fell out of the above to majors, and the minor in philosophy fell out via my love of philosophy... In short, the same advice everyone has given, major in what you love
 
UNMorBUST said:
You thought it was just a myth?
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;) Teachers do have a percentage of grades they have to fill... so many have to be A's, so many B's... etc

I first thought I wanted to be an English major, but then decided on something practical, rationalizing that in the event I didn't get into medical school right off the bat I could easily work in the field. So Biology it was. I satisfied my desire to take English courses by filling my school requirements with interesting writing/reading courses (Medical Ethics, Seminars for Greek Literature, British Literature, etc). I did discover in junior year that I really really liked Chemistry after taking O.Chem, but it was too late to switch by then. :(

I wish someone had told me Biochemistry was a major when I first started. It combines both worlds (biology and chemistry).
 
UNMorBUST said:
You thought it was just a myth?
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Of course I thought it was a myth. If you knew the amount of work it took to get a B+, then you would think grade inflation was a myth as well.

I can say unequivocally that, although my B+ is pretty much average, I worked incredibly hard and learned an immense amount. So when I recieved my grade, I certainly did not attribute it to easy grading on the professors part, and I wouldn't be surprised if everyone else in the class felt the same way.
 
aidama said:
;) Teachers do have a percentage of grades they have to fill... so many have to be A's, so many B's... etc
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+1
At my undergrad, the faculty wanted the average for all the classes to be C+. Didn't always work out but that was the class average to aim for when grading.
 
I chose to major in Biology because I really like Pokemon.
 
My major was originally molecular biology, but I knew I couldn't go on the rest of my life saying "molecular biology" because it's too hard to say so I changed my major to biochemistry. lol
 
Chemistry, because it was really the only subject I enjoyed coming out of high school. After four years of it, I don't care so much for it now.
 
Dbate said:
Of course I thought it was a myth. If you knew the amount of work it took to get a B+, then you would think grade inflation was a myth as well.

I can say unequivocally that, although my B+ is pretty much average, I worked incredibly hard and learned an immense amount. So when I recieved my grade, I certainly did not attribute it to easy grading on the professors part, and I wouldn't be surprised if everyone else in the class felt the same way.
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Let's say you study really really hard and made what the professor considered to be "B" work. He then compares it to the rest of the class, who, for some reason or another, did mostly C/C- work. "Crap," he says to himself. "I can't just give half the class a C- and the other half a B.... that won't look right when my numbers are due." Compared to your class, "B" suddenly seems more like an "A". You just got an A.

Grade inflation is not present at all schools, but it's definitely more prominent at larger universities, as professors have to maintain a certain "average". At least, the above is my understanding of grade inflation.
 
Poliscidoc said:
What ever intro class didn't make me want to die of boredum. Bam welcome to my major.

So I picked business management and biology just because the pre regs for med school are half the requirements for the major.
Click to expand...

Your screen name is misleading :)
 
Dbate said:
So my professor just released the grade distribution report from our chem class and the results are...well a little troubling.

27 A
25 A-
40 B+
38 B
15 B-
6 C+
4 C
3 C-

52 As (33 %)
93 Bs (59 %)
13 Cs ( 8 %)

The class average is 3.253100

To put what that actual means in perspective, I got a 79 without the curve and ended up with a B+. Which means that people who got B- and down actually failed in terms of absolute grading, but still "passed" the class. This makes me think grade inflation may actually be true. Or, to interpet the information in a better light, probably 98% of the people in my chem class were in the top 10 people in their high school and about 69% were valedictorians, so maybe the work really is hard :/....or our professor is just being an easy grader :)
Click to expand...

Our school would never release this, we aren't even allowed to see our finals unless we petition.
 
wait...are you telling me they don't have a sorting hat at your school?
 
Elpenor said:
take whatever is easiest. I wouldn't major in chem if you got a B+ in intro...
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The second part of this statement is not true. I have a friend who received B+'s in both semesters of intro chem. He went on to ace all of his upper-level chemistry courses. In fact, he had the highest grade in my honors pchem class.
 
I was pre pharm as my mother was faculty at the universitys 6yr PharmD program. then she took a position as dean of law and she forced me to go into nursing after I took a career aptitude test that determined thats what I was most compatible with. Ultimatley I did fall in love with nursing, but only through years of hard work doing grunt work as a CNA and LPN while in school and eventually a RN after I graduated. After a few years of nursing I realized that I had become a master of the required charting and that I had lots of free time left over where as many other nurses were meandering about. slowly i became involved with procedures and I learned my limitiations in regards to what I knew (or was required to know) and how involved with procedures I could be. obviously my only choice at that point was to become premed, finish up pre reqs as a non degree seeking post bacc student (informal) and take the mkizzle. now, here, I am a small, yet older fry in the pond they call Class of 2015 Hopefuls.



^^bra, cool story
hippie.gif
 
Chemdude said:
The second part of this statement is not true. I have a friend who received B+'s in both semesters of intro chem. He went on to ace all of his upper-level chemistry courses. In fact, he had the highest grade in my honors pchem class.
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And he is probably one out of 100s of students that got B+'s in the intro class. Don't let nominal cases like these distort your ability to make a practical decision. Most students that do well in their intro classes struggle to be at the top in all their upper-level courses. Seriously consider the likelihood that someone that didn't do as hot in intro could do the same.
 
Narmerguy said:
And he is probably one out of 100s of students that got B+'s in the intro class. Don't let nominal cases like these distort your ability to make a practical decision. Most students that do well in their intro classes struggle to be at the top in all their upper-level courses. Seriously consider the likelihood that someone that didn't do as hot in intro could do the same.
Click to expand...

Elpenor's statement implied that getting a B+ in an intro class means that you will not succeed in more advanced courses. I used that example to show that getting a B+ in a class should not deter you from pursuing its respective major. The grades you recieve in intro courses do not always project the grades you will recieve in upper-level courses...


OP, choose to major in something you like rather than something that seems "easy". Things that seem "easy" become increasingly difficult when you lose interest....

 
Without a doubt, major in something that interests you. In more advanced classes, that will end up getting you the higher grade than what you perceive now to be "easy." Trust me - advanced molecular biology isn't AP Bio junk, it's not easy.
 
I majored in Genetics cause I've always been fascinated by it (like since 7th grade). I really liked it except for a couple of classes and would probably do it again. My other interest was literature and greek mythology but I HATED writing papers. So, when I had time, I just took intro level courses in both subjects along with sociology, anthropology, child psychology, and anything that interested me remotely in addition to my general ed classes.

I'd say go with what interests you most. Because when the hard stuff comes along, at least you'll be slightly interested in what you're doing and feel like you're genuinely learning instead of just cursing the day your teacher was born.

And like others said, biochemistry sounds like a good solutions for your problems :thumbup:
 
After reading The Origin of Species and finding it really interesting I might major in biology.
 
It's called "hmm... what do I see myself doing if I can't become a doctor and everything else fails?". That's the major you should look into.
 
Penner said:
Without a doubt, major in something that interests you. In more advanced classes, that will end up getting you the higher grade than what you perceive now to be "easy." Trust me - advanced molecular biology isn't AP Bio junk, it's not easy.
Click to expand...
Yeah...like I said, it isn't always as simple as more interest=better grades.
 
MilkmanAl said:
Yeah...like I said, it isn't always as simple as more interest=better grades.
Click to expand...

That's actually really true. I find chem and physics really interesting, but, unfortunately, I do not have the mathematical ability to pull off either as a major. The trick, IMO, is to find something that does interest you, but also be realistic about your abilities. For me that came in the form of psych.
 
I chose psychology because I'm interested in the biological mechanisms that influence our thoughts and behavior. At my school, it seems that much more of the neuroscience stuff is taught by the psychology department than the biology department.
 
chman said:
That's actually really true. I find chem and physics really interesting, but, unfortunately, I do not have the mathematical ability to pull off either as a major. The trick, IMO, is to find something that does interest you, but also be realistic about your abilities. For me that came in the form of psych.
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Same. If I wasn't pre-med and really couldn't care about my gpa I would have gone with chemical engineering or chemistry. I love the concepts, but I'll be damned if I actually have to sweat about getting a A in physical chem where I really couldn't care about quantifying stuff.

But more or less I love the extreme interdisciplinary field aspect of psychology. It's got a amazing aspect of healthy philosophical theory making and neuroscience. I'm very happy I figured out very early that psychology is a such a amazing major. Not to mention I got so much free space in my schedule since a psych major is just 36 credits, versus a biology major which is 50 and soooo many labs.
 
Narmerguy said:
And he is probably one out of 100s of students that got B+'s in the intro class. Don't let nominal cases like these distort your ability to make a practical decision. Most students that do well in their intro classes struggle to be at the top in all their upper-level courses. Seriously consider the likelihood that someone that didn't do as hot in intro could do the same.
Click to expand...

Anecdote: I just barely managed an A- in my Gen Chem courses freshman year. Top 2 or 3 in my OChem courses and Top 2 or 3 in my PChem courses. I think people change a lot Freshman year. Learning to study/burning out, etc. So really, Love=/=Does Well In, but it does come pretty close, in the end!

So yeah... it doesn't say a WHOLE lot to me when people are like "omg valedictorians only get blah blah grades in college." My HS valedictorian self-admittedly burnt out and just wants to "coast" through his Ivy league education.
 
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