E
exmissionary
How did you pick your undergraduate major and what factors did you consider?
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2007
- Messages
- 5,450
- Reaction score
- 11
First one was Econ, here it was all parental pressure. Dropped it eventually, but I wish I had done this sooner, so that I didn't end up with a 3.52 GPA.
Second one I chose on my own - Japanese. Here I didn't have TOO much leeway because it was the only program I could switch to in my junior year and still graduate in 4 years, because I had been taking Japanese courses for fun in my frosh and soph years, so I had accumulated some credits. I don't regret doing Japanese at all, but I think I would've also enjoyed anthro.
Second one I chose on my own - Japanese. Here I didn't have TOO much leeway because it was the only program I could switch to in my junior year and still graduate in 4 years, because I had been taking Japanese courses for fun in my frosh and soph years, so I had accumulated some credits. I don't regret doing Japanese at all, but I think I would've also enjoyed anthro.
- Joined
- May 16, 2007
- Messages
- 772
- Reaction score
- 3
All I needed was a dartboard, a blindfold, and a list of which majors had academic counselors that sucked less.
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2007
- Messages
- 5,450
- Reaction score
- 11
I'm sorry, but that's seriously lacking.
What you REALLY need is the report from the provost which shows which departments have the lowest GPAs.
- Joined
- May 16, 2007
- Messages
- 772
- Reaction score
- 3
Wait. Are you saying that my method of choosing a major that would subsequently affect my career seriously lacking? You lack trust in the power of the dartboard. It makes the Ouji board look like a kids toy.
- Joined
- May 26, 2007
- Messages
- 7,527
- Reaction score
- 4,516
I taped the name of each major my school offered to a different dachshund and then placed an uncooked ballpark-hotdog in the middle of the next room. Whatever weiner got the weiner, that was the major I chose
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2006
- Messages
- 419
- Reaction score
- 1
Just like the person above says, pick something you are interested in. I took a really random variety of classes my first couple of years (poli sci, econ, psyc, music) until I finally settled on poli sci....then a year later I changed it to bio. Just pick something you like, and if you don't know what you like, take a random variety of classes. Choosing a major is not binding, if you discover you actually don't like what you have chosen, change it. I guarantee that at least 1/2 of people on this forum have had more than 1 major.
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2006
- Messages
- 229
- Reaction score
- 0
I started out as a HES, Health and Sport Sciences, but chose to go with a BS in Microbiology instead. The later, in my opinion, prepared me much better for the MCAT by including a wide variety of sciences. However, I think you have to go with what you will find more entertaining. Obviously, molecular biology is a bit mundane at times, but my immunology and genetics classes definitely hit the bullseye. I also think that taking a tougher road to graduation will better prepare you for the long hard slog of the medical school curriculum. After all, a literature or history or poli sci grad will have a tougher adjustment to an all science curriculum.
THE University of Oklahoma College of Medicine Class of 2011
😎
THE University of Oklahoma College of Medicine Class of 2011
😎
- Joined
- May 18, 2007
- Messages
- 397
- Reaction score
- 0
I chose a Biology/Anthropology B.S. because: A- It has solid bio courses in it that I can take to help prepare for the MCAT and B- then once thats over I can take the easy anthro stuff and have a fun senior year.
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2007
- Messages
- 90
- Reaction score
- 1
I, like most premeds, chose the major most directly relating to medicine: biology. After all, if you're interested in curing human ailments, biology seems like the logical place to start. I found biodiversity/ecology too soft and qualitative, so I turned out doing biochemistry, and for circumstances I won't go into, when I found out I had to do 5 years of undergrad, I tacked on a chemistry major to keep myself busy.
Looking back, medical schools don't care to see that you took tough courses that give you an excellent background in science. They really truly don't. And now, after I've graduated, I find myself wondering what I would've studied if I pursued my interests and got a well-rounded college education. Theater? Philosophy? Electrical Engineering? Maybe in the next lifetime...
Do what *you* want to do! Pre-med requirements will cover the necessary science you need for medicine. The rest is up to you. Don't worry about the "prestige" of some majors over others. That's bull.
Looking back, medical schools don't care to see that you took tough courses that give you an excellent background in science. They really truly don't. And now, after I've graduated, I find myself wondering what I would've studied if I pursued my interests and got a well-rounded college education. Theater? Philosophy? Electrical Engineering? Maybe in the next lifetime...
Do what *you* want to do! Pre-med requirements will cover the necessary science you need for medicine. The rest is up to you. Don't worry about the "prestige" of some majors over others. That's bull.
S
sle3pyguii
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2006
- Messages
- 186
- Reaction score
- 0
I started out as a bio major but didn't care anything about plants and fruit flys. So after taking the biggie classes (bio I and II, micro, genetics) enough to get a bio minor, I switched to exercise science b/c it focused completely on the human body and nutrition (what I was actually interested in).
This combination of classes prepared me for the MCAT and also allowed me to learn about something that was interesting to me.
P.S. exercise science is also a very good backup major because it feeds into lots of other professions (ex. PA's, physical therapists, personal trainers, etc.) So if you decide that medicine is not right for you, you have a very usable major anyway.
This combination of classes prepared me for the MCAT and also allowed me to learn about something that was interesting to me.
P.S. exercise science is also a very good backup major because it feeds into lots of other professions (ex. PA's, physical therapists, personal trainers, etc.) So if you decide that medicine is not right for you, you have a very usable major anyway.
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2007
- Messages
- 3,879
- Reaction score
- 8
Employment for engineers in certain geographic areas in the US is about as bleak as those for Irish Culinary majors, to be fair.
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2007
- Messages
- 90
- Reaction score
- 1
Totally agree with Izzy. As a biochem/chem major, I stand to make a whopping $25-30k upon graduation. That's not any better than holding a McJob!
One twist, however: with a science degree and sufficient preparation in computer science, you can make ~$55k/yr as a scientific programmer or bioinformatician. That's very, very good money. Those jobs usually want a biologist who knows how to code, or a computer science kid who took one too many science classes.
Having the word "engineering" in your degree effectively doubles your salary relative to a science degree holder, and kinesiology jobs pay handsomely ($60k) upon graduation.
One twist, however: with a science degree and sufficient preparation in computer science, you can make ~$55k/yr as a scientific programmer or bioinformatician. That's very, very good money. Those jobs usually want a biologist who knows how to code, or a computer science kid who took one too many science classes.
Having the word "engineering" in your degree effectively doubles your salary relative to a science degree holder, and kinesiology jobs pay handsomely ($60k) upon graduation.
- Joined
- May 18, 2007
- Messages
- 1,696
- Reaction score
- 1
I am a semester away from a B.S. in psychology. I took AP psych in high school, and I loved it. My older brother also majored in psychology (at a different school, but it doesn't really matter) and said I'd like the classes, so my freshman year I took two or three and really enjoyed them, so I decided to major in it. I've never regretted it, either. Even when my parents were like, "A psychology degree? What the hell are you going to do with that?" when they worried that I would change my mind about med school or not get in. It's what I enjoy.
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2005
- Messages
- 1,440
- Reaction score
- 114
I did something original... I majored in something I was...interested in... A novel idea I know. It's okay you can copy me. No I swear, I won't get mad.
👍
👍 me too!!!! i picked bio because i'm actually interested in it. what about you??- Joined
- Jan 11, 2007
- Messages
- 56
- Reaction score
- 0
as an engineering major, i kinda wish i'd picked something easier for med school. while i feel like i've learned a lot, engineering screwed me GPA-wise for med schools.
if you know now that you want to be a doctor and that's the only thing in the world for you... pick an easy major and strive for a 4.0. it doesn't really matter what, as long as you fulfill your pre-med reqs.
if you know now that you want to be a doctor and that's the only thing in the world for you... pick an easy major and strive for a 4.0. it doesn't really matter what, as long as you fulfill your pre-med reqs.
D
da8s0859q
I enrolled in F03 as a biology major.
Didn't like it. Hated it. Fu*king despised it, even. Introductory biology lab projects are directly from the devil's workshop, as adapted from the eighth circle text of "How to frustrate premedical students with fu*king ridiculous work that they will hate with the fire of a thousand suns". It makes me want to go to hell just to beat the, uh, hell out of the dingus that came up with the garbage I had to do in bio 1.
So I switched to psychology - a genuine interest, I might add - and am living happily ever after. I've long since finished all of my degree coursework, so now, it's boiling down to:
Gen physics 1/2 (in progress)
Gen bio 2
Gen chem 2
Organic chem 2
(As well as biochem, pathophys, and medical term for good measure, and possibly quantitative analysis for a chem minor).
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2004
- Messages
- 1,124
- Reaction score
- 174
Econ.
I'm interested in: international development and policy, the Middle East, and something flexible.
Econ is both easy for me (perhaps others), and extremely easy to negotiate as a major. I have 6 required courses, and all the others were electives. Similarly, I get my foreign language (Arabic), and a concentration in international trade/political economy.
Aside from my interest...when I chose econ, I considered:
1.) level of ease
2.) number of people in major -- very few in mine
3.) academic freedom
4.) ability to fit in prereqs -- with #3.
I'm interested in: international development and policy, the Middle East, and something flexible.
Econ is both easy for me (perhaps others), and extremely easy to negotiate as a major. I have 6 required courses, and all the others were electives. Similarly, I get my foreign language (Arabic), and a concentration in international trade/political economy.
Aside from my interest...when I chose econ, I considered:
1.) level of ease
2.) number of people in major -- very few in mine
3.) academic freedom
4.) ability to fit in prereqs -- with #3.
Similar threads
