I hate my major

Getting into Med School is Hard? Not with BeMo.
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
R

Revenant

Full Member
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2007
Messages
1,050
Reaction score
1
Problem is, GPA already tanked (fixable) and I go to a school well known for my major. I can't think of any major I'd particularly enjoy, I've just realized if I don't get into medical school and have to do a job related to the major I'm in right now I'd rather kill myself. So the problem comes down to the fact that if I raise my GPA to a respectable level a relatively low GPA it can at least be rationalized, whereas if I transfer to basket weaving or polysci I can raise it to a mediocre level....in an easy major which I cannot rationalize.

Thoughts? Should I stomach my ****ty major because I have no other ideas or transfer to a major I will most likely hate just as much because it is easier?
Members don't see this ad.
 
I'd transfer to psych :) Worst case, you will improve your GPA and can psychoanalyze yourself when you go crazy. Best case, you might like it!
 
Let me guess your major, since you said your school is known for it...

Chemical Engineering --> Stanford
Physics --> Caltech

Warm? Cold?
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Meatwad said:
Let me guess your major, since you said your school is known for it...

Chemical Engineering --> Stanford
Physics --> Caltech

Warm? Cold?
Click to expand...

Swing and a miss

Think engineering in general
 
Carnegie Mellon?
 
That's how I felt about my major, too - Econ. I hated my classmates, I hated my profs with their gigantic egos ("I'm so rich, I'm teaching here for a dollar a year" *throws open wallet on the table* happened several times to me in one class), I hated the stupid textbooks, I hated those pompous ***holes who'd come and pimp their stupid investment banks so they could get some free labor for the summer....EVERYTHING!


And then I switched to Japanese, my GPA shot up from 3.3-3.4 to 3.7-3.8, and I was very happy despite the drama my parents gave me about dropping a "major that will feed me." :)
 
jochi1543 said:
That's how I felt about my major, too - Econ. I hated my classmates, I hated my profs with their gigantic egos ("I'm so rich, I'm teaching here for a dollar a year" *throws open wallet on the table* happened several times to me in one class), I hated the stupid textbooks, I hated those pompous ***holes who'd come and pimp their stupid investment banks so they could get some free labor for the summer....EVERYTHING!


And then I switched to Japanese, my GPA shot up from 3.3-3.4 to 3.7-3.8, and I was very happy despite the drama my parents gave me about dropping a "major that will feed me." :)
Click to expand...

zamechatelno
 
Cornell
UMich
UIUC
Rice
Berkeley
Austin
Northwestern
Wisconsin

My other guesses have alreayd been voiced by a couple of others here.
 
okay guys your guesses were all wrong....but the point of this thread isn't "guess Revenant's school"


What do I do?
 
Members don't see this ad :)
As for your the rationalization you could give med schools as to why you switched majors:

I hated engineering, which is why I didn't do so hot. Once I switched my major to [Insert Here], which I thoroughly enjoyed, my grades improved substantially.

Simple as that.
 
Meatwad said:
As for your the rationalization you could give med schools as to why you switched majors:

I hated engineering, which is why I didn't do so hot. Once I switched my major to [Insert Here], which I thoroughly enjoyed, my grades improved substantially.

Simple as that.
Click to expand...
:thumbup:
 
Another problem. If I change majors I cannot stay at this university, given that a large amount of help financially is coming from home. Probably should've mentioned this in the first place, given that it is probably the biggest reason I haven't switched already. And I really do like it here.


Stay in Major
+Stay at college of choice
+Pre-Reqs covered pretty much by default
-Lowers GPA substantially compared to another major
-If I don't make it into med school I'd hate whatever I'd be doing
+More research opportunitites

Change Majors
-Leave college of choice
+Have a chance of finding something I enjoy
-I put all of my eggs in one basket, medical school, without engineering the chances of getting a decent job out of college fall by the wayside if I get a liberal arts degree
+Far better chance of obtaining a better GPA
 
Hmm, well, at this point, you must have some idea of what you like/dislike....
Take a personal inventory or something. The answer is easy, change your major to something you enjoy, not whether it is easier or harder. No one is holding a gun to your head to make you do anything.

Edit: I didn't read your last post, so I can see why this is a harder choice for you. Are your parents forcing you into engineering or something? It is harder to get a job, but then again, if you hate your major right now, you'll probably hate your job that you get. Doing something you hate for 30 to 40 years doesn't seem to appealing. What about other sciences? You don't have to choose engineering/liberal arts, you can do something inbetween. Even with an engineering degree, you still may not find a job.
 
That's a tough situation. Liking your major makes a big difference. Whenever I am in the library and dont feel like studying, I look at the person next to me's books and think "Thank goodness I'm not studying that!" I love my major and it has helped me keep a good GPA. Why dont you change majors but keep a minor/certificate in some type of engineering? I assume you've taken a few core classes during your first few years.... even though it will be obvious you were considering engineering at teh beginning, they dont write *CHANGED MAJORS HERE** in big red pen on your transcript. Use the courses youve taken so far for a minor and major in something you will enjoy more.

but...dont make teh same mistake twice. Spend time this semester sitting in on a few classes in different areas to figure out what you would enjoy.

and... one last guess....ga tech
 
Revenant said:
Another problem. If I change majors I cannot stay at this university, given that a large amount of help financially is coming from home. Probably should've mentioned this in the first place, given that it is probably the biggest reason I haven't switched already. And I really do like it here.


Stay in Major
+Stay at college of choice
+Pre-Reqs covered pretty much by default
-Lowers GPA substantially compared to another major
-If I don't make it into med school I'd hate whatever I'd be doing
+More research opportunitites

Change Majors
-Leave college of choice
+Have a chance of finding something I enjoy
-I put all of my eggs in one basket, medical school, without engineering the chances of getting a decent job out of college fall by the wayside if I get a liberal arts degree
+Far better chance of obtaining a better GPA
Click to expand...

I think those pretty much would make my mind up for me pretty easily. Put your eggs in one basket if you really want this. Unfortunately, this is a game, and no one will give you any sympathy if your GPA sucks because you did engineering at MIT. Sure, a 3.4 will probably be looked upon favorably, but a 3.1, not so much. Plus, you said yourself you can't see yourself doing it.

It's not worth it just so you can stay at such-and-such school.
 
Revenant said:
Nope, not GA Tech, sorry.
Click to expand...

Why even tell them you switched majors? Tell them you were playing the field, so to speak, and decided you hated engineering. Say you never actually declared; therefore, you never switched. It wouldn't be hard to believe; at my school, they don't accept many people into engeineering out of high school. They put you through calc, physics, and chem and if you don't have over a certain GPA, they won't even let you in. Hell, retaking any course, sci/eng or liberal arts, automatically disqualifies you from entering the EE major :eek:
 
Revenant said:
Stay in Major
-Lowers GPA substantially compared to another major
-If I don't make it into med school I'd hate whatever I'd be doing
Click to expand...
I think it's important to note that ending up with a substantially low GPA and not making it into med school are strongly related.
 
Why worry about having a fall-back career in your major if you hate your major? As someone who never really liked her major, then spent a lot of years working in it anyway, CHANGE YOUR MAJOR!! GET OUT NOW WHILE YOU STILL CAN!! Working in a field is so much worse than going to school in it if you don't enjoy it, and it's forever.

Get a degree in something you enjoy, and you will still have a fallback. It's called sanity. Happiness. Life. Choose your positive word.
 
cpa2md said:
Why worry about having a fall-back career in your major if you hate your major? As someone who never really liked her major, then spent a lot of years working in it anyway, CHANGE YOUR MAJOR!! GET OUT NOW WHILE YOU STILL CAN!! Working in a field is so much worse than going to school in it if you don't enjoy it, and it's forever.

Get a degree in something you enjoy, and you will still have a fallback. It's called sanity. Happiness. Life. Choose your positive word.
Click to expand...
:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Fellow former Econ/Business sufferer, eh.:smuggrin:

:thumbup:
 
cpa2md said:
Why worry about having a fall-back career in your major if you hate your major? As someone who never really liked her major, then spent a lot of years working in it anyway, CHANGE YOUR MAJOR!! GET OUT NOW WHILE YOU STILL CAN!! Working in a field is so much worse than going to school in it if you don't enjoy it, and it's forever.

Get a degree in something you enjoy, and you will still have a fallback. It's called sanity. Happiness. Life. Choose your positive word.
Click to expand...

Keep an open mind. What you believe in today may be quite different from what you believe in 5 years from now after you get out of college and see "the real world."
 
If you hate the major, change, because it sounds like you are going to be miserable (for at least a few years), if you don't. Twenty years down the road, you don't want to be doing the 'I shoulda, coulda" chant.

At least you're thinking about what direction is best for you. That way, no matter what you decide, at least you will own the decision, instead of feeling like a sheep.

"Engineering in general" 'not' MIT, makes me think Harvey Mudd. If that's the case, I'm sure that once you decide a course of action, you will succeed.
 
if your school is known for engineering - UCSD is ranked #2 in nation for bioengineering program so u go there.


But id advise you to, yes, change it - or if you'd like minor in something else that you actually purely enjoy (not something that will also appeal to med schools) - since if you're gonna hate all your core classes might as well enjoy the other ones you're stuck in!
 
It's not that easy to minor in something else while doing the engineering route, especially if he's already feeling grade pressure.

:rolleyes: You didn't say that HMC is incorrect. Guessing is more fun than giving off the cuff advice.
 
rose-hulman? tied for first place with harvey mudd, held the solo title for 6 or so years previously.
 
switch to a major that you'll enjoy
 
Switch majors to what you like. If your so unhappy and you said your GPA is already tanked. I would switch ASAP even if that means you'll have to switch schools.
 
My gut reaction would be to switch, but if there really isn't any other major you're interested in, maybe you should just stick it out. No doubt that engineering's tough, but if you're used to that mindset, you might have a bit of trouble with something like English. (That happened to several of my science-major friends, who had no clue how to write a paper or read two novels a week.) Check out your own strengths and weaknesses, maybe talk to an advisor, before making any serious decisions.

Also, you definitely don't have to work in the field you majored in. My parents both did engineering but never actually had engineering jobs. Same thing with several of my friends.

Good luck making your decision.
 
I'm guessing that you are going to NARS (National Academy of Railroad Sciences), and you are studying to be a locomotive engineer.

engineer.jpg
 
Haha I'm guilty of the same offense where I talk about how rigorous my major is at this school and how highly it's ranked. Honestly med schools don't really care too much and it does suck and I don't completely understand it since 'rigour' and 'academic merit' made a difference in college admissions. But whatever I think all the extra work and discipline will pay off in med school.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

send_help
If I get an II does that mean my app is free of major issues?
Replies
9
Views
2K
ByThe+C
B
I
Psychology vs neuroscience major
Replies
3
Views
360
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
K
SDN Article: Choosing an Ideal Pre-Med Major
Replies
0
Views
585
Kachiu Lee, MD
K
kirvoyant
  • Question
Non-Major but Medical Related Class Impact on Application
Replies
20
Views
653
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
P
should i change my major to nursing?
Replies
29
Views
2K
LizzyM
LizzyM
Top