importance/value of minors?

[chocchipcookie]

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i unintentionally am about half-way done with 3 or 4 minors and intended on doing another one completely separately (to fulfill distribution requirements and for fun). will having a minor or more than one minor help at all during the admissions process? i've been getting mixed answers from advisors and friends. some say it'll show experience/knowledge in various areas and others say it doesn't matter at all.

 

[Catalystik]

In my experience, it doesn't matter at all if you have a minor, or two- plus, or another major.

 

[Morsetlis]

Without minors there would be no adults.

 

[billw]

Since your major doesn't matter much, you can figure your minors matter even less.

Your minors may do nothing for you on their own, but that doesn't mean you can't use them to your advantage. Can you spin the reason behind your choice of a minor into an interesting conversation? Can you make a good argument for why your minor makes you a better applicant than you would be without it? If so, it may give you an edge in an interview. I'd say this is particularly true if you have a minor in a very different subject area than your major.

 

[Ischemic]

In the big picture, your minor is not going to make a difference to the admissions committee. You can have multiple minors but if your GPA sucks ... rejection. If you get an interview you can have something to talk about with the interviewer and probably say how it's gonna make you a better doctor. Distinguishing yourself in the mind of the interviewer can go a long ways to helping you get in.

 

[JJMrK]

It's probably not going to help you significantly, but don't feel like you shouldn't do one if you are interested. Be careful if you think it might hurt your GPA, though.

 

[chocchipcookie]

thanks for the replies. then maybe i'll just do the one that will both finish up some requirements and that i'm interested in because if i'm taking the classes i might as well. i'll use my extra credits to take fun classes and stuff i'm interested in. thanks again!

 

[FloatOn]

thanks for the replies. then maybe i'll just do the one that will both finish up some requirements and that i'm interested in because if i'm taking the classes i might as well. i'll use my extra credits to take fun classes and stuff i'm interested in. thanks again!

Sounds like a good idea! With proper planning, there should be no reason why you can't take fun classes here and there, except maybe if you're engineering. Those people are zombies.

 

[ElegantWeapon]

The minor does give more of an "official" (and by official I mean its written on your app) way of telling the adcom that you have another scholarly interest (of course you could say it, but for interviews where they read your file first they will see it). It could be a good conversation starter, like it was in my interviews.

Don't kill yourself to finish twenty minors though...If you do one or two that you like and are interesting to you you may get asked about them, which could end up being interesting for you and the interviewer

 

[45408]

Not important. Value is subjective. If you minor in a fascinating topic, it might make a good conversation point in an interview. I minored in chemistry because it was only a few more classes, and I wanted to do it.