Is a minor useless?

[tyrtuga]

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Let's say I have a few possibilities:

1. Double major in a Science and Humanities.
2. Major in a Science, minor in a Humanities
3. Major in a Science, take random courses here and there that I'm interested in.

Is there any difference between options 2 and 3 for adcoms? Should I just take stuff that I dig for the sake of some extra learning?

The other thing I'm debating is that if I'm going out of my way to get a minor, why not just take a few more courses (literally like another 3 or 4) and get an entire degree?

 

[medic86]

From an application perspective, 2 and 3 are equivalently useless. (meant to say this originally) 😛

 

[Glandzburg]

Is it useless as a means to make your app look more appealing? Yes, absolutely.

It may be indirectly beneficial if it helps you write better application essays... but it won't help you enough to make it worth pursuing unless you are genuinely interested in studying humanities. Study what you are interested in.

 

[Goro]

Nope. Majors nor minors don't impress us. Only doing well in them.

Let's say I have a few possibilities:

1. Double major in a Science and Humanities.
2. Major in a Science, minor in a Humanities
3. Major in a Science, take random courses here and there that I'm interested in.

Is there any difference between options 2 and 3 for adcoms? Should I just take stuff that I dig for the sake of some extra learning?

The other thing I'm debating is that if I'm going out of my way to get a minor, why not just take a few more courses (literally like another 3 or 4) and get an entire degree?

 

[DrDre2017]

I struggled with the same "Every class I take has to fulfill some kind of requirement and go towards some kind of achievement" mindset my freshman year. But then I got a little more practical. Granted, I'm a unique case from people who come in knowing what they want. But I decided on my major in late spring of my freshman year, and premed a little later than that. I considered a few double major options, but many of them had requirements I wasn't interested in taking. It may have only been two or three classes, but why waste my time taking a class I wasn't interested in, when I could take something interesting?

The one major I was most interested in doubling in, Applied Math, had a 40 credit requirement, which meant that I would have to squeeze three more classes into a schedule that was already going to be packed with premed prereqs. And it doesn't seem like a lot, but again, not going to make my life more stressful than it needs to be for no reason. So I settle for a minor. Now if the major is really only 3-4 more classes, and you have the space and desire to take them, then I agree, why not?

 

[tyrtuga]

I just rechecked; it's actually only an additional four courses. So…I guess I'll start taking the courses I like with the intention of potentially fulfilling a minor, just cause I'm interested in the courses. If I have room later in my college career to take a few extra courses, I'll finish the major.

 

[cbrons]

Is a minor useless? Yes.

 

[ranob]

If you have the space, and your university lets you, go get a master's degree. Generally speaking, all that matters in the highest degree, so double majors and minors are not very useful. Also, I think you will find graduate courses much more fulfilling than the undergraduate ones, if you're digging some extra learning.

 

[musliminmed]

Just do it because you want to! I'm doing an art minor, it's great having one class every semester where I can totally enjoy myself 🙂

 

[justadream]

For Med school purposes, yes it's probably useless.

For life, possibly not. For example, even getting a CS minor can greatly broaden your skillset and make you more attractive to certain employers.

 

[bloodandguts]

My minor was useless and actually hurt my GPA, but I was able to get a job as a researcher because of it. The experience in research will probably not equal what I lost GPA wise, but I'm saying minors are useless for medical school, but not in other places. And research publications can help with residency selection later on if I am not wrong? I still have summers in medical school, who knows what I can do with them?

 

[Psai]

I did a minor because I was interested in the topic and I feel like it has helped expand my knowledge into something that I would otherwise know nothing about. Don't do things to impress an admissions committee, do things because you care about them

 

[tyrtuga]

Ok I actually looked over the requirements again, and I'll be real here– there's no way I'm going to want to complete a B.A. in english. Maybe philosophy.

So, just to settle some stuff here, from an ADCOM's point of view…let's say I major in Biology, B.S. Four semesters of research in school. Is there nothing wrong with just filling up other credits with just courses I'm interested in taking? Like acting, bioethics, logic, intro compsci? Will I be at a disadvantage for not pursuing something more substantial?

 

[youmed]

Ok I actually looked over the requirements again, and I'll be real here– there's no way I'm going to want to complete a B.A. in english. Maybe philosophy.

So, just to settle some stuff here, from an ADCOM's point of view…let's say I major in Biology, B.S. Four semesters of research in school. Is there nothing wrong with just filling up other credits with just courses I'm interested in taking? Like acting, bioethics, logic, intro compsci? Will I be at a disadvantage for not pursuing something more substantial?

No, you won't be at a disadvantage. When you get accepted to a medical school, I want you to come back and read this post. It will be hilarious.

 

[tyrtuga]

No, you won't be at a disadvantage. When you get accepted to a medical school, I want you to come back and read this post. It will be hilarious.

Ok then! Intro to Film studies it is then for next semester!

 

[NeuResurgens]

Useless for applications, I've heard. But if it genuinely interests you, it couldn't hurt to take it just to gain knowledge and become conversant in other disciplines.

 

[Catalystik]

So, just to settle some stuff here, from an ADCOM's point of view…let's say I major in Biology, B.S. Four semesters of research in school. Is there nothing wrong with just filling up other credits with just courses I'm interested in taking? Like acting, bioethics, logic, intro compsci? Will I be at a disadvantage for not pursuing something more substantial?

You'd be disadvantaged 1) if your BCPM GPA is on the low side and more As in upper-level Bio/Biochem/Stats would have made you more competitive. 2) And also, if you tear down your cGPA with the courses you choose.

 

[Morsetlis]

I hate that med school is also a numbers game, so that people who don't take tests well are disadvantaged when they pursue other excellent major/minor choices to broaden their experiences. That said, you also have to realize that you have to demonstrate adacemic excellence somehow... whether that be through double majoring and acing biochem/engineering, or through a 35+MCAT, or through a first author publication... the choice is up to you. Just don't be mediocre in all aspects 😉