Is graduating with 2 B.A.'s better for admissions?

[DrBowtie]

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As of now, I am on track to graduate with a B.A. in Physics and B.A. in Biology. Does you guys think that I should stay on this track, or drop the Biology and diversify.

I really enjoy science and I think it would be against my nature to take a lot more humanities classes but, I want to have some room in my curriculum to take more business classes.

The advantages to the two degrees are: more opportunities for more medical related research, early exposure to first year courses.

For my future school plans: Debating on MD/MBA or MD only
Current residency that intrigues me: Radiation Oncology

I am probably being neurotic but I just want to entertain your ideas. My advisor is a bio guy so he is "gently encouraging" me to do both B.A's.

 

[DrBowtie]

I'll entertain pure speculation as well

 

[Rzarecta]

As of now, I am on track to graduate with a B.A. in Physics and B.A. in Biology. Does you guys think that I should stay on this track, or drop the Biology and diversify.

I really enjoy science and I think it would be against my nature to take a lot more humanities classes but, I want to have some room in my curriculum to take more business classes.

The advantages to the two degrees are: more opportunities for more medical related research, early exposure to first year courses.

For my future school plans: Debating on MD/MBA or MD only
Current residency that intrigues me: Radiation Oncology

I am probably being neurotic but I just want to entertain your ideas. My advisor is a bio guy so he is "gently encouraging" me to do both B.A's.

If you grades stay good, adcoms will be impressed, as would most people. Physics is one hell of a major. If you like it, keep it, no need to diversify for adcoms.

 

[DrBowtie]

Thanks rzarecta...i would be dropping the bio.
Physics is my 😍

 

[gary5]

Those are sciences. Shouldn't they be B.S.'s? Anyway, do what you're interested in. It won't matter for applications. GPA and MCAT score are much, much more important than majors.

 

[DrBowtie]

B.A.'s are 40 hours in major. Also require 12 hours of foreign language (I got in H.S.) and also have a lot more electives.
B.S.'s are 60 hours in major.

 

[mustangsally65]

B.A.'s are 40 hours in major. Also require 12 hours of foreign language (I got in H.S.) and also have a lot more electives.
B.S.'s are 60 hours in major.

That's kind of interesting. At my undergrad school there were concrete degrees awarded for each major: English was a BA, Music was a BFA, Psychology was a BS. Each program had different hour requirements as well, as determined by each department.

I graduated with a BA and a BS. I'm applying this year, so I"ll get back to your question when I have some news. 😉

 

[DrBowtie]

Well, at my school there are some degrees that obviously don't have a B.S. like english and history but most of the sciences and social sciences have both.

The B.A. programs are very good for pre-prof students since you have to take the pre-reqs from different disciplines.
The B.S. programs are meant to be prep for grad school in that subject or entry into the job market.

And yes please do get back to me with any comments you receive about it.

 

[liverotcod]

2 BAs is so passe. Don't you know everyone now is applying with at least 42.

Seriously, it can't hurt, but doesn't matter as much as GPA and MCAT.

 

[JoeyB]

Mr. Carlson,

I'll be starting med school this August.

I graduated with 2 B.S. degrees. I don't think it mattered to anyone expect me and my mom, she was very proud as always. I think the only time it will come in handy is when it is listed in my obituary.

I found that interviewers were not nearly as impressed with it as I thought they should be. They were more intrigued by why in the world I didn't want to be an oceanographer, since that is what I recieved one of my degrees in. I now realize I will probably be hearing this forever.

My other degree was chemisty. I thought for sure I would go on to study for a PhD in oceanography and it was vitally important to have a strong background in one of the basic sciences and chemistry was my area of interest so I figured I would go ahead and get a degree in that as well.

It all seemed to have worked out well so I would certainly do the same thing again.

 

[Zephyrus]

Choice of major and whether you single, double, or triple major has absolutely no bearing on medical school admissions. They want to see the rigor of the INDIVIDUAL COURSES you've taken, your science GPA, and your overall GPA. That said, a slightly lower GPA is probably acceptable in majors such as physics, because adcoms will see all the brutal courses on your record. But you still need a solid GPA to be competitive, even if you quintuple major in CSE, EE, BME, ME, and Masochism.

Choice of major MIGHT be a plus if you can weave your l curriculum into your overall goal as a physician. e.g. Psychology/neuroscience--> psychiatry/neurology/neurosurgery, Business --> MD/MBA, Cultural Anthropology --> primary care in underserved areas, etc... but I suspect they don't really care.

Z

 

[Medikit]

Mr. Carlson,

I'll be starting med school this August.

I graduated with 2 B.S. degrees. I don't think it mattered to anyone accept me and my mom, she was very proud as always.

Pretty much the same for me only my father instead of my mother.

 

[TheMightyAngus]

If you had to choose between one, follow through with the B.S.. I think that a B.A. in a science field is uncommon and might raise eyebrows. It seems unusual and counterintuitive. Med schools want to see that you really pursued something in depth.