Major change

[SU_PREMED_1994]

Hey guys so I am changing my major to interdisciplinary studies with a concentration in psychology. Will grad schools or med schools look down upon this? Or question it??

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[mathnerd88]

Which major are you switching from?

 

[SU_PREMED_1994]

From a biology major!

 

[mathnerd88]

Is there a reason why?

 

[SU_PREMED_1994]

Well I recently decided I want to switch my major to psychology but I've already taken 2.5 years of bio. And if I switch I have to take a couple extra semesters on top of my 4 years. Money is a issue and the best they offered was a interdisciplinary study with a concentration in psychology.

 

[mathnerd88]

Well I recently decided I want to switch my major to psychology but I've already taken 2.5 years of bio. And if I switch I have to take a couple extra semesters on top of my 4 years. Money is a issue and the best they offered was a interdisciplinary study with a concentration in psychology.

You haven't really answered why you wanted to switch? Since you already invested 2.5 years into it, why are you switching? Are you doing poorly?

If money is an issue, wouldn't it be better to just stick with biology? I still don't understand.

 

[SU_PREMED_1994]

Oh sorry, so the reason I want to switch is that I recently got dismissed from the major. It was from a bad semester but I have the choice of reapplying. At the same time, I kind of lost interest in some classes that are required. And psych is something I've always been interested in n

 

[SU_PREMED_1994]

Hope that answers your question! Plus I go to a small school so they don't have a big selection in classes and curriculum is very strict

 

[mathnerd88]

Okay, so basically an academic dismissal has to be reported on both AMCAS and AACOMAS, and you have to explain what happened. I believe most schools look down upon academic dismissals, but it isn't the end of the world. You'll just have to work extremely hard and bring those grades up to an acceptable GPA level. It is imperative you do well in your new major.

If you're not interested in some biology courses, maybe you should reconsider having a career in medicine.

 

[SU_PREMED_1994]

Your right and it's not biology it's just 2-3 classes I don't have interest in but need for the major. Thank you for the insight!

 

[mathnerd88]

Your right and it's not biology it's just 2-3 classes I don't have interest in but need for the major. Thank you for the insight!

In every major, there is always a couple required classes that are not interesting at all. We all have to power through it. I certainly didn't enjoy all my classes as a cell biology and neuroscience major.

You should see the MCAT. There are plenty of passages that are very dense, boring, and very uninteresting to read.

 

[SU_PREMED_1994]

Oh I believe you. I'm just going to suck it up and take them and reevaluate after I see my grades

 

[SU_PREMED_1994]

On a scale of 1-10 1 being east test 10 being the hardest. What was the mcats?

 

[mathnerd88]

On a scale of 1-10 1 being east test 10 being the hardest. What was the mcats?

Compared to any of the exams you have taken in college? I would say it would be the hardest exam yet. College exams are usually only 3 hours long maximum. It isn't just the difficulty of the MCAT, but the length. Of course, the later board exams you take while in medical school would be harder.

You're required to sit 6 hours in front of the computer trying to finish the exam. You will need absolute focus for the whole exam. People can easily lose focus towards the end of the exam.

 

[SU_PREMED_1994]

Yes I'm starting to prepare now since I have taken my prereqs. Preparation is key.

Yes i feel like it's 100% focus the whole time.

I appreciate the advice! I'll keep you updated b

 

[efle]

On a scale of 1-10 1 being east test 10 being the hardest. What was the mcats?

About a 7, if 5 is the average exam. It's just impossible to make a test that shallow as hard as some classes. The physics uses no calc, there's no point where you have to come up with and coherently present an interesting view of your own, it's all multiple choice, etc. It gets hyped up a lot but I'd say I found most exams in my prereqs to be more difficult

 

[mathnerd88]

About a 7, if 5 is the average exam. It's just impossible to make a test that shallow as hard as some classes. The physics uses no calc, there's no point where you have to come up with and coherently present an interesting view of your own, it's all multiple choice, etc. It gets hyped up a lot but I'd say I found most exams in my prereqs to be more difficult

The MCAT exam questions aren't that hard, except for some tricky ones. What makes it grueling is the timing.

It is difficult when you're only allowed about one minute per question, and you're trying to read 7 passages and answer all the questions by then.

Also, the new MCAT is 6 hours long.

 

[Gandyy]

The MCAT exam questions aren't that hard, except for some tricky ones. What makes it grueling is the timing.

It is difficult when you're only allowed about one minute per question, and you're trying to read 7 passages and answer all the questions by then.

Also, the new MCAT is 6 hours long.

Yea, I have to agree. Although idk I felt like the Biology sections in every MCAT i've taken werent horrible as far as timing goes. I finished the bio section with 20 mins left usually, HOWEVER, i only scored a 10 on the bio because I thought the questions were just hard usually.

The most BRUTAL timed test has got to be the Verbal Reasoning though. Its an uphill battle the whole way.

 

[Goro]

We don't care what your major or minor is, only that you do well.

Hey guys so I am changing my major to interdisciplinary studies with a concentration in psychology. Will grad schools or med schools look down upon this? Or question it??

 

[efle]

The MCAT exam questions aren't that hard, except for some tricky ones. What makes it grueling is the timing.

It is difficult when you're only allowed about one minute per question, and you're trying to read 7 passages and answer all the questions by then.

Also, the new MCAT is 6 hours long.

Yea, I have to agree. Although idk I felt like the Biology sections in every MCAT i've taken werent horrible as far as timing goes. I finished the bio section with 20 mins left usually, HOWEVER, i only scored a 10 on the bio because I thought the questions were just hard usually.

The most BRUTAL timed test has got to be the Verbal Reasoning though. Its an uphill battle the whole way.

Yeah, you have to work uncomfortably fast, and that time crunch is the major source of difficulty. But same goes for prereq exams.

 

[Gandyy]

Yeah, you have to work uncomfortably fast, and that time crunch is the major source of difficulty. But same goes for prereq exams.

The MCAT is a behemoth.

 

[efle]

The MCAT is a behemoth.

It's really not that bad

 

[Gandyy]

It's really not that bad

To the average pre-med it is. SDN is a collection of 1 percenters.

 

[efle]

To the average pre-med it is. SDN is a collection of 1 percenters.

It also depends what we're talking about, like scoring high enough to go to med school vs high enough to satisfy ridiculous premed egos . I think getting a high 20's is pretty feasible compared to making A's in prereqs. Most 3.8+s manage that according to Table 24

 

[Gandyy]

It also depends what we're talking about, like scoring high enough to go to med school vs high enough to satisfy ridiculous premed egos . I think getting a high 20's is pretty feasible compared to making A's in prereqs. Most 3.8+s manage that according to Table 24

Yea I guess