Major in Biology or English?

[tmiller696]

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Hi!

I am going to be a freshman at the University of Colorado Boulder next fall. I plan on applying to dental school later on, as I have already begun shadowing dentists and volunteering in clinics. However, I am torn on what to major in. I am interested in three departments- ecology & evolutionary biology, integrative physiology, and English.

EBIO is focused on field research with animals and the environment, and is the smallest of the biology departments at CU, so it offers the best chance to get in on research.

IPHY is a large department and I am I turned off from it because of the amount of "pre-med" people in it (ironic I know), but it has a lot of classes on anatomy, physiology, and human biology.

English is clearly the one that stands out. They have two tracks in the department- literature and creative writing- and I would choose the writing track as I LOVE writing. The idea of majoring in English is highly appealing to me as I can see myself enjoying writing different stories and plays, and reading others writing. The idea of majoring in something different than most pre-health kids is something I like, as I do not like to follow the crowd. I would take science classes that go beyond the dental pre-requisites.

However, I was just looking at different dental school admission FAQs, and some schools (namely UCSF) say that non-science majors should take 3-4 science courses each term to preview what dental school is like. Isn't that just like majoring in a science field? I am torn.

 

[just_a_bucket]

Thorough and long response incoming. I put in a vote for English. I was just accepted into dental school having majored in Literature, and if you think you're capable of juggling the two disciplines simultaneously and fulfilling all your necessary dental prereqs, I think an unorthodox major like English can be a great choice.

Being a non-science major will certainly catch people's interest and make you stand out to your peers, instructors, and admissions officers alike. Any time my major and career path were brought up, people would ask me about it, giving me a chance to explain myself and make myself known to them. At my interview, both of my interviewers asked me why I chose to major in Literature, and seemed impressed by my reasoning as well as the fact that I excelled in all academic fields. It can show that you're well rounded. And since you'll be immersed in both disciplines, both humanities and science, you'll be exposed to a broader variety of people and ways of thinking. And remember: dental schools love diversity.

Majoring in English will greatly increase your reading and writing capabilities, which will directly translate into higher RC scores and a better personal statement. No offense to science majors, but I've noticed that on average, my writing quality is far above most science major applicants'. I've become the go-to personal statement editor for my old dental club, and I scored a 28 on my RC with absolutely no preparation. Remember, writing isn't something that you can cram for. It requires years, a lifetime even, of constant honing.

If you do major in English, prepare to work harder than if you majored in a science. It can be difficult to fit in all your necessary classes/dental school prereqs, so make sure to be on top of planning it early and don't waste time. It can be exhausting to go back and forth between the two styles of work and learning, since each one is difficult in its own way. But from my own experience, this will help you get a better handle on your own strengths, capabilities and studying methods.

Also, ignore those who tell you something along the lines of, "major in a humanity. The classes are easy and you won't have to work hard for a high GPA!" Of course, each person has his or her own strengths and weaknesses, but personally, I found my Literature courses more difficult than my science ones. They require a huge amount of time and critical thinking, and my science GPA was higher than my overall GPA. Of course, if you love reading and writing, this won't seem so bad. Just don't go into it expecting a cakewalk.

Lastly, you mentioned that you "LOVE writing." In my humble opinion, college shouldn't only be treated as a degree/career machine. It should be a critical part of your life in developing yourself as a person. I believe that I attained more fulfillment and enjoyment out of my college experience having majored in Literature, a subject that I am passionate about, and still emerged fully prepared for dental school. That is, in my point of view, the most important consideration you should contemplate while deciding your major.

 

[doc toothache]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/2014-majors-and-ds-admission-trend-2005-2013.1065182/

 

[just_a_bucket]

Since your post seems to be structured as a response to mine, allow me to retort.

I don't think the pre-reqs by themselves provide sufficient preparation for the rigor of dental school.

OP stated that s/he "would take science classes that go beyond the dental pre-requisites." I can attest that it is totally possible to complete an English major, the scientific prerequisites for dental school, and several more additional science courses in order to prepare yourself. I agree that some dental students will need more preparation than others, and OP should consider his or her own study needs and capabilities. But I don’t think that I would have scored as well as I did on the DAT, or that I would have been admitted to dental school at all, if I were so woefully unprepared.

I'd much rather have a solid foundation for academic success in dental school than a background that only serves well in small talks.

I’m sure if you looked at statistics, you wouldn’t find that non-science majors have a high fail rate in dental school or make worse dentists. And frankly, your belittling opinion that English “only serves well in small talks” is insulting and plain wrong. I’m not trying to discredit science, and I think it’s sad that students of either discipline so often have such elitist viewpoints.

Moreover, if you just look at the study hours alone, then the science majors definitely have it harder due to long labs. On top of labs, doing well on a science exam requires that you understand and apply the concepts through countless hours of studying. This surely entails more effort and time than sitting down in front of a laptop one afternoon sipping a cup of coffee to work on that 10-page paper for that literature class without having to worry anything about going into the lab for four hours of cumbersome work.

Once again, your disparagement of an entire field of study is unfounded and uncalled for. If you pursued upper division English courses at a competent institution, you would find that it requires just as much, if not more, understanding, connection, and application of myriad concepts and skills, as well as a huge amount of work time. I know that during my time in undergrad, my English curriculum generally took more time, stress, and effort than my science labs and exams, but that’s my personal experience.
I don’t claim that English is “better” or harder than science. Science and the humanities each pose their separate difficulties, all of which are respectable. Some people might excel at one or the other. But neither is objectively “easy.”

Choose pragmatism over idealism.

This, unfortunately, is the reigning attitude about college in our day and age, and it is one I disagree with. And I don’t think my path was unrealistic or impractical. I maximized my educational and personal experience, did well in my science studies, and was accepted into dental school. Consider that the pragmatism of your degree is not limited to your time in dental school. Knowing all the detailed particulars of biology might prove just as unnecessary to a dentist as their ability to analyze a novel. Each undergrad should think about not only how their studying will help them in dental school, but also how well it complements their long term, personal life goals. And while I know that dental school is challenging for students of ALL backgrounds, I expect that even as an English major, I will succeed there, too. Or rather, I will force myself to do whatever it takes to succeed. My drive for dentistry would not allow any less.

 

[deleted616533]

P

 

[just_a_bucket]

Sounds like just_a_bucket is a little too emotionally involved. This is a no brainer tmiller696. Stick with the IPHY and you will be well prepared for the DAT and dental school. If you are worried about standing out, get a 4.0 GPA in a difficult science major. That should do the trick. Adding a bunch of English classes into your schedule just wouldn't provide you with many necessary skills for your career path. If you like reading Shakespeare, you can do it in your free time, but that is not a required skill that a dentist should have. Good luck amigo!

I disagree that I'm too emotionally involved. I've read over my previous posts and I remain calm throughout. But yes, I do take issue with someone needlessly and repeatedly trivializing a legitimate field of study. I am disheartened by a general lack of mutual respect between the two sides of academia, and it's a divide that I try my best to bridge.

In any case, I don't mean to derail the thread by defending myself. At the end of the day, tmiller, what you major in won't matter; as long as you try hard enough and put in the necessary work, you will get into dental school, and you will get through dental school. So my personal advice is to pursue the major that you think you will enjoy and get the most out of.

 

[deleted659902]

I disagree that I'm too emotionally involved. I've read over my previous posts and I remain calm throughout. But yes, I do take issue with someone needlessly and repeatedly discrediting a legitimate field of study. I am disheartened by a general lack of mutual respect between the two sides of academia, and it's a divide that I try my best to bridge.

In any case, I don't mean to derail the thread by defending myself. At the end of the day, tmiller, what you major in won't matter; as long as you try hard enough and put in the necessary work, you will get into dental school, and you will get through dental school. So my personal advice is to pursue the major that you think you will enjoy and get the most out of.

lol bro u need to relax a little

 

[jeffk805dent]

major whatever makes you happy (as cheesy as that sounds). Hopefully the English classes prep you well for the reading comprehension part of the DAT

besides the 8 main classes (bio, chem and physics) be sure to take a biochem and an anatomy class. Those are mostly upper level and if you take them together or each with another science class with stellar grades, it'll make the adcoms know you're legit (assume DAT isnt horrible).