Math/Chem

[bcpizza]

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I'm not even sure if this is appropriate for this thread or not, but i'm going to give it a shot. I really enjoy solving math equations in my math classes, as well as problems in chemistry such as stoichiometry etc. I don't however like the physical aspects of chemistry such as far as the labs go. If I'm not deep into labs is it best to veer away from a chemistry major and enter as a math major?

 

[Long Way to Go]

Don't worry about your major. You'll change your mind 80,000 times anyway.

And before you decide that a math major is for you, take things like the AMC 10/12, AIME, USAMO (not USMLE), IMO, etc. or a rigorous, proof-based mathematics course. Equation solving is nice, but math majors don't do that very often. Engineers do though. Perhaps you would want to look into engineering majors?

 

[indya]

like the AMC 10/12, AIME, USMLE, etc. or a rigorous, proof-based mathematics course.

oh noes. i didnt know that the USMLE had math on it! I dont know if he would be prepared for it before medical school, though...
🙄

 

[Rabolisk]

The farther you go into math, math shifts away from simple algebraic manipulation to abstract theorems and proofs. For example, I had to prove why 1 > 0 the other day.

 

[h9i9j9]

I would enter as a physical science student. Don't worry about the chem labs too much at this point, it'll get a lot better with time. You still have only had one/two years with only limited unstructured lab. Chances are, when you enter uni and have a little more structured and become better prepped, i think you'll like the labs more.
Long story short, take both classes and see what you like and decide in first or second year.

 

[Lil Mick]

Try to take an upper division class or two in chem and in math (or whatever other major appeals to you). A lot of the introductory material is just that: an introduction. The further into a subject you go, the further away from the basics you go. Chemistry labs tend to be more oriented to your interests in chemistry as you start to take electives and upper division courses (physical chemistry lab uses different techniques and equipment than organic chemistry...). Math, as well, diverges to different fields, some of which are quite abstract (take geometry into curved space consisting of eleven dimensions) and some of which are more application-oriented (partial differential equations and infectious disease, for instance). You won't know what upper division classes suit your style of learning and your areas of interest until you actually start taking some of them...

 

[deleted357625]

I'm not even sure if this is appropriate for this thread or not, but i'm going to give it a shot. I really enjoy solving math equations in my math classes, as well as problems in chemistry such as stoichiometry etc. I don't however like the physical aspects of chemistry such as far as the labs go. If I'm not deep into labs is it best to veer away from a chemistry major and enter as a math major?

I would say steer away from chemistry, because if you want to major in chem then you will be doing labs in mostly every course you take.