Minors in Undergrad

[nala56]

Hi!!

I am currently majoring in psychology with a minor in biology. However, do you need to have a minor in order to be a more competitive applicant for graduate school?

Thanks

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[FahlenStar]

I don't think you necessarily have to have a minor to be more competitive, but it could show that you are interested in other areas of study and flexible/intelligent in other areas as well. I do have a friend who majored in biology and psychology and works in a neuropsych lab where they have been published in some very respectable journals.

 

[CheetahGirl]

Hi!!

I am currently majoring in psychology with a minor in biology. However, do you need to have a minor in order to be a more competitive applicant for graduate school?

Thanks

Unless you put your minor to good use, then it doesn't necessarily make you more competitive (as the previous post-er said). However, if you gain research experience from your bio minor and link that experience to psych, then you're set....well, if you have a high GPA, high GRE/Psych GRE scores, research & clinical experience, great interpersonal skills, great letters of recommendation (get one more recommender than required, just in case), a "show-stopping" personal statement, and throw in some volunteer experience...then, you'll fare well with the more competitive folks.

 

[PsyStudent925]

I wholeheartedly agree with the previous posters. I have never personally experienced (nor have I heard of anyone who has) a minor being a crucial factor in judging the credentials of an applicant. As long as you have a high GPA- as you mentioned you do- I would guess that admissions committees would not really scrutinize your transcript and a minor wouldn't stand out much either way. If you choose a minor based on a genuine interest and/or well-roundedness, that's awesome. But if you're doing it to stand out as an applicant, I'd focus that time and energy on something such as research experience, which will stand out.

 

[schoolpsych1]

I agree with the other posters, but I hope my minor in Spanish will help a little in School Psych. I will probably work in a big city with a multi-cultural environment.

 

[blindchaos]

I don't think you necessarily have to have a minor to be more competitive, but it could show that you are interested in other areas of study and flexible/intelligent in other areas as well.

I definitely agree with this. I didn't have a minor in undergrad but I did have a second major which was theater. While it may not be as related to psych as some of the sciences, a few of my interviewers actually brought it up. Some brought it up mainly as curiosity (ie: that's an unusual combination, why theater?) Others brought it up and commented on it in a positive way. I want to work with children (which was indicated in my SOP) and the people that commented on it in a positive way generally said that they think having a theater background would be very useful in connecting with little kids (and I have a hell of a lot of fun role playing clients with classmates ).

I do not think that a lack of a minor/2nd major will hurt, but having one may help a little bit, perhaps moreso if you can tie it in with psych. Even if it's kind of an unusual combination like mine sort of was, interviewers remembered it and if it's a positive thing that makes me stand out a little more, I'm all for it

 

[nala56]

I definitely agree with this. I didn't have a minor in undergrad but I did have a second major which was theater. While it may not be as related to psych as some of the sciences, a few of my interviewers actually brought it up. Some brought it up mainly as curiosity (ie: that's an unusual combination, why theater?) Others brought it up and commented on it in a positive way. I want to work with children (which was indicated in my SOP) and the people that commented on it in a positive way generally said that they think having a theater background would be very useful in connecting with little kids (and I have a hell of a lot of fun role playing clients with classmates ).

I do not think that a lack of a minor/2nd major will hurt, but having one may help a little bit, perhaps moreso if you can tie it in with psych. Even if it's kind of an unusual combination like mine sort of was, interviewers remembered it and if it's a positive thing that makes me stand out a little more, I'm all for it

My goal was to major in psychology and minor in biology in order to become more competitive with clinical psychology Ph.D programs that have an emphasis in neuropsychology. My career goal is to become a neuropsychologist, but I am seeing that obtaining my bio minor is more work than my psychology major. Also, I was thinking about getting my master's degree in general psychology prior to applying for a Ph.D program. Some people think that it is a dumb idea, others think that it is a great idea. What do you guys think?

 

[brightsideup]

I always felt that minors are more for personal interest, but I suppose it definitely matters how you use it. When I interviewed for grad schools, the minor seems irrelevant. I mentioned it and most of the time it was just given a nod, but it didn't seem like it was something impressive. That being said I did a minor out of interest so that is why it might have seemed like an afterthought.

 

[nala56]

I always felt that minors are more for personal interest, but I suppose it definitely matters how you use it. When I interviewed for grad schools, the minor seems irrelevant. I mentioned it and most of the time it was just given a nod, but it didn't seem like it was something impressive. That being said I did a minor out of interest so that is why it might have seemed like an afterthought.

Thank you for your opinion. I have been contemplating whether I should remove my minor from my degree evaluation because my advisor told me that I do not need the minor because I am getting my Bachelor of Science in Psychology.

 

[krisrox]

My advisors told me the same things- it really doesn't make you outstandingly competitive. Only keep a minor if you're truly interested in it- there are plenty other things do can do to make you competetive.

 

[cara susanna]

I had two minors, one relevant and one not. I don't think it really helped me.

 

[Ollie123]

I'll just second what others have said. If its relevant to what you want to do, or fun, than why not.

A minor proves what...you took some classes in a different topic? That's not exactly a wow. That said, if it IS related or you enjoy it, than why not? After all, programs are all about "fit". So a neuroscience minor would not be a big credential, but if someone is applying to a lab doing related work, it might give you an edge in the "fit" category. Then again...probably not as much as someone who had worked in a neuro lab.

So really, its a balancing act. I wouldn't feel any obligation to do a minor. If one is relevant, doesn't interfere with other things, etc. than I say go for it. Its certainly not going to HURT unless it keeps you away from more important experiences. It might help convince them you're a better fit if it shows an interest in an area highly related to your specific research goals. Plus, if you're planning on going to grad school, you better find learning fun

 

[AryaStark]

I chose a minor that was similar to psychology, sociology. I don't think it improved my application or made me any more desirable. It's probably like a lot of extracurricular activities--- it's nice that you do them... but it's not top priority for schools. If you want to do a minor-- do it. If not I don't think it will necessarily hurt you.

 

[schoolpsych1]

Some undgrad schools require a minor so it really isn't an option. I am double-minoring because a double-major didn't work out (didn't want to pay for summer classes to catch up) and wanted to focus more on Psych, but I like them all, just LOVE psychology.

 

[PhillyPsych]

I feel that though a minor may not play a very strong role in the process of getting into a graduate program, that it does play a strong role in how you envision yourself and your future goals (Ex. I majored in pysch and minored in art history, and have used this to my advantage while doing therapy with kids and trauma victims). Plus minors give us a chance to explore things that we are interested in and enjoy, which is definately a good thing! Thats just my 2 cents though