Neuroscience Concentration track

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HopeP

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My son just dropping this on me at last minute to switch his neuroscience track from Human Behavior and Cognition to Computation and Systems modelling. I am seeking guidance here from experts about this new track to make an educated decision and how it may or may not help his pre-med journey. All I know it is a relatively new track in his UG for a year now, on the surface it seems math, physics ans statistics heavy track. Also adding CS minor as LAS, not engineering one. Data point, rising junior with 3.9+ GPA and physics is only pre-med requisite left, has been involved with UG research for 2 years now.
 
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If that's what he wants to do and he will be able to complete his requirements for most med schools, he should be perfectly fine. People enroll into medical school with all sorts of major: music, philosophy, biochemistry, computer science, economics, etc...
 
medical schools dont care about any majors or minors. The content of the major essentially has no impact on an adcom. Purpose of UG is to show that you have developed the student skill set (study discipline, time management, test-taking) necessary. Some majors may have overlap with MCAT prep and/or more research opportunities. However, no matter what the student majors in, it is the ability to be successful and be able to prepare an application narrative from all the activities you have done, what characteristics and attributes they show about you, and what you have learned from them. Attempting difficult majors do not get you any extra points with an adcom. Being successful at whatever you do is what matters
 
HopeP said:
My son just dropping this on me at last minute to switch his neuroscience track from Human Behavior and Cognition to Computation and Systems modelling. I am seeking guidance here from experts about this new track to make an educated decision and how it may or may not help his pre-med journey. All I know it is a relatively new track in his UG for a year now, on the surface it seems math, physics ans statistics heavy track. Also adding CS minor as LAS, not engineering one. Data point, rising junior with 3.9+ GPA and physics is only pre-med requisite left, has been involved with UG research for 2 years now.
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His major is not very important. My former assiciate was an English Major at Princeton. What is important is his performance in the med school pre requisite courses and the MCAT. Plus the extracurricular and volunteering activities.
 
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Agree that major and minor doesn't matter for medical school application as long as prerequisites are completed. Agree as a student it is his choice too. As a parent, my concern is it may not be well educated/thought-out decision and rushing to something, especially he learnt over weekend his CS brother has lined up full time offer at A-->Z for next summer, now he is switching gears in just 2 days and that certainly makes me worried and concerned for drastic changes and not well thought out.
 
GPA,GPA,GPA 🙂 Data Structures trips up lot of students. Also, getting As in math classes is tough. Looks too risky to me.
 
srk2021 said:
GPA,GPA,GPA 🙂 Data Structures trips up lot of students. Also, getting As in math classes is tough. Looks too risky to me.
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How is that more riskier than doing upper level science classes?
He now wants to do academic medicine that includes 60% clinical and 40% research, but doesn't want to do MSTP.
 
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HopeP said:
How is that more riskier than doing upper level science classes?
He now wants to do academic medicine that includes 60% clinical and 40% research, but doesn't want to do MSTP.
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Upper level sciences are typically easier than weed out classes. math is weed out for engineering majors.
 
HopeP said:
Not surprise by reaction, was expecting gunners to shoot down any helicopter.
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You are just stubbornly ignoring what you already know -- "Agree that major and minor doesn't matter for medical school application as long as prerequisites are completed," but "I am seeking guidance here from experts about this new track to make an educated decision and how it may or may not help his pre-med journey."

How many times, and how many different ways, do you need anyone who knows what they are talking about to tell you that med schools absolutely do not give a crap what your kid majors in, they only care how he does? Do you really expect anyone on SDN to know how your particular kid is going to do in Computation and Systems Modelling as compared to Human Behavior and Cognition?

So, keep being a helicopter parent, and keep being frustrated because the answer you don't want to hear is to leave your kid alone and let him do what he wants, because that is most likely, with no guarantees, to yield the most success. You are not going to receive a definitive answer here one way or the other, for you to throw back at him as you "guide" him on what he has to do based on the collective wisdom of a bunch of random internet strangers he couldn't care less about!!!!

Why not just put all your hard work to good use and apply to med school yourself???? Then, at least you can lead by example! :laugh:
 
KnightDoc said:
You are just stubbornly ignoring what you already know -- "Agree that major and minor doesn't matter for medical school application as long as prerequisites are completed," but "I am seeking guidance here from experts about this new track to make an educated decision and how it may or may not help his pre-med journey."

How many times, and how many different ways, do you need anyone who knows what they are talking about to tell you that med schools absolutely do not give a crap what your kid majors in, they only care how he does? Do you really expect anyone on SDN to know how your particular kid is going to do in Computation and Systems Modelling as compared to Human Behavior and Cognition?

So, keep being a helicopter parent, and keep being frustrated because the answer you don't want to hear is to leave your kid alone and let him do what he wants, because that is most likely, with no guarantees, to yield the most success. You are not going to receive a definitive answer here one way or the other, for you to throw back at him as you "guide" him on what he has to do based on the collective wisdom of a bunch of random internet strangers he couldn't care less about!!!!

Why not just put all your hard work to good use and apply to med school yourself???? Then, at least you can lead by example! :laugh:
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Another gunner! Did I asked your opinion about helicopter parent or not? yet you feel obliged to answer. If a stranger on internet feels that way to answer and judge another stranger on internet, what is wrong if parent try to understand same for kids. If one doesn't have knowledge, always asks for help and guidance, I am in that boat. I don't understand that field of study so trying to understand from experts over here or someone who may have studied something similar, educating myself is not helicoptering. It is so funny that non-parents are advising about parenting, sounds very similar to I stayed in 'Holiday Inn Express Last Night' commercial.
KnightDoc said:
Why not just put all your hard work to good use and apply to med school yourself???? Then, at least you can lead by example!
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When was the last time your were in front of mirror? 😉
 
HopeP said:
Another gunner! Did I asked your opinion about helicopter parent or not? yet you feel obliged to answer. If a stranger on internet feels that way to answer and judge another stranger on internet, what is wrong if parent try to understand same for kids.
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Absolutely nothing!! Do you at least allow him to chew his own food??? After all, he might choke if he takes too big a bite! :laugh:
 
KnightDoc said:
Absolutely nothing!! Do you at least allow him to chew his own food??? After all, he might choke if he takes too big a bite! :laugh:
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You missed very first part of my post, he dropped on me at last minute, means I didn't force him or pursue him to do anything. It is all his decision. Did I even forced him to take LAS over BioE or BME? ofc not. But the mob lynching mentality against parents is very known on this site, rather than addressing the question, thread hijacked to helicoptering, why make parents a shining object? It makes me wonder these are same brilliant students who at some point in life will be parents. One has to learn how to maneuver in the system if one wants to survive in that system. I wish I can afford to hire some consultant and put these kind of questions to them, rather than asking in open forum.
 
HopeP said:
You missed very first part of my post, he dropped on me at last minute, means I didn't force him or pursue him to do anything. It is all his decision. Did I even forced him to take LAS over BioE or BME? ofc not. But the mob lynching mentality against parents is very known on this site, rather than addressing the question, thread hijacked to helicoptering, why make parents a shining object? It makes me wonder these are same brilliant students who at some point in life will be parents. One has to learn how to maneuver in the system if one wants to survive in that system. I wish I can afford to hire some consultant and put these kind of questions to them, rather than asking in open forum.
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Again, you are confusing this site with College Confidential. It's the "Student-Doctor Network," not the "Student-Doctor-Parent Network." 🙂 You know about the "mentality" here, and yet you post anyway. If your son has a question, he is more than welcome to join. On the other hand, you are more than welcome to become a student. Or, you can continue helicoptering and being unhappy with the responses offered.

The point you just do not understand is that YOU don't need a consultant, or advice, because YOU are not a premed.

By the way, whether or not the thread veered off course, you did receive an answer -- nobody except you cares about your son's major. You apparently did not like that response, even though you also apparently knew it going in, so what exactly are you looking for here??? Commerisation that these stupid kids just don't know what's good for them??? :laugh:
 
FalconSlice said:
I mean no offense, OP, but I become more and more enthralled, amazed, shocked and just bewildered how "involved" parents have been getting over the years. So so bizarre.
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It's cultural issue. Some parents wants to see their kid as next sports star or rock star while others want academic stars. Have you seen videos of parents reactions at soccer ot little league games?
 
KnightDoc said:
Again, you are confusing this site with College Confidential. It's the "Student-Doctor Network," not the "Student-Doctor-Parent Network."
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It is also not 'Student-Doctor-Not-Parent Network'. Nowhere in its policies states that, parents are not allowed to participate. Again hijacking the thread, rather than addressing the concern. Whether college confidential or reddit or what else, freelancers are advising here what parents should do even it is not their cup of tea.
 
srk2021 said:
It's cultural issue. Some parents wants to see their kid as next sports star or rock star while others want academic stars. Have you seen videos of parents reactions at soccer ot little league games?
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Sure. Now make those kids 20-25 years old instead of 8-12 years old, and welcome to the helicopter bleacher section of SDN, except here the parents are grabbing the ball from the kids and entering the game! :laugh:

In fact, where is your kid or @HopeC's? They aren't even playing the game. In your analogy, you're not on the sideline reacting, you're on the field playing while your kids are in some lab somewhere kissing some PI's butt, or changing their majors without parental permission!!! 🙂

Screaming from the sidelines here would be yelling at the computer screen without creating an account or posting.
 
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srk2021 said:
It's cultural issue. Some parents wants to see their kid as next sports star or rock star while others want academic stars. Have you seen videos of parents reactions at soccer ot little league games?
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or how about mama bear!!!
 
KnightDoc said:
Sure. Now make those kids 20-25 years old instead of 8-12 years old, and welcome to the helicopter bleacher section of SDN, except here the parents are grabbing the ball from the kids and entering the game! :laugh:
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How are parents grabbing the ball, taking MCAT for the kids?
 
srk2021 said:
How are parents grabbing the ball, taking MCAT for the kids?
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No -- posting here. SDN is the game!!! 🙂

By the way, I wouldn't doubt that OP would LOVE to take the MCAT if he could -- "My son just dropping this on me at last minute to switch his neuroscience track." Oh no, his son is living his own life. What should he do, SDN?????? :laugh:
 
Taking my thread back from hijacking. If you have an information to add about 'Computation and Systems Modelling' neuroscience track, please provide how it may help one to be better MD or Researcher or whatever else.
 
srk2021 said:
Caps are reserved for president
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Bottom line -- both of your kids sound like they know what they are doing. The fact that OP feels the need to post anyway, knowing the answer, because he is apparently looking for ammo to use against kid who had nerve to spring a change in HIS course of study with no prior notice to helicopter, who then gets annoyed for being called out for being a helicopter, is really pretty funny! :laugh:

At least you don't ask questions you already know the answer to, and then get defensive when you don't like the answer, which you already knew before you posted. This is why I love you!!! 🙂
 
KnightDoc said:
because he is apparently looking for ammo to use against kid who had nerve to spring a change in HIS course of study with no prior notice to helicopter, who then gets annoyed for being called out for being a helicopter, is really pretty funny!
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Seriously, would you please stop high school locker room conspiracies !!!
 
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