philosophy minor vs gpa

[fattymangox03]

i'm currently thinking about taking on a philosophy minor (specifically moral and political philosophy). i only need 3 more classes to fulfill the requirement. i really enjoy the classes!! BUT i can never seem to break an A in philosophy classes (so far in the two classes i've taken, i've gotten a B+ and a B), which brings my overall gpa down.

so my dilemma is this. should i drop the philosophy minor and take easier classes and/or concentrate more on my major to bring my gpa up? do med schools even care about minors?

background:
going to be an undergrad junior in the fall.
major: neuroscience
current overall gpa ~3.3
current science gpa ~ 3.4

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[jochi1543]

What's your major and what are your grades there?

Normally, I'd encourage you to take some classes you enjoy even if you don't get As, but considering your GPA is already kind of low by med standards, I'd advise you against taking classes where you KNOW you won't get an A or an A-.

 

[gary5]

You don't want your GPA to be any lower. 3.5+ is preferred. I'd skip the philosophy classes. You could audit or pass/fail a philosphy course during senior year if you're really interested. The problem with non-science classes is the subjective grading.

 

[Catalystik]

Admission committees won't care if you have a minor or not. They do care that you have a high GPA. You need more As. Taking philosphy pass/fail is a good idea, if you can get your GPA up enough with graded classes..

 

[whoisthedrizzle]

Since when are philosophy classes hard?

They should be grade boosters

 

[fattymangox03]

well, they're not for me. if you cant provide any constructive comments or advice, please dont waste my time.

 

[Vvandenn]

well, they're not for me. if you cant provide any constructive comments or advice, please dont waste my time.

 

[emaj1n]

Since when are philosophy classes hard?

They should be grade boosters

I'm not sure this is the advice he was looking for.

The advice a few other people have given is appropriate. The GPA is a little low, and you want to be around the 3.5 level. Minors aren't that important to adcoms. If you can't crack an A in philosophy courses, maybe take semester to concentrate on your major and science GPA. If you really like the philosophy courses, come back to them. Maybe taking a semester off will help you reframe your perspective. Sometimes philosophy courses can run together (at least they did for me).

 

[baylormed]

Agreed, skip the classes.

If you really want to take the classes, could you show up to class as just a "listener" ?

 

[gotmeds?]

Can't you take the classes during your senior year, after you've submitted your AMCAS. At that point, getting a few Bs won't be a big deal. And who knows, without all that pressure, you might pull off As.

 

[baylormed]

Can't you take the classes during your senior year, after you've submitted your AMCAS. At that point, getting a few Bs won't be a big deal. And who knows, without all that pressure, you might pull off As.

Worst advice ever. You shouldn't let your grades slip until after you've gotten an acceptance, since applying doesn't mean you will get in...especially a problem with a lower-than-average gpa.

 

[AnthonyNY]

i was a philosophy minor in UG. i actually think it may have helped - it always seemed to come up in my interviews, and it also seemed like my interviewers looked at it as being a positive.

considering that i was a typical bio major with a 3.65/3.7BCPM, i like to think it also may have helped me stand out a bit from the rest (purely conjecture).
my interviewers often said something along the lines of "thats and interesting/uncommon/odd combination [for a major and minor]"..