Picking a 2nd Major

[Happensinvegas]

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Hey Everyone! I have a quick question about picking a 2nd major.

Currently I am pursuing a Chemistry BA degree. I have the intention of getting into medical school upon graduation, but I want a 2nd major in case I fail to get in immediately and I need to look for a plan B job while I reapply.

Here are my options. Honestly, I am on track for all 3 of these. I only have 1 class left in my chemistry degree and I have 4 semesters left in school

1. Biology BA
2. Contemporary European Studies BA
3. French BA

Which of these 3 will best compliment a chemistry major and open doors to future plan B employment at the bachelor level

 

[Crayola227]

French unless you get some wet bench research skills from biology that you can market to be a lab tech, and I would expect that your major in chem is enough but really any research you're doing to make you qualified for a broad variety of lab work without needing biology

I say French because:
you could do chemistry even as a tech in France where your native English can open up some doors (editing papers for publishing)
If you go into healthcare of any type, doctors without borders prefers French speakers
you could become a French tutor for cash
you could teach English in Africa?
work as a waitperson in a French restaurant?

and with the chem major, I don't see a biology major adding more of a marketable skill like foreign language (caveat above)
that said, how useful is French? I don't know, I'm picking from your list and like the idea of you adding French to your chem major better than you adding bio

Contemporary European Studies? What does that actually make you able to do?
A second major in a Foreign language, any foreign language, even if dead, is always more prestigious than these other sorts of majors IMHO, because it tells me what you can *do*, and the idea that your majors and minors say "doing things" can make a big difference to employers, even if what said things aren't useful to them (like speaking Latin).

I also think it is a more impressive combination to have mastered both a hard science and another language. It suggests the sort of liberal arts roundness you want to show. It's implied in majoring in a language that it includes cultural study. So I think the French major does you whatever good you might have had from European Studies that way, except as I said the mastery of language is in addition.

Just my opinion.

 

[Dandine]

My take on each...

Bio: is a good complement because of lab; best is you become a research tech; worse (as in, if you can't go that route) you can be a tutor

CES: cool complement but not 100% sure of direct use of degree. I know of people who did English and History who are working with a BA, but I think those jobs also require broader skill sets (e.g. stats, music).

French: should open up some interesting opportunities; if you want to use the language being a tutor or translator are options

Not conclusive, but it's a start!

Comments below seems to indicate that it doesn't matter which one; I think the general consensus on SDN is that usually having one major will suffice because additional majors won't necessarily increase your chance of employment. My comments above apply mainly to what you can do with that specific major.

(edited for additional comments)

 

[MaxPlancker]

Your chemistry major will be just fine. Don't tack on an extra major and risk bringing your academics down.

 

[jqueb29]

4. Something business related

 

[DrBowtie]

Your chemistry major will be just fine. Don't tack on an extra major and risk bringing your academics down.

Agree. None of those additional majors will make you any more employable over the stand alone Chemistry.

 

[7331poas]

Your best bet would be a comp Sci degree, even just a BA (if you can handle it). A straight business major might be worth it to you as well.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

None of those will make you more marketable. True marketability can be found in CS, business (something specific, not just business management) and engineering.