Question about undergraduate major.

[Highschoolstud]

Hello, I'm a high school student and I have been accepted to UC Santa Barbara and I plan on going there. But the thing is I put my major as Biological Science and now I'm wondering if that's what I really want to do. I don't hate biology, but I enjoy chemistry alot more. Yet, I like about diseases and some types of biology so do you think it would be better for me to change my major to biochemistry as it is more of what I want to do. Another reason why I am planning on changing my major is because I talked with my AP chemistry teacher and was told how biochemistry is easier than biology but not by much.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[UBTom]

It doesn't matter. You can major in Surfing and still get into dental school as long as you have taken all the prerequisite courses.

 

[speter33]

You can always change your major while in college. You still have to take 1 year of biology and 1 year of chemistry in college. You'll probably take both your first year. So maybe you should wait until you are finishing your first year to make an educated decision. In my school you don't have to pick a major until the 3rd year. There are so many core classes and pre-dental classes you have to take anyway, so you don't have to worry about concentrating on one area until later.

 

[quickfix]

Originally posted by Highschoolstud
Another reason why I am planning on changing my major is because I talked with my AP chemistry teacher and was told how biochemistry is easier than biology but not by much.

anyone actually agree that biochem is easier than bio? i know this is prolly a who-cares issue, but pahlease.... biochem has bio plus chem whereas bio is just bio. that right there gives biochem a broader scope with all the same challenges as bio.

i didn't mean to get into a debate, b/c we all know that we could argue about this in a fruitless manner for eternity. i just want to hear some of "you guy's" opinions. holla.

 

[marshall]

Biochem in my opinion is a lot harder. And chemistry gets really really crappy once you're up to your junior and senior year. It ends up becoming waaaay heavy into physics, etc.

 

[misogi]

Your major doesn't matter at all. I have my undergraduate degree in Computer Science, and I'm starting dental school in the fall. Major in whatever you'd like and just take all of the required prerequisites.

 

[Jack Worthing]

I've enjoyed Gen Chem and O-chem but the more advanced chemistry courses required for the major really give me the shivers.

The summer after my sophomore year, I settled on a Psychology major, concentrating my classes in the Bio-Psych/Neuroscience area, after meeting a scientist/professor whose research interest is the "quantifiable aspects of emotion." It just stoked my inner fire. This was after meddling for two years in Biology and English majors. But of course I always kept on track with the dental pre-reqs term by term.

I say go for a major that you'd wake up for every morning. I really want to learn about how this mind of ours works, from the synaptic level to the behavioral level, from neurons to our bodily expressions (I might use this in future Pain Management classes). Maybe you have a deep desire to master an understanding of complex chemical systems and to have the ability to say "I know why that happens when you mix those things together" (my best friend is very good at that). Whatever your background, teaching yourself to want to learn how things work will probably help you in dental school.

You still have a lot of time to try out classes. You'll have to get your feet wet in classes from both majors to make an educated decision, as "speter33" suggested. Good luck.

 

[comatose]

i was a chem. major, and if i had to do it all over again, i'd major in music. beware, there are some ANAL professors and t.a.'s in chemistry.

 

[swisschez2000]

Originally posted by Highschoolstud
Hello, I'm a high school student and I have been accepted to UC Santa Barbara and I plan on going there. But the thing is I put my major as Biological Science and now I'm wondering if that's what I really want to do. I don't hate biology, but I enjoy chemistry alot more. Yet, I like about diseases and some types of biology so do you think it would be better for me to change my major to biochemistry as it is more of what I want to do. Another reason why I am planning on changing my major is because I talked with my AP chemistry teacher and was told how biochemistry is easier than biology but not by much.

Your AP chem teacher doesnt know what he is talking about. Biochem is considered a hard class in general. The hardest Physical Chem for a bio major. Dont worry about being a Biological Sci major, UCI and UCR have the same designation. You can just take more chem classes and emphasize in chem. Dont worry about changing majors now, your 1st 2 years between chem and bio classes are similar anyway, that way you have more time to decide.

 

[UMDeeMan]

major in business and just take the pre-reqs for d-school. that way if you get shot down, you have a degree that has many open doors. if i could go back i probably would have done that. but i love kinesiology, sport science is the bomb. my classes next semester are all about exercising, training, and the related injuries.

 

[ziptree]

I'm a double major in Biological Sciences and Biochemistry (long story), and assure you that your AP Chemistry professor has no idea what they're talking about.

Biochemistry, by far, is the harder major. Here are some classes you'll have to take for Biochemistry, but not for Biology:
Instrumental Analysis/Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry (full-year course), Biochemistry Lab (my lab is a SCHEDULED 8 hours/wk. I've stayed from 2pm until 9:30pm once running chromatography columns and spec'ing enzyme samples before they denature), Physical Chemistry, Physical Chemistry Lab.

On the other hand, there are Biology classes you don't have to take if you're a Biochemistry major: [I'm not counting Dental School Pre-reqs]
Immunology, Parasitology, Hematology, Ecology, Evolution

Like everyone else said, it doesn't really matter what major you are, as long as you finish all your pre-reqs...so just take it easy and enjoy your undergraduate years. =)

 

[Woodsy]

as long as you finish your pre-reqs, I'd say avoid chemistry. Chemistry is a very difficult major to do exceptionally well in. People who take chemistry tend to pursue a masters in chemistry. Biochem is difficult or easy depending on who you talk to. Most people I've talked to said biochem is hard. Bio as long as you don't specialize isn't too bad.

DOn't get into genetics either.

Stick with biology.

 

[Highschoolstud]

Thanks everyone, I'm sticking with Biological Science.

 

[ziptree]

Originally posted by Woodsy
as long as you finish your pre-reqs, I'd say avoid chemistry. Chemistry is a very difficult major to do exceptionally well in. People who take chemistry tend to pursue a masters in chemistry. Biochem is difficult or easy depending on who you talk to. Most people I've talked to said biochem is hard. Bio as long as you don't specialize isn't too bad.

DOn't get into genetics either.

Stick with biology.

I rather like genetics and molecular biology...more-so than evolution or ecology...yech.