Regrets in majoring in science?

[Dannyw]

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I have an associates degree with around 70 credits in liberal studies from a community college. I never want to see another humanities class for as long as I live. Now I'm finishing up my degree in Biology and I consider myself to be well rounded as far as academics.

 

[ChemEngSoonMD]

FYI, majors and minors dont make you well rounded. They make you get jobs.

Making yourself well rounded is what you do on your free time.

 

[chman]

FYI, majors and minors dont make you well rounded. They make you get jobs.

Making yourself well rounded is what you do on your free time.

[YOUTUBE]QsogswrH6ck[/YOUTUBE]

 

[PsxDcSquall]

FYI, majors and minors dont make you well rounded. They make you get jobs.

Making yourself well rounded is what you do on your free time.

This, just take a few cool humanities or social science electives when you have an open spot one semester.

 

[ChemEngSoonMD]

[YOUTUBE]QsogswrH6ck[/YOUTUBE]

Don't believe me? Take 10 of the nerdiest Asians who hate English, make them major in English. See how many come out polished and socially well rounded.

On the other hand, do the same but surround him with cool people and have them travel and attend parties / social events for 4 years. Then lets compare which group is more socially savvy.

We'll do a statistical evaluation. You know statistics right?

 

[tixe]

I wish I was a business major so that I could brag about having a 4.0

Now your talkin, I busted my hump to try to get ahead in my fresh year by taking to many classes which lowered my sgpa now I'm waiting for interviews😡 Could have been a 4.0 biz with bio minor. One adcom said from a Texas school that they like to see something else besides bio because it sets them apart.

 

[chman]

Don't believe me? Take 10 of the nerdiest Asians who hate English, make them major in English. See how many come out polished and socially well rounded.

On the other hand, do the same but surround him with cool people and have them travel and attend parties / social events for 4 years. Then lets compare which group is more socially savvy.

We'll do a statistical evaluation. You know statistics right?

No... what's statistics...? It's a good thing that you are so well rounded that you are not condescending.

 

[ronaldo23]

I beg to differ. I read 3 posts in a row where a liberal arts student asked ridiculous 8th grade questions. Think about it, if liberal arts was clearly a better choice, then why are all the top paying jobs engineering or science majors and liberal arts majors end up as office assistants?

But we are talking about the context of pre-meds, not liberal arts degrees in general. I totally agree that as a degree in and of itself, a science degree is worth more in the real world. Someone majoring in engineering will get a far better job than someone majoring in sociology. But for liberal arts majors who are also pre-meds, they get into medical school at higher rates, probably because its easier to get higher GPAs, and medical schools like the diversity. Being a liberal arts major makes you no less qualified to go to medical school than any other major.

 

[HurricaneKatt]

I think the key is to go into something you are passionate about. I thought about majoring in some kind of engineering so I would have a good fall back job, and so that I would not be the average premed bio major and maybe stand out some more. One look at the required class list changed that! haha I finally realized that it is more important to major in what interests you than what you think will get you in. I LIKE biology, and I have WANTED to major in it for pretty much forever. So I did and I am really glad that I did. Med schools want to see that you are passionate about your field of work, degree, etc. If you Like biology keep majoring in it. If foreign language interests you more then do that. Stick with what you have a passion for and in the long run you will be MUCH better off. Not only does it appeal to med school more (to see that you are doing what you care about, not what you think they want to see), but you will be much happier and much more motivated to study. 🙂👍

 

[reedsposer22]

Be a Russian major. ITs cool, and the babes are hot!

 

[TehDoc]

Be a Russian major. ITs cool, and the babes are hot!

👍

 

[chman]

I think the key is to go into something you are passionate about. I thought about majoring in some kind of engineering so I would have a good fall back job, and so that I would not be the average premed bio major and maybe stand out some more. One look at the required class list changed that! haha I finally realized that it is more important to major in what interests you than what you think will get you in. I LIKE biology, and I have WANTED to major in it for pretty much forever. So I did and I am really glad that I did. Med schools want to see that you are passionate about your field of work, degree, etc. If you Like biology keep majoring in it. If foreign language interests you more then do that. Stick with what you have a passion for and in the long run you will be MUCH better off. Not only does it appeal to med school more (to see that you are doing what you care about, not what you think they want to see), but you will be much happier and much more motivated to study. 🙂👍

Exactly. Here is my problem with the major in engineering theory. Why would you major in engineering or another tech field if your interests are not in that area? That makes no sense. Yes, you would get a good job, but it would be one that you hate.

The stats show that, yes, engineering salaries are much higher at first, but that salaries level out eventually.

 

[Gallix23]

The stats show that, yes, engineering salaries are much higher at first, but that salaries level out eventually.

Not really, I mean a Chemical Engineer will pretty much always make more than just a Chemist and probably have more employment options.

 

[weilanna]

Be a Russian major. ITs cool, and the babes are hot!

Russian minor here. Best language ever. If the beautiful girls don't turn you on, think of all the geniuses who ever came out of that country. Don't you want to speak their language? 😉

A lot of people think of humanities majors as not being interested in science, but that's not true. If you're also passionate about something that isn't science, why give up a wonderful opportunity to work closely with people outside of your future field? Medical school will teach you enough science you need to know to be a doctor anyway.

I chose a studio art major over chemistry, even though I'm equally interested in and good at both. If I weren't sure what to do with the rest of my life, I might have chosen the chemistry major. It's definitely true that chemistry majors have a better chance of finding a stable and decent-paying job after graduation. That said, you should also have no regrets majoring in a science if that's what you love. You might never have the chance to learn most of that stuff if you don't do it now. From what I've heard and read, very little of college science overlaps with the med school curriculum.

So if your grades and extracurriculars are decent and you're set on being a doctor, I think you should take advantage of it! It means you can major in whatever you want! 😎

 

[LuciusVorenus]

But we are talking about the context of pre-meds, not liberal arts degrees in general. I totally agree that as a degree in and of itself, a science degree is worth more in the real world. Someone majoring in engineering will get a far better job than someone majoring in sociology. But for liberal arts majors who are also pre-meds, they get into medical school at higher rates, probably because its easier to get higher GPAs, and medical schools like the diversity. Being a liberal arts major makes you no less qualified to go to medical school than any other major.

Apparently, as far as med schools are concerned, engineering isn't a science degree. Which I think is ridiculous but whatever. But, with regards to diversity, I'm pretty sure the number of engineering students who apply to medical school is pretttttyyy low compared to humanities majors.

 

[LuciusVorenus]

Don't believe me? Take 10 of the nerdiest Asians who hate English, make them major in English. See how many come out polished and socially well rounded.

On the other hand, do the same but surround him with cool people and have them travel and attend parties / social events for 4 years. Then lets compare which group is more socially savvy.

We'll do a statistical evaluation. You know statistics right?

That's a trick question.
They simply won't come out the other end.

 

[medcourses09]

I prefer to be around people that can think. It doesn't matter what their degree is in. I have found that people I am around that the more educated people are worse thinkers than the truck drivers and small business owners (law business, landscaping, etc) I know.

Some people will say that a science degree is more marketable and is worth more to society, which is "true," but it doesn't stand up in reality. There are thousands of UNDEREMPLOYED scientists in every single scientific field. There aren't enough jobs for all of the people with a PhD in any science field. The same is true even for the undergraduate degrees in the sciences. Now, when you look at the liberal art degrees, you will also find that most of them don't have a job that was related to their college degree. About 70% of people with a college degree don't have a job related to their degree.

 

[Medwell]

Meh, my Chemistry major isn't so bad (I like the labs!). If I could start all over, though, I would have majored in Math (getting a minor in this instead) or Chinese.

 

[medcourses09]

I'm sure many of the people in this thread that say love their science degree have not faced the real world yet.

 

[VeilofMaya]

Be a Russian major. ITs cool, and the babes are hot!

This.

Unfortunately UC Davis doesn't have the major I want -- astrophysics. Would have chosen History, but I'd probably wind up being a teacher instead of going to med school. Genetics is/was another possibility, but my gut it telling me the degree is going to be absolutely useless.

 

[medcourses09]

This.

Unfortunately UC Davis doesn't have the major I want -- astrophysics. Would have chosen History, but I'd probably wind up being a teacher instead of going to med school. Genetics is/was another possibility, but my gut it telling me the degree is going to be absolutely useless.

Genetics is a useless degree. For employment purposes, chemistry, biochemistry and engineering are the degrees to get. The rest are useless.....besides those low paying lab tech jobs.

 

[chman]

This.

Unfortunately UC Davis doesn't have the major I want -- astrophysics. Would have chosen History, but I'd probably wind up being a teacher instead of going to med school. Genetics is/was another possibility, but my gut it telling me the degree is going to be absolutely useless.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, genetics councilors are going enjoy a substantial increase in jobs in the future. However, a masters degree would probably be necessary.

 

[medcourses09]

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, genetics councilors are going enjoy a substantial increase in jobs in the future. However, a masters degree would probably be necessary.

There are some states that require you to have a Master's degree in genetic counselor to do genetic counseling. You have to have a master's degree to get a Gen Counseling job. Last time I checked, a master's degree in genetics is not the same as a B.S. degree in genetics.

 

[tennischamp822]

.

 

[medcourses09]

Agreed completely.

If you are a pre-med, the most basic reason for going to college is to get into medical school. However, around 50% of applicants get rejected every year and many others get weeded out before sending an application.

Since you don't have an acceptance until your senior year, you want to major in a subject that can get you a job.

If you want to work really hard, I would major in a discipline of engineering. However, I wouldn't major in biomedical engineering because I see too many pre-meds majoring in BME for an insufficient supply of bachelor level jobs requiring BME.

If you want to work less hard, I would major in a more technical business subject like acturial science, accounting or financial technology.

If you are an engineering/business major who doesn't get accepted, at least you will end up actually having a real job (and less debt) until you reapply.

If you are a bio/chem major who doesn't get accepted, you can look forward to working as a lab tech or going to grad school (and more debt) until you reapply.

If you plan it right and manage your time, you can major in engineering or business and have plenty of time to take any humanities/science/foreign language classes that you want to take before entering medical school.

This is why I am starting my own eHealth business. email me at [email protected] for more details.

 

[Snafu]

I am a biotech major and an international student which discounts my chances of going to a med school. I regret for not majoring in my favorite areas- finance or economics which could have landed me to a decent job easily. Now that I am graduating with biotech, I don't know what to do. I am on the process of applying to graduate schools but I am not really happy about what I am doing. When I try to think about my future, I don't see any light in the end of the tunnel. After working my ass off for five years, I would still be struggling to make a meager sum as a reasearcher. Much work and less pay..I don't really want to go there but I have no choice.

Moreover, this very apathy towards the concept of grad school has prevented me to write a good personal statement. I need some motivations!!😡

 

[medcourses09]

I am a biotech major and an international student which discounts my chances of going to a med school. I regret for not majoring in my favorite areas- finance or economics which could have landed me to a decent job easily. Now that I am graduating with biotech, I don't know what to do. I am on the process of applying to graduate schools but I am not really happy about what I am doing. When I try to think about my future, I don't see any light in the end of the tunnel. After working my ass off for five years, I would still be struggling to make a meager sum as a reasearcher. Much work and less pay..I don't really want to go there but I have no choice.

Moreover, this very apathy towards the concept of grad school has prevented me to write a good personal statement. I need some motivations!!😡

I know a couple of people that had very high GPA's in college and did the whole PhD admissions thing. One of them went on to finish their PhD and now teaches part-time because she hated working in the lab having to deal with a failed experiment after failed experiment. Then when the experiement finally worked, another lab published it before they could even get the chance to work the manuscript. She said it got old. So left for a small liberal arts college. The other two people I know left with their master's degrees and neither of them work in the science field anymore. one is in the process of trying to get into PA school and the other one went into computer programming (did one year of undergradaute school).

 

[chman]

Agreed completely.

If you are a pre-med, the most basic reason for going to college is to get into medical school. However, around 50% of applicants get rejected every year and many others get weeded out before sending an application.

Since you don't have an acceptance until your senior year, you want to major in a subject that can get you a job.

If you want to work really hard, I would major in a discipline of engineering. However, I wouldn't major in biomedical engineering because I see too many pre-meds majoring in BME for an insufficient supply of bachelor level jobs requiring BME.

If you want to work less hard, I would major in a more technical business subject like acturial science, accounting or financial technology.

If you are an engineering/business major who doesn't get accepted, at least you will end up actually having a real job (and less debt) until you reapply.

If you are a bio/chem major who doesn't get accepted, you can look forward to working as a lab tech or going to grad school (and more debt) until you reapply.

If you plan it right and manage your time, you can major in engineering or business and have plenty of time to take any humanities/science/foreign language classes that you want to take before entering medical school.

There is one thing I don't understand about this logic.

What if said student does not have an interest in these subjects/careers? Then, IMO, it would be kind of bogus to get a degree in a very technical field that one has no interest in. Even a business degree is technical, although not as much as engineering. Plus, engineering is a lot of work already, without one being disinterested in it.

 

[kikiu]

I agree with following your heart. That is, essentially, what will make you the most happy, your grades the highest (usually), and you the most passionate about pursuing an alternative.

I am a biology major, right now. Yes, there are DEFINITELY days that I "regret it", but, overall, it is the most practical. I am minoring in psychology and concentrating in "Health Care Ethics", so I DEFINITELY think I am both as well-prepared for the rigors of med school as possible AND "well-rounded". My school makes us take loads of "core requirements"-- so I am taking upper levels in psychology, history, philosophy, foreign language, theology, english, etc., which sometimes DOES suck.... but I like it a lot.

If I had to switch, I'd switch to psychology...but, honestly, the professors at my school-- psych isn't that much of a "joke major" and some of the profs really do suck here, so it wouldn't even be worth it.

The best combination for me is biology w/ minoring in psych & concentrating in health care ethics. If med school doesn't work, I can apply to another professional school, research and apply again (obviously what I will do if I don't get in the first time), or I can be a teacher--- not high-paying, but I would love to do that. I can also always apply for a BSN-NP program. There are TONS of options. I think biology just mesh the best with MY interests and goals.

P.S. I definitely didn't like Gen Bio, but Genetics is SOOO interesting! (as hard as hell as it is at my school). I think the upper-levels are way more interesting than the weed-out General Biology!!

 

[dw2158]

FYI, majors and minors dont make you well rounded. They make you get jobs.

Making yourself well rounded is what you do on your free time.

usually you make me but ITA with you on this.


anyway, i loved chemistry and have no regrets. if you're too stressed out from all the studying as a science major, well... you need to reevaluate your study habits and your attitude. i worked really hard in college but never felt like some of the people in this thread... jeez.

 

[tennischamp822]

.

 

[medcourses09]

Honestly, it doesn't matter if the student has an interest or not.

IMO, the point of college is to give yourself options for the future. You should explore different classes, have fun, make friends etc. but these are secondary concerns.

If a student majors in bio/chem, they are putting all their marbles on getting into medical school. There simply aren't many jobs for these majors besides lab work or teaching. If these jobs are desirable to you, then by all means, major in bio or chem.

However, if a student majors in engineering or business, there is a good probability of getting a good job if med school doesn't work out. In addition, if you ever got sick of clinical medicine after becoming a doctor, you would find it much easier to leverage your engineering/business degree to transition into something else in or outside of medicine.

The point is to suck it up in college so you can have the maximum number of options going forward.

The "major in whatever you want" people tend to find their self unemployed after college. I have seen it myself.

I would never allow my child to major in a single major that wouldn't direct them towards an employable skill. If my child would want to study chinese, that is all fine and dandy, but make sure to get a business degree (or something else) to go with it so you can get that entry level job. If my child wanted to go to medical school, that is fine. She/he would just need to take an extra year to get the pre-reqs done (so 5 years of college or take summer clases).

 

[ChemEngSoonMD]

Do liberal arts majors get cool license plates. I don't think so. Thats enough reason to get a chemical engineering degree.

 

[m0biusace]

Do liberal arts majors get cool license plates. I don't think so. Thats enough reason to get a chemical engineering degree.

🙄

Microbio major here. Love it.

 

[Handinhand]

Do liberal arts majors get cool license plates. I don't think so. Thats enough reason to get a chemical engineering degree.

I wasn't aware getting a degree in Chem. Engineering made you a gigantic tool.

 

[Giovanni1s Room]

Would have loved to major in English, but then again I can't write an essay if my life depended on it. So I'm taking Latin and Biology. Basically a coin toss to decide which to major in.

 

[ronaldo23]

Honestly, it doesn't matter if the student has an interest or not.

IMO, the point of college is to give yourself options for the future. You should explore different classes, have fun, make friends etc. but these are secondary concerns.

If a student majors in bio/chem, they are putting all their marbles on getting into medical school. There simply aren't many jobs for these majors besides lab work or teaching. If these jobs are desirable to you, then by all means, major in bio or chem.

However, if a student majors in engineering or business, there is a good probability of getting a good job if med school doesn't work out. In addition, if you ever got sick of clinical medicine after becoming a doctor, you would find it much easier to leverage your engineering/business degree to transition into something else in or outside of medicine.

The point is to suck it up in college so you can have the maximum number of options going forward.

I don't agree with this. The best play isn't to maximize your options if you already know what you want. If you know medicine is for you, you should go in and work hard toward that one end goal. Why focus on backup options before you even apply, especially if one is not interested in any of those things? The point isn't to "suck it up" through life, it's to enjoy it and work towards what you specifically want.

 

[circulus vitios]

I don't agree with this. The best play isn't to maximize your options if you already know what you want. If you know medicine is for you, you should go in and work hard toward that one end goal. Why focus on backup options before you even apply, especially if one is not interested in any of those things? The point isn't to "suck it up" through life, it's to enjoy it and work towards what you specifically want.

Because thousands of qualified applicants are rejected every year. I don't live in fantasy land where I can sit around "improving my application" (ie, doing stuff that doesn't make money to pay off the $30k in loans/rent/food/car/etc.)

 

[ChemEngSoonMD]

I wasn't aware getting a degree in Chem. Engineering made you a gigantic tool.

Caring about your opinion would be like Obama getting mad some redneck mocked his Harvard education.

I don't agree with this. The best play isn't to maximize your options if you already know what you want. If you know medicine is for you, you should go in and work hard toward that one end goal. Why focus on backup options before you even apply, especially if one is not interested in any of those things? The point isn't to "suck it up" through life, it's to enjoy it and work towards what you specifically want.

First off, most people don't know exactly what they want. Thats the problem. Someone "thinks" they might like chemistry, but then they end up being in quality control and do the same HPLC API content testing day in and day out. They realize they hate their jobs. Just because something is interesting in book, doesn't translate to their jobs being interesting.

Second of all, most companies are multi functional. You can be in a medical device company and there are plenty of chemists, MEs, EE, chemEs, bioEs. Most people's work are completely different than what they learned from school. If you look at all of the VPs and CEO at most companies, they are all Engineers or Engineers with an MBA.

If you like pure academia then sure, do what you want. But if you want to work for a company, its the engineers that drive results, manage risks, increase cost savings, perform lean manufacturing, scale ups, manage money and people. The pure science majors really don't have much of these skills sets, of course, there are always exceptions.

 

[ronaldo23]

Because thousands of qualified applicants are rejected every year. I don't live in fantasy land where I can sit around "improving my application" (ie, doing stuff that doesn't make money to pay off the $30k in loans/rent/food/car/etc.)

You do a SMP, post-bac, go DO and if all else fails, go caribbean. If you really want medicine, and you opt for that back-up job, you're whole life is going to be a second choice, and the desire you had for medicine may never elude you.

Plus I would argue that for a typical person, they are putting themselves in a worse-off position admissions wise by majoring in something like engineering. A "good" GPA in engineering is like a 3.0-3.2, and yet engineers don't get into medical school at any higher rate than other majors. While you may have a good back-up career choice, it is significantly harder to get a 3.65+ GPA as an engineer as it is compared to a liberal arts major like sociology. So while you may be giving yourself more job options, for most people you are making it harder to get into medical school.

 

[Charles_Carmichael]

I regret not being a physics major. They've got some awesomely cool upper level courses! 🙂

 

[jhamaican]

Oh man, hearing all the regrets is making me teeter again on my major choice!

I'm entering college as a Bio major in January (probably marine bio to specify.) I LOVE bio and just got scuba certified which I'd be able to encorporate in research/for fun, but my other passion is Music (which, naturally, happens to be one of the most awkward majors to transfer into....).

So now I'm sort of bouncing back and forth again. I love music, play 3 instruments, and consider it one of the biggest aspects of my life, but the music courses I took in high school weren't the toughest, so I'd sort of be going in blind material wise (although me and my music teacher are friend-status now that I graduated and I'm sure he'd help me out if need be).

Ohh man....desicions, desicions.....

pick something unique and interesting. I wish I had been an art history major. Not only will your GPA thank you, but you will also stand out in the application process because everyone is a life sciences major.

 

[niblet]

pick something unique and interesting. I wish I had been an art history major. Not only will your GPA thank you, but you will also stand out in the application process because everyone is a life sciences major.

Your major does not make you stand out.

 

[chman]

Your major does not make you stand out.

Adcom looks over applications and sees:

Bio, bio, bio, bio, bio, chem, bio, biochem, engineering, engineering, bio, bio, bio, bio, Art History, chem, biochem, bio, bio, bio, English, bio, bio, bio, chem, eng,....

It is only human nature for the ones besides bio and chem to at least catch your eye.

 

[niblet]

Adcom looks over applications and sees:

Bio, bio, bio, bio, bio, chem, bio, biochem, engineering, engineering, bio, bio, bio, bio, Art History, chem, biochem, bio, bio, bio, English, bio, bio, bio, chem, eng,....

It is only human nature for the ones besides bio and chem to at least catch your eye.

The notion that an applicant's major is the defining aspect of their application, and that certain majors are more desirable than others, is ridiculous.

 

[chman]

The notion that an applicant's major is the defining aspect of their application, and that certain majors are more desirable than others, is ridiculous.

Who said anything about "defining aspect." Nobody but you buddy. However, every little bit helps.

I am not saying that one major will give you an edge over another. All I am saying is that it is human nature to notice things that are different. That's all.

 

[niblet]

Who said anything about "defining aspect." Nobody but you buddy. However, every little bit helps.

I am not saying that one major will give you an edge over another. All I am saying is that it is human nature to notice things that are different. That's all.

I thought you were implying that by labeling each application by major. You're not really disagreeing with me then.

 

[circulus vitios]

You do a SMP, post-bac, go DO and if all else fails, go caribbean. If you really want medicine, and you opt for that back-up job, you're whole life is going to be a second choice, and the desire you had for medicine may never elude you.

Plus I would argue that for a typical person, they are putting themselves in a worse-off position admissions wise by majoring in something like engineering. A "good" GPA in engineering is like a 3.0-3.2, and yet engineers don't get into medical school at any higher rate than other majors. While you may have a good back-up career choice, it is significantly harder to get a 3.65+ GPA as an engineer as it is compared to a liberal arts major like sociology. So while you may be giving yourself more job options, for most people you are making it harder to get into medical school.

My parents aren't paying for my education so I'm sure as hell not going to waste tens of thousands on an SMP or post-bac that will only marginally improve my chances of acceptance. And please spare me the "passion of medicine" speech. I'm getting really creeped out by the carnal urges of other premeds.

 

[circulus vitios]

I regret not being a physics major. They've got some awesomely cool upper level courses! 🙂

I'm trying to decide between chemistry and physics. I'm doing great in gen chem so far and I get to take calc based physics next semester. Such a hard choice. 🙁

 

[ronaldo23]

My parents aren't paying for my education so I'm sure as hell not going to waste tens of thousands on an SMP or post-bac that will only marginally improve my chances of acceptance. And please spare me the "passion of medicine" speech. I'm getting really creeped out by the carnal urges of other premeds.

well if your parents are paying for you to get in right out of college, it certainly makes more sense to major in something easy like education where you can get a 4.0 GPA, as opposed to engineering where you will have to bust your ass just to break a 3.5. Even if engineering gives you more outs outside medicine, it makes it harder to get TO medicine.