Survey: Which science program (BS) do YOU believe to be the most "difficult"?

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Which discipline of science do you believe to be the most difficult to major in?

  • Biology

    Votes: 6 3.6%

  • Chemistry

    Votes: 11 6.6%

  • Biochemistry

    Votes: 10 6.0%

  • Physics

    Votes: 45 27.1%

  • Biophysics

    Votes: 8 4.8%

  • Engineering

    Votes: 64 38.6%

  • Mathematics

    Votes: 18 10.8%

  • Neurology

    Votes: 4 2.4%
  • Total voters
    166
nixm01

nixm01

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Hey guys and gals,

I thought it would be interesting to see the general consensus on which science program is generally/typically the most difficult (whether conceptually, volume of work required, volume of memorization, etc.). As pre-medical students, we thoroughly branch off into all areas of study such as Biology (cellular & molecular), Chemistry (inorganic & organic), Biochemistry, and Physics & Biophysics and Psychology (maybe Neurology, depending).

This is completely subjective as there are different concentrations, each school approaches each discipline differently, each student's personal opinion (and natural skill) is different and many of us in one area may not take some of the upper-level SERIOUS classes in another area to make an accurate assumption - such as:
Clinical Biochem - BCHM majors
Botany/Cellular/Molecular - BIOS majors
PChem - CHEM majors, etc.

I was led to my curiosity by talking to a Chemistry major the other day about how the Biochemistry program at our school is "easier" than the Chemistry one; I know from experience that it is usually the other way around.

I would like everyone to at least vote based off of subjectivity, but if any extra time, I would also like to know which concentration you are referring to within that program, a bit about why you chose which was more difficult and which program you chose to complete as your degree.

If I get enough data & find anything interesting, I may look deeper into this question with some local colleges and present a small look into current science students' views of each discipline (and a breakdown of the psychology behind it) at next years student research symposium to the professors - Just for fun!

I will try to post all general undergraduate degrees that may be available. Please feel free to add another program if your opinion is of that particular one.

Thanks guys,
nixm01
 
Last edited:
nixm01 said:
...
Click to expand...

stopped reading when I got to "neurology" as a poll choice.


Edit: voted neurology. decided anyone who can major in a medical specialty in undergrad has got to be pretty baller.
 
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BadHorse said:
stopped reading when I got to "neurology" as a poll choice.
Click to expand...

ha. I think he meant neurobiology or neuroscience.

Additionally, I didn't even know Psychology was a Science. It's part of the liberal arts college at my school. Can't even get a BS in it here, and the one psych class I took... was a joke of neuroscience-ness.

edit: Also, when did engineering become a Science? Unless you are BME. Maybe then.
 
It's a tie between physics/math/engineering (probably excluding things like environmental and civil engineering.)
 
It varies by school, like the OP said. At my school it was BME, hands down, someone tells you they're BME the only proper response is, "Oh, God, I'm so sorry." At Carnegie Mellon it's computer science. I'm sure other schools have their own f you in the a majors.
 
Engineering >> all other majors.

Within engineering, electrical engineering >> all others.

😉

But yeah, I wouldn't consider engineering to be a pure science; however, most engineering degrees are BS's, so.
 
BadHorse said:
It varies by school, like the OP said. At my school it was BME, hands down, someone tells you they're BME the only proper response is, "Oh, God, I'm so sorry." At Carnegie Mellon it's computer science. I'm sure other schools have their own f you in the a majors.
Click to expand...

At mine it was definitely biochem and engineering. Same sort of response as the BME students at your school.
 
Engineering isn't as categorically difficult like it's made out to be. At some schools, yes. But, at some others it really isn't. At my school a lot of the engineers underperformed next to all the physics majors when they took the same classes.

It's especially overdone on SDN.
 
Engineering isn't science is it? I went to one of the largest universities in the country, and it wasn't in the college of arts and sciences. Again, is math science? Math is purer than science. I would go with physics.
 
Math is not a science. It's time consuming rather than difficult until you get to the upper level stuff.
 
mauberley said:
Engineering >> all other majors.

Within engineering, electrical engineering >> all others.

😉

But yeah, I wouldn't consider engineering to be a pure science; however, most engineering degrees are BS's, so.
Click to expand...

You mean chemical/material right?
 
This is interesting.

In terms of credits required for the major I think engineering wins at most programs. At the upper level classes, there aren't many blowoff classes either.

I am double majoring in math and it is certainly challenging.

In terms of difficulty, I would have to go with math and heres why:

Most of engineering classes are challenging but they're mainly just time consuming. The problem sets require part of your soul to complete but with enough time and effort put in they can be done.

Math...not so much. I've had a few homework assignments in some 300 level classes that I stared at for a few days and ended up just turning in as it was. Some of the people in my math classes are extremely gifted and can solve problems others can't.
 
circulus vitios said:
It's a tie between physics/math/engineering (probably excluding things like environmental and civil engineering.)
Click to expand...
This.

I chose math just because I think it would be much harder to coast through. With physics and engineering you might just be able to squeak by with passing grades even if you didn't know as much as you should.

Whoever voted for Biology must be crazy. I'm a bio major and even I'll admit that it's easy.
 
I voted for Physics.

One: the freshman Physics series is harder than bio or chem.

Two: it requires high level Math classes, even for the sophomore classes.

Three: it attracts straight up Asperger's kids, so the curve is effed.

Four: its more research driven than other majors, at least in relation to how many undergraduates there are, so the professors care less about pushing undergraduates through.

Five: it's freakin' hard, man!

(My experience is from the UW.)
 
Three: it attracts straight up Asperger's kids, so the curve is effed
Click to expand...

Seriously man? What does that have to do with anything? You could argue math and engineering attract this same population. Resorting to putting down kids with Asperger's syndrome is just a p*ssy move. Sad that you can't keep up?
 
calvnandhobbs68 said:
Seriously man? What does that have to do with anything? You could argue math and engineering attract this same population. Resorting to putting down kids with Asperger's syndrome is just a p*ssy move. Sad that you can't keep up?
Click to expand...

I really dont think that he was putting them down. And yes, I think he does regret he cant keep up. that's why he said the curve is horrible.
 
calvnandhobbs68 said:
Seriously man? What does that have to do with anything? You could argue math and engineering attract this same population. Resorting to putting down kids with Asperger's syndrome is just a p*ssy move. Sad that you can't keep up?
Click to expand...


Yes, I was putting them down because they tended to score way higher on the test than us mere normals. How rude of me.

And yes, they did kick my azz, although the electronics labs were the worst. Trying to convince somebody to work through the lab so I could understand it when they just wanted to build their own circuits because they had no problems with the material == sucky.

As it happened, I was scooting along, keeping ahead of the curve until attrition started mid-sophomore year. Then the crest caught up to me at the end of junior year and WHOOSH! The material was interesting, but not enough to sacrifice that much GPA. I'm now a biology major.

I've got to say though, the math wasn't so hard. It was having to use the math in the physics class(es) as I took them both simultaneously.

Sorry to get you twisted.
 
Definitely chemistry. Physical chemistry, biochemistry, x-ray crystal-ography stuff? Bleh! :scared:
 
Physics or engineering (particularly mechanical, electrical, or chemical).

As far as the 200-level general science courses go, I found my bio course to be the most difficult amongst bio, chem, and physics. That was due to the professor though, not the subject matter. Biology is a pretty easy major if you're good at memorizing, at least here.
 
i was biochem major, took all the important biochem related course, such as orgo 2 biochem version of it, more difficult than the regular orgo 2. took p-chem, genetics...some other upper level bio courses required for it, i did well in all of them, then i stumble upon the actual biochem course, lets just say it ended worse for me than the time when germany invaded france....

so now i am am an applied mathematics and statistics/economics double major, so far so good lol.
 
Why are there more votes for biology than for biophysics? Biophysics is clearly harder...
 
Engineering gets my conditional vote. I'd say physics is harder than some engineering courses, but things like aerospace, electrical, and chemical engineering are on a whole new level of hard.
 
I'd be the one putting biology. Biology involves memorizing facts, and I need to study to memorize enough to get good grades on those exams. Math, engineering, physics, and even chemistry to some extent are very conceptual and logical and, thus, required minimal work to get the grades I wanted when I took those sorts of classes.

I think it varies by a person's academic strengths and weaknesses. I'm sure some people were able to memorize every detail without studying during my biology classes but struggled (or would have struggled) quite a bit when it came to classes like physical chemistry or real analysis.
 
Neurosci>Biology in terms of difficulty. definitely not a joke.
 
I remember a really, really, really hot biology non-trad student made fun of me for taking calculus when I was a wee undergradling. 🙁

I find psych / bio classes to be more of a challenge for me personally, but I do recall a LOT of biology majors or biochemistry majors being turned off of chemistry due to the math. I re-did my entire physics sequence (algebra+calculus) to take this one professor's thermo class just because it was a fight I couldn't walk away from. Issues, much? :laugh:

There were 70 biochemistry majors and about ~5 chemistry majors at my state school.
 
I voted math, but as a few posters already mentioned, had computer science been on the list I would've chose that in a heartbeat.

- Projects become exponentially more time consuming with course level (eventually have to write own classes, compilers, structures/architecture, etc).
- The material is inherently difficult (fundamental logic, electrical engineering, etc)
- Try writing 3 elaborate functions in pseudo-code with a paper and pencil in 50 minutes 👎
 
Definitely physics, engineering, computer science, and all the "related" asian majors. 😀
 
aSagacious said:
I voted math, but as a few posters already mentioned, had computer science been on the list I would've chose that in a heartbeat.

- Projects become exponentially more time consuming with course level (eventually have to write own classes, compilers, structures/architecture, etc).
- The material is inherently difficult (fundamental logic, electrical engineering, etc)
- Try writing 3 elaborate functions in pseudo-code with a paper and pencil in 50 minutes 👎
Click to expand...

<--- Comp. Sci.

Not that hard (at least at my school).
 
Lokhtar said:
<--- Comp. Sci.

Not that hard (at least at my school).
Click to expand...

I guess my experiences should come with a disclaimer. I am not a CS major, I only cherry picked a few courses that I thought would be interesting (python, C++, discrete structures, boolean algebra/digital logic/circuits, architecture)
 
aSagacious said:
- Projects become exponentially more time consuming with course level (eventually have to write own classes, compilers, structures/architecture, etc).
Click to expand...

Can you specify that in big-O notation? 😉
 
desi0chick said:
Neurosci>Biology in terms of difficulty. definitely not a joke.
Click to expand...

Word.

And as a plus, Psychology and Neuroscience are probably the most worthwhile major to prep for med school despite being on the easier side of pre-med majors (for most of you). A fair amount of my neuro and psych blocks were simply my undergrad major regurgitated.

Otherwise, your majors won't really matter for med school.

Your entire Biology and Biochemistry knowledge will be covered in one week of med school lecture.
Chemistry is pretty irrelevant outside of a basic science lab.
Physics is super-important for radiology (in fact half of your boards is basically an advanced physics test), but thats pretty much it.
Math is pretty irrelevant to med school outside of basic statistics
Engineering is probably a huge plus for certain types of MD/PhD's, but otherwise not really too helpful.
 
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