Triple Major or Single Major

[4ObamaCare]

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I'm interested in your opinion, if you were a reader would you give a bonus point to a 4.0 GPA in a single major or to a triple major with a 3.97. Obviously, it is much more complex then this but assuming everything else was equal (ideal world).

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Trust me, nobody cares.

 

[4ObamaCare]

Trust me, nobody cares.

um, okay you did not answer the question.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

um, okay you did not answer the question.

nobody cares.

Pretty sure I did.

 

[4ObamaCare]

Pretty sure I did.

not really.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Ok let me spell it out. This isn't how admissions works at all so the hypothetical is worthless. The "everything else" is never equal. It's clear you are looking for someone to validate an opinion that you already have set in your mind, but the truth is that nobody cares and someone with three majors won't be getting bonus points over another applicant.

 

[Dox4lyfe]

If I got a dollar for every time someone new to sdn posted a question like this, I'd be making a physicians salary.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

I'm interested in your opinion, if you were a reader would you give a bonus point to a 4.0 GPA in a single major or to a triple major with a 3.97. Obviously, it is much more complex then this but assuming everything else was equal (ideal world).

Not only would no one care that you completed multiple majors, who knows if they'd even really notice.

The better GPA is more important.

Maybe some adcoms can answer this....how much attention, if any, do you give to the applicant's major? Do you really notice? Do you only notice, in a minor way, if it's unusual?

 

[Doctor-S]

I'm interested in your opinion, if you were a reader would you give a bonus point to a 4.0 GPA in a single major or to a triple major with a 3.97. Obviously, it is much more complex then this but assuming everything else was equal (ideal world).

No bonus/extra points are given for a triple major.

Sometimes, I might notice the applicant's major if the major attracts my attention in some unpredictable manner, at any random moment in time.

Otherwise, I'm more interested in other things (e.g., GPA, MCAT, research, volunteering, etc.) that are indicative of an applicant's passion/capacity/motivation/potential to complete medical school and become a physician.

 

[4ObamaCare]

Ok let me spell it out. This isn't how admissions works at all so the hypothetical is worthless. The "everything else" is never equal. It's clear you are looking for someone to validate an opinion that you already have set in your mind, but the truth is that nobody cares and someone with three majors won't be getting bonus points over another applicant.

Set aside Double/ Triple majors and wondering about the extra course work of upper division in humanities and sciences would be useful? I mean what if you decided not to go to med school?

Ok. I understand that your view is the extra course work may not matter for admission but what if those extra course work allows you to get a higher mcat, score higher on the boards and finally get into a better residency program. Because your one step ahead of the people who are just learning the material? And more review in medical school will make it easier for you to digest the material and essentially be review. Wouldn't this make you a better doctor?

 

[Dox4lyfe]

Set aside Double/ Triple majors and wondering about the extra course work of upper division in humanities and sciences would be useful? I mean what if you decided not to go to med school?

Ok. I understand that your view is the extra course work may not matter for admission but what if those extra course work allows you to get a higher mcat, score higher on the boards and finally get into a better residency program. Because your one step ahead of the people who are just learning the material? And more review in medical school will make it easier for you to digest the material and essentially be review. Wouldn't this make you a better doctor?

If the extra coure work helped you get a higher mcat, then the higher mcat is what gave you the bonus points.

Scoring higher on boards and more review in medical school does not make you a better clinician.

 

[Inspired Chaos]

In addition to what everyone else said, a 4.0 and a 3.97 are functionally the same.

 

[ndafife]

Set aside Double/ Triple majors and wondering about the extra course work of upper division in humanities and sciences would be useful? I mean what if you decided not to go to med school?T

Ok. I understand that your view is the extra course work may not matter for admission but what if those extra course work allows you to get a higher mcat, score higher on the boards and finally get into a better residency program. Because your one step ahead of the people who are just learning the material? And more review in medical school will make it easier for you to digest the material and essentially be review. Wouldn't this make you a better doctor?

1. What you take in undergrad is not going to help you score better on step 1.
2. You may be ahead of someone in a subject but you're still behind the line that you need to be at to succeed in medical school. And you're undergraduate education will not cover the full breadth and detail you need.
3. A mastery of the facts and basic science material does not make someone a good doctor.

 

[4ObamaCare]

1. What you take in undergrad is not going to help you score better on step 1.
2. You may be ahead of someone in a subject but you're still behind the line that you need to be at to succeed in medical school. And you're undergraduate education will not cover the full breadth and detail you need.
3. A mastery of the facts and basic science material does not make someone a good doctor.

sigh, I never said undergrad will go over all medical school topics.

I disagree with #3, I would think that bigs factors out of many is to be able to have the knowledge, social skills (excellent communication) and mastery in the sciences and topics covered in Med School. I.E the reason there is the mcat. lol

 

[Optimist Prime]

sigh, I never said undergrad will go over all medical school topics.

I disagree with #3, I would think that bigs factors out of many is to be able to have the knowledge, social skills (excellent communication) and mastery in the sciences and topics covered in Med School. I.E the reason there is the mcat. lol

The reason there is the MCAT is to show medical schools you can pass boards. Easy answer to your question: medical schools don't care about your major or how many of them you've gotten. If you want to do well on you MCAT don't waste your time taking higher level classes just for that purpose when you could ACTUALLY be studying for the MCAT which would help 100x more.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Set aside Double/ Triple majors and wondering about the extra course work of upper division in humanities and sciences would be useful? I mean what if you decided not to go to med school?

No.

Ok. I understand that your view is the extra course work may not matter for admission but what if those extra course work allows you to get a higher mcat, score higher on the boards and finally get into a better residency program. Because your one step ahead of the people who are just learning the material? And more review in medical school will make it easier for you to digest the material and essentially be review. Wouldn't this make you a better doctor?

No. I don't care if you majored in every undergrad major there is, it will only help you for a few weeks/maybe the first semester of med school. You won't be ahead of everyone else for very long. Unless you are in medical school you can't understand how much you don't learn in undergrad. I'm a Physiology major and covered details in the first week of med school Physiology we never mentioned in UG. None of it will help you for boards or be a better doctor.

I disagree with #3, I would think that bigs factors out of many is to be able to have the knowledge, social skills (excellent communication) and mastery in the sciences and topics covered in Med School. I.E the reason there is the mcat. lol

Yes those things are important for becoming a good doctor, but someone masters medicine by mastering the topics presented in medical school and (even more so) residency, not by triple majoring in different sciences in undergrad.

 

[4ObamaCare]

No.



No. I don't care if you majored in every undergrad major there is, it will only help you for a few weeks/maybe the first semester of med school. You won't be ahead of everyone else for very long. Unless you are in medical school you can't understand how much you don't learn in undergrad. I'm a Physiology major and covered details in the first week of med school Physiology we never mentioned in UG. None of it will help you for boards or be a better doctor.


Yes those things are important for becoming a good doctor, but someone masters medicine by mastering the topics presented in medical school and (even more so) residency, not by triple majoring in different sciences in undergrad.

i agree with you, but someone has an easier time (+ additional review, easier to learn (i.e anatomy and physiology, bacteriapathology) if they took more courses on the topics of medicine (i said triple set aside). In the long run for different opportunities having more courses can only be a plus.

Easier time studying for mcat science sections, Step 1, and boards. 🙂

 

[4ObamaCare]

No.



No. I don't care if you majored in every undergrad major there is, it will only help you for a few weeks/maybe the first semester of med school. You won't be ahead of everyone else for very long. Unless you are in medical school you can't understand how much you don't learn in undergrad. I'm a Physiology major and covered details in the first week of med school Physiology we never mentioned in UG. None of it will help you for boards or be a better doctor.


Yes those things are important for becoming a good doctor, but someone masters medicine by mastering the topics presented in medical school and (even more so) residency, not by triple majoring in different sciences in undergrad.

If you are physiology major and medical school covered your undergrad major in the first few weeks, you must have been to (excuse my language to a very ****ty UG)

 

[figeon]

Wow. Pretentious and savage.

 

[P0ke]

If you are physiology major and medical school covered your undergrad major in the first few weeks, you must have been to (excuse my language to a very ****ty UG)

Oh the naivety.

 

[Dox4lyfe]

If you are physiology major and medical school covered your undergrad major in the first few weeks, you must have been to (excuse my language to a very ****ty UG)

Educate yourself please.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

i agree with you, but someone has an easier time (+ additional review, easier to learn (i.e anatomy and physiology, bacteriapathology) if they took more courses on the topics of medicine (i said triple set aside). In the long run for different opportunities having more courses can only be a plus.

Easier time studying for mcat science sections, Step 1, and boards. 🙂

News flash: the classes taught in undergrad barely scratch the surface of "topics of medicine". Oh and the MCAT science sections contain exactly 0% of upper level science.

But if you think it will help then go right ahead and waste your time.

If you are physiology major and medical school covered your undergrad major in the first few weeks, you must have been to (excuse my language to a very ****ty UG)

The CARS section will be difficult for you... I see a 123 in your future. I dunno, the old UG was good enough to get me an MCAT score better than the vast majority of test takers and a medical school seat but what do I know.

 

[Dox4lyfe]

I see a 123 in your future.

🤣

 

[4ObamaCare]

🤣

I hope not thats a very low score.

 

[4ObamaCare]

News flash: the classes taught in undergrad barely scratch the surface of "topics of medicine". Oh and the MCAT science sections contain exactly 0% of upper level science.

But if you think it will help then go right ahead and waste your time.





The CARS section will be difficult for you... I see a 123 in your future. I dunno, the old UG was good enough to get me an MCAT score better than the vast majority of test takers and a medical school seat but what do I know.

Did you go to a state college? I have friends who went to the UCLA and Cornell. They are having an easy time learning and specifically told me because of their undergrad they studied minimal for each exam. And had a life.

If I do a double or triple it would be for my self and no one else. I would love to take graduate level courses and more advanced sciences. At the very least it reduces the chance of Alzheimer's.

 

[4ObamaCare]

News flash: the classes taught in undergrad barely scratch the surface of "topics of medicine". Oh and the MCAT science sections contain exactly 0% of upper level science.

But if you think it will help then go right ahead and waste your time.





The CARS section will be difficult for you... I see a 123 in your future. I dunno, the old UG was good enough to get me an MCAT score better than the vast majority of test takers and a medical school seat but what do I know.

Cars section is difficult for native speakers and of course it will be harder for ESL students.

 

[Dox4lyfe]

Did you go to a state college? I have friends who went to the UCLA and Cornell. They are having an easy time learning and specifically told me because of their undergrad they studied minimal for each exam. And had a life.

If I do a double or triple it would be for my self and no one else. I would love to take graduate level courses and more advanced sciences. At the very least it reduces the chance of Alzheimer's.

Your friends are having an easier time bcuz they were more easily able to adapt to the rigor of medical school and learned how to study efficiently much faster than most others. Not because they had a stronger content base. Like others have posted, wait until you get into med school and you'll realize how vastly different ugrad and med school courses are.

Also your second statement makes zero sense. Double or triple majoring will hinder your ability to take more higher level and grad level courses.

 

[4ObamaCare]

Your friends are having an easier time bcuz they were more easily able to adapt to the rigor of medical school and learned how to study efficiently much faster than most others. Not because they had a stronger content base. Like others have posted, wait until you get into med school and you'll realize how vastly different ugrad and med school courses are.

Also your second statement makes zero sense. Double or triple majoring will hinder your ability to take more higher level and grad level courses.

they said it was due to their background and content they had previously learned. Some of the majors here have several courses that grad students are required to take lol.

 

[4ObamaCare]

-There is no world where everything else is equal
-There is no such thing as an ideal world
-every UG school is different
-every med school is different
-every major is different
-and every applicant is different

The only thing is for certain is that the hypotheticals are just a waste of time, energy and resources.

Now if you have a real question where you are considering a course of study and what to know the impacts then please ask

Thanks man, I like the count down for the next election 😀

 

[Stagg737]

Did you go to a state college? I have friends who went to the UCLA and Cornell. They are having an easy time learning and specifically told me because of their undergrad they studied minimal for each exam. And had a life.

If I do a double or triple it would be for my self and no one else. I would love to take graduate level courses and more advanced sciences. At the very least it reduces the chance of Alzheimer's.

I have people in my class who went to U Chicago, JHU, and U Mich and the first two sections (biochem and immuno) did not go well for them, just like the rest of our class. When you cram a semester's worth of anything into a 2 week period, you're gonna be screwed. It doesn't really matter where you went to UG or where you go to med school, once you get to orientation it's pretty much the same everywhere. Ie "Congratulations on getting accepted, it's a remarkable achievement. Now bend over."

 

[jtd2081]

Just so I understand what you are saying...asking if med schools will give you bonus points for triple majoring yet you purely want to do this for yourself? Seems a little contradictory don't ya think?

 

[Dox4lyfe]

Just so I understand what you are saying...asking if med schools will give you bonus points for triple majoring yet you purely want to do this for yourself? Seems a little contradictory don't ya think?

OP doesn't make much sense. At this point, I think he's just trying to get his message count up.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Cars section is difficult for native speakers and of course it will be harder for ESL students.

So? What does that have anything to do with you being wrong?

And no I didn't go to a state school, I went to a decently ranked private that is known for fairly rigorous science courses. I suggest thinking before speaking, it will be a valuable skill at interviews (if you make it past CARS).

OP doesn't make much sense. At this point, I think he's just trying to get his message count up.

He's gunning hard to get into The Lounge.

 

[Goro]

I'm interested in your opinion, if you were a reader would you give a bonus point to a 4.0 GPA in a single major or to a triple major with a 3.97. Obviously, it is much more complex then this but assuming everything else was equal (ideal world).

Nope, no bonus points. We don't care what your major or minor is, only that you do well.

 

[Goro]

sigh, I never said undergrad will go over all medical school topics.
I disagree with #3, I would think that bigs factors out of many is to be able to have the knowledge, social skills (excellent communication) and mastery in the sciences and topics covered in Med School. I.E the reason there is the mcat. lol

There are six different competencies that medical students and residents have to master. Only one of these is the scientific knowledge domain. The rest are all humanistic domains. They are the majority of the education in Medicine that makes one a good doctor.

Your friends are having an easier time bcuz they were more easily able to adapt to the rigor of medical school and learned how to study efficiently much faster than most others. Not because they had a stronger content base. Like others have posted, wait until you get into med school and you'll realize how vastly different ugrad and med school courses are.

Dox gets it. What UG school prepares you for in medical school is not the material, but learning how to learn...how to be a good student and all that goes with it.

The material in my own course that I teach now in a week or two at most was covered over an entire semester when I was a UG student.

 

[4ObamaCare]

There are six different competencies that medical students and residents have to master. Only one of these is the scientific knowledge domain. The rest are all humanistic domains. They are the majority of the education in Medicine that makes one a good doctor.


Dox gets it. What UG school prepares you for in medical school is not the material, but learning how to learn...how to be a good student and all that goes with it.

The material in my own course that I teach now in a week or two at most was covered over an entire semester when I was a UG student.

so majoring in psych or phil or anthro looks good as a double / triple? Thanks for input

 

[PreMedMissteps]

so majoring in psych or phil or anthro looks good as a double / triple? Thanks for input

That's your conclusion after reading all the posts???

😕

 

[Weirdy]

sigh, I never said undergrad will go over all medical school topics.

I disagree with #3, I would think that bigs factors out of many is to be able to have the knowledge, social skills (excellent communication) and mastery in the sciences and topics covered in Med School. I.E the reason there is the mcat. lol

If you are physiology major and medical school covered your undergrad major in the first few weeks, you must have been to (excuse my language to a very ****ty UG)

so majoring in psych or phil or anthro looks good as a double / triple? Thanks for input

Can't wait for real life to hit you in the face.

Know I'm not supposed to comment because not a premed but really...I hope programs see through you.

 

[Winged Scapula]

OK everybody needs to calm down. Stop with the insults, jabs, and snide comments. Otherwise will be happy to close this thread

 

[Goro]

so majoring in psych or phil or anthro looks good as a double / triple? Thanks for input

I didn't answer the earlier question about how do non-Bio or non-typical pre-med majors look.

For me, this does get attention in a positive way. We're flooded with Bio majors, so the kid who is "the English major" sticks in our memory. I even have a set of interview questions for specific non-science majors. No, I'm not sharing.

Psych majors are relatively common; Anthro far less common and Anatomists tend to like them!

I strongly suggest that you major in things that interest you, NOT because you think that they will look good to Adcom members. This type of thinking tends to blow up in pre-med's faces, especially when they find out that the coursework is more challenging or less interesting than they thought.

 

[begoood95]

I triple majored, and while at some points in my app I brought it up and tied it up to the "interdisciplinary/diverse perspectives" I came to appreciate, I'd never bank on it. I did for myself and my own passion to learn, as should you if you really want to—don't kid yourself and think it'll give you any boost.

Get a stellar MCAT and some sweet EC's and you're set.

 

[4ObamaCare]

I didn't answer the earlier question about how do non-Bio or non-typical pre-med majors look.

For me, this does get attention in a positive way. We're flooded with Bio majors, so the kid who is "the English major" sticks in our memory. I even have a set of interview questions for specific non-science majors. No, I'm not sharing.

Psych majors are relatively common; Anthro far less common and Anatomists tend to like them!

I strongly suggest that you major in things that interest you, NOT because you think that they will look good to Adcom members. This type of thinking tends to blow up in pre-med's faces, especially when they find out that the coursework is more challenging or less interesting than they thought.

Are Psych Majors more interesting in your opinion than the Bio ones? Thanks for your advice Goro.

 

[4ObamaCare]

I triple majored, and while at some points in my app I brought it up and tied it up to the "interdisciplinary/diverse perspectives" I came to appreciate, I'd never bank on it. I did for myself and my own passion to learn, as should you if you really want to—don't kid yourself and think it'll give you any boost.

Get a stellar MCAT and some sweet EC's and you're set.

The person above made me nervous about the MCAT..........

But I really want to study more in college and have one year extra to take classes and learn for fun. Whats wrong with that?

 

[begoood95]

The person above made me nervous about the MCAT..........

But I really want to study more in college and have one year extra to take classes and learn for fun. Whats wrong with that?

There's nothing wrong with that! All we're saying is don't bank on it making your application any more competitive than someone with one major. Two majors is nice, but as far as medical school admissions go, it is virtually inconsequential.

 

[Goro]

Are Psych Majors more interesting in your opinion than the Bio ones? Thanks for your advice Goro.

They can offer more interesting perspectives on human behavior at times.

I tend to like Music and Art majors.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

The person above made me nervous about the MCAT..........

I was giving you a hard time, but honestly don't worry about the MCAT. I wasn't kidding when I said that most of the actual science on it is covered by the end of sophomore year (except maybe Biochem which most people take after Orgo). There are lots of resources to help you with the MCAT when that times come.

Do work on CARS though 😉

Majoring in 3 things won't give you a leg up in admissions, or in medical school itself, but you can major in whatever you are interested in. UG is a good time to explore careers and fields because once you get into medical school you are on one track.