What to minor in!!

[BeastfromthEast]

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I'm going to be a first year premed student soon. I will be majoring in biology and I will be doing a research program as well. I plan on having a minor too. I've read that medical schools like well-rounded students, so I want to minor in something non-science related. What would be a good minor to do? Sociology? Philosophy? Would it be hard?

Thanks! (This is my first thread, so if I sounded stupid, don't be harsh🙂)

 

[cliffhuxtableDO]

the opposite sex, or whatever your pleasure.

 

[NikkyZ]

What else besides biology are you interested in? Unless you have iron discipline or are extremely gifted, that 4.0 wont come easy. Study what interests you, and if theres nothing besides bio, do what is easiest for you.

 

[organdonor]

Something that you would enjoy that wouldn't pull your GPA down. If you can't find something that would fulfill both of these, don't do a minor.

Most people who get into med school do it without a double major/minor. It isn't worth it to get burned out before you even get into med school. It also isn't worth it to drop your GPA.

I have a double major for what its worth. I enjoy Spanish and wanted to pursue it in addition to the prereq's, which pretty much give you a bio degree.

If you are asking what might be useful, I vote a language. Which one depends on where you are/will be. But again, only do another minor or major if you would enjoy it and it wouldn't pull your GPA down.

 

[hithere3387]

Minors are great, but medical schools couldn't care less if you actually complete the minor. You need to worry about maintaining a high GPA for medical school. Outside of that, study whatever you want. If you think you can turn it into a minor or two (or a double major), then great. If not, it doesn't really matter. Do something that interests you or provides you with an expanded skill set. You can't do this career path without being an academic. You might as well enjoy it.

 

[jdh71]

minor in pimpin' hoes and clockin' a grip

 

[getright]

After completing your chem prereqs, you'll basically have a minor in that.

 

[BeastfromthEast]

well, sociology seems interesting to me. and i heard its easy (correct me if im wrong). but is there any benefit to doing a minor (if i do well?)
ive read that med schools want well-rounded students and not just biology or chem majors, so that is one reason why i want to minor in something like sociology.

 

[christina30]

i minored in slayin hoodrats (wtf)

but seriously, i tried to fit in a minor, and I simply couldn't (the scheduling of the courses never worked out with my major reqs) - it's not worth it if it isn't feasible, especially if the extra course load would bring down your GPA by cutting study time for more important prereq classes.

And some departments make it a little more difficult for a pre-med to minor in chem or bio - at my undergrad, to minor in bio or chem, you had to complete 6 or more courses - you'd be most of the way to a double major by then! Hence why the biology minor didn't work out for me.

 

[FloatOn]

After your freshmen/soph year and taking classes here and there, you'll find what you're interested in and you can make that your minor. Just focus on your major for at least the first year.

 

[orthomyxo]

I was going to minor in chemistry, but then I saw the required courses and pulled one of these

I think I'll pass on Instrumental Analysis, A-Chem, Inorganic, and all those other ridiculous classes so I don't screw my GPA over. Anyways, having a minor doesn't mean sht.

 

[metallica81788]

Minors don't count for anything. If you are interested in the classes/subject, take them anyway for the experience without worrying about getting a minor that is pointless.

 

[christina30]

I was going to minor in chemistry, but then I saw the required courses and pulled one of these

I think I'll pass on Instrumental Analysis, A-Chem, Inorganic, and all those other ridiculous classes so I don't screw my GPA over. Anyways, having a minor doesn't mean sht.

Instrumental Analysis is awesome 😀

 

[orthomyxo]

Instrumental Analysis is awesome 😀

I don't even know what it is, but the name alone sounds really scary.

 

[christina30]

I don't even know what it is, but the name alone sounds really scary.

Not really. It's a lot of interpretation of spectra - Mass Spec especially.
And I recall doing a lot of circuitry. It was all pretty cool, imho. But I was a chem major, so I guess I have weird tastes

 

[BeastfromthEast]

ok, so does the rigor of the classes taken at the undergrad matter? wouldnt skipping the "hard" classes look bad to the med school?

 

[christina30]

ok, so does the rigor of the classes taken at the undergrad matter? wouldnt skipping the "hard" classes look bad to the med school?

Sure, but those are both extremes. Don't pick up a rigorous minor, because it won't matter that you took hard classes if you do poorly in them. But at the same time, don't take all the easy courses to sail through.