<p>Hey everyone!</p>
<p>I'm a transfer student planning on switching my major from psych to bio at UC Davis. However, I noticed the req's for a BS are alot more than that for a BA. Point being, if I were to get a BA instead of BS, do I even stand a chance at grad school? Any insight is appreciated.</p>
<p>Depends on the requirements of the grad school you’re applying to. Generally, the BS is more likely to fulfill those requirements than the BA. It looks like the BA cuts math and a bunch of the upper div bio courses, which will not be to your benefit in the future. You’ll be competing with other students who have the full BS and just having a BA is going to put you at a disadvantage, unless you supplement it with lots and lots of research.</p>
<p>On that topic, if you want to get into any bio PhD program at this point, you’re going to need research experience, at least 6mo, perferably a year or more. The more research you can do, the less important your degree becomes, as long as you’ve filled the basic requirements. But getting that research, as a transfer student to UCD is going to be harder because you’ve only got 2 years (maybe 3?) and don’t know the professors yet. I would suggest applying to post bac research fellowships or programs in your senior year as well as grad schools, so that if you don’t get in anywhere you have the possibility of doing research for a year while you reapply.</p>
<p>(IMHO, going for a BA because it’s easier, shows a lack of passion for the subject. Grad school AdComs look for genuine interest and passion in the applicants and if, when asked why you got a BA, you answer “it was easier,” that’s not going to look good.)</p>
<p>As a personal side note, I applied to U of Chicago’s BMS cluster this past fall. They had 925 applicants. They interviewed 66 (of which I was one). UofC is a top 15 program, but those numbers should give you a sense of the massive competition out there because I can guarantee you most of those 925 thought they had a decent chance or they wouldn’t have applied. </p>
<p>Disclaimer: YMMV. Everyone is different. I would also suggest looking through the Graduate forum here.</p>