<p>Hey all,</p>
<p>I was planning to go to law school, in fact that was my dream..but recently I've had a sudden interest in the sciences. Not only this, but one of my immediate family members passed away and I may have to move back to my native country and it'll be hard to get a law degree there, only because the law systems are so different.</p>
<p>So now I'm really thinking about switching to the sciences...I think they're so useful and I admire them a lot, especially biology, but I have a strong background in the humanities (AP classes; fall/spring semester of my 1st year [I'm a freshman, btw]). I'm also not very strong in math--I placed into the higher level pre-calc at my school but I haven't taken it yet.</p>
<p>Does anyone have any advice? Where should I start if I'm serious about going into the science direction? Do I still have time to switch?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Please can anyone answer??</p>
<p>i’m stuck in a similar boat as you. I like the natural sciences, and I’m going to major in either physics or chemistry. If you want to go to medical school, you should remember there is no such degree as “pre-med”. You can’t go get a BS in pre-med as you would with sciences such as physics, chemistry, biology. Pre-Med is a pathway offered by some colleges to help students get into a healthcare professional school (Medical,Dental,Pharmacy). If you want to get into medical school in the US you can major in anything. I know music majors who are now in med school. All you have to do is take the necessary courses:
1 year Biology w/Lab
1 year Chemistry w/Lab
1 year Organic Chemistry w/Lab
1 year Physics w/Lab
1 year Calculus
1 year English Composition (depends on the med school)
So you can major in anything as long as you take these courses and achieve a high GPA.</p>
<p>Yup, I was thinking of doing the same thing, too… Yeah, I understand that I can’t do “pre-med”; I was initially considering doing biology…But I like the idea you gave better. I guess I’ll have to see if I can do that when I move out of the country as well…Thanks!</p>
<p>Just be prepared to fail. Some medical schools now have acceptance rates close to only 1%. They aren’t impressed by 3.9 GPA, and 30 MCAT scores any more because EVERYONE that applies now has that. Major in something that you can fall back on.</p>
<p>Two years ago the data showed that 50% of those applying to med school got into a med school.</p>
<p>Depends on where you live. If you live in a state that doesn’t have a medical school, or live in a state that has state medical schools that have ridiculous stats for the average matriculant (like CA) you are screwed. Many many public institutions accept only around 10 out of state applicants every year or may not accept any out of state applicants at all (pretty much like all TX state schools). Therefore many peoples’ salvation is to apply to private schools. GW and Temple get 10,000-11,000 applications every year for only about 150 spots. If you think your 30 MCAT and 3.8 GPA is special at schools like that, that get that many applications, you’re gravely mistaken.</p>
<p>You can go to the AAMC website and read the stats for yourself. The average matriculant numbers are insane. A 32 IS JUST THE AVERAGE mcat score now pretty much required to get into a medical school. The average person will score a 26 on the MCAT. In other words, you need to score in the 75-90% tile on the MCAT just to have a decent shot to get into a medical school. So yes hundreds, if not 1000s of students with 3.8-3.9 GPAs and 30 MCATs get rejected from medical school every year. You better have a back up plan when/if you do apply. There’s a high probability of failure. It takes many people 2, 3, even 4 times to get in which takes years of effort. You have to be able to find a job or do something during that time.</p>
<p>^^ your posts here and elsewhere are rather grave! The admission rates have not changed so dramatically in just one year! </p>
<p>Many students are admitted in their first round of applications. However, there is a large minority that have overcome deficits in their applications by continued education and medically related volunteer work. </p>
<p>If you are considering a medical career it is essential that you volunteer in medical setting and shadow physicians. These are also essential parts of a med school application. If your interest is confirmed, the list of required courses posted above is readily completed with a wide variety of majors-including non-science majors.</p>