<p>I originally have been planning on majoring in Biochemistry (I'll be a freshman in the fall) but now I'm not so sure. I really enjoy science but I don't LOVE it like I love languages, particularly vocabulary. </p>
<p>I would be completely content with a career as an educator if I were for some reason decide pharmacy/med school wasn't for me. However I would not be happy forever working as a lab tech. </p>
<p>I've heard that med schools like to see majors outside of the sciences, are pharmacy schools the same way?</p>
<p>If I majored in Classics and minored in Chemistry I would get all of my chem pre-requisites and then take one or two other pre-requisites each semester and over the summers. I also may have a second minor of English or history or anthropology, just because I'd like a few broader courses.</p>
<p>I think I would overall enjoy my time and probably have a better overall and science gpa. I would also avoid scary classes like P-chem.</p>
<p>While exploring the classics major I found these two sites which seem to really show the benefits of a classics major:</p>
<p>Would I be at a disadvantage going into pharmacy/med school without the upper level science courses? Would I be at a disadvantage going into the admissions process with a classics major? </p>
<p>They teach you what you need to know to be a doctor. IN medical school. It’s trade school.</p>
<p>I went to medical school with the bare minimum science pre-reqs: general biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, general physics. Sure, there were people who had already taken anatomy and physiology, and maybe they got away with a bit less studying in anatomy class or physiology class, but the anatomy and physiology classes did not assume we had all taken any previous courses in the topics. </p>
<p>Most of my fellow Classics majors were either pre-med (~1/4 of us) or pre-law (~1/2 of us). You should be fine. </p>
<p>You probably already know this, but Classics at Carolina is exceptionally good. I highly recommend almost all of the professors in the department.</p>
<p>That is good to hear! if you don’t mind me asking what track of Classics did you take? (Greek, Latin, Greek and Latin, or Classic Civilizations).</p>
<p>I have similar concerns for my son who is in his HS junior year. Interests are important. However, one has to be realistic as to what other professions one can take on if a career as a doctor does not work out. “What would you do if you can’t be a doctor?” has been one of the interview questions discussed widely on various sites. A similar question would be: What would you do if you can’t be admitted into any medical school? What would be the job prospects for a major such as Classics? My friend’s son, a Yale graduate with a English major, is a talented young man who has unique view on many issues. After fooling around a few years, he finally finds his way back to the law school and works in a bank thanks to his aptitude as a lawyer. </p>
<p>I have discussed the subject with my son. He would choose either Chemistry, Biochemistry, or Biomedical Eng as his major. The science curriculum would prepare him for the medicine career in general and provide the possibility of getting REU’s during Summers. If he can’t not be admitted into any medical school for some reasons, he can, at least, go to the graduate school and work in a field related to science/medicine. This is also a good way for him to gauge himself against other students in the “pre-med” classes. If he is not that good, he probably should change his career plan similar to 70% of the pre-med students. I am somewhat uneasy seeing him taking on a major w/o a visible/direct path to a back-up plan. Now, I do not think my son has the aptitude as a lawyer. Otherwise, law school might not be a bad back-up plan for a science student who has missed his opportunity for getting into any medical school. A lawyer specializing in medicine related fields could be a rewarding career also.</p>
<p>The questions you might want to consider are:</p>
<p>1) Would you have the aptitude as a lawyer?
2) Would you be interested in business?
3) You should find out the % of Classics students (from your intended colleges) indeed getting into, at least, one medical school. (On average, only 20% of the freshmen declaring a major as Pre-med finally made into a medical school.)
4) What would be the career path if a Classics student can’t get into any medical school?</p>
<p>1) Would you have the aptitude as a lawyer?</p>
<p>Probably; I have good leadership, problem solving, and communication skills.</p>
<p>2) Would you be interested in business?</p>
<p>Simply put, no. But I do understand that with almost any career their will be a business side to it.</p>
<p>3) You should find out the % of Classics students (from your intended colleges) indeed getting into, at least, one medical school. (On average, only 20% of the freshmen declaring a major as Pre-med finally made into a medical school.)</p>
<p>Will do. ; ) I am leaning more towards pharmacy than pre-med which tends to have a higher yeild rate.</p>
<p>4) What would be the career path if a Classics student can’t get into any medical school?</p>
<p>If I major in classics it will be a double major w/ Philosophy, if I did not get into any professional school I would get my masters and teach. Though of course I won’t shut down any other careers at this point in my life.</p>
<p>My son is UNC grad who is now in his second year of med school. He majored in Lingusitics and Religious Studies (one of the top programs in the country) and minored in Chemistry. His feeling was that once you are in in med school ALL you will study is science for the rest of your life. He wanted to study something that he was interested in as an undergrad. He took advantage of everything that UNC and Chapel Hill offered him both academically and socially which included playing lead guitar for two plus years in a very popular Chapel Hill band. </p>
<p>This all was discussed in virtually every med school interview and he was told in every case that they agreed with his thought process regarding majors and that it also made him a “more interesting” candidate. Two different interviewers essentially said it was refreshing to see someone so well rounded and that they were tired of seeing kids who took nothing but science classes after their core requirements who obviously had had no life in college and who couldn’t carry on a decent conversation if their lives depended on it. Take it for what it’s worth.</p>
<p>As others have said, get your pre-med requirements, major in something you have interest in and above all, do well in your area of interest and try to find things to do/be involved with that will make you stand out and be “interesting.”</p>