Cornell - Pre Med and Music

Applying for college later this fall and was wondering if applying to Cornell is worth it. I’m aiming for pre med and hopefully, if possible, double major in a science and music for medical school (I am passionate about both). I’ve heard Cornell sciences are notoriously extremely difficult and not a wise path if you want to keep your GPA high. Is this true? Also to add I wouldn’t be focusing ONLY on science, I would also like to engage in music, so would Cornell be a no-go?

I know its on a case-by-case basis, but how are Cornell science classes? Are there quotas for how many students can get an A grade? Is it cutthroat in nature? Any personal experiences are also appreciated! Thanks!

What would your major be? A science with music electives or extra-curriculars, or Music with the science courses required for applying to med school?

@happymomof1 I was thinking of a science with music electives and extra curriculars, but depending upon how GPA-killing upper division science courses at Cornell are, I would do the opposite. I’m not trying to be a coward, just sorting things out.

It was my experience back in the stone ages that it was the lower division courses that were worst in terms of curves. (My D saw the same in engineering at another school).

I wouldn’t say there is grade deflation at Cornell but there is certainly no grade inflation. You will need to work very hard but honestly that’s what you’ll need to do to prepare for the MCAT and through med school as well.

If you are afraid of hard work, you are going into the wrong field ; )

@momofsenior1 Thanks! Yeah I just didn’t want to consider a place where science courses were meant to be weed-out courses. I personally don’t do well in a cutthroat environment (still willing to work hard), but I just don’t want a cutthroat environment with weedout courses. Thanks!

@avmlgeek36

In my opinion, it’s not about the cut throat environment. It’s about the difficulty of some of the coursework.

Re: music and pre-Med. You will need to take the same upper level science and math courses for medical school application purposes regardless of your major. It’s not like the music majors don’t need to take O-Chem.

You have been asking about music and premed on this forum for a while.

http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/pre-med-topics/2123201-what-type-for-pre-med.html#latest

http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/pre-med-medical-school/2114474-m-d-m-m-or-m-d-d-m.html#latest

http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/2114323-bm-for-md.html#latest

I would strongly suggest that you go back and read the responses to your other threads…that ask the same question but not specific to Cornell. You received excellent responses which you seem to have either ignored or forgotten.

You need to contact your colleges of interest. Some colleges are very amenable to double majors and support that well. Some are not.

The course of study for a music major is a very intensive one with very few electives. In addition, you will have a bunch of one credit courses that will meet multiple times a week. Even composition majors (you have mentioned that) need to be in some ensemble each term at many schools. Don’t underestimate the time needed to do this.

I would contact your colleges of interest and see their level of support for this sort of double major. BTW, I don’t think “pre-Med” is an actual major at Cornell. But to be premed, you will need to take the courses required of medical school applicants.

Separate post needed.

If you want to do music courses as electives, you need to see which ones are available to folks who are not music majors.

My kid was a state ranked oboe player, first chair for a few years. Played in an excellent pre-college orchestra. She wanted to continue to take instrument lessons and play in a college orchestra. This was THE hardest criteria for her to fulfill in her undergrad college search. She contacted the head of the music department, the oboe teacher, and the orchestra director at EVERY college she was interested in applying to. They were very very helpful, as well as clear on what she would and would not be able to do as a non-music major. Some schools fell off of her application list because of this.

She matriculated at a college where she did play her instrument and take private lessons for four years. And she was first chair in their orchestra. It was great and she loved it.

She had intended to minor in music, but this was just impossible to do. She was an engineering major who was taking the required courses to apply to medical school. No extra time in that schedule at all.

Just an FYI, she had no time to play her instruments while in medical school. At all. Some Med schools do have ensembles for Med school students, but hers did not. She is starting her residency and time will tell if she can squeeze in the time for a community orchestra (if they even resume this year). The area where her residency is has several very fine civic orchestras, and there are lots of doctors who do play in them (she knows this because she played in a couple before medical school started). So, she is hopeful this will resume for her at some point.

Anyway…read the responses on your many other threads related to this topic. I think you will find plentiful answers to your questions on the previous threads you started.

That just the nature of pre-med. And science in general. Many start out as science majors/pre-med, much fewer actually finish as science majors/pre-meds. It’s a Darwinian process.

All undergraduate pre-med programs “weed out” students one way or another. Medical schools depend on colleges to do just that. Think of undergrad “weed out” classes as the first cut of many you need to make in the very long process of becoming a physician.

@thumper1 Thanks for the reply and looking back at my past forums.

To clear it up, yes, I have contacted every one of my schools and they all have the same generic response- “yes, depending upon scheduling”. As much as I do appreciate the information that they are given, current and past students who have gone through this route beg to differ. A double major is technically possible at Reed College, for instance, but is insanely difficult for students. Thus, I want to hear what students have to say about their experience, not whether or not it is officially possible on paper.

Also, my questions was about the pre-med culture at Cornell, not specifically at music. I just included that I also wanted to do music to factor in the fact that not 100% of my time would be dedicated to science classes.

I wanted to hear what current/past students have to say about Cornell and the pre-med culture there. While I appreciate your response, I just feel it a bit demeaning to call me out upon my questions - I cannot afford high-quality college counseling and thus look to free forums to learn more about the process and hear what other people have to say.

That being said, I appreciate your response.

If you want to participate in music programs at Cornell, please, reach out to the music folks at Cornell and be specific with your question. You will get a good feel, by their responses, whether you will be able to also pursue your musical interests.

My kid didn’t go to Cornell…but I will still say, the premed courses at all colleges are challenging ones. Cornell is an excellent college. And the really good thing…if you do get accepted there, and change your mind about pursuing medicine, there are plenty of very wonderful majors you could switch to.

I was not meaning to be demeaning…but really, look at some of the excellent responses you received here in the past.