Differences between Microbiology/Cell Science Majors

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Florida
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<p>Hey!</p>

<p>I started the app today, and on the "Freshman Info" section, they ask for a program of study. I want to study either micro or biochem, but there are two different majors for "Microbiology/Cell Science".</p>

<p>One says "CALS at Gainesville", and the other says "College of Liberal Arts & Sciences". :O</p>

<p>I looked up CALS and it's the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. For a possible pre-med student, would the College of Liberal Arts and Scienes be better?</p>

<p>Thanks :)</p>

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<p>Hello,</p>

<p>I am a Micro major. The different colleges just mean you have to follow specific guidelines in the college. All the core classes are the same for microbiology and cell sciences, however, if you are in CALS (college of agricultural and life sciences), then you must take a speech class, a writing class, and an economics class (total = 9-10 credits). If you are in CLAS (college of liberal arts and sciences), then you have to take a total of 10 credits of foreign language. These guidelines are for all majors in the specific college. So everyone who majors through CALS, must take those 3 classes. Everyone who majors through CLAS must take a foreign language.</p>

<p>For a premed student, it really doesn’t matter which college you select. I think if you have all the foreign language credit from high school, you may not have to take foreign language in CLAS, and this would allow you to take other classes that might benefit you as a premed student. So it’s really up to you strategically and what you enjoy most. You can still take a foreign language class and be in CALS too. Some med colleges I know “recommend” you to take a foreign language, but not a lot.</p>

<p>Also, you have up until your second semester of sophomore year to decide your major. So you don’t have to fret about it now. Just learn as much as you can about all the majors, because as a premed student, you can major in anything. The cool thing about microbiology (and I think biochem) is that if you are premed, the classes align so much that you only have to take somewhere around an extra 17-25 (depending) credits to complete you major, which gives you more room to take classes that might benefit you in terms of your medical school application.</p>

<p>I hope this helps!</p>

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<p>Thank you! That was a huge help! </p>

<p>I have another question too :slight_smile: Is it worth it to try to get into the honors program? Would it be an advantage? I know they help students with advising and get to live at Hume (which looks nice!), but what are your thoughts on it?</p>

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<p>Edit: This is really long. I am really really sorry. I hope it helps whatever you can get out of it…</p>

<p>ooo, this is always a tough question. The answer really depends on who you are (your personality) and what your expectations are (in college and beyond) . All I can give you is my reasoning why I didn’t apply even though I qualified.</p>

<p>Ok, so my ultimate goal is to become a doctor. And to do that, I need to get into med school. And to do that, I need to set myself up in college the best way that I can do. Now, if I were in the honors program, there would be a couple of requirements I would have to do such as completing volunteering hours, taking part in a leadership position (I think), and taking four honor classes. If I want to become a doctor, taking part in the honors program may sound good, BUT this is where my personality and expectations came into play. </p>

<p>Growing up in a very strict environment and coming from a strict IB high school with lots of requirements, college is my time for exploration and freedom. If I get into med school and become a doctor, I will have to dedicate 100% of my time to becoming the best doctor that I can – so college is sort of my only time as a young adult to really explore the world around me and take classes and do things that I might not ever get to do again. So if I have to take classes, volunteer, and do things based on what the honors program requires of me and I don’t enjoy them or I could be doing something else that better prepares me for med school and my med school application, then I am wasting my valuable time. If the only reason why I am in the honors program is so that I can list it on my application, then I am doing a disservice to myself because the most important thing is to be doing something productive that I enjoy and can get the most out of and potentially help me with my med school application. It is the worst thing to be a part of something just so you can say that you are a part of it. That will only hurt you.</p>

<p>Now there are some other reasons why I didn’t apply, but the above is kind of the main factor. The point is to make college the best that you can with what you have. If you have your won specific personality and your own expectations/requirements/goals and they don’t align with the honors program (or anything else that you may do - literally anything), then I would say don’t do it. But it is still up to you to make up for it – which I am sure will be easy considering all the things at UF you can be doing. There are other, better honors programs out there, like the CALS honors program. Also, being in the honors program is not graduating with honors. They are two totally different things, which some people might confuse.</p>

<p>That is not to say the honors program is a total waste. You may get study abroad opportunities (which non-honors can get too) and get into specific honors classes (which non-honors can get into too by asking the professor). You may have smaller class sizes and meet more like-minded people, however UF is so vast that it doesn’t really matter in the long run. To some, honors is really good, others, really bad.</p>

<p>so really, it is up to you :confused: If you don’t do it, know why, and do something better. If you can’t do something more productive, and the honors program is productive for you then do it.</p>

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<p>Tony- Very nicely stated-- balanced and objective.</p>

<p>Helpful and a big thank you!</p>

<p>.02 David</p>