<p>Does anyone know the distribution of majors among med school students at top med schools? I want to know this because I want to major in something like biology, evolutionary anthropology, or neuroscience but I keep getting advice like "major in communications" or "major in marketing". I want to see if most students at top med schools simply took the easier root or if they majored in something harder.</p>
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I can’t imagine anyone suggesting a pre-med major in those particular fields over biology, evolutionary anthropology, or neuroscience . Find different advisors. IMHO, the cheese has slipped off their crackers. ;)</p>
<p>Major in what you are interested and do not listen to others. Or do major(s)/minor(s) combo. Most pre-meds at D’s school have at least one minor. It just for your own R&R…to be away from science classes for a change, relax, explore difrrent side of your brain. It keeps you grounded and makes you feel that you belong to humanity, not only to group of stressed out sleep deprived, overburdened pre-meds.</p>
<p>@ curmudgeon: it was actually someone on CC who told me o do this.</p>
<p>@ MiamiDAP: Thanks, the reason I wanted to major in those was because I find them interesting, I haven’t taken any of those classes in high school yet, i’ll be taking AP bio next year and AP psych senior year so that might clear a few things up. </p>
<p>I am just wondering, are a majority of pre med students bio majors? I’m not necessarily going to do that.</p>
<p>Also, what would the point of a minor be, I thought it would be easier to just take all my major’s requirements, then the left over pre med requirements, and then just easy “booster classes”</p>
<p>People suggest majors outside bio because excelling in multiple areas shows ability outside the sciences as well as inside them. Additionally, this makes you a more interesting applicant. Wouldn’t you be sick of hearing from bio majors after the first 100 interviews? I know I would! Honestly…no matter how interesting or “unique” your research, you can only explore a given bio topic in so many ways as an UG and there are a limited number of “hot” topics at any given time, so another bio major in a heap of them is just plain…boring. OTOH, if you’re passionate about bio, that’s fine. My suggestion would probably be to at least go biochem as they tend to do better on admissions than the regular bio majors do. Chem and physics majors do better still.</p>
<p>Also, fyi, I’d say Bio is seen as “taking the easy road” moreso than is studying something unrelated. Bio includes most of the prereqs, which means it IS the easy road (by definition). You seem to lack experience in coursework at the college level outside the sciences. You may want to explore those subject areas as well. They’ll be crucial on the VR, which is, by far, the most difficult MCAT subtest (section) to improve on.</p>
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<p>Biological and physical science majors, absolutely… </p>
<p>Few music majors apply to med school, but those musics majors that ace the premed courses (and mcat) are extremely successful. Similar with philosophy majors.</p>
<p>^I hope you are right, D. is a Music minor. She does not have it to show that she is rounded though. She would not get engaged in something that she does not have great personal interest. it is simply very cool to compose your own music in recording studio. She would have never had a chance if she did not have music minor. However, it has been a subject of discussion on few interviews.</p>
<p>My problem is not with majors other than bio. I like that. Just not “marketing” or “communications” (or “Radio and TV” or “health sciences” or “home ec” or “culinary arts” or…). The way those two majors are designed at some schools require many “practical” courses that take substantial time away from more academic courses. IMO, you would do better in a more academic discipline. But again, just my opinion. I’m sure somebody has successfully traveled that path.</p>
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<p>Sometimes you have to consider the source. There are a couple posters here who frequently give advice like that who I suspect are either just plain ■■■■■■ or dejected/rejected ex-applicants who couldn’t cut it</p>
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<p>It honestly doesn’t matter, because…</p>
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<p>The bolded part is all that matters</p>
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<p>Thats poor advice - you should major in something you like. If you like bio, then major in that. Sure it’s boring as all get out when you’re talking about pre-meds, but who cares? Its all about what you want to learn. But don’t do it because you’ve heard its the right thing to do. I guarantee it’s not going to help you or give you any advantage in med school. The only science courses I took in undergrad were the pre-med prereqs (I was a philosophy major), and I am now one of the top students in my med school class. </p>
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<p>Here’s one of the best reasons to major in a non-science, if you’re so inclined! Pre-meds are, as a group, very annoying :)</p>
<p>“Pre-meds are, as a group, very annoying”</p>
<p>OMG, couldn’t agree more. I avoid them like the plague, even though I am one! OP, if you keep with the premed route, and/or major in bio or whatever else you mentioned, please for the sake of your sanity and your ability to have friends–avoid being one of those obnoxious, over the top, “I’m going to freak out and have a meltdown if I get an 80 on an organic exam” (see that topic on this board!), total gunner premeds. </p>
<p>You will probably find that their company is excruciatingly nauseating, and I would hate for you to become one of them. Good luck!</p>
<p>^ DS was like you in this regard. However, even when he is in a club that has nothing to do with premed. he may still bump into many other premeds. But at least they do not talk about anything related to premed there. Hmmm… It appears he knows more premeds in other class year than those in his class year. It helps because they at least do not take the same class. One disadvantage may be that he does not have the opportunity to study together with other premeds. But he values keeping his sanity more. (He once teases the mindset of the premeds as a group: the only thing they seem to be interested in knowing in the class is: Is this going to be in the upcoming test? Some who lacks the EQ would ask the professor this kind of question right after the professor enthusiastically tried to convey an interesting point in science in the class. It was of course a big turn-off for the professor.)</p>
<p>D. seems to think that atmosphere is different from school to school. but she also realized that it just depends more or less on host(s). This year she is connecting more with pre-meds as all of them applying and most to the same school(s). One guy literally has interviews close to one week after D. at the same places. D. seems to be changing her opinion and I am happy with that. It has been a concern in a past, so her Music minor and sorority were couple ways to be disconnected from that for at least some periods of time.</p>
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<p>Wait until you meet the med school versions…make the UG variety look like lightweights</p>
<p>;)</p>
<p>^Well, according to D. who has been interviewed at several of them and stayed with Med. students, it depends on school. She really liked her hosts at one Med. School, she is trying hard not to let it play a role in her decision making.</p>