<p>I'm not entirely sure where to post this, but I figured here would be the best spot to get advice. I started out pre-med but I questioned my dedication and passion and switched my major twice-once to political science and then again to psychology. After completing coursework in psychology I am totally aware that I do not want to do this for the rest of my life.</p>
<p>My passion and heart lies in biology. But in August, I will graduate with a degree in psychology. I am doing an internship and taking I/O classes. I know now, psychology is not what I want to do. What would be my best course of action at this point? Should I just graduate and go back to take pre reqs at a different college? Should I tack on a bio minor, stay in school and try to get most of them out of the way? The problem is my financial aid is at its max. I've borrowed all the loans that I can apart from hitting up a private lender. Which I think means I am no longer allowed or eligible to receive any pell grants. I know once I graduate I will not be able to get any more financial aid for a second bachelor's degree either. I'm stuck and I have no idea what to do. I'm also pretty sure that if I continue to stay past a certain amount of credits there is a surcharge on tuition. Any advice for my situation? I want to go into a grad program for genetics, immunology or microbiology eventually</p>
<p>Work for a while, save some money, and take classes one at a time while you work. It may take a bit longer, but in the whole scheme of things, what is a few years? It’s the goal you have that matters. Just get there.</p>
<p>The best part about doing it the way teachandmom suggests is that you can take those pre-reqs at a community college, which will be affordable. My friend’s S graduated with a dual degree in chem/math & decided to go to pharm school. He went to a CC for bio, anat/physilology, etc & got into pharm school after a year.</p>
<p>You aren’t “stuck”. Graduate, and apply for jobs. Work for a while and save your money for grad school. You won’t be the first one to do this…and in a different field of study.</p>
<p>Also, you can get Stafford loans for graduate school. You are only maxed out for UG. See link:</p>
<p>[Graduate</a> Stafford Loan < Information | StaffordLoan.com](<a href=“http://www.staffordloan.com/stafford-loan-info/graduate-stafford-loan.php]Graduate”>What is a Subsidized Student Loan? | Edvisors)</p>
<p>You know Biologynerd, you may really find that having the time to work gives you a much better feel for what you REALLY hope to accomplish in a career. Going to grad school right out of undergrad just puts you in a classroom longer, still in many cases not having a full understanding or appreciation for the work world and all the aspects of the career path. I worked in teaching for 3 years before starting my grad program. I took one or two grad courses at a time over 5 years to complete it because I needed income to afford it, and then I was much clearer on what I wanted for a concentration of study. I would have chosen something completely different fresh out of college. Working helped me see what I was really enjoying, the skills that came very naturally to me, my area of strength in practice day in and day out at my job, etc. Working helped me get the most out of my graduate program, that’s for sure.</p>
<p>Just BTW, I had a friend in college who was a Psychobiology major - combined the two fields - I didn’t understand completely what it was she actually studied in every course, but it did sound cool!</p>
<p>I’m going to assume that since you were pre-med you took at least basic biol, chem, phys and math? Those classes plus a psychology degree should allow you to get an entry level bio research technician at a research hospital/institute. There are also clinical research positions that would work. Many of these jobs have tuition reimbursement so if you wanted to take an advanced science class it would be paid for.</p>
<p>The only problem is I didn’t finish physics or organic chem so I can’t do those types of jobs :/</p>
<p>If all you are missing is general physics and O. Chem., you can pick those up at just about any community college in the country.</p>
<p>Talk with your professors, and get some advice about your job hunt. They may know someone who can help you out.</p>
<p>Like every liberal arts degree (but econ), bio is not a major for which there are a lot of jobs. Over half of all med apps are rejected each year, and many of those are bio majors – all looking for a job. All hoping/praying that a year or two doing research or working in a lab will strengthen their app for the next year.</p>
<p>Just because you majored in psych doesn’t mean that you will go into that field. (Few English Lit majors are actually paid to work in the English Lit field!) Ditto bio.</p>
<p>The other posters are correct. Take as many bio classes as you can in your last year. (Physio, Cell Anatomy, and Botany do not require organic or physics as prereqs.) Graduate. Get a job and take Organic and Physics at a juco, as well as any ‘upper division’ bio course that they might offer.</p>
<p>If you want to go to grad school in bio, you will at least need 6+ upper division bio courses to demonstrate that you have the background to be able to thrive in grad-level classes. </p>
<p>Just know, however, that there are few jobs in bio for bio grad students.</p>
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<p>Not so easy. All in hot demand by premeds who were rejected by med school…</p>
<p>The problem is I am graduating in August. Not much room to cram in those extra bio classes plus I am paying out of pocket for them. </p>
<p>And I want to go specifically for immunology so I would have to take courses at a 4 year institution because most of the molecular cell and immuno classes are not offered at a community college :/</p>
<p>My professors are all psychology professors, not much help with biology.</p>
<p>I think it’s time to work and get some experience in something biological, then take some bio classes to support a future grad school application.</p>
<p>It’s doable, but don’t expect a quick fix, it will take a couple/few years to establish your credentials in another field. I had a BA in Anthropology and went on to grad degrees in biological sciences; you’ll be surprised how much gaining work experience helps in what you get out of grad school.</p>
<p>The problem is how do I even get work experience in biology if I don’t have any viable biology coursework???</p>
<p>Apply for research lab positions at universities. Do you have any basic bio, like the premed 1 year bio & lab requirement?</p>
<p>Large public U’s will hire research assistants who don’t even have science degrees. My current coworker used to work in a bio lab as a research asst after graduation … and she was an English major.</p>
<p>I would suggest taking the dreaded physics and organ at a CC soon. If you can’t make it through those classes, I am not sure if a bio grad degree is going to be academically possible.</p>
<p>Most of those research positions are not paid for though 
That’s the problem, I need to make money now and I don’t want to take on anymore loans right now.</p>
<p>I have basic bio, chemistry, anatomy, and genetics but I never finished the orgo/physics sequence. I can get through these classes I’ve just had a heck of a time in college dealing with an illness and working full time and trying to go to school full time. I’m not making excuses but I just couldn’t finish a bio degree and get out within 4 years. I need to start making money and gaining real world work experience so I settled for a psych degree.</p>
<p>I notice a lot of schools are offering “premed” science packages as summer programs, Or you can pick those courses that are prereqs for a graduate study in biology, one by one, inexpensively at a community college.</p>
<p>I strongly suggest you contact the grad admissions at a few schools you’d be interested in attending.</p>
<p>Switching fields can be tricky. Son of friends has spent that last 3 years working as an [volunteer] asst to a psych prof in hopes of matriculating into a [research] MS psych program. His UG degree is in English. He was turned down last application cycle and was just turned down again this cycle. Why? Because he lacks a full psych degree, although he has taken most of the foundational coursework at a CC. But no one was willing to tell him that to his face…</p>
<p>Ask, because sometimes there are unwritten rules that no one bothers to tell you.</p>
<p>But I agree–take your physics and OChem at a CC. Those are critical to have as a foundation for the grad program you’re interested in.</p>
<p>Like those above, I suggest you graduate, then take your coursework piecemeal as you can afford it at a local college. Once you have the foundational coursework, take upper level/grad courses one at a time until you have a strong background in immunology. Many UG immuno programs require some grad level coursework to grant a degree in that field. While taking your upper level coursework, do very well & make friends with your profs–sometimes they will hired you on as a PT paid research asst. (Worked for D1 who switched fields after graduation.)</p>
<p>And please understand that immuno grad programs are extremely competitive. (D2’s BF just went thru the application process this spring. It’s daunting.) Also know that even a PhD in immuno isn’t a guarantee of a job upon completing your degree. Expect at least 3-6 years of post doccing before you can even reasonably contemplate getting a permanent academic position. </p>
<p>You can apply for some paid research asst. type positions at research hospitals, but many of them (unless you’re doing patient enrollment in clinical studies) do require specific lab skills. (I know this because my D is graduating with her degree in bio & math and has been looking for one of these kinds of jobs. She did get one at a Top 10 med school just this week, but they were looking for someone with very specific skills–which she happened to have. ) However, for patient enrollment type jobs, your psych degree will be perfect. These are full time paid positions. Salaries run around $24,000-$28,000.</p>
<p>Can you clarify…</p>
<p>What year are you in college now? If you’re not a graduating senior, then you may still be able to salvage this.</p>
<p>What can you take at a CC over the summer?</p>
<p>I don’t think things are hopeless at all. There are many schools that accept and fund students with other majors into their grad programs.</p>
<p>In my son’s PhD program, they accepted those who majored in: bio, eng’g, math, chem, physics, etc. They didn’t require that everyone be from the same major.</p>
<p>one other idea: UCSD offers a one-year, non-degree bio program in which you could take any course that you like, including lower/upper division science courses. As a “real” student, you get registration priority for classes over other second-degree students. But you have to finish in one year (3 quarters). (It’s popular as a post-bac program for premeds who want to improve their gpa’s.) But I have no idea what the cost would be for OOS. Just throwing it out there because your instate public may offer something similar.</p>