I’m currently an English major with a Pre-Med focus. I thought I LOVED English and the humanities in general; I love medicine, but swore off of a STEM major in high school, thinking I’d prefer to do something humanities-related. However…I already hate it. I’m realizing that although I love literature and the humanities when it comes to what I like to read about/think about in my free time…I don’t care about it nearly enough to study it for four years. My English lectures are excruciating. My humanities scholars sessions are excruciating. I’m thinking, I would never go for a career in anything related to this anyway, and I actually do not like studying it - so why is it my major?
Instead, I’ve found myself wanting to switch to something in the sciences, either molecular genetics or neuroscience (leaning toward neuro just because I’ve been reading through some of my school’s recent neuro research and it sounds fascinating). The only class I’m enjoying right now is my chemistry class, and I want more STEM engagement - because I value the problem-solving and thinking challenges that come with those classes.
Should I switch? Med school is the ultimate goal anyway, but I just know I CANNOT make it through the next 4 years if I stick with this English major.
You initially decided on your major before you entered high school, when you had only vague ideas about what each field of study would entail. Now you’re in college and you have a much clearer understanding about what college level science and humanity classes are actually like and as a result you want to change your plans. Makes perfect sense to me.
…and this is why colleges* don’t put much weight on what applicants say they want to major in: HS & college are different- and you are different (b/c you are a learning/growing creature- which is right and normal). It’s your journey- as 2psywar said, congrats on figuring it out in 1st semester. Just be sure to work as hard as necessary to get stellar marks- no matter how much you hate the class, the grade will be part of your GPA & for med school that counts!
*not counting subjects/colleges where you are admitted to a specific major, obviously
If you’re unhappy switch. If you’re taking classes where you actually like material, you’re more likely to do well GPA wise which will initially be very important to med schools. If you’re set on premed, agree with @collegemom3717 that all grades count, so don’t blow off current semester. As you probably know being in “premed focus”, some of premed reqs are yearlong sequences. The material in these reqs forms background for MCAT. Applying to med school is a year long process. So instead of trying to cram everything that may come with changing majors (eg satisfying new major’s reqs, ECs,MCAT) into next 2.5 years trying to get into med school upon graduating, considering slowing down ( I don’t mean taking less than a FT schedule) and applying after graduating. Pick a major with plan B in mind as most premeds will never apply, much less get to med school. Good luck