In need of some premed advice on double majors

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
1

<p>Hello, I am currently a sophomore on the premed route. I have made up my mind on a biology major but I am in need of some advice on whether I should take up a second major in mathematics. I have a pretty strong background in mathematics, and I already have taken several courses for a degree in mathematics. I know that double majors have no advantage in the med school application process, but figuring how selective med schools are in choosing applicants, I want to have a backup plan in something like bio statistics in case things don't work out in the next few semesters. Currently I have a 4.0 GPA and thinking of taking the MCATs the end of my junior year. I've been doing lab research since freshman year and I have some clinical research experience also, but at the same time, I'm lacking volunteering/hospital experiences. If I go for a double major, I could still take a light 2nd semester of junior year to study for the MCATs/volunteer. But if I chose to only do a single major, I would have plenty of free time to do whatever (volunteer, lab research, MCAT studying) and even graduate 1 or 2 semesters early. I've heard that graduating early is probably not a good idea, but since I am at a private institution with limited scholarship and loans, it would definitely lighten the financial strain on my parents.</p>

<p>For my situation, what are the advantages/disadvantages of doing a double major and the consequences that ensue?</p>

<p>Thanks in advance!</p>

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<p>Why not just minor in math? If you have a passion for it and are good at it, then it cannot hurt you to take more math other than taking up your time. However, if you are really concerned about the time strain and want to get more experience, then it would not be as beneficial to add an extra major, especially since you only really want the double major as a backup plan. That’s why my suggestion would be to simply minor in math, allowing you to take more math classes while still leaving some time for research, volunteering, etc. I would say that getting some hospital volunteering in is probably a key move you need to make soon. Waiting until spring of junior year will likely be too late to rack up enough clinical hours to make an impact on your application.
Of course, I’m not the expert here, so see what some others say too.</p>

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<p>Thanks for your advice sarahjudith. Actually, I forgot that I already have enough credits for the math minor as of the end of last semester. So now is it worth continuing to pursue a major. As for hospital volunteering, do most people do that during the school year or over summer/winter break?</p>