Is it a good idea to double major in computer science and biology?

College Majors
1

I choose biology because of the medical field to go into pharmacy school or medical school. I felt like Biology isn’t a useful major so I just needed something to fall back on like computer science. I like computer science and I feel like if I double major with Biology, it would open a lot of doors for me. I needed something to fall back on just incase I don’t make it into pharmacy school or medical school. Does that make sense?

2

Biology can be a useful major; it depends on what you want to do. But you don’t need to major in biology to go to pharmacy school or medical school; you can major in whatever you want as long as you take the prerequisites. That includes computer science.

You can double major in computer science and biology if you want - it’s a good idea if you’re equally interested in both majors and you genuinely want to spend your next four years studying them. But I wouldn’t major in biology just because you want to go to medical school (you don’t have to), and I wouldn’t major in computer science just because you think it’ll open a lot of doors (they may be doors you don’t want to go through, and other majors can also open a lot of doors).

3

Actually a dual Biology/Computer Science major is a good idea. Bioinformatics and Data Science are pretty hot fields and your job prospects are good should medical school not be in your future plans.

I would suggest Computational Biology or Biology with a Bioinformatics focus.

I like the fact that you are taking a practical approach. Pre-med is a risky proposition and if you feel that General/Organic Chemistry are not to your liking, then Computer Science is a good fallback. But make sure that you are doing either major because you enjoy the subjects.

4

And OP, you are way more practical than my kid-he’s a Bio major planning on pre-med, but he’s considering a History double major-hedging his bets between law and medical school.

His roommate this year is doing Computational Biology and the kid is thinking that a CompSci minor might be more useful than the double major in History.