Majoring in a non-science major

<p>I'm currently a Cali cc student and I have a year left at my cc and I want to go to med school. But I also love english/communications too. If I major in eng/com, I would have to take the pre-reqs for med school at my cc right now right? Cause I wouldn't be able to take med school pre-reqs on the side at my 4 year UC I transfer to if UC's expect transfers to graduate in two years...so I take them now right?</p>

<p>And I know of course it'd be better to study bio or a science major to do well on the MCAT, but then how do other non-science majors get into med school???</p>

<p>It is NOT a good idea to take pre-med pre-reqs at a CC. Med schools don’t like that.</p>

<p>Are you a Calif resident?</p>

<p>You can major in any academic area you want–including English/communications, but you really do need to take your med school pre-reqs at a 4 year college, not a community college. Rightly or wrongly, there is perception on admissions committees that CC science courses lack academic and intellectual rigor.</p>

<p>Non-science majors get into med school like everyone else: they have a strong GPA (both overall and in their science coursework); an acceptable MCAT score; good letters of recommendation; a strong record of community service; and plenty of exposure to the medical field through hands on volunteering and shadowing.</p>

<p>I think the student is worried about the 2 year limitation that UCs have for TAG students. </p>

<p>I think she’s worried that if she transfers to a UC, she won’t have time to complete her upper division courses for her major AND do her lower division pre-med pre-reqs.</p>

<p>It may not be a big deal to med schools if she takes the English Frosh Comp and Calculus at a CC. It may also not be a huge deal if she takes one of the Physics classes at a CC. But, she shouldn’t take the bio and chem classes at a CC. </p>

<p>I think she won’t have time IF she tries to double major. She may need to do a spreadsheet of her last 6 quarters at a UC to determine if she’ll have time to do all of her upper division req’ts for ONE major while also doing the bio and chem classes as well. </p>

<p>She will likely have to do a glide year for apps.</p>

<p>@mom2collegekids - Yes that’s exactly it. If I go down eng/comm. as my major of choice, do the UC’s allow students to stay longer than 2 years? I am a Cali resident and even I don’t know. I always thought you could only stay two years. </p>

<p>I’m very strong in eng/comm courses so I know I could whip out a good GPA if that was the direction I major in, but I still want to go to med school. And also, do you guys know what links are best to find out ranking for med schools? Thanks!</p>

<p>The med schools are ranked on USNews </p>

<p>Is this English/comm one major or two?</p>

<p>I was planning on majoring in both at a UC. And then taking cc pre-med courses before I transferred out. Either that, or take them at my future UC.</p>

<p>Med schools do NOT like it when you take prereqs at a CC. The perception is that the CC classes are not good enough. If you truly want to go to med school, why screw up your chances unnecessarily?</p>

<p>I don’t think you should double major…pick one major, so that you’ll have room in your schedule for the prereqs at your UC.</p>