<p>Up until recently, I've been fairly certain that I wanted to major in neuroscience. Now, with application deadlines looming, I've been having second thoughts.</p>
<p>Most of the undergrad neuroscience stuff I've been looking at focuses mosly on the behavioral/cognitive aspects, while I'm more interested in topics like neurodegenerative disease and neural stem cells. Stuff thats more removed from the psycological areas of neuro.</p>
<p>Obviously, I plan on going to grad school to learn specifically about those areas, but I'm not sure what the best path to get there is.</p>
<p>Should I major in neuroscience, and maybe leave my undergrad years with a better understanding of the brain, but less "hard-science" experience? Or should I major in bio, and just take neuro-related electives? A minor in neuroscience? A neuroscience specialization as a bio major?</p>
<p>While I know I don't have to officially declare my major anytime soon, if a neuro major isn't the way to go, it will affect what colleges I apply to.</p>
<p>Which major will prepare me best for top-level grad programs in the areas I mentioned?
Is there another undergrad path I should be considering?</p>
<p>(I want to end up in a research career, definitely not pre-med)</p>
<p>I’m interested in neuroscience too. You said you wanted to focus on neurodegenerative diseases, etc.? Try looking up “neurology”. Maybe that fits your description better.</p>
<p>The two best majors I can think of are biochemistry or molecular biology. As you’ve probably noticed, neuroscience isn’t much of an undergraduate major. Prepare yourself for grad school with a hard science major because you’re going to need a lot of chemistry and biology knowledge…and a healthy understanding of physics before you even start getting into most specialized material.</p>
<p>In case you find it relevant, here are the top 27 percentages of all graduates who have gone on to get Bio PhDs over the most recent 10 year period (first posted by interesteddad):</p>
<p>
Percent of PhDs per grad
Academic field: Bio and Health Sciences</p>
<p>PhDs and Doctoral Degrees:
ten years (1994 to 2003) from NSF database</p>
<p>Number of Undergraduates:
ten years (1989 to 1998) from IPEDS database</p>
<p>Note: Does not include colleges with less than
1000 graduates over the ten year period </p>
<p>1 California Institute of Technology 5.4%
2 Reed College 4.8%
3 Swarthmore College 4.4%
4 University of Chicago 3.3%
5 Massachusetts Institute of Technology 3.1%
6 University of California-San Francisco 3.1%
7 Harvard University 3.0%
8 Kalamazoo College 3.0%
9 Harvey Mudd College 2.9%
10 Earlham College 2.8%
11 Johns Hopkins University 2.7%
12 Princeton University 2.6%
13 Haverford College 2.6%
14 Mount Holyoke College 2.6%
15 Yale University 2.5%
16 Rice University 2.5%
17 Lawrence University 2.5%
18 Carleton College 2.5%
19 Stanford University 2.5%
20 Oberlin College 2.4%
21 Cornell University, All Campuses 2.4%
22 Grinnell College 2.3%
23 Hendrix College 2.3%
24 Bryn Mawr College 2.1%
25 Bowdoin College 2.1%
26 Wellesley College 2.1%
27 Amherst College 2.1%
<p>I know the undergrad program where my d studied (Barnard) offered two Neuroscience majors: Behavioral and Cellular. The Behavioral emphasis was more like what the OP described; the cellular (I believe that was the designation) was more “hard science” oriented. She actually ended up with both and was accepted into several very good PhD programs. She is currently at Emory for her PhD. </p>
<p>So keep looking at undergrad programs for Neuroscience! Not all of them are “soft” science majors.</p>
<p>You could always try applying to graduate-level Neuroscience programs after you get your BS. I was involved in one of these programs several years ago and there was quite a bit of research focusing on Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, ALS, etc. I have an undergraduate Psych major, but was able to get into a Neuroscience program at Ohio State. So, your biochem/cellular biology major would be a good foundation for graduate study in Neuroscience if you so chose.</p>
<p>By the way, I left Ohio State without finishing the program and now work with SEO and internet marketing You really need to have a passion for the research you’re doing, and if you do you can basically blaze your own trail within the field of Neuroscience. Just get a good mentor in grad school and produce a lot of publications. Good luck!</p>
<p>I am sorta in the same boat. I am a Senior in HS and looking to major in Neuroscience. I am passionate about the brain already and know I want to study it But, having not experienced college I am nervous… what would I do after?? I strongly believe med-school isn’t for me. And would like to shoot for a Masters. I know PhD is preferred in this field but that’s also why I am getting nervous- what if I can’t earn one?</p>
<p>This is a four year old thread. You should start your own thread with this question instead of reviving a really old one.</p>
<p>However, since I’m already here:
How COULD anyone really have much neuroscience experience in high school? I chose to major in neuroscience because I really enjoyed IB Psychology and was a fan of the hard sciences. For me, it turned out to be a good choice and I have stuck with it. However, a lot of people go into college undecided or change majors within their first year without incident. If you start and change your mind, that’s fine.</p>
<p>As for what to do with the degree, as has been noted here before, there’s not much you can do with just the bachelor’s degree, and a master’s isn’t going to get you much further. If you do want to go into neuroscience as a career, you will probably have to get a PhD to continue to advance. Right now, I wouldn’t worry about not getting into PhD programs; that’s a loooong ways off. Once you get to college, you will have chances to get involved in research and figure out whether the PhD route is for you.</p>
<p>At this point, I would say: if you’re really interested in the brain, go ahead and major in neuroscience. This HS decision won’t set the rest of your life in stone.</p>
You really need to have a passion for the research you’re doing, and if you do you can basically blaze your own trail within the field of Neuroscience. Just get a good mentor in grad school and produce a lot of publications. Good luck!</p>