I have heard that engineering in general can be a GPA killer at some universities. Not sure about physics.
Just wondering if any pre meds out there could comment on how difficult it is to maintain a good GPA if pursuing a major in engineering or a major in physics at Alabama?
Please assume the student is intelligent but lacking AP physics going in as a freshman.
The dilemma is trying to prepare for two potential career paths: keeping pre-med open as an option but possibly having engineering or physics (possibly physics PhD) open as well.
I realize that one can major in anything and still apply to medical school provided they do the appropriate med school pre-reqs, but I wasn’t sure how risky a mechanical/electrical engineering or physics major at Bama would be for someone potentially interested in med school too.
I am just a first semester atudent, but…
it doesnt matter if you have AP Physics credit or not because you should RETAKE it anyway. Its very unrecommended to skip general physics unless you are genius in physics.
I dont knoe about Physics but for engineering, if you dont like it you will def. have hard time
my son was an engineering premed…ChemE. One of his med school housemates was also ChemE.
while E can be a GPA killer, much depends on the student and dedication. You have to be willing to give up some social aspects, manage your time, not let yourself become overwhelmed by trying to take on too much, etc.
He did come in with 45 AP credits, which lightened his load. I think coming in with AP English credits really helped frosh year.
There were many home game weekends, where son could only attend half a game because he knew he had to get back to studying/homework/labwork.
In the end he had a 4.0 BCMP GPA and a 3.99 cum GPA
Why choose?: several students are able to do double majors (eng’g + another) at UA, esp if they have incoming AP/CLEP credits for some foundation classes. I would think, tho, that an applied bio/chem eng’g science is more applicable to the medical field, than mech/elec eng’g, unless you are interested in designing or researching prosthetic devices or medical equipment, or similar (w/ the Physics undergrad background). It’s a long haul, tho: do what you are most passionate about and interested in. 
I would not do a double major if the hope is med school. A double major in those subjects is the quickest way to hurting the GPA.
Med schools will not give you a “pass” because your GPA ended up being a 3.5 because you’re a double major.
Traditional med school applicants need a much better GPA than the so-called averages that med schools post because those include all the non-trad applicants who had some GPA issues from their younger years. Their GPAs are often given a pass, because when they returned to school, they excelled.
But, the traditional applicant isn’t given that pass.