Hello all. I am a senior in high school and have been informally admitted to UCSB as a Pre-Chemistry major (Class of 2020) via Chancellor’s Reception. I’ve taken the time to look at the Pre-Major Requirements for Pre-Chemistry and compare them to the Pre-Major Requirements for Pre-Biology.
I’m feeling slightly worried as I applied for Pre-Chemistry with the ultimate goal of a B.S. in Biochemistry, but I’m wondering if I can eventually change my Pre-Major to Pre-Biology and still pursue a B.S. in Biochemistry? My main justification for this is that I prefer the courses required in Pre-Biology compared to Pre-Chemistry. Also, I am very strong in Bio and Chem (hence, my goal for Biochemistry), but I admit my weakness in physics, which is extremely evident in the required courses for Pre-Chem.
Any suggestions as to what I should do?
Additionally, my ultimate goal is Med School.
your listed pre-major doesn’t matter. You can sign up for any course you want regardless of what pre-major you have. If you like the pre-bio courses, then take them, but I’m not sure what you mean by this. You won’t be admitted into the Biochem major until you have finished all the required prep courses for that major. Whether you do so with pre-bio or pre-chem listed on your file does not matter in the slightest.
There is no real meaning to being called pre-bio or pre-chem itself, the course list is just used as a guide for students so that they are taking the right classes to apply to the actual major. The school might as well list you as “general undergrad” which some Universities actually do until they accept kids into their major, but it seems to make kids feel better to have “pre-whatever” on their records. In fact you could be accepted to UCSB as an pre-econ major or anything else and take all the courses required to enter the Biochem major.
As for med school, you and every 5th kid you’ll meet! If you are interested in learning how to get into med school start by reading thru the very informative pages at https://www.rhodes.edu/content/health-professions-advising-hpa especially the “PreMed Essentials” link. There is also an excellent online handbook at https://www.amherst.edu/campuslife/careers/act/gradstudy/health/guide and no doubt many others out there, as well as books.
The real question to address at this point is: why an M.D? Not that I know it is wrong for you, it may be the right fit, but have you actually looked into the medical field and considered the alternatives? From the day you start college it will be 11-15 years before you are a practicing doctor, depending on what field you go into. In other words, think back to 1st grade; all those years since then matches the minimum it will take to become a practicing doc! Its almost a reflex action among HS kids, they think of a career in medicine and its “I’m pre-med!” Doctors are far from the only ones in the health field that help people. Physical therapists, radiology techs, nurses, speech pathologists, to name but just a few. Unless you’ve considered the alternatives and have spent time actually working in a health care setting (which is an unofficial requirement to get into med school, BTW) its better to think of yourself as interested in exploring a career as a doctor rather than someone who has already made the decision.
@mikemac Thanks for the info!
As for the subject of Med School, it is a goal of mine, but not the primary one as I do have alternative ones. I applied as a Biochemistry major at the schools I have applied to and have thus far, been formally accepted under that major (not premajor) for UCI, SDSU, and UCSD. Initially my motivation for Med School was the fact that both my parents are doctors, which is the conventionally stigma for their child pursuing medicine. However, with the recent death of a very close family member, my motivation has transformed from being founded on blind ambition to a passion for serving others as servant leadership happens to be one of my leadership ideals.
Considering alternatives from Med School, I am interested in biotechnology, research and development, etc. with companies such as Illumina, Thermo Fisher (my dad worked here), etc. That is why I chose Biochemistry as my major rather than specialized, health-concentrated area of study such as Pre-Med.
So, med school is not a solidified goal of mine, but rather a larger one with preexisting smaller ones surrounding it. I understand the road to becoming a doctor is not simple, which is why I selected Biochemistry as my major so that I have those other career options if med school isn’t the right fit for me.
I hope the info above about pre-majors was clear, but in case it wasn’t let me add a bit. A pre-major has not meaning on its own, it’s not an intermediate degree or standard. So all completing the pre-Bio courses means is just that; you signed up for those courses. There is no notation on your transcript or in your records that you completed pre-Bio. Some new students find this a bit confusing since they are listed on records as pre-whatever and think that finishing the courses listed means something on its own.
Since you want to be a Biochem major all that matters is you take all the courses listed for admission to the major in http://www.chem.ucsb.edu/sites/secure.lsit.ucsb.edu.chem.d7-2/files/sitefiles/undergrad/degreerequirements/Biochemistry-BS-2015.pdf (they may update it from time to time, the one applying to you will be the one when you first enroll at UCSB if there are any differences). When you fill out the form for admission to the major (called “petitioning” in UC-speak) they will look at your transcript to see if you have those classes. Your pre-major, and whether you finished the classes listed in it, does not matter.
Note the wording at the top for “admission into the major” lists fewer classes than are given below in “Preparation for the Major”. I don’t know if that is just a typo or you can be accepted into the major before finishing all the classes listed as “Preparation for the Major”; you can check with a Biochem advisor when you at summer Orientation. But I’m pretty sure that you’ll have to take all the classes listed in “Preparation for the Major” eventually.