BACKSTORY/PREFACE: I was still in-between two major choices when I had to send in my transfer applications. My choices were biological anthropology, and genetics & genomics. These may sound extremely different, but if you look at the course offerings for a B.S. in biological anthro at UC Davis, there are TONS of genetics & genomics / microbiology / biochem related classes. In fact, the courses I would take for a bio anthro major are almost identical to the ones I would take as a genetics & genomics major. I ended up applying as a bio anthro major because I have always lacked confidence in my ability to excel in STEM, and bio anthro seemed to offer me more wiggle room to escape STEM if I felt like I couldn’t succeed in the long term (I’m talking grad school & onward). Since I applied in November, though, I’ve gained a lot of confidence and drive to push through the denser material and achieve my goal of working in the medical field.
Because the courses are so similar, I don’t think it would be a big change to transfer from bio anthro, which is my current major, to genetics & genomics. I think that genetics & genomics would look better on paper, and the slight changes to the coursework I would complete would better fit my long-term goals.
MY QUESTION: How difficult is it to change majors as a transfer student? I have been accepted through TAG and will be starting at Davis in September of this year (2021). I know that genetics & genomics isn’t a suuuuper impacted bio major for Davis, so I’m hoping that will make it easier. Please let me know if anyone has experience changing majors as a transfer student.
Thank you!!!
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Also here is some data about each major at UC Davis:
Anthropology admit GPA range in 2020: 3.26-3.80
Anthropology admit rate 2020: 78%
Genetics and genomics GPA range in 2020: 3.27-3.73
Genetics and genomics admit rate 2020: 40%
There were less overall applicants to the genetics and genomics major than the anthro major last year, though. 249 transfer students applied to anthro in 2020, and only 72 applied to genetics and genomics.
I don’t see a major called " biological anthropology" at https://anthropology.ucdavis.edu/undergraduate/major-options-and-the-minor nor in https://www.mcb.ucdavis.edu/academics/index.cfm so it isn’t clear exactly what major you were accepted under. Maybe I’ve missed it.
In any event, the steps to change your major to genetics & genomics are given in https://basc.sf.ucdavis.edu/change-major It looks like you’d need to consult with a Biology Academic Success Center (BASC) advisor in order to file the petition (everything at a UC is called a “petition”). I suggest you call the department and ask to talk to an advisor about your plans prior to filing the SIR. Hopefully they see no problem, but you won’t know if you don’t ask.
Since I applied in November, though, I’ve gained a lot of confidence and drive to push through the denser material and achieve my goal of working in the medical field. I think that genetics & genomics would look better on paper
It isn’t clear if you’re thinking about med school or some other area of medicine. For med school they don’t care about your major, just that you’ve taken the dozen or so required classes, have exposure to working in medicine, good recs, and a good MCAT. People get accepted with any major you can name. If you’re thinking of some other medical career then you should look into the specific requirements, but again I suspect major plays relatively little role.