Typical College Major Question

[bradleyba]

Hello,

I am a sophomore in high school and I have wanted to work in labor and delivery for a long time. I initially wanted to be an L&D nurse, but I then decided that I am capable of becoming an OB/GYN and that is what I really want to do.

My sophomore year will be coming to an end in the next few months. So far, chemistry has been my favorite class. No doubt about it. Although it can be frustrating, I love it so much. I love being in the lab and there is something about finding the right answer to a chemistry problem that is so exciting! I am definitely a top chemistry student in my class and my teacher has made comments to me before about how he thinks I could be a chemist or a doctor one day. I realize I am only in entry level high school chemistry, but it interests me so much and I could really see myself majoring in this or maybe biochemistry in college.

The more I look in to it, the more people I see saying majoring in science is a bad idea. Typically I am a take charge kind of person and if I truly think I can do something I will. And I truly think I can major in chemistry. But I see so many doctors or medical students saying it's a bad idea because it will ruin my GPA or because it will take up MCAT studying time. I want to be able to succeed in college but I also want to do what interests me. I believe that if I worked my butt off in college and gave it my all, I could succeed as a chemistry major. But that isn't what other people seem to think. Basically my question is; is majoring in chemistry truly a bad idea? What other majors are a good choice? I know everyone says medical schools don't care, but I CARE and I want to major in something that interests me and prepares me for medical school.

This is important to me now because soon I will begin visiting colleges and all of that great stuff, and I want to know how bad of an idea it truly is. I have an "I can do anything I put my mind to" kind of mindset and I don't know if that is going to help me or hurt me in the process of choosing my college major.

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[BuckyBadger!]

NOOOOOOO!!!! Majoring in Chemistry is a great idea . . . if you really like chemistry! Warning: high school chemistry is going to be much (emphasis on much) easier than AP Chem and any of the college chem courses you'll be up against (Organic, P Chem, etc.). It's awesome to have plans that early in the game-- I did and I pretty much stuck to my plan thus far. However, plenty of people realize that once in college, they don't like a subject as much as they thought. Don't get too set on the idea of being a Chem major this early, but at the same time, don't NOT pick a science major if you want to! Whoever is telling you to not major in science is giving you bad advice. The correct response to your inquiry is to say major in WHATEVER YOU WANT and if that is science, that's great!

 

[styphon]

Typical major is Biology or something similar - but it does not matter.

Do what interests you - your passion and GPA (which would likely improve if you do subjects you are interested in) matter much more than your major.

 

[hmockingbird]

I CARE and I want to major in something that interests me

This is enough of a reason to major in chemistry if that's how you still feel in college!

Honestly no undergrad major can prepare you (subject-wise) for med school so that's why it doesn't matter. The pre-med requirements cover pretty much everything you'd need to know. And while someone who say, has an anatomy degree, might rock anatomy, I was an English major and everyone tells me I write good/detailed patient notes. So really anything and everything can be relevant to your practice and that's why you should pick something you are passionate about, which also will help you do well in that major.

 

[WaxEarplugsFTW]

I graduated with a Chemistry degree. Chemistry is awesome! Love it! You get the best of both worlds- the generalness and smallness of physics to the biggerness (not a word, i don't care) of biology