<p>I don’t think you have to major in neuroscience to apply to and get accepted into medical school. And also, many who think they will be “premed” change their minds once they enter college.</p>
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<p>This is the exact sentiment expressed in many CC threads related to bio-engineering. If a student wants to study bio-engineering to satisfy curiosity or to prepare for a more advanced specialization at graduate level then this is a perfect major. But if the student wants to get a job as an engineer desinging a product then he or she may be disappointed.</p>
<p>Similarly with the game design major. Would a game development company hire the following people to develop killer games: script writers, top-notched graphics designers, animators and software developers? Or would they hire only graduates in game design? It’s more likely they will go with both directions in reality. However, the real question is will the 4-year game design graduates fare very well in this environment?</p>
<p>I agree that one does not need a neuroscience degree to be accepted into med school any more than you need a biology degree unless you want to pursue an MD/PhD track in neuroscience or have a specific interest in psychiatry, neurology or neuro-radiology.</p>
<p>“Similarly with the game design major. Would a game development company hire the following people to develop killer games: script writers, top-notched graphics designers, animators and software developers? Or would they hire only graduates in game design? It’s more likely they will go with both directions in reality. However, the real question is will the 4-year game design graduates fare very well in this environment?”</p>
<p>Development of interactive media, including games, needs the talents and crafts of many professionals–including artists, business and financial execs as well as writers. So 3-D animators (and to lesser extent graphic artists) are often hired to create art for games, software developers hired to create programs, perform QA, and test, etc. In contrast, games designers create the original concept, write the scripts, design levels, select the visual look, hire the music composers, oversee production, approve the marketing. This business is like film production–and the designer takes the roll of writer/director. Like comp sci was 35 years ago, or telecommunications… this industry is in a fast growth mode since it takes advantage of emerging technology and is based on an entertainment economic model. </p>
<p>Right now, game designers (as opposed to animators, programmers, etc) are being recruited heavily at the universities that have these majors or programs to design and create new games. So if a student wants to make connections, get internships, mentors, and job placement help (just like in most specialized fields) this major is currently the most direct link to that future. Not the only link.</p>
<p>You don’t need to major in film production (or even go to college) to become a top film director. But George Lucas went to film school, as did Scorcese and many many top directors in order to make great contacts, bond with other young and talented peers, and get the best training on the latest equipment. </p>
<p>I’m responding to the OPs question–and follow ups because many don’t really understand this new billion dollar business. The top interactive programs ( USC, CMU, MIT) have been developed because there is a lot of research $$ being offered by EA, Google, Microsoft, Children’s Television Network and many more. Research money moves colleges–and, in turn, attracts students.</p>
<p>*This family has a high EFC that is unaffordable, so their child needed to get big merit. Her stats were good, very but not quite high enough for the big merit at many schools that offered big merit [with that neuroscience major].</p>
<p>They live in a state without any public universities?*</p>
<p>Oh no, that’s not the issue. The issue was the big EFC. Yes, if their child went to their flagship, she’d have neuroscience, but they’d have to pay full freight, which for them, because of some issues, they can’t afford. Their flagship is expensive for a state school, and isn’t one that gives merit. </p>
<p>If she majored in - say chem/bio/psych or some combo (again, she wants med school, not research) - she could get good merit at a couple of other good schools, and their cost would be less than $10k. Which is about what they can afford right now. </p>
<p>I think she could also commute to a state school that (I think) has the major, but she wants the “go away” experience. </p>
<p>Anyway…my concern really was how important is it to have neuroscience as an undergrad major when your goal is med school. It looks like the answer is (which her mom and I assumed), it’s not important.</p>
<p>I have a DD who was interested in neuroscience. She pursued a biology degree, but loved her GE psych class, so double majored and now is doing a PhD in neuroscience, she loves the brain and the imaging side of psych. </p>
<p>It is not at all important to be a neuroscience major in order to attend medical school, though my M1 DD has confirmed that some of her senior bio classes went far more in depth than the med school anatomy classes are doing, so certainly you could focus on an interest and learn a great deal of prep detail, but I hear of so many med students who change their specialty choice as they experience the clinical years, i would not worry at 18 about what specific medical focus I wanted 10 years down the road.</p>
<p>If you research the game design programs, you’ll find out that the major represents the intersection of some fairly conventional majors – studio art, psychology, architecture, computer science, ethics, writing, etc. I have been pretty impressed with the diverse course requirements for the major at the better schools offering it. Usually, the student chooses to go toward the artistic side or the programming side, but usually, the art student has to know some programming and the programmers have to take some classes that teach psychology, ethics, architecture, etc. </p>
<p>We discouraged our son from programs like DigiPen or Cogswell or Full Sail University. Not that they aren’t good programs, but we wanted him to get a well-rounded education in an environment where, if he changed his mind, he would have other options available to him. Another consideration is that these places seem to attract a significant number of older people who, after working at other careers, have decided to go back to school for game design. So, these did not seem like good environments for a 17-year-old recent high school graduate.</p>
<p>My two girls are potentially interested in some of these degrees. The older may major in neuroscience but not because of pre-med. In fact, she is totally uninterested in that. She looks at neuroscience as the more rigorous form of psychology and while she is interested in psychology, she doesn’t like it that as an undergraduate degree it seems to attract less capable students. So that is why the consideration for neuroscience. The other degree she could consider is international relations and that would mostly likely be a double major with economics. She wants to work for the government in national security or legal areas. She is probably going to go to law school though since she is a senior in high school, much can change.</p>
<p>My youngest should definitely be going into engineering. That is where her talents lie and the US needs more engineers. So we have been trying to figure out which kind she may like. Well I was talking about all kinds and her eyes just lit up when she realized she could do bio engineering (I am not sure what type it is- she wants to do things like design new devices for humans like artificial eyes or hearts or whatever). Why is she drawn to that? Because she wants to help people and realizes that making new medical devices or new body parts would be something that helped people but would use her talents too. I too thought that such a degree would be mostly mechanical engineering with bio courses thrown in but I haven’t really looked into it much. I have several years left before she goes to college.</p>
<p>^^She could also investigate schools that offer a BS in psych (in addition to a BA)…</p>
<p>IMO, IR wannabes should join the Peace Corps and learn international relations the old-fashioned way.</p>