Hopefully, I’m in the correct forum!
I’m about to graduate high school a few years early through a non-traditional program. Although I chose to take said route due to extrinsic factors, namely family-related interruptions to my secondary schooling, the options for immediate post-secondary education are very limited. Therefore, I will most-likely begin pursuing my Associate’s/Bachelor’s at my local junior college. I’m aware that this initially may appear as a red flag to medical schools, and am wondering if there are any steps I may take to ensure that it will not inhibit my medical school prospects or eventual admission.
Also, I would love to pursue a degree in the field of women’s studies. However, I’ve noticed A LOT of stigma surrounding women’s studies degrees. My pride isn’t at stake, as it’s an area of study where many of my passions and interests lie, and it hopefully goes without saying that I’d be pleased to hold such a degree. However, if the case is that med schools or employers would view it with similar scorn, I would be willing to reconsider.
That pretty much sums it up!
If med school doesn’t happen, then what do y propose to do w a degree in Women’s Studies?
My backup plan would be to pursue a master’s, and possibly a doctorate, in either public health or psychology.
majoring in women’s studies will have no direct impact on your medical school application
40% of medical students were non-STEM majors - so study whatever you like. Just make sure you have that GPA and MCAT scores you need. Women’s Studies may have a stigma in some people’s minds, but if you have the GPA and MCAT score and did the pre-reqs, what you majored in isn’t going to matter. The primary issue with starting at a CC is that you will need a committee letter from the school you transfer to, and if you only arrived in junior year, you won’t know many professors who can write those letters of recommendation that end up being consolidated into the committee letter. Likewise, you may not have the contacts to obtain the necessary research experience. That means that applying to med school over the summer/fall of your senior year, to start the following year may not work out. But if you don’t mind take a year between senior year of college and starting medical school, that junior year transfer will be less of a problem.
What medical schools don’t like to see is kids enrolled in a 4 year college taking the pre-req coursework over the summer at CC as a way of evading the curve or weeder classes at their own school. If you are a full-time student at CC, taking the pre-rec classes isn’t an issue apart from getting those rec letters, which I mentioned previously.
sorry for any typos. I’m on my phone. Yea, I don’t intend on taking any classes that exceed the 2000 level at community college (a particular school where I may like to transfer doesn’t even allow one to do so). I’ll probably take chemistry and biology there, possibly physics, but definitely not orgo or biochemistry. As I think I’ve mentioned, I’ll be there for 60 credits - max, so I’ll definitely be taking upper-level courses and all further credits at a university. I’m not taking the junior college route as a way out of work, it’s just the solemn option for my age and means of graduation. Thanks for the help! I’ve been reading more into the women’s studies major options at schools I’m considering, and it may not even be for me. Plus, my local CC/JC only offers 2 or 3 courses that would count. I guess I’ll just follow the wind and enroll in classes I enjoy upon starting college.