• Question from:Wesley

Hi,

I'm glad I stumbled upon this website, it looks like the place to be! I am a U.S citizen and will be attending a Canadian University in the fall. I am at a bit of a crossroads and I need some help. I have three years left on scholarship and would prefer to have my bachelors by the end of these three years. I have taken the general chemistry and biology classes and cannot decide between the two. At the University I am attending, it is most efficient to choose a major and stick to it. If I decide Biology, I can knock out 5-6 biology courses this year. If I decide Chem, its the opposite. A balanced Chem/Bio schedule will put me too far off track even though that would be ideal. I worry that if I tip toe through, making sure not to abandon a potential interest, I won't graduate in the time I have left. If I decide to switch, I will have wasted time that I cannnot afford to waste.

As a little kid, I dreamed of being a marine biologist. As an adult, I have been much more interested in my general chemistry courses than my general biology courses. The problem with that is every single career that is associated with chemistry would bore me to death. I enjoy the homework and the problem solving, but I would prefer to study life and organisms rather than pollutants and drugs. I know that is incredibly general, but I haven't heard one chemistry career that makes me say "SIGN ME UP!!". The school I will be attending only offers to specializations: environmental biology, or life sciences (humanoids). I know that I will be getting a masters degree afterwards but I need to decide between these two sciences. On one hand, my current fascination in atoms and chemical bonds...on the other hand, my lifelong interest in creatures and mother nature. I would really appreciate some advice and some insight on your experiences with studying each subject and what courses finally cemented your path as biologists. I know interest is subjective, but if you have any experiences/courses that helped you decide, or moments that you made you say "I love biology", please share. If you know of a career in chemistry that might interest me, please share. If you want to turn this into a thread about everyone's best experiences as a biologist, go right ahead. Also, if there are any books you would recommend for some light reading, please share. I am halfway through The Silent Deep.

Thanks!

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  • University of Exeter
  • Posts: 1,011

>The problem with that is every single career that is associated with chemistry would bore me to death. I enjoy the homework and the problem solving, but I would prefer to study life and organisms rather than pollutants and drugs. I know that is incredibly general, but I haven't heard one chemistry career that makes me say "SIGN ME UP!!".

I think you have basically answered your own question here. Go with your passion and what you can happily see yourself doing in teh future . I had some amazing maths, chemistry and physics teachers at school and university, I've also had some appalling biology courses in my time to be honest (but not enough to put me off!). Once you get beyond "school" there is plenty of overlap of course (e.g. biochemistry!). I don't really use use chemistry much in my day to day research though many colleagues do. However I frequently find myself using maths and am very glad of the courses I took prior to focusing entirely on biology.

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  • University of Bristol
  • Posts: 4,230

agreed.

Which modules you do duirng your degree programme counts for very little in the longer term. The key things are to enjoy what you are doing (which as a by-product makes it easier to learn and thus do well in exams) and to aim for the very highest marks in your final exams. That is what will make the difference when you then apply for Masters or PhD programmes for post-graduate studies.