NROTC, HPSP, what?

[ryebread17]

Ahhh...that stinks. English & History are my worst. I never took Psychology though, so I don't know about that. I kinda wanna remain an engineering major so in case if medical school doesn't work out, I have a solid major that tends to be more employable. Would that be a bad decision? I know I would struggle with maintaining a high GPA but still...

[kinnem]

Originally Posted by ryebread17

Ahhh...that stinks. English & History are my worst. I never took Psychology though, so I don't know about that. I kinda wanna remain an engineering major so in case if medical school doesn't work out, I have a solid major that tends to be more employable. Would that be a bad decision? I know I would struggle with maintaining a high GPA but still...

I know diddly about this stuff and you should pay attention to any responses from Aglahad. However, I don't think that's a bad plan, especially if you can squeeze in the sciences, but if not I'm not sure its a big deal.

Could you be a medical bio-engineer in the making?

[DeskJockey]

It is difficult (but not impossible) to get into medical school as an engineering major, so that has to be your first decision. This is particularly true at Berkeley, where you will be competing for grades with other students who are as academically gifted as I assume that you are. The road would probably be easier for you in a less rigorous major. The NROTC scholarship can (and probably will) restrict your flexibility to change your major, even from nuclear to bioengineering. As the financial benefit of the scholarship is not an issue, you may be better off without it.

On the other hand, Berkeley has a common first year engineering curriculum, so you don't have to choose between nuclear and bioengineering until you are a sophomore. If there is a part of you that is saying "maybe, like many other students who declare pre-med, I might change my plans during freshman year", you might want to give NROTC a shot. You incur no obligation for the first year, and next Spring you will be in a better position to assess your future interests.

In any event, if you are committed to medical school and engineering, you should meet with a pre-med advisor at Berkeley right away to get a realistic assessment of your situation.

[Aglahad]

Originally Posted by ryebread17

Ahhh...that stinks. English & History are my worst. I never took Psychology though, so I don't know about that. I kinda wanna remain an engineering major so in case if medical school doesn't work out, I have a solid major that tends to be more employable. Would that be a bad decision? I know I would struggle with maintaining a high GPA but still...

It's normal to feel unsure about majors and the big step of pursuing pre-med. Luckily for you Berkeley is an excellent school and I suggest sticking to your engineering plan for freshman year. If that works out and you still have a decent GPA, pursue both pre med and engineering. If your grades tank then you will have to make a decision. Don't feel obligated to major in English or History, they were just examples of people I knew who successfully made it to med school.