Why is a life science degree looked down upon at Mac? People work so hard to get into the program from high school (the cut off this year was apparently an 88). It baffles me when people say things like 'oh anyone can get into life sciences' or 'a degree is life sciences is useless' -- in that sense isn't a degree in any science program useless if you're trying to find a job with an undergrad only?

A lot of people get accepted into the life science program because they don't have a limit on the number of students that they accept, this doesn't mean that everyone in life sciences has a 6 gpa, a lot of people have 11 and 12 gpa's and I know a few who have gone to med schools and are studying dentistry with a degree in life sciences and I also know people who finished their degree in Health Sciences and couldn't get into med school. Of course though, my opinion is biased since I am in the program.

Also, we choose to take easy courses because we have the freedom to do so --> another reason why so many people choose life sciences as it allows them to take courses that they need to go to the professional schools that they want to and this makes life science a great program.

Also, it isn't the same with other schools. I know a friend who goes to U of T, when I recently met her I told her that I was in life sciences, she commented saying 'you must be smart'. This tells me that life science degree is not looked down upon at U of T but at Mac it is, why do students in other science programs think that they're smarter than students in life sciences?

Who cares what other people think - and a general science degree IS useless without further education. Ask anybody who currently has one of those degrees and is working at Starbucks or other retail locations.

Everybody that I've ever met who has one of those degrees (whether it be biochem, biology, zoology, etc) and has decided that for whatever reason not to pursue further education isn't doing anything too productive in their lives.

Originally Posted by mastercool

Who cares what other people think - and a general science degree IS useless without further education. Ask anybody who currently has one of those degrees and is working at Starbucks or other retail locations.

Everybody that I've ever met who has one of those degrees (whether it be biochem, biology, zoology, etc) and has decided that for whatever reason not to pursue further education isn't doing anything too productive in their lives.

Yes this is exactly what I am saying though, any science degree is uselsess including biochem, bio psych, bio, chem bio, unless you study further, but these programs don't have the same 'dumb' image that the life science program does

Why is a life science degree looked down upon at Mac? People work so hard to get into the program from high school (the cut off this year was apparently an 88). It baffles me when people say things like 'oh anyone can get into life sciences' or 'a degree is life sciences is useless' -- in that sense isn't a degree in any science program useless if you're trying to find a job with an undergrad only?

Other science majors think that life science doesn't take as much reasoning or abstraction or "intelligence" since you just need to memorize things. So they think life sci is crappy or easy.

Just going to say, having one friend at a different university tell you that being in Life Science makes you smart isn't exactly enough evidence to make the point that it proves at other universities the Life Science Program is looked down on. Need more data points and what not to make concrete opinions.

Onto the matter of people looking down on the Life Science Program, part of it probably is due to the fact that, like with any general science degree, unless you attend some kind of grad school or professional school, your degree is pretty much worthless (relatively of course).

But at the end of the day, screw what other people think about you and live your own life, if you're happy where you are then stay there.

Cheers, and have a great summer!

People at Mac say that because they think it is not a "specialized" science program. It's so dumb. Actually, life sciences is one of the best programs at Mac specially if you want more freedom in terms of courses. It lets take all the courses that you like and you are interested in.

Originally Posted by kitty1

Why is a life science degree looked down upon at Mac? People work so hard to get into the program from high school (the cut off this year was apparently an 88). It baffles me when people say things like 'oh anyone can get into life sciences' or 'a degree is life sciences is useless' -- in that sense isn't a degree in any science program useless if you're trying to find a job with an undergrad only?

A lot of people get accepted into the life science program because they don't have a limit on the number of students that they accept, this doesn't mean that everyone in life sciences has a 6 gpa, a lot of people have 11 and 12 gpa's and I know a few who have gone to med schools and are studying dentistry with a degree in life sciences and I also know people who finished their degree in Health Sciences and couldn't get into med school. Of course though, my opinion is biased since I am in the program.

Also, we choose to take easy courses because we have the freedom to do so --> another reason why so many people choose life sciences as it allows them to take courses that they need to go to the professional schools that they want to and this makes life science a great program.

Also, it isn't the same with other schools. I know a friend who goes to U of T, when I recently met her I told her that I was in life sciences, she commented saying 'you must be smart'. This tells me that life science degree is not looked down upon at U of T but at Mac it is, why do students in other science programs think that they're smarter than students in life sciences?

First, when people say negative things about life science, they're (almost always) referring to the degree program and not the first year program. Those are two very different things. When talking about the degree program, high school admissions cutoffs for the first-year program are irrelevant. So when people say "anyone can get into lifesci" they mean after first year going into second year, and this is mostly true - anyone with a 6+ average can get in. Obviously it doesn't mean that everyone who gets in has a 6 GPA, but it's not like some other programs where you need at least a 10 to get in. Some people would also argue that "a lot of people" have 11-12 GPAs in life sci because the program is "so much easier".

I don't understand your third paragraph - taking the prereqs for professional school is not the same as choosing to take easy courses. You can take the prereqs for any health-related professional schools in any science program if you plan properly. However, many people take issue with the fact that their GPA is considered on the same scale as someone in life sci who takes tons of bird courses. Whether or not this is the reality is kind of irrelevant, it's the perception that people have issues with.

Life sci, like health sci, is what you make of it. Some people choose to take harder courses where they actually learn something, and others take the easiest route possible. Just as people take issue with health sci for that (that is not the only reason, but it's the one that's relevant here), people have the same problem with life sci. Life sci and health sci are great programs for some people, but terrible for others.

Your anecdotes about knowing a few people from life sci who got into professional school and a few people from hth sci who couldn't don't really say anything about either program. They say things about the individual people you are referring to. Also, getting into professional school isn't a great indicator of intelligence.

The program might be more rigorous at other schools, so they might have a different opinion. Also, some people just think any "science" means you're smart.

I hope that helped to explain some of where people might be coming from, but as other people said, just live your life the way you want, regardless of what some people may think of the program.

Originally Posted by kitty1

Why is a life science degree looked down upon at Mac? People work so hard to get into the program from high school (the cut off this year was apparently an 88). It baffles me when people say things like 'oh anyone can get into life sciences' or 'a degree is life sciences is useless' -- in that sense isn't a degree in any science program useless if you're trying to find a job with an undergrad only?

A lot of people get accepted into the life science program because they don't have a limit on the number of students that they accept, this doesn't mean that everyone in life sciences has a 6 gpa, a lot of people have 11 and 12 gpa's and I know a few who have gone to med schools and are studying dentistry with a degree in life sciences and I also know people who finished their degree in Health Sciences and couldn't get into med school. Of course though, my opinion is biased since I am in the program.

Also, we choose to take easy courses because we have the freedom to do so --> another reason why so many people choose life sciences as it allows them to take courses that they need to go to the professional schools that they want to and this makes life science a great program.

Also, it isn't the same with other schools. I know a friend who goes to U of T, when I recently met her I told her that I was in life sciences, she commented saying 'you must be smart'. This tells me that life science degree is not looked down upon at U of T but at Mac it is, why do students in other science programs think that they're smarter than students in life sciences?

It is actually very smart of you to go into life sciences if you are going to med school because you have the freedom to choose easy electives for the marks and have time for ECs. For grad school, however, graduate programs tend to look down at life science degrees because they are non-specialized, lack research or thesis components for many people, and the courses taken by life sciences students are again too under specialized. If you are going into a grad program such as mol bio, biochem, physiology, neuroscience, or whatever, life sciences might not be a good choice.

I don't look down on Life Scis...:.)

I'm in Health Sci, and know a lot of smart, motivated Life Scis...smarter and more motivated, I daresay, than some of my Health Sci peers...

hmm maybe its the fact that you can get through a whole term, and most of a year, without taking a single science course in upper years? (know a few people who had none in their first semester of fourth)

but regardless. I think for the most part a lot of it was said above. Many people also tend to think the more specialized you get the harder the program, thus life sci being general = easy, which may or may not be true, depends on the person.

It really shouldn't matter what others think, you are in the program because you like it, (I hope thats the reason and not because you want a chill load).

Also, how I see it, most of the people in the life sciences and biologies.....got no future.. lol. , honestly can't do much with any of those. (also just some advice, even people in the specializations end up with a simple bachelor in science, biology degree. they don't get anything special in the end)

Probably becuase it is general. Also cause so many people all equally smart making it hard.

A lot of people with high CAs do go into Life Sciences because it is more generalized and they can take a wider spectrum of courses than other science programs. I find that a lot of the people that stay in Life Sciences or Bio are people that want to keep high CAs for med school or other post-grad degrees.

Originally Posted by achhin

A lot of people with high CAs do go into Life Sciences because it is more generalized and they can take a wider spectrum of courses than other science programs. I find that a lot of the people that stay in Life Sciences or Bio are people that want to keep high CAs for med school or other post-grad degrees.

This implies that even people who are IN the programs think that they're easier.

I personally think that outside of Mac Life science has a great reputation if that's what you care about. Also, to be in a program and to think of what it's like when your in that program is 2 very different things. I mean with life sciences its important to remember that yes, people with a 6 get in and yes it is useless unless you further education. But so what?? I mean unless your doing nursing or engineering most people do further their education. Also, for a life science major you have to switch your study style because you take such a variety of classes. You don't have the luxury of being able to sit in one class and feel like your learning the same concept you learned in another class the way some classes are for specialized majors. Moreover, if you take the time to do some research it shows that the amount of life science students that get into med school is reasonably high. Overall, just do what you want and stop caring what others say because there are majors such as art or humanities that take a lot more crap being said about them than life sci gets.

Originally Posted by ana1205

I personally think that outside of Mac Life science has a great reputation if that's what you care about. Also, to be in a program and to think of what it's like when your in that program is 2 very different things. I mean with life sciences its important to remember that yes, people with a 6 get in and yes it is useless unless you further education. But so what?? I mean unless your doing nursing or engineering most people do further their education. Also, for a life science major you have to switch your study style because you take such a variety of classes. You don't have the luxury of being able to sit in one class and feel like your learning the same concept you learned in another class the way some classes are for specialized majors. Moreover, if you take the time to do some research it shows that the amount of life science students that get into med school is reasonably high. Overall, just do what you want and stop caring what others say because there are majors such as art or humanities that take a lot more crap being said about them than life sci gets.

Reasonably high? Where do you get these research data? Only health scis actually post statistics of their graduates. If I remember correctly, very very few life scis I know get into med school (In fact, the chances of any biology related degrees getting into med school is relatively low at MAC)