Just my two cents. I graduated in 95 with BIMS and am now a dentist.
If I could do it all over again, I would NOT be BIMS. Yes, you get to take alot of great science classes that will prepare you well for professional school. But those same classes can really hurt your GPA unless you are just one of those who is going to make a 3.8 or whatever no matter what your major.
The BIMS people sell you that their major is so great and so respected by the professional schools. I was originally trying to go to PT school. I go for my interviews and talked to alot of PT school admissions people....they don't care what your major was, and alot of them don't care where you went to school. They have their formula for GPA and that is what they use. I applied to a bunch of PT schools and didn't get into one. I had a 3.3 gpa. I was shocked...and felt like saying, "but I'm a BIMS major at Texas A&M". They really don't care. I remember talking to one guy at an interview, he was a mailman going to a junior college, not a real bright guy, but he had a 3.8. They took him.
So I moved home for a year, evaluated my options, and went to work for a dentist. I applied to dental school and got in and here we are.
I was really, really dissapointed with the job opportunities for BIMS majors. You know what they tell you that you can do with a BIMS degree? Sell pharmaceuticals, or work in a lab. Big whoop. Thank God I got into dental school.
I know your son has his heart set on being a vet. But he better have a backup if it takes him a year or two to get in. BIMS does not give you a good backup. I found that out the hard way.
If I could do it all over again, and was trying to get into med/vet/dental etc school, I would major in biology, and get certified to teach. They I would get all my pre-reqs done, but also have a backup if I didn't get in the first time. OR I would major in business and do my pre-reqs as electives. If you are a dentist or a vet or even a solo MD, and have to run an office, a business degree would be great to have, and would also give you a backup if you didn't get in the first time. Or animal science...the goals are the same. Get as high a GPA as you can, and have a backup. BIMS fails on both accounts.
I don't think the BIMS advisors are bad people..and BIMS is a great degree and badge of honor to have IF you get into professional school. But unfortunately today, that is a pretty big if.
email me if you want to talk more. Oh I just read your new post, animal science is great. I wrote a reccomedation for a guy who is now in dental school, he was in animal science. He had a great gpa, got in to dental school December of his senior year, and coasted the rest of the way. Good choice.
glennstern@cantondental.com
[This message has been edited by Prexy's Moon (edited 11/10/2008 5:40p).]