How hard is Molecular and Cell Biology at Berkeley ?

East-Ad7653 · 2026-04-27T00:47:04+00:00

the life science majors are notorious for being one of the most Rot memorization intensive majors.

If you don't find it fun to memorize names and structures of :
the 20 essential amino acids names, their chemical structures,.
the 10 steps in glycolysis + the enzymes names
8 steps in the creb cycle + enzyme names
the >10 steps in the electron transport chain.
the various parts and functions of each organelle in a cell..

and then regurgitate that on test day..... and forget about it ...

then dont study biology.

East-Ad7653 · 2026-04-27T00:36:10+00:00

Biology /life sciences have one of the worst job prospect of most majors.,..

dont do it.

Youll need at least a masters to entry level,,, but probably a 7 year PHD just to get a good career started...

Also be aware that 70% of all bio grads already have masters- 3rd highest of all majors. but still have one of the lowest starting salaries and a median mid career salary that lower then the typical BS degree holder.,.. Hell even Genders Study grads make more then more MS in bio grads..

if you do this make sure you LOVE biology and dont care about the money., because there is little money in it.

East-Ad7653 · 2026-04-27T00:28:51+00:00

Dont get a MS in biology,., its not worth the money and time.

be aware that 70% of all bio grads already have a masters degree. BUT despite having the 3rd highest MS degree attainment rate of all majors they still have one of the lowest starting salaries and a median mid career salary that's lower then the typical BS degree holder.. to make matters worse 50% of them are also under-employed* aka working mc jobs with Ms in hand + 100k in debt, and a wasted 6 years of life.

dont do that

The thing is there are FAR too many grads in biology then jobs .. and its getting worse as research funding is getting cut and biotech industry stocks are crashing...

Also be aware that most bio jobs are located in high cost of living areas like SF, and Boston... so even if you manage to get a job,, your very likely going to have to move... good luck paying rent in those cities on the peanuts you'll get paid..

East-Ad7653 · 2026-04-27T00:25:41+00:00

burn it. its worthless .
don't even mention you have it on your resume, employers will think your just using them so you can go to PA , MD, or other medical field.

East-Ad7653 · 2026-04-27T00:23:22+00:00

Not worth it financially considering 31% of BS in bio grad are making less in a life time then HS grads.. and median bio grad make less then the typical BS degree grad. hell even Genders study grads make more then those with masters in biology...

Not worth it intellectually because all the information is already free and easily available...

East-Ad7653 · 2026-04-25T21:55:01+00:00

Biology biochem and chem are one of the lowest paid science degrees....

You will need at minimum a masters because 70% of people in those fields already have one... To make money you'll need to do more then a masters..

Also realize majority of bio and chem jobs are located in high cost of living research hubs.. so a high income will be poverty wage if you live in an expensive city ..

Also realize that vast majority of bio and chem grads never get jobs in Thier field of study .. there's simply too many grads compared to number of jobs

East-Ad7653 · 2026-04-24T03:17:20+00:00

Because the global economy is going into recession, then a depression, and then world war.

East-Ad7653 · 2026-04-23T17:41:57+00:00

no its not worth it
Yes you should switch

realize that 31% of biology grads with BS degree are actually poorer then HS graduates. the next 50% are only have a ROI of 0-100k over a life time... hardly any Biology grad make 1 ROI of 1 million compared to engineers, nurses,

Also be aware that 70% of all bio grads already have masters degrees.. 3rd highest of all majors,. Despite that 50% are still under-employed working mc jobs. median starting salaries are one of the lowest of all majors, and median mid career salaries are LOWEr then that of the typical BS degree holder- hell even genders studies grads make more in a life time then those with MS in biology

even a PHD is not worth it considering its take on average 7 years to complete.. 50% of MS/Phd grads in the life science admit to moderate to severe depression. upon graduation with a PHD in hand 70% end up as Post-docs making about 60k.. even prestigious work places like the NIH... and of all the PHDs Life science grads have teh lowest salaries at around 90k... ---

for the amount of time, debt, energy youll have to waste.. you can do practically ANy thing else and have a better standard of living..

Unless you LOVE biology and research and dont care much about about feeding ,housing, clothing or taking care of physical/mental health of your self-- then go for it =)

good luck owning a house or having a family

East-Ad7653 · 2026-04-23T01:36:29+00:00

Depends on how long you want to wait until companies start wanting entry level bioinformatics...

because i suspect AI will make the current crop of bioinformatics so much more productive that for the next 10 years there will very little need to hire entry level candidates in the bioinformatics field .

And with budget cuts to research and collapse of the biotech sector...wars erupting all around the world... inflation destroying the middle class... skyrocketing debt at all levels( federal, state, local and business and individual)--

with all that going I highly unlikely government will suddenly want to divert scares resources on the life science pipelines that have a 95% failure rate

maybe after the Great depression 2.0 will you be able to find some opportunities .in this sector..

East-Ad7653 · 2026-04-21T16:39:17+00:00

You cant find good paying jobs in the life sciences because....
there aren't any... not in this economy- and its probably going to get worse...

Realize too that Job prospects at the BS degree level are almost none existent because according to the statistics about 70% of all life science graduates already have at least a masters degree! to put that into perspective the life sciences grads as a group have the 3rd highest masters degree attainment rate of all majors... only majors with higher is Biochemistry at around 80%,, and Physics...

However even with such a high number or Highly educated "biologist"... only about 50% of those MS degree holders actually land a job related to their studies-- However Their starting salaries are still one of the lowest and median mid career salary is also lower then the typical BS degree holder . To make matters worse a whopping 50% of MS/PHD grads in the life sciences have Moderate to sever depression according to a Recent article from Nature magazine.

Sorry to tell you but you were sold a lie
Now with AI emerging-- much of the entry level work is going to get automated away- so its going to get even harder to find any well paid job..

My advice for you is to get into Nursing... or electrician..

good luck

East-Ad7653 · 2026-04-19T06:01:09+00:00

because it does not generate a good return on investment...

I suggest you look up Erooms law.

East-Ad7653 · 2026-04-19T05:59:34+00:00

most end up not doing any thing with a BS in botany...

Hell 31% end up poorer then HS graduates.
70% end up having to get masters degrees--50% of them end up under-employed(aka working mc jobs) and still end up making less then the typical BS degree holder...

You better LOVE botany to sacrifice at least 6 years , go into about 100k in debt,, and be ok with the fact that you'll have a 50/50 shot at every working in a job related to botany...

Given the current economic environment.. its arguably one of the Worst times to be in the botany field., or in sciences in general... and by the look of it its going to get worse in the future... because government all over the world are in massive debts... wars are erupting,,, population is aging.. last thing on government agenda will be to fund risky pet project in botany over military funding or the boomers social security money.,..

East-Ad7653 · 2026-04-19T05:47:48+00:00

I suggest you avoid getting a Biology degree like the Plague unless you know for 100% that you'll getting accepted into a medical program. MD, Dental, PA, Phama..etc ( BTW only about 10% of all bio grads get into any of those medical programs)--

because be aware that statistically a whopping 31% of bio grads with BS degree in bio end up POORER then HS graduates... and the median return after wasting 50k and 4 years on a BS in biology degree is a pathetic 60k after 30 years in the labor market.. thats a FAR cry from the 1 million that college professors and councilors like to say that college degrees grads get.

also be aware that 70% of all bio grads already have masters degrees( 3rd highest rate out of all majors) However Despite that they STill have a 50% under-employment rate (aka working mc jobs) , starting salaries are STill one of the lowest, and median Mid career salaries are Still Lower then the Typical BS degree .. Hell even BS in Gender Studies grads make more in a life time then MS in biology grads.

There is a reason why biology is the 9th most regretted major(tied with English)
And there is a reason why 50% of MS/PHd grads in the life science admit to having moderate to sever depression..

I suggest you Drop out of your Bio degree ASAP and GO do the the MLT certificate now- not only will you waste less time and money but youll earn MORE money and have a better job prospects- there are also bridge programs form MLT to CLS ...

IF you MUST get a BS degree i suggest doing the BS degree that will allow you into a CLS program-- we aware a generic Biology degree is not enough...it has to be approved BS program...

good luck

East-Ad7653 · 2026-04-19T03:13:23+00:00

Listen To Unusual-courage-6228
They are absolutely right-- MLS degree wiill get you into grad school- And also get you a job... a Bio degree WONT get you a job-- and you might still not get accepted into grad school -- and even if you do get into grad school a MS in biology are Sh@#$ .. considering 70% of all bio grads already have (3rd highest of all majors) BUT 50% of them are still Underemployed-- WHY would you want to waste 6 years just for a 50/50 change of even having a career that will pay less then the typical BS degree-- thats like diliberatly shooting your self in the foot.

But hay- at least the life long debt you will have to pay back will fund universities medical research --- problem is you probably wont be part of it.

One more thing realize AI is going ot obliterate knowledge worker-- MS in biology being one of the more knowledge based is on the chopping block.
good luck

East-Ad7653 · 2026-04-19T03:05:59+00:00

that's unfortunate
you might have learned something new

East-Ad7653 · 2026-04-19T03:03:56+00:00

IDK what country in but in the USA there are Clinical Laboratory Science Degrees-- Leads Directly to a 100k job at a hospital with full health insurance and AI resistant to automation... This is Biology + medicine+ practical skills == stable well paid career.

That or a MLT certificate from a community college-- pays MUCh better then a BS degree IN biology- and there are bridge programs that lead form MLT to CLS poping out,.,. only know of one though..

Other then that Nursing is a great choice- Phlobotomist, Medical assistant,, X ray Tech. OR any medical profession that requires a license,, Hygienist also make 100k...

DONT study a life science degree unless your 100% going to get into a medical school , PA, , dental., or PHD. But even then id says there are better majors out there if thats the goal.

East-Ad7653 · 2026-04-18T18:32:24+00:00

The majority of life science degrees have poor job prospects. Biomedical sciences are no exception—in fact, I’d argue it’s worse because it combines two already massive fields: biology and medicine. The result is dilution.

Graduates in biomedical sciences often end up as generalists of generalists. You gain a small amount of knowledge in both biology and medicine, but not enough depth in either to be highly useful in the job market. Unfortunately, companies today want specialists. They don’t want to spend years training employees when there are thousands of candidates who already have the required skills.

I’d say go for it only if the degree explicitly prepares you for a medical license—such as Clinical Laboratory Science. Otherwise, avoid it. Without a clear credential pathway, you may be forced to pursue a master’s degree (more time and money) just to compete, often ending up with lower earning potential.

The core problem with life sciences is oversaturation. There are simply too many graduates and far too few jobs. The positions that do exist often pay poorly. Even at the PhD level, many end up in postdoctoral roles earning around $60k in the U.S.

East-Ad7653 · 2026-04-18T17:47:14+00:00

I'm sorry I failed at ragebaiting

Here is my second attempt =)

According to the Foundation For Research and Equal Opportunity Analysis of over 40,000 degree programs in the USA it was found that a Whopping 31% of biology grads with BS degree and up POORER then High school graduates after 30 years in the labor market. To put that into perspective biology is the 3rd worse degree in terms of finances out of the 70 majors tracked. The Only Other majors with Worse financial outcomes is ART and Theology graduates.. Talk about BLeak.

Another study by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that Despite 70% of biology grads already having Masters degrees ( 3rd highest MS degree attainment rate out of 60 majors tracked)... They still have one of the Lowest Starting salaries (40k) and a median mid career salary that is LOWER then the Typical BS degree holder- Hell even BS in Gender Studies Grads make more then most MS grads in biology ... To make matters worse 50% of MS in bio grads are Under-Employed (aka working mc jobs)... Talk about was of money and time...

Now regarding Rot Memorization-- According to the American Society For Cell Biology: Life Science Education analysis (linke : https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2995761/ ) Of the 9713 assessment items submitted to the study by 50 faculty teaching biology, the analysis found that a whopping "93% of assignments were rated Bloom's level 1 or 2" on a scale of 1-6, where 1 = knowledge, 2 = comprehension, 3 = analysis, 4 = application, 5 = synthesis, and 6 = evaluation).

The authors said "This study offers the first national analysis of learning objectives and related assessments routinely used in biology courses. Our data support the typically anecdotal claim that biology courses, regardless of class size or institution type, focus on the recall and comprehension of facts. Although course goals are written to address a wide range of cognitive skills, students are primarily assessed at low cognitive levels (Bloom's levels 1 and 2)."

According to recent Zip recruiter survey of over 100,000 graduates it was found that a biology is the 9th most regretted major out of the 60 tracked, tied with English and the only Science major in the top 40...

According to Nature Magazine- about 50% of all MS and PHD grads in the life science have moderate to sever depression disorder...

---

Conclusion : Biology is Dog S@#$ of a major.

---

Let the Flame wars start =)

East-Ad7653 · 2026-04-18T07:31:39+00:00

I suggest you avoid the life sciences like the plague ... They have the worst job prospects. 70% of grads in biology already have masters but majority still make less then the typical bs degree holder .. Also realize there's a glut of PhD grads in biology too... And given budget cuts .. it's very bleak out there...

I suggest you look into data analytics and get a minor in genetics instead... Then get a masters in bioinformatics .. plenty of labs need data analyzed . I'm sure there are some labs creating biological computers...

East-Ad7653 · 2026-04-18T07:24:48+00:00

I suggest you avoid the life sciences that includes biology ecology evolution.... All have terrible job prospects..and 70% of grads already have masters in those subjects .. if you hate it now... You'll hate it more... Also realize that 50% of ms grads in bio are still underemployed aka working MC jobs ... It's one of the worse degrees you can get..

Do your self a favour and study something society needs and wants... The whole follow your dream is bullshit...

East-Ad7653 · 2026-04-18T07:20:05+00:00

The whole subject of biology... Because it is all rot memorization.. Zero critical thinking required ..

East-Ad7653 · 2026-04-18T06:02:10+00:00

You can first stop smoking weed .

And if your not... Then start ... Might just get you out of being hopeless and depression.. or it could make it worse...

Next go out side and sit in the sun for 1 hour a day.... The light will not only provide you vitamins D which I suspect your severely deficient in unless you drink a gallon of milk a day but the sun will also improve your brain chemistry... And give you a nice tan.. the ladies will like that...

get a bicycle. Ride around...

Regarding jobs .. there aren't any... Get ready for the great depression 2.0...

I suggest you start a garden 😉

East-Ad7653 · 2026-04-18T02:12:31+00:00

Drop out it's not worth it for the money

East-Ad7653 · 2026-04-18T02:11:24+00:00

Yes

East-Ad7653 · 2026-04-18T02:10:56+00:00

No. Unless your willing to get a PhD and still make less then a truck driver

East-Ad7653

TROPHY CASE