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Hi all, So right now I'm having the hardest time deciding between Berkeley/UCSF's bioE MS and Duke's BME MS. So what I like about the UCB/UCSF program is that it is catered towards the industry. I am definitely planning on going towards the industry after grad so that is a nice plus. Additionally, SF has the benefit of being already a big biotech hub. On the downside, this program is really new. If I were to go there would only be 2 graduating classes before me. That being said, for a new program, it does have 2 good names associated with it. On the other hand, Duke is a more traditional MS however is ranked #3. Additionally they are waiving 1/2 my tuition + funded research position. Although it is a more research focused program, I know they have pretty important recruiters go over there. Although it is not as industry focused as UCB/UCSF I feel like the prestige/rank along with recruiters makes it a compelling option for those seeking the industry. Plus the fact that this program a 1.5-2 years could allow me to do an internship in the summer whereas UCB/UCSF is just 1 year. I think I am leaning towards Duke however, I could really use advice/opinions on the subject. What do you guys think?

Top 20 ECE schools 1. MIT, Stanford 3. Berkeley, UIUC 5. Georgia Tech 6. Cal Tech 7. Carnegie Mellon, U Mich 9. Cornell 10. Princeton, Purdue 12. UT Austin 13. UCLA 14. USC, U of Wisconsin-Madison 16. UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, U of Maryland 19. Columbia, Ohio State

^^ Wow congrats on the MIT/Harvard HST acceptance. Their MEMP program sounds fantastic. I would like to apply there once I finish my MS in BME. Out of curiosity, how did you frame your SOP when you were applying. You don't need to give me details but how did you formulate your general pitch?

Undergrad Institution: University of California, San Diego Major(s): Chemical Engineering Overall GPA: 3.42 Advanced GPA: 3.76 Type of Student: American GRE Scores: Q: 156 (74%) V: 162 (90%) W: 4.0 (48%) Research Experience: 2 months Bionanotech lab 6 months nanomedicine lab Industry Experience: 1 year as Research Associate at material science company: Work on Li-ion batteries and supercapacitors Completed several projects for fortune 100 companies Applying on a patent for new chemical discovery Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Provost honors Applying for [ M.S. ] at: Duke - BME Accepted w/50% tuition scholarship + paid RA position UC Berekeley/UCSF - BioE Accepted Boston University - BME UCSD - Chem E University of Washington - BioE UPenn - BME

Out of curiosity, which school were you reffering holds interviews for MS in BME?

Given your stats, you have a pretty good chance of getting into all of those schools. My stats are not as impressive as yours and I got into Duke and interview with Berkeley/UCSF. Although FYI, you might want to remove Harvard from that list. It is far from being a top BME program. Just because a school is an ivy leage doesn't mean its individual programs are top.

My last 2 years is essentially all my upper div engineering courses. So yeah A- minus average for eng/sci classes. Unfortunately my cumulative is more complicated. I went 2 different four year schools. I started out at UC Santa Barbara and had a bad freshman year (18 and dumb). I left that school, went to a community college, got my shit together, and transferred to UC San Diego. That's where I spent my last 2 years and got my degree in Chem E. My cumulative unfortunately is 3.428 due to my bad freshman year at UCSB. However, I do know that my GPA of the last years is more important and is also above the average for almost all the schools in the top 15. MS average for bioE/chemE range typically from 3.5-3.6. Certain individual schools are in the 3.7 range. As for my friend, he went to the same school as me and worked on the same research as me. I think that he made a really good pitch on his SOP for his app. I believe that is what got him in. As for work experience, a lot of the MS applicants are applying straight out of undergrad, so usually pretty low. As for publications, they certainly help but are relatively rare at the MS level. Expectations are much higher on that front at the phD level.

So I just got my GRE scores from my Sep 3 test. Results were 156 on Q (74% or 720 on old scale) and 162 on V (90% or 640 on old scale). As for the AWA: engineering schools don't give a shit nor do I. However, let me reassure that i am indeed literate. Anyways, my Q is clearly below the average of the top 15 chem E/Bio E schools I'm applying to for an MS. However, back when I signed up for my Sep GRE, I signed up for an additional Nov 18th GRE just in case my scores came out and were a disaster. This way I would have a week and a half to try again. Now my score isn't disastrous but it isn't great either. My question is at this point: is it worth taking it again on Nov 18th? I would be more than happy to simply cancel it and go on with my life however, I feel like I should bounce the idea around with people. Yes, my score not ideal but I feel like it should be enough to pass whatever cut off they use for screening purposes. I mean, my buddy got into Berkeley Chem E MS program (#2 in the nation) with a 79% Q. Also his stats outside of the GREs were similar to mine if not a bit less. My upper div GPA is a 3.76 (higher than my friend's) in Chem E. I did research in a lab back at school and I currently work as an RA in a professional lab so I definitely have research experience. Plus, I have solid LORs. A large part of me wants to just turn the page and just go with my scores. However, I can't help but have nagging doubts over the damn quantitative section. So what do you guys think, should I just be okay with things or cram the next week and a half for the test for a potentially higher score. This of course means that there is a possibility that I could score worse. Plus it would be my 3rd test this year since I bombed the quant the first time I took it (670, 61%) back in August. What do you guys think?

What is an HCP applicant? Also I'm not sure what UclaColumbia response regarding fall admissions has to do with rolling admissions.

Hey guys, I was wondering if any of the graduate engineering programs do rolling admission? So far I'm thinking not however I'd like to see if anybody has some insight on this issue. I'm applying to ChemE and BioE programs so if anybody if any of the top schools are doing rolling admissions, it would be great to know.

Hey guys, I was wondering if any of the graduate engineering programs do rolling admission? So far I'm thinking not however I'd like to see if anybody has some insight on this issue. I'm applying to ChemE and BioE programs so if anybody if any of the top schools are doing rolling admissions, it would be great to know.

Hey guys, So I am currently working on the Berkeley bioE MS app and there is a space available for the advanced undegrad GPA which is your college level excluding the first two years. Unfortunately, this can be a complicated question because I am a transfer student that went to more than one school. The break down is as follows: 1.5 years at UC Santa Barbara (left and had bad academic performance), 1.5 years at community college (got my shit together), transferred to UC San Diego where I spent 2 years and earned chemical engineering degree with high GPA. Now as you can see some of my community college time is outside of the first 2 years of schooling so I need to know if am supposed to include that in the Advanced GPA. I feel like UCSD GPA alone is more relevant since that is where I earned my degree and did all my upper div chemical engineering courses however, I do not want to omit necessary information. Second question regards major GPA: Does that mean calculating GPA of only chemical engineering classes or all classes that are part of the chemical engineering curriculum?

Well how about in the engineering field? I'm assuming its ok but I want to be sure first.

Btw, is it kosher to email more than one professor from the same grad program about interest in their research.

Hi, I just graduated from UCSD in Chem E and I started working as an RA in a startup in San Diego. The company does research in cathode and electrolyte material discovery. Anyways, I'm applying for an MS in chem E and BME programs and was wondering if my research in the company is going to be valued as much as in the academic level. Now, I've done research at school for different professors however, I would have worked longer in my company's lab than any other. So, help me out guys, is my industry level research going to be just as valued as the rest of my research?

Hey Everyone, so I am applying to Chem E and BME MS programs for next year and had a question about research. So I did research at UCSD in the Chem E department for different labs. The first was a 1-2 month summer thing but the other was a 3-4 month reactor design project that I never got to see the end result of because I graduated during the summer. Anyways, now I am working at a start up in San Diego that specializes in discovery of new cathode and electrolyte materials for Li+ batteries. My official title is research assistant and I am working in a lab with potential for getting my name on patents if I participate in any discovery. Ok, so background aside, my question considers how grad schools are going to view my job. Do you guys think that they are going to file it simply under the general "work experience" category or are they going to consider it as equivalent research to working under a professor at school. The reason for my concern is that I understand that research is more valued by grad schools than your typical work experience. Therefore, I would like to see your opinions if my RA position at work will count more as the former or as the latter. Thanks.

Do you think I should make a reference to the discrepancy in my academic record somewhere in the academic record. You know something along the lines of personal growth, or something to that effect?

Hey everyone, This is my first time posting in this forum however, I figured this would be a good place to get some answers. Anyways, my situation is that I went to 2 different schools for my undergrad. So I was at UC Santa Barbara my freshman year but wasn't focused on school so I left after my first year. So I got my act together, went to a CC, and transferred to UC San Diego. There I graduated with a BS in chemical engineering with a GPA of 3.76. Now the problem is that the great folks at the UC came up with the brilliant idea of counting my UCSB GPA into an overall UC GPA when you look at my official transcript. So although my UCSD GPA is 3.76, my GPA at UCSB when I left was like a 2.6, bring my overall UC GPA down to a 3.428. Ok so fast forward to now. I am applying to MS programs in chemical engineering and bio/biomed engineering. The question is: What aspect of my GPA are the admission people going to focus? Even though my UCSB academic performance was pretty decadent, it was only my first year when I was just taking the basic math and chemistry courses whereas at UCSD is where I obtained my degree and took all my upper div and chemical engineering courses. I'm planning on applying to the top 10 schools in both majors (as well as a few others) and I'm worried how much my freshman year blunder is going to debilitate me. If any of you guys have any input/advice on this issue I would greatly appreciate it.