chances for top tier Bioengineering PhD programs

[mguj1130]

I am going to be a senior this fall at the University of Miami and am a biomedical engineering major. I was wondering what my chances would be at some of the more prestegious schools for this major. Some of the schools that I am considering applying to are: Stanford, MIT, Johns Hopkins, Case Western, WashU, Northwestern, Columbia and most likely a few more once I do more research on the departments and what research they have going on. Here are my stats:

School: University of Miami

Major: Biomedical Engineering (minor in Chemistry)

GPA: 3.924

GRE: 790Q/ 620V/ 5 A

Research:

1 summer at the University of Akron doing Matlab modelling on biofilms and their response to drugs and nutrient supplies (not that relevant but a good intro experience to research)

1 summer REU at the University of Akron Polymer Science and Engineering- Worked in a macromolecular engineering research group, worked on synthetic biomaterials and testing their biocompatibility

1 academic year at UMiami Chem Department- Worked on creating fluorescent probes for imaging biological systems and in particular chemotherapy drugs

This summer I have an internship at University of Southern California, I will be working with micro scaled drug delivery systems

LOR's

1.) I will have one written by the Professor with whom I worked with my second summer at UAkron, she absolutely loved me and their Polymer Science department is one of the top in the nation believe it or not

2.) I will (hopefully) have one from the professor I work with at USC

3.) For my last one it will either be with the professor with whom I worked with in the chemistry deparmtment, Stanford graduate, or from my advisor whom I will most likely be working with this coming year on my senior design project on something to do with biomaterials for the heart.

I haven't recieved any awards really but I have had two papers published and one or two more sent for review. I am also the vice president of Alpha Eta Mu Beta (the BMES honors society) and have been an athletic tutor the past few years, not sure if this information is important though.

My main concern is that I will not be graduating from a prestigious university or one that is highly ranked for engineering but I feel as if I have done pretty much everything I can to prove that I would be a good candidate for the schools I find myself to be a good fit at.

In addition, I am mainly interested in the biomaterials/tissue engineering/drug delivery aspect of biomedical engineering and not the electronics/imaging part. A few of the schools seem to include this type of research under their chemical engineering department so I am considering applying to some of these schools for chemical engineering, would that be possible since that wasnt my undergrad major? I know ive read a few places that I would have to take a few extra courses to supplement the courses I did not take as an undergrad.

Anyways, I would appreciate any honest input and advice...Thanks!

[international_student]

if you published two papers in your undergraduate then you should be able to get into at least 1 or 2 of the top 5 ranking colleges. you can increase your chance by contacting the professors whose research areas are similar with the research you have conducted.

[Polymers! JHU!]

Those are not bad scores bud! I have similar scores (30 less on the Verbal) and I have one publication. I am also looking to apply to some of the programs you have mentioned for BME. Could you PM me so that we could share notes on the application process?

[Polymers! JHU!]

Those are not bad scores bud! I have similar scores (30 less on the Verbal) and I have one publication. I am also looking to apply to some of the programs you have mentioned for BME. Could you PM me so that we could share notes on the application process?

[Sephi226]

Look deeper into WashU's BioE. It's solid stuff.