Bioengineering UCSD vs. UPenn (Help me!)

[Yae Lim Lee]

I have to decide between UCSD and UPenn bioengineering program. What are the strengths of two schools? What do you think? I am currently interested in systems bio/neuoengineering/biodevice, but I am open to other options, too.... Hmm... where to go? I need your help!

[Quantum Buckyball]

I think the main question, where do you think you'll have a higher chance to get accepted?

UPenn is definitely a lot more well-known and prestige than UCSD. However, If you're an international applicant, it will be very harder for you to get into a PhD program at tier 1 schools here in the US.

My friend who is an international student and she told me a lot of her friends got turned down by tier 2 or tier 3 schools due to federal and state budget cut. Her friends were all out-standing applicants (as in have a very strong GRE, GPA, and research experience, top 10% of graduating class).

[ghanada]

@SPDFG13579 - I think you might have misread the post, I am pretty sure the OP has already been accepted to both programs and needs to decide where to go before April 15th.

Congrats by the way on those acceptances! Those are both amazing schools (I got rejected from both trying to do the same things you are doing). From my research into these schools and all the time I spent trying to find potential PIs, I feel like I couldn't find a perfect fit for neuroengineering at UCSD? Did you find people that do exactly what you are interested in? I think at UPenn the only person I could find in neuroeng was Brian Litt. If you found potential advisers at both places, pick the place you think you will have a better relationship with your adviser. That is such a huge part of the PhD and can completely make or break your experience.

I'm particularly interested in neural prosthetics and brain-computer interface devices. If you have a similar interest and want to talk about specifics at each school and the profs, send me a message.

[intirb]

@ghanada, there are a few other faculty members at penn doing neuroengineering work. If either of you are interested in names, PM me!