MS or PhD for Bioengineering Programs?

[Savvak]

Hey Everyone!

 

I was wondering whether a Masters is easier to get accepted into than a PhD program for Bioengineering. I was intially applying for a Master's program until I talked to my research professor who told me that I should apply for a PhD. A master's was my initial goal because I recently became enamored with bioengineering this past year so I figured that I would need some extra preperation before undertaking a PhD program. So aside from getting funding, what type of degree program would be less competitive?

 

I'll list my stats below for any necessary information or thoughts regarding what program I should apply for.

 

Thanks!

 

Application Area: Bioengineering - Systems and Synthetic Biology (Fall 2015)

B.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering (The graduate program is Top 10 if that means anything...)

  GPA: 3.76

Research Experience:

  Civil Engineering related: 3 Years

    Hydraulics Lab: Experimental work with fluid mechanics

    Hydrology Lab: Computational work modeling and forecasting hydrological processes.

  Bioengineering related: 1 Year

    Systems Biology Lab: Modeling and elucidating the mechanisms of a biological reaction-diffusion system.

GRE: V:156, Q:170, AW: 4.5

Extra related courses: PDE's, Mathematical Biology, Biology (intro molecular bio).

Recommendations: 3 really good ones (hopefully haha)

 

My dream school is UCSD which offers both a masters and a PhD in bioengineering. Other schools that I am applying to include Boston University, Stanford, Northwestern, Duke, Cornell, and UMichigan.

[tuckbro]

A quick look at the results tab for this school and program, shows that very high stats are accepted in PhD progam ( 3.9 plus) and lower threshold for Masters (3.5-3.8), so you can make the assumption that the Masters is a bit less competative.  I recommend you take a closer look at the results however and you can make a better determination.

[Savvak]

Thanks Tuckbro! I also agree with that assumption after checking out the results page.