Biomedical/ Bio-engineering MS/PHD chances

[bob311]

Hey all, I am actually writing this post for my brother. I myself am a philosopher/ law student so I don't understand much but please help if you can. 

His stats

Gre:

verbal: 169/170 (99%)

Math: 168/170 (95%)

Writing: 5

GPA 3.5 from Lehigh University, Bioengineering undergrad with minors in mechanical engineering and something else. 

Edit: he doesn't have any publications, but has done work with numerous professors and with practitioners. He has projects he developed himself going into the industry and have already been successfully used in hospital settings (sorry thats all I really know, I don't understand the specifics). He also has done a senior capstone that is also being used effectively in trials for production for some hospital application (also don't understand the specifics). Sorry if that helps or doesn't. 

He applied to Duke, UNC, UVA, Vanderbilt, UMD, Cornell, uDel, GT for PHD (he really wants to go to Duke)

Masters- Duke, GT, Cornell, Brown, Yale, Upenn, Hopkins, Imperial, Edinburgh

Basically stats for admission are hard to find in comparison of something like law school where there are a ton of places to see scores and admission chances. 

Also, if he didn't get into a PHD he really wanted like Duke, would it be better going to a masters and then reapplying or is it like philosophy where getting into a phd, no matter where, is a blessing. 

Thanks for the help and my ignorance. 

Edited December 1, 2015 by bob311

[tuckbro]

I am a Lehigh grad as well!

 

Lehigh has a great reputation so that will help him.  I can tell you that top 10 schools such as Duke look for 95% plus in Quants and 3.85 plus GPA, so I am not sure is the 3.5 would be a dealbreaker there.  Most importantly they look for fit.  The year I applied Duke had no openings in Cell and Tissue so rejected all applicants in that interest area and focused on staffing their other labs.  So it really depends on what they have open versus what he has listed as his area of interest.

Generally I think his stats seem to fit most of the schools listed, Duke being a reach, but not impossbile.

PhD vs. Masters depends on his career goals, but many poeple to go into a Masters first.  Masters he would need to pay for, and Phd would be funded at top shcools.

I applied to 7 top 10 schools and two top 20.  Got into 5 top 10 and 1 top 20.    I had 169 quant and 3.97 GPA as a frame of reference.

Good luck to your brother and Lehigh Strong!

.

 

[Edotdl]

With his GPA/GRE he should be fairly competitve for MS programs. However, you haven't really provided much info regarding his research so it's almost impossible to judge his chances for PhD programs. Without solid research experience, coupled with his below average GPA, it might be difficult to get into the more competitve programs on the list.

[bob311]

26 minutes ago, Edotdl said:

With his GPA/GRE he should be fairly competitve for MS programs. However, you haven't really provided much info regarding his research so it's almost impossible to judge his chances for PhD programs. Without solid research experience, coupled with his below average GPA, it might be difficult to get into the more competitve programs on the list.

Yeah sorry I don't really understand much of what he says. I know he doesn't have any papers published but he has worked on a few with some professors. Also he has extensive lab experience in various setting including hospitals. He has made two things that are now being tested/used in hospitals from his own research and design (I don't know if this counts as research or not, coming from philosophy something is either published or isn't, but I don't know what this counts as). He also has worked in varying labs over the past 5 years, some with professors, some in the private sector. I know his lab work and research in that area is extremely extensive, but as far as a name on a paper in a journal, nothing he has written himself.

 

A general question. I know his ultimate goal is a PHD, but does getting an MS hurt that goal or does it make someone a more competitive applicant after for a phd? The financial situation is tough so unless he gets a funded MS it will be unlikely he can afford to attend unfortunately. Do these MS programs give any funding? I know in philosophy some MS programs will.

 

Also, you both pointed out he might not be super competitive with the lower GPA for schools like Duke. Will a MS help offset that? Finally, what are his chances for a PHD at schools like Vandy, UMD, UVA?

Edited December 15, 2015 by bob311

[Edotdl]

25 minutes ago, bob311 said:

Yeah sorry I don't really understand much of what he says. I know he doesn't have any papers published but he has worked on a few with some professors. Also he has extensive lab experience in various setting including hospitals. He has made two things that are now being tested/used in hospitals from his own research and design (I don't know if this counts as research or not, coming from philosophy something is either published or isn't, but I don't know what this counts as). He also has worked in varying labs over the past 5 years, some with professors, some in the private sector. I know his lab work and research in that area is extremely extensive, but as far as a name on a paper in a journal, nothing he has written himself.

 

A general question. I know his ultimate goal is a PHD, but does getting an MS hurt that goal or does it make someone a more competitive applicant after for a phd? The financial situation is tough so unless he gets a funded MS it will be unlikely he can afford to attend unfortunately. Do these MS programs give any funding? I know in philosophy some MS programs will.

 

Also, you both pointed out he might not be super competitive with the lower GPA for schools like Duke. Will a MS help offset that? Finally, what are his chances for a PHD at schools like Vandy, UMD, UVA?

It sounds like he has enough research experience, if he's been working in labs for 5 years.

A MS will generally make someone more competitive assuming what they're doing for the MS is related to the PhD. I know some MS programs are funded through TAships but those seem to be competitive and don't offer full funding (e.g. may only cover tuition or part of tuition). A good MS GPA generally helps offset a low undergrad GPA, especially since he has a 3.5 so there's not that much he needs to compensate for. The experience from an MS will probably weigh more than the increased GPA. I can't judge his chances at those schools since I don't really know much about them. Sorry.