Best undergrad choice for preparation for PhD programs in BME?

[inn0v8r]

End goal is academia. Would appreciate any thoughts, even if just on individual choices, or schools that should definitely be kept or dropped from the list.

MIT - course 2A (mechanical engineering degree with flexibility to take many BME electives)

Johns Hopkins - BME or BME+EE or MechE

Caltech - Engineering and Applied Science major - very flexible major

UC Berkeley - Bioengineering

Rice - Bioengineering

Duke - BME or BME+EE or MechE

Northwestern - BME or BME+EE or MechE

Washington University in St. Louis - BME or BME+EE or MechE

Columbia - BME (is core curriculum too time consuming?)

Brown - BME

Yale - BME

 

 

[Demeter]

I'm not in your field, but I want to caution you to also very carefully consider other factors than the fit of your major in making your final choices. Things like living situation, weather, location, and the school(s) you could see yourself being happy also impact your success in your major and thus your graduate applications. 

For example, I had a friend who went to School X because it was objectively best in Y. They ended up being much happier at a different school, that while not as prestigious, was a better fit for her individual context. They got into a highly ranked grad school because they had been happy at their new school, had worked well with professors, and generally found the environment more suited to their needs. 

I know this post likely wasn't very helpful at all, but at the UG level, just as at the graduate level, there is a lot to consider. When you visit schools, get a feel for your own personal fit, how well you will work with a professor in your major and your advisor. Opportunities to engage in the community and on campus are key for graduate applications, too.  

Not that this is an endorsement, but I know someone who went to WashU for Engineering. They ended up with a lot of industry connections, but that was their goal. I personally like the area, and found it very suited to college living when I visited them. 

 

ETA: I know I wasn't much help, but good luck to you! College is a life changing adventure. Enjoy every second, even the stress laden ones. 

[inn0v8r]

Demeter, thank you very much for your reply.

[Demeter]

@inn0v8r You're quite welcome. I was a tour leader/admissions liaison for a few years, so I really enjoy talking with students as they make their choices. It's an exciting time. Hope you find the answers you seek. 

[inn0v8r]

Thank you Demeter,

Would anybody care to say anything just on MIT versus JHU versus Columbia, as preparation for a PhD in BME or preparation for grad school in general?

Thanks in advance!

[zipykido]

I'm kind of doing BME right now for my PhD (protein engineering and vaccine design) but my major was chemical engineering with a two year stint in cancer biology research. Obviously big name schools certainly help getting your foot in the door but I would say that liking what you do is even more important. The only deadstop for me would be whether your school was ABET accredited or not, which is useful if you decided to work a bit before grad school. Look at the BME departments and figure out which ones have labs doing things that you might enjoy doing since BME is such a diverse and interdisciplinary field, ask the schools whether it's common for students (even freshmen) to work in labs and go to the school that has research that is both interesting and you could get involved in. Prepping for engineering graduate research is simply a question of learning how to be a good researcher, and that's half acquired and half innate I would say. 

[Morely]

I'm a PhD student in BME now and I went into my undergrad thinking I'd major in BME and then go on to grad school. My biggest advice would be to NOT major in BME. I switched to a different engineering major after freshman year and I'm thankful I did. Not only will it make it easier to get research/internships during undergrad, but you'll actually have more useful skills once you hit grad school. Most of the BMEs I know wish they had done the same. If you can go to a school where, in addition to a regular major, you can take a minor or second major in BME, that is ideal. 

It also depends on what type of BME you want to do. Some of the bioengineering schools will include requirements (like taking thermo classes) that are aimed more at bioreactors/environmental science than medicine. 

Beyond that, pick the school with the best undergraduate research opportunities. That will matter more than the pedigree of the larger undergraduate institution when applying to grad school. I know people from mediocre regional institutions who got into Stanford because they were successful in research. None of those schools for undergrad would ever prevent you from getting a BME faculty position. People will mostly forget about your undergrad once you're in graduate school.