A calling to all BME FALL 2008 Applicants:):)

[crossedfingers]

uhuh::

Boston University Biomedical Engineering, PhD Rejected by Postal Service A 8 Feb 2008 Letter dated 2/1/2008

this was posted on the grad results site. makes me kinda nervous.

[christina_bme]

Thanks all for the good wishes. I really needed the lift after not getting a positive response from Purdue. I can't say that I know much about how UMN does their admissions, but I'm sure they will be continuing to call people. I'm sure that with the visiting weekends so late, it'll be hell on the waitlisted folks. If I decide to go somewhere else, I'll let them know ASAP for everyone's sake.

And yes...Minneapolis is an awesome city. I actually did an internship there one summer. I'm a little biased because I have never experienced snow there, though. Cost of living is a bit high, but I think it's definitely way better than Boston or New York. There's so much fun stuff to see and do, and I loved the variety of neighborhoods in the city. It's very diverse for the Midwest.

I'm not expecting much from BU. That application was a bit half-hearted on my part anyway, and the odds are not good. I still want to know who the heck got the rejection letter, though.

[crossedfingers]

U PItt: accepted

very weird though. No mention of financial aid or visit weekend. It practically only says that Ive been accepted and they need a notification by April 1.

[123456789]

I just got the letter from Pitt as well (was off on a visiting weekend). Very uninformative indeed. My envelope also contained two identical copies of the letter. Weird.

Let us know if you find out any more specifics, and I will do the same.

[crossedfingers]

i got two letters too. i'll call on monday see what they have to say.

on a different note, I had a question for you 123456789. You said you have done your masters right? Was there a particular reason you chose to only get a MS degree and not go for a full fledged PhD at that time? Now when all the applying bizness is over, I feel like Ive made a huge mistake. I applied to 9 programs. Most of my top choices were MS. My reasoning at that time was based on my friend's experience. She told me it was easier to get into an MS program of your choice (esp for international) students than a PhD. I went with what she said, without realizing that I probably had a stronger profile than her and a better chance of getting into the schools I really wanted to go. Well now with all these MS offers coming in ( with no guaranteed funding) I feel like an idiot! I have always wanted to go the whole nine yards and get that PhD and right now I can't believe i made such a stupid decision, based on someone else's experience. *kicks her self*

anyhow, i was just wondering why you got your MS first? Was it really easier to get in?

[123456789]

I actually didn't get an MS. I got an MEng which is 1 year and not a first step toward a Ph.D. It was just a way to get my feet wet, take a bunch of classes, and see if BME was really what I wanted (my undergrad was something different). Obviously since I am at this point, I found it was exactly what I had hoped.

I don't know the ins and outs of graduate programs at all so I think other people are more qualified to answer your question about MS vs PhD. I imagine your approach is a common one.

I just realized something though about Pitt. When I contacted them a couple of weeks ago about whether they had a visiting weekend (regardless of whether I would be attending), they said:

"We are planning a recruitment weekend for March 6-8, however, because of the very competitive nature of our program, it is by invitation only. If you are accepted into the program, and invited to the weekend, you will hear from me by email and regular mail."

Now I've received their acceptance. But it was dated Feb 5. If nobody has contacted us about any visit by now, does that mean we aren't invited?

[miketakena]

... Most of my top choices were MS. My reasoning at that time was based on my friend's experience. She told me it was easier to get into an MS program of your choice (esp for international) students than a PhD. I went with what she said, without realizing that I probably had a stronger profile than her and a better chance of getting into the schools I really wanted to go. Well now with all these MS offers coming in ( with no guaranteed funding) I feel like an idiot! ...Was it really easier to get in?

I would like to share that MS programs are indeed easier to be admitted mainly because most MS are not funded.. and tuition from MS programs is a source of income for schools (thus MS admissions carries no financial risk). But top schools still choose MS applicants so as not to dilute quality.

[crossedfingers]

so I called PITT. they told me that this year there were inviting only the top 15 applicants for the recruitment weekend. if you don't receive an email, means you didn't make the 15 list. And apparently I have to look for my own funding (?) (aka) harass some professors! I kinda don't like the idea of not getting to see the campus and having to find my own funding over emails and phone calls.

The lady ( lynette) sounded kinda pissed. I think she had been answering similar calls all day! It wouldn't hurt them to be less cryptic in their letters.

[crossedfingers]

did anyone apply for Tau Beta Pi fellowship this year? Have u heard anything back?

[anonymous_]

I emailed the University of Washington where I had applied to their Ph.D. program- got rejected =(

But at least that means I can go to the biomaterials, TE- focused recruiting weekend at the University of Minnesota =) (it's the same weekend that UW is holding their interviews- March 27-30). I know Minnesota is supposed to have another recruiting weekend the weekend right afterwards- not sure what the focus is going to be then, but the professor who called me told me that the first weekend is going to be more about biomaterials and tissue engineering which happens to be her (and my) area of interest.

[red_dragone]

Blah, emailed Washington and they haven't even reviewed my application yet! *dies* I keep thinking 'this week I'll know' and then the Universities are like 'ha, what you thought sucka! :twisted: '

[123456789]

But at least that means I can go to the biomaterials, TE- focused recruiting weekend at the University of Minnesota =) (it's the same weekend that UW is holding their interviews- March 27-30). I know Minnesota is supposed to have another recruiting weekend the weekend right afterwards- not sure what the focus is going to be then, but the professor who called me told me that the first weekend is going to be more about biomaterials and tissue engineering which happens to be her (and my) area of interest.

That's the opposite of what I was told. Here's part of the follow-up email I got after the phone call:

"We will be holding two weekends, 28-30 March (focusing on instrumentation and imaging) and 4-6 April (focusing on biomaterials, biomechanics, and cell and tissue engineering)."

I'm more on the instrumentation side, so that's the one I'm planning on attending. Worth checking into.

[anonymous_]

That's the opposite of what I was told. Here's part of the follow-up email I got after the phone call:

"We will be holding two weekends, 28-30 March (focusing on instrumentation and imaging) and 4-6 April (focusing on biomaterials, biomechanics, and cell and tissue engineering)."

I'm more on the instrumentation side, so that's the one I'm planning on attending. Worth checking into.

ahh, weird, because the professor i talked to definitely said it was the late March weekend that was biomaterials/TE-focused- i wanted to make sure i had the right dates because i knew the UWashington interview dates would be around the same time. i'll call the professor tomorrow just to make sure because showing up for the wrong weekend would definitely suck. and i'll post what i find out. but thanks for the heads-up.

[miketakena]

That's cool... there is a burgeoining biomaterials group here... may I know which area of biomaterials are you guys interested in?

[christina_bme]

Hi 1234567, I think whoever emailed you may have been mixed up, because I was told that March 28-29 was the biomaterials/TE weekend. I haven't gotten a confirmation email yet, but I'm hoping to hear a definite answer this week.

I'm interested in biomimetic materials and biocompatibility.

[anon2468]

has anyone else heard from Duke BME? I thought I would have heard something by now...

[anonymous_]

Alright, I emailed the professor who called me and this is what she wrote back:

"I just talked to our staff who is arranging the recruiting weekends. You are right. March 28-30 was originally scheduled for the focus of biomaterials/tissue and cellular engineering, but now is changed to the focus of instrumentation and imaging. Sorry about the confusion. We look forward to seeing you here on the weekend April 2-4."

And by April 2-4, I hope she means April 4-6.

Anyway, I'm interested in smart biomaterials and their applications in drug delivery and tissue engineering.

[hopingforfunding]

Hey everyone,

I just heard from 2 schools, got accepted for Ph.D. programs! CWRU in Materials Eng full Grad Assistant, Drexel U BME post-masters Ph.D. (I do not have a masters?) no word on funding yet for a few more weeks. Just want this to be over so I can plan to move somewhere. My GRE scores were a little low math wise for an engineer but I still got into Ph.D. programs. Q: 650, V:550, W: 6, GPA 3.36. I have a lot of research though and publications/ sports and activities so I think that helped a lot. I applied to half BME and half MTLE programs with research in bioengineering. Good luck to everyone.

Yes: Drexel University BME, Case Western MTLE

No: None

Interview: Dartmouth

Waiting: MIT MTLE, UMich MTLE, BU BME, Brown MTLE, Dartmouth ENG, RPI BME, Cornell MTLE, Columbia BME, UPenn Bioeng, Case Western BME

[crossedfingers]

has anyone else heard from Duke BME? I thought I would have heard something by now...

nope. and I'm tired of waiting. They have already made their first round of calls. My guess is they might * fiercely crossed fingers* do a second round of calls later. wishful thinkging~~~~ Anyone received a rejection letter from Duke yet?

I 'm also sick of waiting for stanford! I wish I would know soon. I need to move on with my life! been checking crazy things on craigslist. I did not know how cheap it was to live in IN. And the weather is a tad bit better than MN!

[McNutt]

I'm a grad student at Duke and went through this mess last year. As I understand it, Duke does not do waves of calls. The professors pick and choose at their own pace and invite you for interviews. Good luck!

[crossedfingers]

pick and choose at their own pace? Good god! that sounds worse than the slow painful scenes they show on 'SAW"

[McNutt]

Unlike a lot of places, there is no admissions committee. You are basically applying to labs.

[miketakena]

Unlike a lot of places, there is no admissions committee. You are basically applying to labs.

Hey McNutt, does Duke pay for the interview trip?

[McNutt]

yep, at least for domestics.

[bme_dude]

Unlike a lot of places, there is no admissions committee. You are basically applying to labs.

this has got to be the saddest thing for me. I emailed a prof. at Duke asking if he would be take me as a student. He replied by saying that my application is currently being reviewed by the "committee". I think thats code for go away. what do you guys think about that messed up response?