<p>My son is a HS junior. Both his dad and I are structural engineers. DS is really good at math and biology. We're not sure about physics yet. He's trying to figure out what to major in. He's the kind of kid who would major in ditch digging if that's what WE suggested! Easy-going, wanting to please us.</p>
<p>He is FASCINATED with biology - whenever there's a TV show on about the human body, he's glued to the set. Not so much with engineering topics. So it seems like medical research or med school would be a good fit for him, so maybe he should major in biology rather than engineering? I think he would love biomedical engineering, but I don't know if he could get accepted. He's on the high honor roll (1 of 3 kids out of 178 in his class), but his first SAT attempt wasn't so hot (690 math, 620 CR, 600 writing - the writing was a shock, because he did really well on the practice tests in his prep class). He's hoping to get his SAT score higher, and he'll take the ACT in the fall. I think he's in the top 10% of his class, although he had a rough start in 9th grade. That's all the info the school will give out (top 10%, 20%, etc.).</p>
<p>We're trying to decide if we should automatically eliminate any school from his list that does NOT have engineering. Oh, he's also a very good distance runner, so that complicates things more. Right now, I feel as if we're floundering. How do you start narrowing down your list of choices when the kid is agreeable to any location, any size school, LAC or not, etc., etc.?? Ack.</p>
<p>Oh, can you tell he's our oldest? Maybe #2 and #3 will be easier.</p>
<p>Just curious, if you son was considering bioengineering, would he be more interested in a biomedical devices focus or a biomolecular focus, possibly genetics?</p>
<p>If your son is into the body, biology and sports why would you want to force him into engineering? Let him decide what he wants to do. As for being a doctor I am not certain what the best degree would be because it would entirely depend on what he is most interested in and what can get him the highest gpa. I know some MDs who have English degrees because they knew they could ace it, I would have flunked out of school as an English major for sure.</p>
<p>Other ideas apart from medical school and engineering; Kinesiology, Physical Therapy, Genetics, neurobiology, anatomy, physiology, etc.</p>
<p>Yeah, if he wants to be a doctor, then almost any major he can do well in will be alright. I have heard of music majors going on to medical school. You really don’t have to know much science to be a doctor. It’s just like in some engineering disciplines which work at an abstraction level so far above the physical level. In those fields you don’t have to be that knowledgeable about physical phenomena because you get to work with the easier to use abstractions the physicists hand you.</p>
<p>Top 10% and that SAT score isn’t bad at all. He can get into many good engineering programs with those scores. For example, GT has it’s Math SAT mid range at 650-730 and it’s CR at 590-690. If can raise his SAT score a little, that would be helpful, but he’s not a long shot as it currently stands.</p>
<p>(I’m not advocating that he should go there, just that it’s a top 10 program where he has a legitimate shot looking at scores, so I’m sure he can get into many good schools. Sometimes people on this site lose perspective because every other “chance” thread is a 2200 SAT score applying to MIT.)</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice! You’ve given me some food for thought. Believe me, we’re going to let him decide what to study, but he is clueless at this point, and we’re trying to give him a little guidance. He may just have to get to college and figure it out for himself, huh? Thanks for the info about SAT scores. You’re right, GP, on CC it seems as if every kid in the country is a genius!</p>
<p>If he went into bioengineering, he would definitely want to go the genetics route - he’s not very interested in devices. I will show him your posts to give him some food for thought.</p>
<p>If you’d bothered the read the post just two posts above yours, you would have found out that the parents feel “we’re going to let him decide what to study, but he is clueless at this point, and we’re trying to give him a little guidance.” Suggestions for possible interesting majors is hardly planning out his entire life.</p>
<p>Thanks, Hawkwings! I’m glad someone is reading what I wrote! I also said that I knew he might just have to go to college and figure it out for himself, right?? You should read a little more carefully, seesys.</p>
<p>Treetopleaf, he liked chemistry OK, but biology much better. I think the suggestion of genetics is actually a good one - he loved that part of the textbook.</p>
<p>This is a nice site for students interested in exploring different careers in the sciences, engineering, technology and medicine; it includes school suggestions for different majors as well:</p>
<p>Biomedical engineering is a very hot field right now. I would suggest that your son declare either biology or biomedical engineering, whichever one has the best guidance counselors (biology and biomedical engineering may not be in the same school within the university), then take classes that all majors in that field share (biology, chemistry, and there’s gotta be some math too). Then talk with the guidance counselors to get further direction. Schools also often have programs that let you explore a bunch of related majors.</p>
<p>Wow, scansmom, what a great site! Thanks a lot. Hawk, your suggestions make sense to me. I’ll give all this info to my son and let him take it from there. He has some thinking to do.</p>
<p>His last final is tomorrow, and then we’re skipping town for a few days. No serious thinking allowed for now!</p>
<p>Hey there i guess I’m sailing in the same boat as your son is and the only problem is that my parents are commerce graduates and dont know a word about medical and engineering… i’m really interested in biomedical engineering and would really like to commune with Hawkwings on this.</p>
<p>Another popular route, though I’m not sure if this fits your son as well, is physical therapy. He can work with athletes of different ages or the general population. With the baby boomers aging, this field will be growing quite rapidly. There are a number of excellent and competitive five year PT programs to look at.</p>
<p>Hi, MaineLonghorn, just reading through all the posts on this thread.</p>
<p>Can I suggest looking into Marquette?</p>
<p>Marquette has a biomedical engineering program, under the college of engineering, but they also have a biomedical sciences program, as well as a nursing program, a physical therapy program, and a physician’s assistant program.</p>
<p>Your son could take biology, chemistry, calculus, the core curriculum (it is a Jesuit school), and meet with faculty, advisors, other students, as he decides what he’s interested in. Marquette also has a good co-op/internship program, so that he can get his feet wet while in school.</p>