<p>Hello,</p>
<p>My question is can your undergraduate school reputation and rigor have a notable effect when applying to graduate schools?</p>
<p>I ask because I am going to graduate from Johns Hopkins with a b.s. in biomedical engineering, and it is known as a really reputable school for bioengineering. However, my gpa is 3.3, and many of the top programs in bioengineering say that their average accepted applicants have gpa's in the 3.6 - 3.8 range.</p>
<p>In my own search for answers, I haven't found too much information about this, so I was wondering if anyone here would be able to shed some light on this.</p>
<p>Thanks,</p>
<p>Mark</p>
<p>It can absolutely have an effect, as long as your other credentials are strong. If you're coming from a great program and have strong letters of recommendation and research experience, admissions committees won't linger over your GPA much.</p>
<p>Personally speaking, I had a 3.4 from MIT, and I got into all of the schools to which I applied in biology. Nobody even mentioned my GPA as a possible negative during interviews.</p>
<p>Oh, good job on your application process! I'm glad (and somewhat relieved, myself) to hear your story. Actually, I have been involved in some research experience, albeit nothing too intense so far. I've been hopping around research labs a lot more than I have wanted, just based on not being too interested in what the particular labs were doing. Mollie, would you mind telling me more about some of your outside activities that you were involved in (research, internships, clubs, etc.), if you have the chance?</p>
<p>Thanks,</p>
<p>Mark</p>
<p>At MIT MollieB...</p>
<p>No, I can't say it... its too horrible. Let's just say that to get into a top program you better save the world.</p>
<p>;-)</p>
<p>I didn't save the world. So far as I am aware. :) </p>
<p>I was in the same lab for three years, 15ish hours a week during the school year and full-time during summers and vacations, and got a great rec (or so I'm told) from the PI, who is well-known in my field. Prior to joining that lab, I did a summer internship at the National Institutes of Health. I had my name on a poster and a submitted paper by the time I applied to grad school. I was also a four-year member (and one-year captain) of the cheerleading squad, although of course that was totally irrelevant for grad school apps.</p>
<p>wow, Mollie. ty for sharing. it has given me some perspective.</p>
<p>-Mark</p>