Bioengineering Graduate School

<p>Hi folks,</p>

<p>I'm a Molecular and Cell Biology major in my junior year, but I have realized lately that I really want to go to biomedical engineering graduate school. However, it's too late for me to get a degree in an engineering discipline. What are my chances of getting into a good BME graduate school with an MCB degree? </p>

<p>I do have some technical background because I took the lower division Physics and Math series for engineers. My plan is to stock up on engineering and quantitative classes over the next two years, and I could possibly get a double major in Math or Statistics if I stay an extra semester. </p>

<p>Any advice on whether it's even possible for me to get into a good BME (or even bioengineering) school without an engineering degree, and if so, how to maximize my chances? Should I bother double majoring? Or just take a lot of technical courses?</p>

<p>Also I go to UC Berkeley.</p>

<p>
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Any advice on whether it's even possible for me to get into a good BME (or even bioengineering) school without an engineering degree, and if so, how to maximize my chances? Should I bother double majoring? Or just take a lot of technical courses?

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</p>

<p>Nah, courses don't mean that much, and majors don't mean that much. The best way to get into a MS/PhD program for you is the same as for anybody - research and rec's. If you can get topline rec's from BioE profs and become published in BioE journals, it won't really matter what courses you did or what you majored in.</p>

<p>I agree -- it shouldn't be a problem, especially if you join a research project in bioengineering.</p>

<p>Anecdotally, I have a friend who was in a similar situation as an undergrad -- he started off as an electrical engineering major, didn't like it, and switched to biology. He applied to bioengineering programs, and is now a happy second-year grad student at Stanford. (Well, as happy as grad students ever are, of course.)</p>

<p>I would definitely advise you to take some engineering-type classes, not really for getting into grad school, but to prepare you for when you're there.</p>