Biomedical Engineering at Pitt

<p>How is the Biomedical Engineering program at Pitt compared to Penn State's? I don't care much for the environment or school spirit really, just academics right now. Problem is I got accepted into a branch campus at both of the schools. Penn State Lehigh Valley has biomedical but Pitt Bradford doesn't. I wanted to know if this is a huge concern considering I'd be transferring to the main Pitt campus later on where there is biomedical engineering. Which doing you think is academically better for BME?</p>

<p>not sure how branches are for any of them, i got into both for biomedical at their main campuses, pitt focus on its bio more than anything as of late i know that, idk much about penn</p>

<p>Do you plan on going to either one of them?</p>

<p>i was accepted to both as a bioengineering or biomedical engineering major. both programs are great. not sure if this really means anything, but Pitt is ranked 24th in undergraduate biomedical engineering... (US News)</p>

<p>um pitt over penn, im looking into several schools with higher interest</p>

<p>it's penn "state" not penn haha. "penn" biomedical engineering is actually one of the best in the country...</p>

<p>Do you guys think the fact that Pitts branch campus doesn't have BME will be a major factor considering first two years I'll be taking general courses anyways?</p>

<p>it might be. i heard from a bioengineering professor at pitt that you need a minimum 3.3 or 3.5 GPA? freshmen year just to enter bioengineering courses. apparently the program is pretty challenging. you would start bioengineering courses sophomore year so i don't know how that would work at a branch campus.</p>

<p>i would definitely email someone or call.</p>

<p>Akittha, actually Penn isnt one of the best, but yea we know that, just shorthanding if thats ok with you</p>

<p>actually afitscher, upenn is top 10. and whats so hard about typing penn state, or psu?</p>

<p>Biomedical Engineering like all engineering majors at pitt require a minimum 2.5 gpa at the end of Freshman year to declare your major in one of the engineering disciplines. However for Biomedical engineering a 3.3 or 3.5 is highly recommended due to the fact that it is extremely hard and your gpa will drop, so the best bet is to get your gpa as high as possible by the end of freshman year.</p>

<p>Also at least as of last year Penn State's bioengineering department was not accredited, and pitt's is.</p>

<p>Does the same follow for a branch campus? 3.3 or higher at the end of freshman then I declare my major. What if only the main campus offers BME though? Would my sophomore schedule be severely effected because I wouldn't be able to take the required courses at the branch campus my sophomore year?</p>

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Would my sophomore schedule be severely effected because I wouldn't be able to take the required courses at the branch campus my sophomore year?

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<p>i think BME might be hard starting at a branch campus... maybe you can transfer after a year if you have good enough grades. call pitt!</p>

<p>Ok thanks! I will do that. Any other feedback?</p>

<p>According to the Engineering admissions website (University of Pittsburgh) for those students coming from a regional campus:</p>

<p>"Regional Relocation Guidelines
To be considered for admission, students must:</p>

<pre><code>* have a GPA of at least 2.75.
* completed a full year (minimum of 34 credits) at a regional campus. Bradford
</code></pre>

<p>students in the ME or EE programs must complete two years before transferring to the main campus.
* finish all Freshman Engineering Requirements."</p>

<p>If you haven't already, I would check out the engineering website for Pitt or Penn State. As others have stated, don't worry that Pitt Bradford doesn't have Bioengineering, all freshman engineers take the same classes, you don't specialize until sophomore year (I just finished my first semester). I'm sure that as long as you got good grades your first year you wouldn't have too many problems getting into the main campus for your sophomore year. Let me know if you have any more questions.</p>

<p>BME overall is better at Pitt than Penn State......not as much for other engineering fields but biomedical is definitely better at Pitt because of the "health sciences" focus</p>

<p>Regarding UPenn vs Pitt for BME:</p>

<p>You can't look at the rank, or whatever, of the 'engineering' part of the BME major. The 'bio-med' thing is what you have to look at, and it's stellar at Pitt. The BME at Pitt benefits from the status of UPMC. There is alot of transplant research that is BME going on at Pitt. UPMC has been working for years on artificial organ research. I imagine it might well outrank UPenn in the cutting-edge nature of it's bio-med engineering research. </p>

<p>You won't go wrong attending Pitt in BME. Enjoy your year at the regional campus. Pitt's main campus is urban. Get really good grades that first year--BME at Pitt is pretty competitive</p>