<p>Hey! What do you guys know about Biomedical engineering at Stanford?
Internships, opportunities, grades, reputation, professors, etc??
thanks!</p>
<p>I think you have to take the bio series (3 core bio classes), which is analagous to hell.</p>
<p>Not offered. The engineering department at Stanford thinks that Biomedical Engineering is too immature for an undergrad degree (lame excuse if you ask me) and that it will be several years before they start offering the major. They do have some relatively similar majors though: biomedical computation and biomechanical engineering. The ironic part is that if biomedical engineering itself is not mature enough, how could a very specialized subset of it (biomedical computation) be "mature enough" to be a major?</p>
<p>Stanford's bioengineering deparment is fairly new, so according to some professors, it'll be a few years before an undergraduate major is offered. However, as was previously mentioned, there's biomechanical engineering and biomedical computation. You can also design your own major.</p>
<p>How are the bio series "analagous to hell??"</p>
<p>The the bio series is designed to weed out premed students. It discourages kids from going on because it is so hard. They pile on work just so that the kids who remain either work really hard or have a natural talent for bio. It lets Stanford say that they have a 90% admissions rate (or so) to med schools. Stanford is not the best place to go for bio, because chances are I think 4/5 that you'll change your major.</p>
<p>Then what are some good majors at stanford?</p>
<p>"It discourages kids from going on because it is so hard. They pile on work just so that the kids who remain either work really hard or have a natural talent for bio. It lets Stanford say that they have a 90% admissions rate (or so) to med schools. Stanford is not the best place to go for bio, because chances are I think 4/5 that you'll change your major."</p>
<p>Ashveer, do you have any actual basis for making this post? For example, are you a student at Stanford or some comparable university?</p>
<p>Fracquaro, I'm pretty disappointed that you think I would just randomly make a post like this.</p>
<p>Yes, I do have a basis for my post. I have taken the 1st course in the bio core.
My quote reflects the general viewpoint of the many Stanford friends that I have. I haven't spoken to 1 student that thought the bio core was great, though many kids take it for the sake of knowledge.
As for the statistics I mentioned, just go hunting around, you'll find them.</p>
<p>Ashveer, Then what are some good majors at stanford?</p>
<p>The introductory biology sequence at <em>any</em> top university will be the same. News flash: by their very nature, these courses have a tendency to "weed out" (for lack of a better term) students - from the biology major, from premedical aspirations, or whatever else.</p>
<p>It makes absolutely no sense to say that a university is "not the best place to go for bio because chances are 4/5 that you'll change your major" after taking an introductory course. First, I very much doubt that 4/5 statement is true (or that there are any reliable statistics to either support or refute that claim). Second, the statement would require demonstrating that introductory biology at Stanford is somehow "worse" than the equivalent course anywhere else ... which I also very much doubt.</p>
<p>No offense intended, but it seems odd to imply that students who cannot handle the work should somehow blame a university for its tough classes ... particularly given the documented "grade inflation" trends at many elite universities these days.</p>
<p>That's a good question. The better question is: why are you considering Stanford if you haven't researched the strength of their programs that you are interested in? I don't mean to attack you in ANY way. By all means go for bio, but keep in mind the INSANE workload and INSANE stress and the high chance you'll switch. But hey if you're up for it, def. go for it. I am (of course, if Mr. Shaw likes me)/</p>
<p>As for good majors, I would consider human biology if you like science.
I am not well versed in the strength of other majors other than cultural and social anthropology and anthropological sciences. </p>
<p>Other popular majors at stanford are poli sci, econ, and physics.</p>
<p>The introductory sequence at <em>any</em> top uni is <em>not</em> the same. Point blank. News flash: the very nature of the courses is the reason why people drop. I didn't say that it wasn't.</p>
<p>It makes sense if a student really wants to be a bio major to seriously judge a school if 4/5 of the students drop after the CORE. I've seen the stats of attrition many times, but don't feel like hunting. I never said that Stanford bio core classes are "worse." Sorry, I have a hard time following your logic. After taking the 1st part of the core, I can attest that it was the best bio class I have ever taken. It instilled a new passion in me for biology. Talk to some Stanford undergrads if you "very much doubt what I'm saying."</p>
<p>No offense intended but it seems odd to imply that just because an insane amount of pressure is applied to students so that they rethink their major means that they cannot handle the work. Remember, they got into Stanford. I would like to see some reports that show the "grade inflation" at Leland Stanford Junior University specifically.</p>
<p>No need to get touchy.</p>
<p>1) Just to be clear about the point I tried to make ... the introductory biology sequence at <em>any</em> top university will be the same in the sense that it makes a significant number of the students reconsider whether they want to study biology/medicine/etc. There is nothing unique about Stanford here. Consider talking to somebody from a peer instution to hear about their experiences ... or simply take a quick look at the "attrition rate" within the introductory biology course at Berkeley.</p>
<p>2) Of course there's a lot of pressure and stress required of biology students at Stanford. But you should be aware that many people who have studied at Stanford <em>and</em> at peer scientific institutions in the Northeast (e.g. Harvard, Princeton) will be very quick to say that the "stress" level among students during a <em>typical</em> weekend at H/P is equivalent to the "stress" level among students during finals week at Stanford. No need to retaliate with the usual "duck kicking its legs underwater" line ... that has some element of truth, but there's a real difference here.</p>
<p>3) The grade inflation issues at elite universities around the nation, including Stanford, are very well-documented. Anecdotally, I can tell you that <em>many</em> students graduate from Stanford with 4.0 averages ... this is not the case at other universities who have been implicated for grade inflation (e.g. H). Do the Google search if you want to confirm these statements (except for the anecdotal bit I mentioned).</p>
<p>4) FWIW, my personal opinion is that Stanford is the best school in the country. To answer the original OP's question, the Bioengineering department is brand new. But it will be considered the top department in the country within the next 10 years.</p>
<p>fracquaro, you just needed to say that you think stanford is the best nation in the country in the beginning, and not go on and on. I think stanford is the nectar of life, and a lot of is about the social atmosphere, not just the academics, which are equal to Berkeley, and most Stanford kids will attest to that. I mean, Berkeley has such better resources that Stanford pays so that stanford kids can use Berkeley's libraries. I wonder if you've ever spent time on campus, sat in on classes, and talked to students??? I'm not touchy. I don't take these boards personally at all. For all I know you could be Professor Walker from the summer...
1) The first google of "Stanford Grade Inflation" brings up an article from '94 discussing Stanford's fight against grade inflation.
2)Remember, they like to say that 90% of their kids got into med school. Its not bad, its the nature of the game.
Whatever, I'm done, I've developed this opinion over the course of 11 weeks at stanford, the 1st bio core class, and the multitude of stanford undergrads and bio/ex-bio students I've talked to. I think I've got that tiny bit of respect on these boards that people will at least look into what I am saying, and that's what I care about. have your opinions, great, express them, I'm glad I don't have a monarchy. FIN.</p>