Biomedical Engineering Choice of School?

So I have gotten into the following schools:

-NC State (Didn’t get into the engineering program though?)
-ECU Honors College
-UNC Chapel Hill

So I have just applied for scholarships at all 3 schools and I haven’t gotten a decision back yet so money hasn’t come into the equation but let’s just assume I only get a little bit of scholarship towards chapel hill and nc state. UNC Chapel Hill isn’t ABET accredited (Not a huge deal because they are expected to get it this upcoming fall). I didn’t get into the engineering program at NC State but when I visited Chapel Hill they explained to us that you can’t apply for biomedical engineering until after freshman year and I’m curious if that is the case at NC State (I don’t visit State until April 21st). ECU has a really amazing honors college, the tuition is paid for, and the preferential treatment is absolutely insane (along with gateway dorms are amazing as well). The problem with ECU, as we all know, is that their academics are sub par in comparison to NC State and Chapel Hill and I’m curious if that will affect me in the future for jobs (I’m also interested in going into politics later in my career and I’m curious if ECU would be a frowned upon school). A lot of students change their mind and there is a chance I can’t even get into the program at Chapel Hill so my 2nd interest degree would be mechanical engineering or electrical engineering. I am also interested in the marine corps option of the ROTC Scholarship and there is no NROTC program at ECU (they only have army rotc) but there is an NROTC at UNC and NC State. So basically what I’m asking is what should I do? Go to NC State when I haven’t even gotten into the engineering school? Go to UNC CH when if I don’t get into the biomedical program then I’ll be stuck with no major that I want? Go to ECU Honors College and attend a sub par academic school but I won’t be able to join NROTC?

Thanks for the help this is a huge decision for me.

This is really tough one.

If you are set on engineering then UNC doesn’t give you any options if you decide to switch to EE or ME. So if you want to change majors, you will be limited to non engineering majors. Also isn’t BME program a joint program with NC State. Maybe someone here can chime in.

My advice would be to talk with someone in the engineering program at NC State and ask what exactly do you need to do to get into the engineering program. Are they looking for set grades or something else. Is it a capacity issue or is it something else. My concern is that engineering tends to be a highly structured program. If you can’t get the courses you need as a freshman because you are not in the program then will you still be able to graduate in 4 years? You need to find out if that will be an issue.

As for merit aid at UNC, I would not count on it. They do meet full need as they define it but give out little merit aid.

They aren’t officially a joint program until chapel hill becomes ABET accredited. Because of this NC State students can’t attend classes at UNC or they lose the ABET on their diploma. But UNC students can take classes at NC State because they are not ABET so it doesn’t matter either way which classes they take. They are expected to become officially a joint program this fall because that is when UNC is supposed to get their ABET and then State students can start taking classes at graduation and get both schools on their diploma.

My GPA is a 3.92/4.81
I’m 2nd in my class
I got a 1260 SAT score which is a little low
I am an eagle scout
I achieved the congressional gold medal award
I have over 500+ hours of volunteering (To receive the award you need a minimum of 400 hours)
I am senior class president
I was the leader of my boy scout troop
I was varsity in track and field and cross country for 3 years and captain for 2 years in each sport
I’m in NHS

That’s just a short, off the top of my head list of the stuff I have done so I was surprised to not be in the engineering program at NC State. According to Chapel Hill when I visited the lady who runs the state program also runs the UNC program and she explained that all you need to apply is Physics I and then you need Calculus I and Calculus II. She also said that they only take 5 transfer students and they only accept 80 to 120 students at each school and the average GPA was a 3.7. She wasn’t clear on if you are attending NC State if you need to be in the engineering school itself before you apply she was mainly speaking of the program at Chapel Hill. Also, ECU is ABET certified so their biomedical is actually just as certified as NC States.

I might not have been clear. If you go to NC State will you be able to get into the all the courses that a typical engineering student would take as a freshman? Also, if the 3.7 GPA requirement is for your first and second semester at UNC/NC State then be aware that will not be easy. Is that requirement for all engineering or just BME?

I think just BME it’s not a requirement she just said that’s the average student.

you should go to umich which has top ranked programs in every field so you don’t have to worry about changing your mind, or purdue or uiuc which have very strong engineering programs. north carolina just does not have good engineering.

NC State has a respectable engineering program. It is not UMich but the overall engineering program is solid.

@Jroweusa, you really need to speak to the engineering department at NC State to get a better understanding of 1) why you were not admitted into the engineering program, 2) what impact (if any) this will have on graduating on time and 3) what are the requirements for being admitted to the engineering school as a sophomore.

I vote for ECU Honors College.

First because at State you have to apply for a particular engineering major after the first year. And of all the engineering majors biomedical is the most competitive. So even all the students who were accepted to State’s first year college of engineering will be competing for a few spots. And what they use to decide is your college GPA in physics, chemistry and calculus. If your stats did not get into first year college of engineering this will make it even harder for you.

UNC although a great school only has biomedical engineering so if you are interested in other engineering branches it’s maybe not for you. Congratulations on getting in though.

ECU Honors is a full ride. That’s a huge savings over 4 years. If your family has college savings it can go to graduate school or a house down payment or a trip abroad instead of undergraduate tuition. If they don’t have savings debt free is a wonderful thing! And you will get a lot of extra support and attention in the honors program that will make it easier for you to succeed. My son currently attends another NC regional university and is in the honors program. He enjoys having priority in registration, the honors sections of classes, the extra advising, the fellow students, and the best dorms. And he doesn’t have a full ride the way honors students do at ECU.

No one will look down on ECU in a political career. It makes you a man of the people. You will have more time to do other activities at a less rigorous school. Also a certified engineer will find a job regardless of the school you graduated from. And remember you could have a “with honors” degree to help with the prestige factor.

You have to evaluate the interest in ROTC. Part of the appeal is having your education paid for which you already have. There are other ways to join the military post college graduation even if you didn’t do ROTC.