<p>I know Wash U has an incredible biomedical engineering program and there are a lot of premeds. Does anyone think that there is a cut throat competitive atmosphere within the students that have this major? Honesty is appreciated. thanks</p>
<p>None at all. I have never met a bme in my year who was unwilling to help someone out if asked. </p>
<p>For the record, I’m in the engineering school. Went through 2 +some years of bme before I dropped it this semester, so I know the major (and all of the 2012 bme’s) pretty well.</p>
<p>Johnson, thats really helpful. thanks. Also, how big were your bme classes your first couple years, and if you don’t mind me asking, why did you decide to transfer out of engineering?</p>
<p>My intro bme class was 120.</p>
<p>All of the intro classes (chem, physics, calc) range from 90-300, but there are typically <30 person subsections.</p>
<p>I’m actually still in engineering- just not bme anymore.</p>
<p>I’ll send you a pm with more specific (personal) info.</p>
<p>For what it’s worth, the current freshman class has many more BME’s than usual…I think it’s about 150-160.</p>
<p>And no, there’s no cutthroat competitiveness among BME’s or really among any of the students at Wash U. It’s a fairly common “stereotype” that BME’s/pre-meds at Johns Hopkins in particular are quite competitive. But as much as Hopkins students deny it, stereotypes like that don’t just start for no reason. However, Wash U is nothing at all like Hopkins. Everyone is very cooperative and willing to give help to whomever needs it. And as exaggerated as that might sound, it’s the truth. I’m so glad I chose to come here.</p>
<p>As a freshman bme major this year, I’d like to confirm that there is no sort of cut throat atmosphere whatsoever. Everyone and anyone is willing to help out with the problem sets. </p>
<p>As for the number of students in class, this year initally had 170 people in intro to bme, but I’ve certainly noticed a decline in the number of kids who are in lecture since the beginning of the year. Especially in the last few weeks after the results of the first test came back…haha</p>
<p>In regards to 170 people in a class, do you think this amount is too many, or have you gotten used to it?</p>
<p>Although my class was 120, I think I can answer that.</p>
<p>The bme intro class really doesn’t matter (imho), so the number of students in the class doesn’t matter.</p>
<p>When you get into upper level and electives, the class sizes are much smaller (my average class size next semester will be well under 40, I believe).</p>
<p>First off, GG123, large lecture classes are not just prevalent in the BME major. Calculus, physics, intro-level biology, business, chemistry, computer science, etc. classes can be taken by several hundred students and therefore lectures will have at least 100 students. But you get your chance to ask questions during subsections (which you will have for all of these huge lecture classes) and there’s nothing preventing you from asking questions during the lectures, either. People do it all the time. The number of students in your class doesn’t really have any effect on your ability to learn because that class is designed to be a lecture, and when the professor lectures, you learn. There are plenty of opportunities outside of the 100+ person lecture environment to get help and have personal discussions with others (subsections, recitations, PST’s, PLTL’s, office hours, etc.)</p>