<p>I need help with my college list. I am looking to major in undergrad biomedical/medical engineering and then apply to Med School. Although I know what my top schools are, I'm afraid I don't have enough safety schools. This is my list so far:</p>
<p>Duke - early decision
Dartmouth, Cornell, JHU, Rice, Tufts - regular decision
Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, WPI - early action</p>
<p>I have a 4.0, 7 APs and 14 honors classes, many ECs, awards, leadership roles, 2140 SAT I, etc. Basically, while my stats are okay for schools like Cornell, Tufts, and Notre Dame, I'm not expecting much from Duke (my dream school), JHU, and Dartmouth because I know how competitive they are. I'm really afraid that I don't have enough safety schools (even though I'm almost positive I will get into WPI or Georgia Tech simply because of my GPA, test scores, and the fact that I'm a girl). I'm just wondering what you consider to be schools with good biomedical engineering programs that would be either in my range of schools that I will most likely be accepted to (about 30-50% acceptance rate) or that would be a safety school (probably above 50%). I live in southern New Hampshire and ideally my safety schools would be within about 150 miles of Boston, possibly more (within 3 hours?) but any suggestions will do!
Thanks to anyone who replies!</p>
<p>as a safety… further than you want but look at UAB in birmingham… home of a top med school, only school in alabama with biomedical engineering. with your stats automatic merit reducing your cost per year to under 10K…or if you are an nmf its a full ride. Tier 1 research university, 11k undergrads, urban campus</p>
<p>*I have a 4.0, 7 APs and 14 honors classes, many ECs, awards, leadership roles, 2140 SAT I, etc. Basically, while my stats are okay for schools like Cornell, Tufts, and Notre Dame, I’m not expecting much from Duke (my dream school), JHU, and Dartmouth because I know how competitive they are. I’m really afraid that I don’t have enough safety schools (even though I’m almost positive I will get into WPI or Georgia Tech simply because of my GPA, test scores, and the fact that I’m a girl). *</p>
<p>GT is very expensive for an OOS student, and your stats aren’t high enough for merit… How much will your parents pay? If they won’t pay the whole cost, then GT will not be a safety for you. If you don’t know how much your parents will pay, then ask them.</p>
<p>Since your goal is med school, you should be looking for schools where you’d…</p>
<p>1) get a very high GPA
2) get pre-med advising and Committee Letters
3) won’t cause you to incur debt because med school is expensive.</p>
<p>I’ve been doing a similar search for my dd who is interested in BioE or molecular bio. USWNR ranking of BioE undergrad (2010) has Pitt at #16, BU at #8, Case Western #10 but overall rankings (2012) for those schools are Pitt #58, BU #53, Case #38. If your SAT M+CR is 1480+, you stand a chance at merit money and Honors college at Pitt (my ds goes there so I’m familiar). Pitt has alot of NIH research going on if you are interested, and utilize undergrads - not just grads. I know Pitt and Case are farther afield than you wanted but fwiw!</p>
<p>My parents won’t pay anything, but we make no money and my mom is a single parent and I’m a first generation student. I’m also a twin, and she got a 2330 SAT and is vaedictorian. I also have a sister who is a year younger than me and plans on going to college. With the minimum income my mother makes (under 30K supporting 3 children), and with twins entering college the same year with good statistics, I know I will get enough need-based financial aid no matter where I apply. Thanks for the information, though! And I won’t be applying to GT anyway. :)</p>
<p>UC San Diego would be good in your range (if you can afford it)
I think UCSD is #2 in biomedical engineering and it has a really good med school and biotech industries are plentiful in SD.</p>
<p>Duke is generous with aid, but it is risky to apply ED. You may receive better aid from other schools. I would apply RD to Duke. </p>
<p>I would also replace Dartmouth with MIT (EA) and Notre Dame with Northwestern. Otherwise, your list tooks good. Try to fit U Penn in there, it is excellent in BME and it has generous aid.</p>
<p>Finally, do not underestimate Cornell’s selectivity. Cornell’s CoE is as selective as they come, certainly as selective as Dartmouth and Duke.</p>
<p>As for safeties, it is hard to recommend one without taking into consideration financial aid. Boston University would be a safety for you, but it is unlikely they will provide you with sufficient aid. Case Western is a good safety too, but I am not sure about how generous they are with aid. I think WPI is a safety for you. I think UMass is a must in your case, should you not get into your reaches/matches and should your safeties not offer you sufficient aid.</p>
<p>^UMass does not have a BME major, but UConn does. Because UMass does not have a BME major, you can attend under the northeast schools partnership, which means you would pay the in-state rates.</p>
<p>Apply to Pitt by Oct. latest (they are on rolling admis). They offer three levels of merit scholarship - 10K, full tuition and full ride (Chancellor’s) scholarships to oos, and with your stats you should be in contention but getting the app in early is key. There’s also funding from the College of Engineering for merit scholarships above and beyond what you get from admissions. Their app is very simplistic and you can just use the essay you have from common app.</p>
<p>Do all of you agree that I should not apply to Duke ED? It is my dream school and I am planning on going if I get in no matter what the cost is. Even if I am deep in debt out of college, I know how to live on a tight budget as i have all my life, and I work hard. I know that if I get into Duke, even with no scholarship, I’ll go. I want to apply ED because I know they offer more financial aid typically to ED students and I want to go there so badly. Is it a better idea to apply RD though, even if I feel this way? I have such a better chance of getting in if I apply ED.
Also, I like all of your suggestions! I think I will apply to Northwestern, I just think I need to visit before I decide to apply. And BU will likely be a safety for me, especiall since I only live 30 minutes out of Boston.
Is Pitt considered a good school? And do you think I would have a good chance of getting in?
Also, do you think it is worth it to apply to Cornell? I really like it, but I kind of doubt I would get in there and I don’t think I would get great financial aid. It may be the college I apply to, just to see.
I also really love Tufts. I want to go to Med School, and I know they have a really great program. I fell in love when I visited. Do you think I have a chance of getting in there? Thanks so much for all the feedback!</p>
<p>Since you’re in NH, don’t bother with any OOS publics as safeties unless you know for sure that you’d get enough merit and need-based aid to attend.</p>
<p>Right now, your stats aren’t high enough for enough merit at UPitt. You’d need at least full tuition and to get that, you’d need a M+CR in the 1500 range and be in the top few % at your school. </p>
<p>It sounds like you’ll have an EFC 0, but that’s only from FAFSA.</p>
<p>Do the math…with an EFC 0, from OOS publics you’d get: $5500 Pell Grant and $5500 student loans. That means that you’d need AT LEAST full tuition in merit for the school to be affordable. </p>
<p>Since you’re looking for safeties, you may need to relax the BiomedE req’t and consider mechE, chemE or similar with add’l bio classes to find a safety school where all costs are covered. Since you’re pre-med, biomedE isn’t necessary to get into med school. </p>
<p>if your dad is alive, then HIS INCOME and assets will count as well at the TOP schools that require NCP info…plus any income/assets from his current wife.</p>