<p>Hello CC community :) I'm a junior in high school, and am beginning to look at colleges.</p>
<p>I have a few questions about applying as a biomedical engineering major in college, or perhaps I may just major in biology. Most engineering majors are great at math, great at science. </p>
<p>I excel in my science classes, but since switching to a more difficult school, my math grades dipped from A+ freshman year to B+ sophomore year (horrific grade on final exam because I skipped the last page by mistake). This year, I have dealt with a bad case of insomnia (as in getting 10 hours of sleep total during the school week). This has wreaked havoc in my math class, where I have not thought clearly and have had numerous careless errors. Because of dumb mistakes, I get 10+ points off easily on every test. I got a 79 first semester this year, which is by far the worst I have ever done. I think I can get an A- this semester (which is a great grade at my school in honors pre-cal). </p>
<p>I have looked at biomedical engineering curricula at several different schools, and am sure this is what I want to do, but I need to prove to colleges that I am proficient in math. If I get 750+ on SATI and on Math IIC, plus A- second semester this year, would this be good enough? I would finish with a B+ and a B on my transcript in math classes sophomore and junior year. Other than getting the B+ and B, I would have all As on my transcript.</p>
<p>What do you all think? Would I hurt my chances by applying as a biomedical engineering major? I love to learn, and I enjoy math/science the most.</p>
<p>I think the first thing you should worry about is fixing your insomnia problem. I don’t care which major you are, that could be a huge problem.</p>
<p>That said, I don’t think biomedical engineers typically have to do a whole ton of math in their classes, though I imagine you’ll probably wind up taking at least Calc 3 and/or differential equations (neither of which are terribly hard if you have a good study group).</p>
<p>@RacinReaver: Thank you for your help! Yes, I noticed that not a huge amount of math classes are required for this certain major, but I do agree: my sleeping issues need to get worked out. So far, this week has not been good, still falling asleep around 3 or 4 am, but it’s better than it was around a year ago. Thanks :)</p>
<p>I agree with RacinReaver. Before you worry about anything, take care of your insomnia. after you take care of that just work hard to keep your GPA up. if you do well on the SATs you will be fine. having 2 B’s is not bad. good luck</p>
<p>OK thank you zman5, I appreciate the advice! Yeah I figured that 2 Bs wouldn’t kill my chances, I just was wondering if having them in math classes would look bad. Thanks :)</p>
<p>If it makes you feel better they almost held me back a year in geometry. At the time I was in the “advanced” class and barely got a B-. The following year I had the highest grade in my pre-calc class. Even within math different people have different strengths.</p>
<p>Wow that’s pretty incredible. Yeah, same holds true in science. Like I’m excellent in Physics and Bio, but sometimes my AP Chemistry class this year is challenging. OK well thank you! I just hope that I do better this semester, and somehow find a way to sleep better</p>
<p>I cannot imagine trying to do well in school with less than 10 hours of sleep a week. That must be extremely difficult. It is understandable that you are not performing at your full potential. Just do what you can to both fix your problem and maintain your grades.</p>
<p>Thank you! I appreciate the concern, and it is very difficult, very grueling this year (junior year). During the summer, I maybe slept 1-2 hours max before going to work, and I was exhausted. I guess I’m lucky to get by doing my best in school, somehow maintaining a large amount of enthusiasm and charisma lol. I hope and pray this problem gets better :)</p>
<p>Two B’s will not kill you, unless it becomes a major trend. Also, is a 79 still a B at your school? And even then, a C will not kill you. If all else fails, explaining your insomnia during this time period to your colleges of choice may help, but you have to fix the problem before it damages your grades more.</p>
<p>Well, I am not exactly sure how to “fix” insomnia, I’m sure that it will be a somewhat long process. </p>
<p>We go by a 10 point scale at my school because it is a very difficult/competitve private school, so the students need that little “cushion” I suppose. I will explain this to colleges I think, just because, as I earlier stated, I had skipped an entire page of my math exam by mistake, most likely due to that 1 hour of sleep I got that night for my two final exams that day. For computational work, the sleep thing messes me up, if work requires me to write or memorize things, I am generally fine. I am looking at some Ivies and other highly-ranked colleges, so hopefully they may hear me out (I’m thinking perhaps a letter that I write). </p>
<p>Lol, my username is that because I am an inventor, so my creative thinking stems from “dreaming large” and with a big degree of ambition. Haha that was funny, I didn’t think of that.</p>
<p>OMG why do all of these kids have panic attacks about Bs? This “I need to be perfect” attitude is really ****ing me off. Bs are STILL good!</p>
<p>Take me for example. I’ve gotten into Purdue, UIUC, and TAMU with B+ type grades. Get over it! You want to know when you got problems? When you have to fight tooth and nail to scrape a C… thats when your struggling. Having a couple Bs on your transcript is NOT A FREAKING DOWNFALL!</p>
<p>And back to the topic… writing about your insomnia would definitely be a positive on your essays. Its not like your grades need defending, because they are stellar, but it is a topic that exemplifies hard work and a topic that you should have a very close relationship/feel with (so you will write it well and with heart). </p>
<p>Stop your fretting and continue your hard work. Your doing outstanding. I tip my hat off to you because here I am complaining to my mom about 5 hours a night. Part of the reason I get so mad about people with all As is that I envy you. I wish I had that ability to succeed. So I’m sorry if that came across as rude…</p>
<p>OK, thanks for your concern and essay suggestio but I did have some other essay topics in mind too, but I guess I have all summer to truly decide what I want to write about. The insomnia is just one part of my life and high school experience, but I do have some other things that will let colleges know who I am!</p>
<p>Uhm…I’m not having a panic attack here, I know that 2 Bs won’t really kill me at all. Lol I think you freaked out more than I did. You see, engineering requires some good math skills, which I think I possess, but I need to demonstrate this to colleges, and biomedical engineers are typically good at math. I was wondering if perhaps it would be more wise to apply as a bio major and then switch into engineering; I have no idea how difficult that is to do. </p>
<p>5 hours a night would be awesome, this week I think I got like 14 hours of sleep, maybe less. And it did come across as slightly rude, I won’t deny, but this is an internet community where I am asking for advice, and it would be pointless for me to start an arguement here lol. </p>
<p>I never said I’m dying for a 4.0 here, just saying it would have been nice. Plus, I’m aiming for schools like Brown, Yale, Harvard, UPenn, Cornell, Duke, and Johns Hopkins, where higher grades do certainly help. I never said that I was in the middle of a horrid downfall, where did all this come from?</p>
<p>“Would I hurt my chances by applying as a biomedical engineering major?”</p>
<p>Central part of your thread. You care greatly about being proficient and doing well.</p>
<p>“but I need to prove to colleges that I am proficient in math. If I get 750+ on SATI and on Math IIC, plus A- second semester this year, would this be good enough?”
“my math grades dipped from A+ freshman year to B+ sophomore year (horrific grade on final exam because I skipped the last page by mistake)”</p>
<p>As stated, you want to be proficient but this borders on a need for perfection. I mean really. Why bother asking if near perfect scores are good enough? Of course they are!</p>
<p>"I think I can get an A- this semester (which is a great grade at my school in honors pre-cal). "
“Other than getting the B+ and B, I would have all As on my transcript”</p>
<p>Again, if your confidant you can pull it up and have a great transcript then why ask? Because you missed perfection by a small margin? Its OK. Everyone fails sometimes.<br>
But you already know “that 2 Bs won’t really kill me at all”. So that isn’t right either. Maybe you just want everyone to praise and say how good you are then. Or maybe you just didn’t think when posting the thread that you already knew your the best of the best and were fine. I dunno. But your right, no need to argue. I’m done.</p>
<p>Uhmm…nooooo, you missed my purpose for this thread, which was to seek advice for the best plan to apply to colleges. I said that if I seem to lack a skill in mathematics, a skill that many “engineers” have honed and use daily, then should I just apply as a biomed major or perhaps just as a biology major. I don’t need any praise whatsoever, trust me, I don’t even want people at my school knowing my college plans so I can avoid any talk. </p>
<p>Why did you reply with such a ridiculous post (honestly, no offense, but it’s odd). I mean you suggest I am fishing for compliments, which I don’t need, then say that I’m freakin out when you spazzed. I never asked if my 2 Bs would wreck all chances, I asked which major should I put down to have the best shot. </p>
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<p>Who wouldn’t want to? Lol I don’t get that reply, I’m sorry if that offends you. I just asked would having Bs in math sophomore/junior year look bad if I am applying as an engineering major? (if my reason for a “lackluster performance”-I use this phrase because you apparently take me as an intellectual elitist devoid of self-confidence who needs the approbation of strangers on the internet).</p>
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<p>Did you let your emotions get the best of you here or something? Frankly, I guess you’re mad that I care to ask if 2 Bs in math classes hurt when applying to engineering programs to a few Ivies and other peer schools. If that’s the case, I’m sorry.</p>
<p>Big Dreamer: Let’s put it this way: You WILL make it into a college to study biomedical engineering. Whether it is the place you dreamed of going is based on your own expectations and efforts between now and then. I think its perfectly fine to be conscerned about your grades, I know I would not be uncomfortable if I had two B’s’ in a math class right now because those classes are what I consider myself good at. However, that wouldn’t be the end of world by ANY stretch.</p>
<p>^Oh, I KNOW it’s not the end of the world or anything like that. Sure, it’s not comforting to have those 2 Bs, but I’m not going to completely flip out or anything. Thanks for your help aGGieENGiNeeR :)</p>
but I did have some other essay topics in mind too, but I guess I have all summer to truly decide what I want to write about. The insomnia is just one part of my life and high school experience, but I do have some other things that will let colleges know who I am!</p>