Hi everyone. I was fortunate enough to be admitted to both Georgia Tech and Johns Hopkins. My top choice major is Biomedical Engineering, which I was admitted to in GT, but sadly I wasn’t admitted to Hopkins’ BME program. I am debating if I should choose Georgia Tech BME, or go for Johns Hopkins and do ChemBE or Electrical Engineering, then pursue a masters in BME. I am presently unsure on med school afterwards, but am certain I want to go for my masters at least, and maybe a PhD, MD, or MD/PhD program. Given that grad school is a path I want to take, and I hope to work in healthcare related fields, I am finding it difficult to pass up Johns Hopkins. On the other hand, as it stands, biomedical engineering is what truly seems to interest me and I would prefer not to pass that up. I am confused on what to choose, and could use some help. Thanks for reading guys, and any advice would be appreciated.
Johns Hopkins Chemical Engineering or Electrical Engineering vs. Georgia Tech Biomedical Engineering
GT has excellent engineering programs. What would be the benefit of attending JHU to study a major that is not your primary interest? It’s not like attending JHU over GT will make it easier to get into grad school (which is your intention).
You can major in any engineering major at Hopkins and then apply to both of the BME master’s programs your third year with a significant advantage over outsiders. GTs ugrad BME program is phenomenal so you’re not going to have any problems getting into grad schools with any decent GPA + research from that school.
Yea, would second JHU if you’re serious about getting a master’s in BME. Georgia tech is known for grade deflation more so than JHU, so take that into account too.
@Jsteez @stevensPR Wait, you can apply for the combined BS/MS program at Johns Hopkins, or starting masters classes your fourth year of undergrad from any major? I had been under the impression you need to be a BME undergraduate in order to get into the masters program your third year. and that if you weren’t you had to apply like everyone else after you finish your bachelors.
Are both equally affordable?
No one needs to major in BioMedE in order to get into a BioMedE grad school.
If you went to JHU, would you major in ChemE or MechE? Those work well with BioMedE grad school depending which direction interests you.
@mom2collegekids I am between electrical or ChemE. I forgot to mention MechE. I truly have no idea on what else to major in now that I didn’t make it to BME. I honestly didn’t think of it, because it was my imagination I wouldn’t even be accepted to Hopkins. I have various interests, I’m unsure on what direction I want to go with BME, but am leaning towards Brain-Computer Interfaces, prosthetics, medical robotics, etc. However, the chemical side with cell and tissue, molecular engineering, etc. also fascinates me. As far as getting into BME grad school, I knew you could do another major in undergrad, but I didn’t know about being able to start masters classes early in BME if I were say a ChemE. I though the combined masters/bachelors for BME, where you finish in 5 years and start your 3rd year, was only available to undergrad BMEs at Hopkins.
As far as money goes, Hopkins is more affordable as it stands. I am OOS for GT. The OOS factor combined with it being hard to pass up Hopkins are why this is such a difficult choice.
For BME you apply your spring of junior year and you can apply from any other major I believe. Additionally, a lot of the engineering upper levels you take as an upperclassmen can be used to fulfill graduate requirements over a wide range of departments so even if you do not get accepted into the BS/MS program if you fulfilled ur ULE requirements with BME courses these can be used if you get in to the MSE program.
Also like @mom2collegekids said you don’t need to be bme to get into bme grad school. It’s much easier to get into BME from any engineering background with bio knowledge than it is to go from bme ugrad to let’s say mechE/EE/ChemE masters
I would definitely go with Georgia Tech! I was also admitted to Tech for BME and was admitted to JHU BME as well. I got into another school that I will likely choose above both, but if it hadn’t been for that, I would have definitely gone with Georgia Tech! It is phenomenal for BME as well, ranked #1 by US News, so you can’t go wrong. I toured the building and it was extremely nice and the opportunities seemed amazing. Atlanta is much better than Baltimore in my opinion, too. I wouldn’t pass up the incredible opportunity to major in BME at a wonderful school (Georgia Tech) in a wonderful city (Atlanta) for some other major at JHU!
I would not imagine paying extra for georgia tech over hopkins. Keep in mind, hopkins is a lot harder to get in and enrolls more. You can always go to georgia tech later
Obvious Hopkins is a school I only dreamed of getting into. I am still in shock that I was even admitted, but my concern is with my major. I love both schools (I liked Hopkins better and I would have Early Decisioned if my parents allowed it), but being able to pursue BME is my interest. I want to do a five year program if possible (which Hopkins offers), but have no clue if being a ChemBE or EE or MechE will allow me to do a BME masters in 5 years. I also felt that if not for BME, that Hopkins isn’t necessarily attending for say an undergrad in ChemE or EE, so GTech may be more worthwhile in the long run.
In terms of engineering opportunities, one school is not better for industry than the other. So if Hopkins is cheaper, there is no reason to pick Georgia Tech unless you see yourself happier socially in Georgia tech versus the other.
Hopkins also has superb grad school placement at Stanford and MIT for Mech E and other engineering majors. So no loss there either should you deviate from bme for grad school.
ChemE will prepare you just fine for a BME masters or related PhD program. Simply take some extra bio classes as your electives (or minor in Bio).
Hopkins!
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Brain-Computer Interfaces, prosthetics, medical robotics, etc. However, the chemical side with cell and tissue, molecular engineering, etc. also fascinates me.
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Well, whichever one suits you best. Do you have to choose a discipline right away?
What are your parents saying? Will they happily pay the higher cost of GT? If not, then the question is moot.
Ok…at JHU you didn’t get into BioMedE…well what about this discipline at JHU?
https://engineering.jhu.edu/fields-of-study/bioengineering-innovation-design/
^^ That’s the second master’s program I was referring to that takes students of all disciplines.
My parents will happily pay for GT, but already say it will be difficult, which is inevitable. I personally do not know if it is wise to pay extra for GT if I want to get into engineering in healthcare related fields, given that I have a chance at going to Johns Hopkins which is a field leader. But again, I’m inexperienced and turned to hear from others maybe who are in the field, graduated students, parents, etc. Because maybe it would be wiser to take GT, though given my interest in grad school I don’t think it is.
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Did you look at that link i provided above? What about that major at JHU
^that’s not an undergrad major