<p>I tried this post on the College Selection section with not much response so I figured I would try it here.</p>
<p>My son is a high school junior and desires to study Aerospace Engineering in college. I know this seems like an easy question given Michigan's ranking in relation to the others but, fo him, it is not. I am a Florida alum so he has grown up going to Gator games and loves the campus and atmosphere at UF. However, we live in Virginia at this point and VT is the best engineering program in the state. Michigan is the only campus of the three that we have not yet been able to visit but, from what people say on this site about Ann Arbor as a college town, I'm sure he would love it. While we have not lived in a climate quite like Ann Arbor, he enjoys the snow, so I don't think the weather would be a negative.</p>
<p>Another twist to this is that he is seeking a Navy ROTC scholarship and all three have a fine NROTC program. We like the structure that the Corps of Cadets at VT would provide but all would certainly fit the bill. Since he is going ROTC, out of state tuition is not an issue.</p>
<p>Should Michigan's engineering ranking (UM top seven undergrad engineering, top three in Aerospace) in relation to the others (all among top 25-30 undergraduate engineering programs) be a major factor since this is undergrad and he will spend at least the next four to five years in the Navy? Could his choice impact his possibilities for grad school down the road if he chooses to leave the Navy following his obligated service? Is Michigan's high ranking something that could assist him in other ways down the road that we are not even considering?</p>
<p>While I can't give advice about which of the three school to choose, I would advise your son that he should go mechanical engineering rather than aerospace as an undergrad then study aerospace as a grad student. The reason for this is that aerospace engineering is a subset of mechanical and so while what you learn in MechE can be applied to AeroE, while not much of what is learned in AeroE can be applied to MechE outside of the aerospace industry.</p>
<p>I kind of agree with him. Aerospace is more of a specialty engineering. Same with biomedical, though I wouldn't necessarily say the ChemE would be the undergrad to study. That would depend exactly what field you wanted to work in; drug deliver (ChemE/ME), diagnostics (EE/ME), API manufacturing (any), etc...</p>
<p>Bioengineering? I would go either Biochemical engineering or Biosystems engineering.</p>
<p>the only degrees i c are BioMedical and Bioengineering. i want to work on implants machinary into people, so i take it that goes under Biosystems? im minoring in neuroscience, cause i want to do something involving the brain too.</p>
<p>Others are right. BS: Mechanical ----> MS: Aerospace.</p>
<p>I interned at a company which makes planes (not Boeing, but makes private jets)... Most of those working on aerodynamics, wing modifications, etc... were MEs. You can still work in the aerospace business if you are an ME. Of course... why not?</p>
<p>If you want to specialize afterwards, then a MS in AE would be advisable.</p>
<p>In general one should try to stick to ChemE, CivE, EE or MechE for undergrad. If one wants to specialize in a particular subset within that major you can try for a few specialized classes in that area. Then specialize more in grad school. The reason being is that the specifics of engineering can change frequently, while the generalities and big picture don't change that radically.</p>
<p>For Bio(med, mechanical, engineering), either MechE or EE with some bio courses should be fine, but you should probably talk to a professor in that case, because some form of Bioengineering might end up becoming a fifth pillar of engineering in addition to EE, CivE, ChemE, or MechE.</p>