MIT, Duke, or Hopkins BME

Colleges and Universities A-Z Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1

<p>I am trying to decide between MIT, Duke, and Hopkins BME (biomedical engineering). I want to study biological/biomedical engineering, with a biomolecular focus, so having a good chemical engineering department would be a plus. I want to do premed, specifically MD/PhD, but as everyone knows, that can change. Here are the pros and cons of each university as I see it. Any advice or help in making the decision would be greatly appreciated.</p>

<p>MIT:</p>

<p>Pros: It's MIT, very good financial aid package, #1 Chem Eng department, #4 Biological Eng dept, advanced Nanotech institutes, can cross-register at Harvard, great business programs</p>

<p>Cons: Biological Eng dept is young and enrollment is limited to 40 (there is a BME minor that everyone can take), premed acceptance to at least 1 med school is ~75% (I know statistics can be misleading, but still), cold weather</p>

<p>Duke:</p>

<p>Pros: Angier B. Duke Memorial Scholarship (full-tuition, summer at Oxford Univ., opportunities to get research grants), #2 Biomedical Eng. dept, #6 Medical School, medical school adjacent to undergrad campus, good weather, more relaxed atmosphere, good business programs</p>

<p>Cons: No independent chemical engineering department (I'm pretty sure they cover it in BME, though)</p>

<p>Hopkins:</p>

<p>Pros: Hodson Trust Scholarship (partial-tuition), Westgate Scholarship finalist (I'm waiting to hear the results), #1 BME dept, #1 Hospital, #2 Medical School (also near the campus), more students in the Hopkins MD/PhD program came from Hopkins undergrad than from any other institution, has a Chem. Eng. department, minor in Entrepreneurship program, close to home</p>

<p>Cons: BME major seems less flexible here than at other places, few if any BME majors have a second major at Hopkins</p>

2

<p>Go to Duke. Full scholarship. and #2 ranking</p>

3

<p>Yikes, what a choice. To be honest, I'll have to lean towards Duke here. Full tuition is very hard to turn down, especially if future income isn't guaranteed.</p>

4

<p>Come to MIT!!!!!! You will never regret!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</p>

5

<p>One thing to consider is the atmosphere for premed students -- at MIT, it's not cutthroat at all, whereas (hearsay alert!) I've heard different things about premed at JHU and Duke.</p>

<p>I don't think I'd choose Hopkins based on the fact that "more students in the Hopkins MD/PhD program came from Hopkins undergrad than from any other institution" -- yikes, after four years, wouldn't you want to consider a different place for your 7-8 year MD/PhD?</p>

<p>I'd also note that while the BE major is young, the department isn't -- there's been a graduate program for several years. And while there's officially a lottery system to get in, the lottery wasn't necessary this year and the department is looking to expand the number of undergraduates it can accomodate.</p>

<p>If you're interested, I have a friend who's entering an MD/PhD program in the fall (and her boyfriend is entering a BE PhD program) -- I'm sure she'd be happy to answer any questions you might have.</p>