Hello! After applying to a plethora of schools, I have so far been accepted to University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (in-state), University of Washington- Seattle, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, and Boston University. I am waiting on University of Wisconsin, Tufts, Vanderbilt, University of Virginia (deferred), Bucknell, and University of Michigan (deferred). I hope to study biomedical engineering in college, with a focus on prosthetics and biomechanics. However, I see a 25-50% chance of me switching to mechanical engineering. Academics are definitely my top priority, so I would see myself choosing a more selective school over a less selective one.
US News rankings
-Biomedical engineering:
3. Georgia Tech
11. University of Washington
12. Boston University
18. University of Virginia
21. University of Illinois
NR. Virginia Tech (no biomedical engineering major, only minor)
NR. Bucknell University
-Mechanical engineering:
2. Georgia Tech
6. University of Illinois
15. Virginia Tech
NR. University of Washington
NR. Boston University
NR. University of Virginia
NR. Bucknell University
However, these are my other priorities:
-Strong academics (Do rankings matter?)
-Good job placement (can a website like this be trusted? http://www.payscale.com/college-salary-report/best-schools-by-majors/engineering?page=15 )
-Quality professors (and preferably smaller class sizes)
-Campus diversity(in both race and state/country of origin)
-Not difficult to change majors within school
-Fun athletics to support
-Nice campus
-Social students (not all introverts)
-Attractive students
-Other things to do on/around campus besides party (I’m not a huge partier myself)
-Cost isn’t too much of an issue, so this shouldn’t be the deciding factor
-Overall nice students
-Collaborative environment
-Places around campus to be adventurous (nature, state parks, etc.)
If you have any input at all, please provide it! I need all the help I can get. Thank you!