UCSD Bioengineering/Bioengineering: Biotechnology transfer

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hey everyone, I am currently a freshman student at CSULB in pre-electrical engineering. I made the mistake of not deciding to go on the path towards my dream major (Bioengineering) because of getting denied from the UC system for my poor grades in Highschool (my fault). Being enrolled at CSULB for an entire school year and realizing I wasn’t happy, I have decided to transfer back to SD Miramar college (I’m from San Diego) summer 2015 in order to try and transfer to UCSD. I have not taken any engineering courses yet, and will finish my physics and mathematics sequence by my fall 2015 semester at community. I was wondering if they’ll consider me a community college student since I’ll have more CC units than CSU units (37 > 30) and what my chances of getting are. I also wondering if I should choose general bioengineering or biotechnology because I am interested in microfluidic and neuroengineering research. Here are my stats:

Current GPA: 4.0

Will Complete entire prerequisite general bioengineering track as shown on assist.org by time of transfer (Fall 2016)

Helped reinstate the Biomedical engineering society (BMES) student chapter at CSULB

Publicity director and Project manager for CSULB BMES

Helped petition and catalyze the process to develop, and accredit the Biomedical/Clinical engineering degree from an electrical engineering option to a complete degree at CSULB (will take years, but there will be a BME degree @ CSULB)

Designed and built transcranial electromagnetic stimulation device for CSULB BMES

Undergraduate research assistant in the Neurobiology Lab of Kevin Sinchak

My biggest concern is my chances at getting in since I will have a mess of units from CC and CSU. I am wondering if they will consider me a CC student (which I think will greaten my chances at admission) or a CSU student for transfer, even though I will have 37 units at the CC level versus 30 units at CSULB. I am also concerned as to which track I should choose: General Bioengineering versus Bioengineering: Biotechnology. Can someone give me their insight as what is best for me? Thank you so much.

2

Microfluidics? No kidding? Very cool.

You are definitely going to want to call UCSD undergraduate advising and talk it over with them. Have a copy of both your transcript and your current course plan (complete with when you intend to take them) available such that you can e-mail it to them if they ask. Make sure you review the departmental labs and current research before you talk to them

My sense is General Bioengineering if you can swing it, but that’s why you need to talk to them.

3

The only difference in the prerequisite tracks is that Bioengineering: Biotechnology requires 2 semesters of organic chemistry. The Major classes also differ significantly with general having a more medical device and Biomaterials focus while Biotechnology has more of a Tissue engineering and molecular engineering focus. I think both heavily overlap in Mircofluidics. However, I am not too sure if choosing Biotechnology over general will hurt my chances of getting in, since I won’t be able to complete two classes of Organic chemistry in time (I want to transfer Fall 2016).