UPitt or UCSD for biomed with premed

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Pittsburgh
1

<p>My daughter got accepted into the biomed engineering program at the University of Pittsburgh. She also got accepted into UCSD for their biomed engineering program. She wants to pursue a PhD and MD after doing biomedical engineering as an undergrad at a top med school. </p>

<p>We have no scholarships available to us, so I want to be sure that the money I will have to invest in her education is going to the best school. My daughter does not know which school to go to and the May 1st deadline to accept which school is fast approaching. Please give me some feedback as to which of these two schools would be best for my daughter so that I can show it to her and, hopefully, lead to her making a decision.</p>

2

<p>Pitt and UCSD both are stronghold in biomedical research. Your D will get a lot of exposure to the field she likes in either place. Specific to Biomedical engineering program ranking, UCSD stands out stronger if you believe in it. Are you in state to either PA or CA? Perhaps take into account of tuition difference for you?
2006 Biomedical Engineer program ranking:

  1. Johns Hopkins University (Whiting) (MD) 4.7
  2. University of California–San Diego (Jacobs) 4.6
  3. Georgia Institute of Technology 4.5
  4. University of Washington 4.4
  5. Duke University (NC) 4.2
    University of Pennsylvania 4.2
  6. Boston University 4.1
  7. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 4.0
  8. Case Western Reserve University (OH) 3.9
  9. Rice University (Brown) (TX) 3.8
    University of Michigan–Ann Arbor 3.8
  10. Northwestern University (McCormick) (IL) 3.6
    University of Virginia 3.6
  11. University of California–Berkeley † 3.5
    University of Pittsburgh 3.5
    Washington University in St. Louis (Sever) 3.5
  12. Columbia University (Fu Foundation) (NY) 3.4
  13. Stanford University (CA) 3.3
    University of Texas–Austin 3.3
    University of Utah 3.3
  14. University of California–Davis 3.2
    Vanderbilt University (TN) 3.2
  15. Pennsylvania State University–University Park 3.1
  16. Arizona State University (Fulton) 3.0
    Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (NY) 3.0
    University of Minnesota–Twin Cities 3.0
    University of Wisconsin–Madison 3.0
  17. Cornell University (NY) 2.9
    University of Southern California (Viterbi) 2.9
  18. California Institute of Technology 2.8
    Carnegie Mellon University ¶ 2.8
    Drexel University ¶ 2.8
    Rutgers State University–New Brunswick (NJ) 2.8
    Tulane University (LA) 2.8
    University of Rochester (NY) 2.8
  19. Purdue University–West Lafayette (IN) 2.7
    SUNY–Stony Brook 2.7
    Texas A&M University–College Station (Look) 2.7
  20. CUNY–City College 2.6
    Marquette University (WI) 2.6
    University of California–Irvine (Samueli) 2.6
  21. Clemson University (SC) 2.5
    University of Alabama–Birmingham 2.5
    University of California–Los Angeles (Samueli) 2.5
    University of Iowa 2.5
    Yale University (CT) 2.5
    2007:
  22. Johns Hopkins University (MD)
  23. Duke University (NC)
  24. Univ. of California–San Diego *
  25. Georgia Institute of Technology *
    Massachusetts Inst. of Technology
  26. University of Pennsylvania
  27. Case Western Reserve Univ. (OH)
  28. University of Michigan–Ann Arbor *
  29. Boston University
  30. University of Washington *
  31. Rice University (TX)
  32. Northwestern University (IL)
    University of California–Berkeley *
  33. Stanford University (CA)
  34. Vanderbilt University (TN)
  35. Washington University in St. Louis
  36. Univ. of Wisconsin–Madison *
    University of Virginia *
  37. U. of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign *
    University of Texas–Austin *
  38. University of California–Davis *
    Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst. (NY)
  39. Tulane University (LA)
    2008:
    1 Johns Hopkins University (MD)
    2 Duke University (NC)
    3 Georgia Institute of Technology *
    4 Univ. of California–San Diego *
    5 University of Pennsylvania
    6 Massachusetts Inst. of Technology
    7 Case Western Reserve Univ. (OH)
    8 Boston University
    9 Rice University (TX)
    9 University of Michigan–Ann Arbor *
    11 Northwestern University (IL)
    12 University of Washington *
    13 Stanford University (CA)
    14 University of California–Berkeley *
    15 Vanderbilt University (TN)
    16 Univ. of Wisconsin–Madison *
    16 University of Virginia *
    16 Washington University in St. Louis
    19 Tulane University (LA)
    19 University of Texas–Austin *
    21 Cornell University (NY)
    21 University of Utah *
    23 Columbia University (NY)
    2009:
    1 Johns Hopkins University
    Baltimore, MD
    2 Duke University
    Durham, NC
    3 Georgia Institute of Technology
    Atlanta, GA
    4 University of California–San Diego
    La Jolla, CA
    5 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Cambridge, MA
    6 University of Pennsylvania
    Philadelphia, PA
    7 University of Washington
    Seattle, WA
    8 Boston University
    Boston, MA
    9 Case Western Reserve University
    Cleveland, OH
    Rice University
    Houston, TX
    University of Michigan–Ann Arbor
    Ann Arbor, MI</p>
3

<p>I am in Denver, Colorado. So no in state tuition savings. Your rankings show UCSD always better than Pitt. What is your opinion?</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

4

<p>It’s obvious that you’re from Den, Col :slight_smile:
Based on the limited information you provided, I would opt for UCSD, mainly out of consideration that teenager’s idea on career path is known to change faster than we can plan for. In case she decides not to go for MD/PhD or med school altogether, BS in Bioeng is a very marketable degree, and UCSD is known for its strength. This could be partly attributable to its proximity to flourishing biotech companies nearby. On the other hand, if she ends up sticking to her med school plan, you should consider schools with rich biomedical research environments. Both Pitt and UCSD would fit the bill, with slight edge towards UCSD IMHO.</p>