@sybbie719 if only it were that simple, I intend on doing research in BME in the future and out of all the good biomedical engineering schools (including OOS costs) GT would be the cheapest. I could potentially graduate in 3 years depending on how many AP credits I get this year though, so that might help (still really iffy on that).
Are you saying that your parents may not be able to pay for 4 years at GT? If the answer is yes, then you my dear may have a problem (which would be compounded if you have to transfer due to finances)
What are your plans after achieving this BME?
@TomSrOfBoston totally agree! She’s a teacher and said it with so much authority, even after I told her NO, I had to check myself because I wondered how that rumor started! I hate to see people make big decisions like that with bad information. My niece decided on UNC thankfully.
@sybbie719 To be clear (my fault for not) they can without much trouble pay for all 4 years but I would just like to be easier on their wallets. Ideally I will go on to do a MD/PHD or just a MD program and do research.in medicine Nuero-Medical devices.
A slew of posters could show up, explaining no one should count on graduating in engineering in 3 years, especially not from a big U.
Do you have engineering experience? I’m not taking abut high school AP, but something that makes you able to hit the ground running. And, good AP scores?
Actually, if you plan on going to med school, you really need the least expensive option for undergrad. Your parents income and assets will still be required for med school, which is mostly need based aid and/or loans. you can essentially major in anything and go to med school.
If you can go less expensive now, they can use that money to help you toward med school.
@lookingforward I would have enough AP credits (according to degree requirements) to graduate in 3 years without having to take any extra classes. What makes me capable? Well I’m not sure how to explain it I’ve always had a way of maintaining my status even when times were hard. I’ve always picked up difficult material faster than average, especially in these last couple of years. On top of this an engineering major isn’t as hard as it is rumored to be, the material doesn’t seem to complex when I scan over it. Do I have engineering experience? Not literally but I intend on interning a BME from March to August. When I said good AP scores I was referring to one’s that they would except. I could potentially get 28-36 credits If I pass ever single test this year (which is likely).
Will your parents let you use that additional money to pay for grad or med school IF you go to a less costly school GA Tech?
If you have $50,000 debt for undergrad…I can safely tell you, you will have at least…AT LEAST an additional $50,000 a year for your med or grad school bills…
A bachelors in Mechanical Engineering…is available at a LOT of schools…A LOT…that are ABET accredited. Tombe frank, that is what you should be looking for…a school with ABET BME programs…with great merit aid.
You have nice stats, and the potential tomget decent merit aid. But it doesn’t sound like younapplied to schools,where that happened. Or did you?
??
You will NOT graduate Tech with an engineering degree in 3 years. The average # of APs a student at my local HS enters Tech with is something like 9-11 (again I am not where I can currently check this) and they don’t expect to graduate in 3 years. Most take at least 4 - and if they co-op, it can be up to 5.
I have not read your chances post (I don’t read those) but OOS admission rate at GT was in the low 20’s last year (I forget the exact # and don’t have time at the moment to look). So its a 1:4 to 1:5 chance for OOS applicants. Being an academically strong URM from the Dakotas is a hook, but thinking your hope to make a difference in Atlanta or Ga in general will not likely make a big difference. That said, schools do use enrollment management and tuition discounting to lure students they want. An academically successful URM from the Dakotas might well be one. So if you get scholarship $, it will be for that, not because you want to petition for instate tuition because you think you are going to make your mark in GA.
What is your other “back up” school in GA? Are you planing to try to do the automatic transfer to Tech after 2 years?
@mom2collegekids knows much more about med programs than I do. If you have AP credits in the sciences GT may consider those courses completed, but I don’t think med schools will. I wouldn’t count on completing an engineering degree in 3 years.
I fully understand not getting a scholarship for my interests/intentions that’s not what I am saying. In general I just want any scholarship I can get.
Well do most students take a full schedule? If so I fully intend on doing so I also intend on attending a couple of summer semesters if that could help with my degree. Also if you look at the degree requirements someone who takes 9+ AP’s and gets passing scores could potentially graduate in 3 years with a full schedule.
@thumper1 I’m interested in biomedical engineering not mechanical engineering, huge difference.
Hahahahahahahaha. What are you looking at? Physics I? Or heat transfer? Thermo? Fluid mechanics? Circuits?
Lol, this just gets funnier and funnier. They’re not that different.
I know you are interested in biomedical engineering. MANY (read that again…MANY) students with this interest get an engineering degree in ME…and especially with your interest in neuro-medical devices.
But that doesn’t change ONE thing about getting instate tuition in Georgia if your family lives in South Dakota. It’s not going to happen as an undergrad.
@austinmshauri Thanks for the information!!! I have looked into AP transfers for medical schools and all the ones I’m applying (intend on applying) to accept AP credit. As for the three year graduation that’s up in the air, but it seems possible maybe reality says something different.
Medical schools will accept AP credits toward your degree… but they will not accept them as fulfillment of the prerequisite courses you need to take to apply to medical schools. @WayOutWestMom am I wrong about this?
In addition, you WILL need to take all of the requisite courses for medical school applicants, and some won’t be part of your engineering course of study…even a biomedical engineering course of study.
And for the record…if you intend to graduate in four years…and you are taking summer courses…you are ADDIND terms to your years of undergrad study.
@thumper1 I am well aware of that I would be “ADDIND terms to my years of undergrad study” Anyways for the medical schools I am applying to, they except AP credits, as I’ve stated.
It would be unwise to make decisions based on the idea that you will complete a degree in 3 years. Engineering courses are far more time consuming than anything you have had in HS and also very sequential.
“Also if you look at the degree requirements someone who takes 9+ AP’s and gets passing scores could potentially graduate in 3 years with a full schedule.”
What are you assuming to be passing scores? GT requires a 5 on both sections of physics C to receive credit. For Calculus B/C courses the minimum is a 4. Even then I would advise you to be very confident in your understanding of these concepts because you will be in classes with some of the brightest students in the country and most of your future courses will require a good understanding of these concepts.
You also mention perhaps considering med school. Courses like Anatomy and Physiology as general education courses require a very different kind of thinking than engineering. There is a lot of memorization which can also be very time consuming.
I see a lot of very ambitious HS students on CC. They all have had a great deal of success in HS and want to find ways to carry that same ambition into college. Some want multiple majors because of interests others, like you, want to graduate more quickly and accelerate the process. There are those who do both but they are in the minority. Most will find college plenty challenging without pushing. Don’t over do it your first semester of your freshmen year. It’s better to decide that you can handle more than to discover you bit off more than you can handle.
@Jimbobjim, I think @thumper1’s point is that by adding summer sessions you’ll be costing your parents more money, not less.
It doesn’t matter if the med schools you’re looking at accept AP credits if those credits don’t count toward the prereqs. Med school admission seems pretty difficult to me. I’d plan for 4 years and I’d take every prereq at a college to keep all med school options open. You need a high GPA for med school, so cramming as many courses as you can into 3 years is likely to work against you.
High school AP is not college level engineering.
“What makes me capable? Well I’m not sure how to explain it I’ve always had a way of maintaining my status even when times were hard.” Hooboy. How rigorous is your hs? Your highest math is AP calc? So, forgive me, but all this is about what you want, not experiences except classes?
“Do I have engineering experience? Not literally but I intend on interning a BME from March to August.” No math sci ECs in hs, no robotics, no math team, etc, just a lot of volunteering and tutoring? You have this “interning” set up?
Look, maybe you make it, maybe you don’t. But after the repeat questions about finessing in-state rates- and now how you think you can get through in 3 years- I’d like to see you’re thinking this through rationally. And properly informed. Eg, do you have the AP scores noted in post 57?
The idea is, engineering is challenging, on a college level. The many students already with higher math and practical experience are part of what sets the actual bar in classes and in what profs expect.
If you are a good student, great. But some of what you write is leading us to these questions.