<p>Had i never found this board it would not be an issue but now i can't stop thinking about it. I know this has been discussed before, but in my specific situation what does everyone think i should do.</p>
<p>I am going to UTexas next year and am currently signed up for biomedical engineering. Right now, i am leaning toward getting a masters or going to med school rather than entering industry after my undergrad. However, i am not sure at all about this and am doing a more mechanical/electrical pre-college internship this summer; i am thinking this will make me want to change to EE like i have already been considering. Had i not read everything about how bad BME is on this board i would stay with bme, but from what everyone is saying my mind is telling me that i should get my undergrad in something like EE.</p>
<p>The only thing im worried about is i have to maintain a 3.5 GPA to stay in honors and keep my scholarship, and im not sure how easy that will be in EE. Also, i want to get my premed requirements done and hardly any are covered in the EE cirriculum, whereas BME covers them all. I know if i do EE i will have a great fallback if i dont end up going to grad school or med school, but if i cant keep the 3.5 i know i will regret switching to EE, because i am sure i can keep a 3.5 in BME.</p>
<p>If somebody could convince me to do one or the other I would appreciate it greatly.</p>
<p>Well, your decision is a bit tough. I have a degree in EE, and am in grad school for my master's now, so I hope I can offer you some advice on the pros and cons of pursuing EE. I really don't know much about BME, but all I can say is that you need to consider the source of the information you are getting about how bad BME is. I mean no offense, but high school seniors and college freshman most likely do not understand what it means to study engineering, and I would not take advice from them.</p>
<p>Now first things first - EE is a really tough major. Getting a 3.5 in EE is possible, but its not easy. It also depends on the school you go to. I don't know how grades are at UT, but since it is a large research university, I would expect a 3.5 hard to come by. </p>
<p>The advantage to studying EE though, is that it is one of the most marketable degrees out there, and you will have no problem with employment, even if you don't get that 3.5. I can guarantee you that EE will be more work (also because you have to take more classes), but it will also probably look better on a resume. I would say that in general, EE's are the kings of the engineering world because they invent most of the new technology. </p>
<p>My advice is to think about what you really want to do. If you want to be an engineer, study EE. If you want to be a doctor, BME is probably the best bet.</p>
<p>considering that you are aiming to go to grad school or med school, i would say stick with BME. if you honestly believe that you can keep a 3.5 or higher in BME (which is pretty difficult, in my honest opinion), you won't need a fallback career. Chances are, with a 3.5 and some research experience, you will be able to get into med school/grad school. BME is a very good engineering major in preparation for med school (for obvious reasons), and if you plan on going to graduate school in BME, a BME undergrad won't hurt. however, all bets are off if you end up with lower GPA; at that point, you will have try to get a job after undergrad. in that case, EE would probably be your best hope, since BME jobs are scarce and lower-paying. so in essence, it really depends on the question: do you really believe you can maintain a 3.5+ GPA in BME?</p>
<p>i dont know how UTexas works with their curriculum, but in most cases your first year of college will require the same classes. if its possible, make a decision about what you wanna do after your first year, based on your first year GPA.</p>
<p>bme <em>does</em> have some exit options. although the prospects straight out of u-grad aren't as good as EE, they are still there (maybe not in engineering).</p>
<p>for example, take a couple actuarial exams and become an actuary. or learn C++ on the side and get into software. or an entry level business program (business jobs usually love an engineering background).</p>
<p>seems like BME would be the better fit for you...and if you decide to not pursue g-school for whatever reason, just keep your options open after u-grad and avoid becoming a lab rat (unless you want that)</p>
<p>EE seems to be much better than BME.. you can still take the organic chem required for med school.. and that's everthing you need.. well and high gpa =)..</p>