<p>Responding to the original question: </p>
<p>I myself was wondering this question upon applying to Stanford last year. Though I was deferred and then rejected from Stanford, I was accepted to the BME programs at Duke and Johns Hopkins, among others, and spoke much with students about Stanford’s program. </p>
<p>What I obtained:
While Stanford’s BME program is at par with JHU’s and Duke’s, the overall strength of its engineering programs (collectively) is superior. As for the holistic emphasis on engineering that is promoted at Stanford, you may find this beneficial if your intentions to do BME aren’t necessarily set in stone. Furthermore, whereas at Duke or JHU you may find yourself amongst students who are more clearly decided to do BME (as you must select this option on your application), Stanford’s BME department will entail a greater diversity of engineering interest. </p>
<p>In short, definitely apply. And if by some reason you are not accepted, don’t worry or harbor any negative opinions of the program or of Stanford. It is an excellent institution and rejects many excellent applicants.
Hope that helps!</p>