I’m not entirely sure if this is the right place for this but, i am applying as a transfer student.
Not long ago, i had my heart set on studying biochemistry at the University of Pittsburgh (and i had for many years). But recently i was introduced to a program at Drexel University that is utterly intriguing to me. It’s one of their specific biomedical engineering concentrations, “Biomechanics and Human Performance Engineering,” and i honestly love everything about it… and i can’t seem to find any program quite like it anywhere else.
The only problem i have is… is chasing this new found dream, worth the price of attendance at Drexel University? Which is notoriously expensive and one of the top 10 most expensive schools to attend.
Any help would be appreciated as now i’m completely lost. Especially any alternative schools to mention
This program is for people with BS in engineering before they start, it is a certificate program, so not a masters either.
Pitt has a large biomedical engineering program with biomechanics specialty track and a course in human factors engineering. Are you in-state in Pa ? Can you get in ?
For biomedical engineering, a masters or even a PhD is needed for the best jobs (some people are much more pessimistic and Drexel is not particularly highly ranked for biomed), and while you should be funded for a PhD, a masters might be self pay. So I wouldn’t spend all my money on Drexel.
Do what it takes to go to Pitt for biomedical engineering as a transfer (I assume in-state, are you at a community college now or a different school) … get your bachelors there and then find a good school to get your masters degree.
The concentrations in biomedical engineering won’t be a ton of courses, since just getting through all the required materials in bio-med will take most of your years and energy.
You could even study mechanical engineering for your bachelors, more job opportunities.
Drexel is very expensive and not special (ranked 99 and 65 for engineering). There are better schools … for lower cost.
While it may be a post BS certificate… at Drexel when you’re getting your bs in biomedical engineering you have to pick a concentration to graduate with and complete the courses whilst completing your BS.
The whole point of this thread though was that i’m not a cold hard calculating machine, and want to enjoy and feel fulfillment out of my undergraduate education i really do like the way they have their program set up. The reason i want to study particularly biomedical engineering and the specific concentration is honestly my passion for medicine…
I do see some of your points however, so i do want to take a step back and wait to see what Drexel can offer me (a friend with similar performance to me, however in civil engineering was offered full-tuition)… I am instate and do have the stats to get into Pitt…
While i’m not one for “us news rankings” let’s not get ahead of our selves by saying being ranked 99th in the country is by any means mediocre…And Drexel grads at least in my area are known for having pretty great success in the job market, which means a hell of a lot more than a subjective rank…
And sorry if any of that sounded rude, just trying to find middle ground. And as alluded to in my original post, Pitt is still definitely a top choice.
Pitt would be less than half the price of Drexel and is likely equally good. Why don’t you visit Pitt and Drexel, tour the facilities, talk to professors, etc ?
Sure if you get a major scholarship from Drexel it would be competitive, but at full cost … at any price …
only if you are rich … and Drexel really is your first choice (again, I would visit first, Philly is not a beautiful city).
I don’t see much difference between the track you picked at Drexel and say Case Western biomechanics track or Pitts biomechanics track.
I think Pitt is ranked #16
Individual departments within the Swanson School of Engineering ranked as follows:
Bioengineering: 7 among publics, 16 overall (tie)
If you are really rich, looking at private schools makes some sense, but at that point, you might consider a higher tier of schools, Johns Hopkins, Gtech,
I actually live in Philadelphia, i have my entire life… although yes Drexel is by no means in a glamorous part of the city. I have been to pitt, that’s where my parents attended, and yes… like virtually anyone that visits it… it was love at first site. My current school allows me to take some classes at Drexel and vice versa. Drexel is actually where i completed my biology introductory courses, and began my biochemistry journey (my current major). But biochemistry does not stimulate my innate love for problem solving and critical thinking, the more i read about biomedical engineering the more i fell in love… so where engineering schools fall in the lineup is quite new to me.
That said, i will make note and probably apply to the aforementioned schools, and no my family is by no means rich.