I am in a tricky situation with Biology/Biomedical Engineering as my planned major but Economics as an area of interest as well. Either way I plan on going to grad school and probably trying for a PhD. But in the end I was accepted to only 4/11 colleges to which I applied. These included the University of Iowa and Grinnell College, as well as the Colorado School of Mines. I’ve visited all three and only the first two have good programs close to what I’m interested in. My parents are against Grinnell due to the high cost (without financial aid it would be ~60K where Iowa would be ~8K.) However, I’m worried about Iowa being a dead end. One of my priorities is ability to transfer after first year to a UC (I know it’s a bit of a long shot) or after second year to Michigan. Does anyone have some idea how much of a boost over Iowa Grinnell is going to provide? Thank you!
BME is not a widely available major but Iowa has it… and also has economics!
Grinnell has an outstanding student body and strong graduate school placement record, but does not have your major. The 3-2 programs are an option and some of the listed schools have BME, but it is a five year program to obtain your BS in BME (see https://www.grinnell.edu/academics/areas/physics-astronomy/3-2-engineering).
Did you also want a PhD in BME? This will add three or four years, but research funding support is usually available from strong schools in this area of studies as graduate students are the researching workforce and they pay you a little for it. Financing the first five years is another issue.
Transferring means changing you team and support group in mid-stream and also re-applying in another admissions process where risks are not well defined.
If you can take the Iowa cornfields and are just concerned about the quality/reputation of the program, look for related data. See https://bme.engineering.uiowa.edu/. The average BS BME salaries are respectable with a 91 percent placement rate.
NOTE: the stronger the job demand the less attractive is graduate school. But what about graduate school? Can I get there from here?
At this same Iowa website there is a contact number you can call to ask questions specific to this program. I would call and ask for the latest graduate school placement numbers. How many went to GS and where did they matriculate? Expect that the graduate school numbers will not be as high as Ginnell’s because these BS BME graduates have higher income options.
Economics was my major and I loved it! My roommate was a graduate student in BME who went on to become an MD. Our school was WPI. By all means, minor in Economics. It can explain a lot! If all I wanted was economics and I could afford it, I would go to Grinnell.
I would go Iowa especially if you want to go to grad school. Grinnell is a fantastic school but graduating with that much debt is always a huge risk. Also think about if you don’t get accepted in any UC school from Grinnell you’re stuck paying 60k vs Iowa you would be at just 8k either way.
With very, very few exceptions (and the engineering fields are not among them), if you have multiple degrees from multiple institutions, the only institution that’s important is the one the highest degree is from—and a state flagship, even the sort of state flagship that doesn’t get much love on CC, is quite enough to get you into a highly-respected graduate program, assuming you put in your own effort to get the grades and research experience and so forth you’ll need to get there.
If the choice is between Grinnell College at $60,000 per year versus the University of Iowa at $8,000 per year, there is no real choice.
You’re going to be coming out of college with a lot more than $60k in debt if you transfer to a UC college out of state. Both options are inadvisable. Graduate schools are more interested in your grades and GRE scores than where you went. You’re much better off just staying at Iowa.
Grinnell, which does not have engineering, and is dramatically more expensive, does not make sense for you, much as I love it as a school. University of Iowa is a terrific school, lovely campus, lots going on. Take those opportunities at Iowa, and run with it!
Why do you think you would want to transfer, and why a UC or U of MI? Did you apply this year and get rejected? If so, it is likely that you would get rejected again a year or two from now.
Unless the 52k in diference between Grinnell and U of IA is pocket change for your family (and your original mpost makes me think that it definitely isn’t), then go to U of IA.
UIowa is not a dead end. You can achieve your goals from there. Your transfer options aren’t realistic — they would be just as expensive as Grinnell. Plus, Grinnell is a LAC, and doesn’t even have BME. Go to UIowa.
U of Iowa would be far from a dead end as their Bio-Engineering is very strong.
That said, with your stats (that I saw from another post of yours) I can’t believe that you didn’t qualify for merit at Grinnell. Also, as a full need school there is a potential for need based grants. If you have’t done so already, contact Grinnell Financial Aid and see if there is any wiggle room in that 60K number.
Even so, given you potential major interest and 8K cost, it seems to make all the sense in the world for you to head to Iowa City.
UC’s don’t accept transfers after a year and the IGETC’s are strenuous.
UMichigan OOS will cost you 65k a year, do your parents have the money?
Grinnell will offer superior preparation for grad school but doesn’t offer BME.
Where would the money come from? Parents’income and savings, parents’ loans, HELOC…?
At UIowa, I assume you’re in the honors college - look into the benefits.
At 8k/year it’s a bargain for a respectable flagship.
Look at a 4-yeae parents, or at least look at the way your first two years would look.
The honors college can make a difference! It is a good program as the undergraduates do get into early research…
If your family doesn’t think they can pay for Grinnell, how are they going to pay for U Mich or UC (since either one or both systems will be out of state for you)?
Both Michigan and UC are great places for graduate school. If you go to Iowa for four years, you will save boatloads of money. That will give you options for choosing jobs or grad school that you wouldn’t have following the other paths you’re considering.
Thanks for all your replies!
retiredfarmer, I will definitely call and ask about the graduate school placement rate. As for Michigan/UCs being unattainable, my parents were more worried about Grinnell not offering enough of a comparative advantage to be worth the extra cost (the 60K a year is WITH a big merit scholarship).
I’m not exactly sure whether I want a job that would need a Bio or BME degree - that is why I was considering Grinnell. But most of what I’ve learned about Iowa has made me less skittish about it.
I’m confused – Grinnell lists full cost of attendance at $63,838 annually, so if you got a big merit scholarship, how do you still end up with a cost of $60K a year?