Why is engineering not a science?

dantt · Jul 12, 2006

Out of curiosity, I've always wondered that. Engineering involves a lot of science if not math but it won't factor into BPCM. Even more . . . say I take a biomedical engineering class called "Quantitative Physiology." Why is that not considered biology when physiology is?

CptCrunch · Jul 12, 2006

I figure because it's an applied field rather than pure basic science or math.

Dr Durden · Jul 12, 2006

Agree with CptCrunch.

What concerns me more than engineering not factoring into BPCM though is whether or not it counts as science when it comes time to submit letters of rec. I'd much rather have one from an engineering professor who taught me and about twenty others in a class as opposed to the orgo professor who might or might not have remembered my face amongst 200 other premeds.

Robizzle · Jul 12, 2006

there's been a discussion about this on another thread. if you feel like the engineering course you took was HEAVILY biology, chemistry, physics, or math related, then just list it at that. if they don't agree, they'll change it. i had about 5 or 6 ENG classes as BCPM because i felt it was unfair that these extremely hard upper level classes that did in fact relate to science would not count. no complaints over at AMCAS.

TSK · Jul 12, 2006

As a biomedical engineering major, I wondered that same thing! Also, while most other applicants' AO GPA includes courses like history, poli sci, etc, mine consists of mostly biomedical engineering courses...

dantt said:
Out of curiosity, I've always wondered that. Engineering involves a lot of science if not math but it won't factor into BPCM. Even more . . . say I take a biomedical engineering class called "Quantitative Physiology." Why is that not considered biology when physiology is?

Robizzle · Jul 12, 2006

while other kids take sports psychology and poetry we take molecular bioengineering (a class i am taking next year, and dreading) and signals and systems *shiver*.

at the end of the day we just gotta suck it up and move on. we all end up in the same boat anyway. even if we might have had a more "difficult" path.

R.P. McMurphy · Jul 12, 2006

Robizzle said:
while other kids take sports psychology and poetry we take molecular bioengineering (a class i am taking next year, and dreading) and signals and systems *shiver*.

at the end of the day we just gotta suck it up and move on. we all end up in the same boat anyway. even if we might have had a more "difficult" path.

Signals and Systems sucked!!!

g3pro · Jul 12, 2006

Because engineering is weak sauce.

Zoom-Zoom · Jul 13, 2006

Robizzle said:
while other kids take sports psychology and poetry we take molecular bioengineering (a class i am taking next year, and dreading) and signals and systems *shiver*.

at the end of the day we just gotta suck it up and move on. we all end up in the same boat anyway. even if we might have had a more "difficult" path.

You choose a more difficult path, suck it up!

dantt · Jul 13, 2006

I know it's a harder path but I haven't minded because of the interesting field. But like say for a school like Jefferson that wants LoR's from Bio/Chem/Physics and I have 2 LoR's from biomedical engineering professors, what then?

SeventhSon · Jul 13, 2006

engineering *well i will speak for the chemEs, tends to take basic science to a certain level and then use correlations and heuristics to do something practical, as actual useful systems become much too complex to model.

for the most part, this works to your advantage, as eng classes are hard, but there are some exceptions.

Robizzle · Jul 13, 2006

Zoom-Zoom said:
You choose a more difficult path, suck it up!

i chose it and i don't regret it. i'm the one tellin' everyone else to suck it up, how u gonna tell me to suck it up too? lol.

dantt · Jul 14, 2006

Does anybody know which schools will and will not accept Biomedical engineering professors as science recommenders?

AECOM has given an okay for it. Creighton absolutely requires the faculty to have appointments in biology, chemistry, physics, or math. George Washington requires the letters to be from the said departments as well with biochemistry not counting as either biology or chemistry, wtf??

BozoSparky · Jul 14, 2006

dantt said:
Does anybody know which schools will and will not accept Biomedical engineering professors as science recommenders?

AECOM has given an okay for it. Creighton absolutely requires the faculty to have appointments in biology, chemistry, physics, or math. George Washington requires the letters to be from the said departments as well with biochemistry not counting as either biology or chemistry, wtf??

I agree. That is very lame. Check to see if your professor is a "member of the field" (or something like this) of a basic science. I know there were a few engineering profs considered members of the field in our chemistry department. This distinction gives them some special powers...

for an example...see http://www.chem.cornell.edu/faculty/index.asp

Mooby · Jul 14, 2006

SeventhSon said:
engineering *well i will speak for the chemEs, tends to take basic science to a certain level and then use correlations and heuristics to do something practical, as actual useful systems become much too complex to model.

for the most part, this works to your advantage, as eng classes are hard, but there are some exceptions.

Yeah, I think it works to the advantage of most. My engineering courses average is a 3 flat, but my BCPM was a 3.7. Almost every person I know has a lower engineering average than outside courses.

tinkerbelle · Jul 14, 2006

dantt said:
Out of curiosity, I've always wondered that. Engineering involves a lot of science if not math but it won't factor into BPCM.

Actually, our BME classes can factor into the BPCM gpa. I included all the engineering classes I did well in for the BCPM gpa (and of course left out all the engr classes I didn't do so well in

). I didn't have any problems with AMCAS. My advisor just said to make sure you have a reason for including engr classes as bio/physics/chem etc in case AMCAS descides to question you.

dantt · Jul 14, 2006

tinkerbelle said:
Actually, our BME classes can factor into the BPCM gpa. I included all the engineering classes I did well in for the BCPM gpa (and of course left out all the engr classes I didn't do so well in ). I didn't have any problems with AMCAS. My advisor just said to make sure you have a reason for including engr classes as bio/physics/chem etc in case AMCAS descides to question you.

Haha, unfortunately for me, the BME classes most biologyish would have damaged my GPA. Quantitative physiology is ridiculously hard. I didn't want to mess with that on AMCAS though. On the AMCAS guidelines, they specifically categorize "biomedical engineering" as engineering and not biology. I'm hoping that is not the case with individual schools.

FYI for other BME students. Albany, AECOM, Stanford, Tufts, UCI, UMich, and Cornell are "okay" with BME substituting for science req's if they have such.

tinkerbelle · Jul 14, 2006

dantt said:
On the AMCAS guidelines, they specifically categorize "biomedical engineering" as engineering and not biology. I'm hoping that is not the case with individual schools.

Oh I know AMCAS categorizes BME courses as engr and not bio. But they also say that you should do your AMCAS based on the content of the class, not necessarily by the name or the department it's offered in. Personally, I think BMEs are lucky and can classify classes to best suit their needs....

CptCrunch · Jul 14, 2006

dantt said:
FYI for other BME students. Albany, AECOM, Stanford, Tufts, UCI, UMich, and Cornell are "okay" with BME substituting for science req's if they have such.

Good to know, thanks!

str8flexed · Jul 14, 2006

tinkerbelle said:
Oh I know AMCAS categorizes BME courses as engr and not bio. But they also say that you should do your AMCAS based on the content of the class, not necessarily by the name or the department it's offered in. Personally, I think BMEs are lucky and can classify classes to best suit their needs....

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