Aerospace Engineering & Premed -- Am I screwed?

[SaltySpark]

Here's the dilemma:
To make things clear, I do not wish to be an Aerospace Engineering major. However, I do not want to transfer out of my university and was denied a major transfer within my school. Thus, since I'm determined to apply to medical school, my only option seems to be both Aerospace Engineering and premed. This is very intimidating to me for a few reasons.

1. First, GPA-wise, the Aerospace classes at my school seem quite difficult. While most people pass, many classes don't give out a single A making it a terrible major for anyone trying to go for further schooling. Aerospace is one of the most pre-industrial majors out there, so I guess most people don't really mind that the highest possible grade for many classes is a B.
2. I feel like it adds something super random to my profile and removes it from my attempts to make my eventual medical school application as cohesive as possible.
3. Aerospace Engineering will definitely take up a lot of time. I will inevitably have less time for ECs.
4. I can't see any reasonable connection for me to use this kind of knowledge in the future other than the "engineering" aspect of it. None of the aerospace engineering-specific classes seem too useful or interesting at all to me. For instance, taking classes like mechanics of solids or spacecraft dynamics seem totally irrelevant.

Any advice on what to do now? I'm totally lost and don't know how to get out of this situation. Any input is greatly appreciated.

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[wysdoc]

Here's the dilemma:
To make things clear, I do not wish to be an Aerospace Engineering major. However, I do not want to transfer out of my university and was denied a major transfer within my school. Thus, since I'm determined to apply to medical school, my only option seems to be both Aerospace Engineering and premed. This is very intimidating to me for a few reasons.

1. First, GPA-wise, the Aerospace classes at my school seem quite difficult. While most people pass, many classes don't give out a single A making it a terrible major for anyone trying to go for further schooling. Aerospace is one of the most pre-industrial majors out there, so I guess most people don't really mind that the highest possible grade for many classes is a B.
2. I feel like it adds something super random to my profile and removes it from my attempts to make my eventual medical school application as cohesive as possible.
3. Aerospace Engineering will definitely take up a lot of time. I will inevitably have less time for ECs.
4. I can't see any reasonable connection for me to use this kind of knowledge in the future other than the "engineering" aspect of it. None of the aerospace engineering-specific classes seem too useful or interesting at all to me. For instance, taking classes like mechanics of solids or spacecraft dynamics seem totally irrelevant.

Any advice on what to do now? I'm totally lost and don't know how to get out of this situation. Any input is greatly appreciated.

I don't have answers for you, but I do have a few questions!
How did you end up in this major, and is it at a very specialized school like Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University?

If it's some other college, can you transfer from the engineering school to the natural sciences school?

Why would you not consider a transfer to a university that has more options for you?

 

[gyngyn]

To make things clear, I do not wish to be an Aerospace Engineering major. However, I do not want to transfer out of my university and was denied a major transfer within my school.

Take a serious look at your personal priorities. They do not appear to align with your school's priorities.

 

[SaltySpark]

I don't have answers for you, but I do have a few questions!
How did you end up in this major, and is it at a very specialized school like Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University?

Can you transfer from the engineering school to the natural sciences school?

Why would you not consider a transfer to a university that has more options for you?

My school is not a super-specialized school, but rather, a very large state school. My school is notorious for its difficulty in changing majors. I had a 4.0 + decent essay, so I can only assume that it was a crapshoot/I can't guarantee a transfer in the future. I ended up with this major by accident. While applying, I was in a rush and ended up picking the first major that showed up under engineering, with the impression that I could later decide what I really wanted. I was under the false pretense that all colleges had lax internal transfer policies. Ironically, Aerospace Engineering at my school is one of the most difficult to get into.

I cannot transfer to the natural sciences school (I applied and was denied). Ideally, I would be BME/Math, but alas...

Honestly, I have a lot of friends and really enjoy my social life at my university. I can't really see myself elsewhere & it's quite cheap. Further, I'm quite invested in the lab I'm in and a few of the org I joined. If I were to transfer, it would have to be after 2 years I assume. I think this would weaken how close I can get with new friends and make my undergrad years less pleasant.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

There are no bonus points for taking an engineering curriculum in admissions. Period.

In the current state of higher education, you are the customer. You have the right to drop out and pursue a true premed preparation. When it comes to your application on the future, we will see you shifted gears because you got serious about yourself and your purpose as a physician.

I don't understand the nuances of your internal transfer request, but a dean would be willing to override rather than lose tuition. If you aren't going to get the help you need, drop out and find another school who can help you. Otherwise accept your fate and excel to the best of your abilities. Just know that if your want to be an applicant with an engineering 2.8 GPA who enjoyed undergrad, you will likely have to spend more money redeeming your GPA and spending even more money and time.

At some point you must stand up for and bet on yourself. When? That's up to you.

 

[deleted1163682]

The only benefit of an engineering or technical degree is you can apply to Carle Illinois or Harvard HST.

Could you request a meeting with your advisor and explain your situation? They would have much more knowledge on the transfer process and can provide you with more guidance since we don't know the school you're talking about.

 

[SaltySpark]

There are no bonus points for taking an engineering curriculum in admissions. Period.

In the current state of higher education, you are the customer. You have the right to drop out and pursue a true premed preparation. When it comes to your application on the future, we will see you shifted gears because you got serious about yourself and your purpose as a physician.

I don't understand the nuances of your internal transfer request, but a dean would be willing to override rather than lose tuition. If you aren't going to get the help you need, drop out and find another school who can help you. Otherwise accept your fate and excel to the best of your abilities. Just know that if your want to be an applicant with an engineering 2.8 GPA who enjoyed undergrad, you will likely have to spend more money redeeming your GPA and spending even more money and time.

At some point you must stand up for and bet on yourself. When? That's up to you.

Thank you for your advice!

I am interested in engineering, just not specifically Aerospace. Even without any particular aid in admissions, I would rather get a degree in an Engineering of my choosing than a more common premed major. I particularly like the computational side of engineering, but am much less enthusiastic about the physical aspects (which is literally all of Aerospace).

Unfortunately, I have low hopes for appealing by reaching out to professors/deans. I will definitely give it a try, but due to how big my school is and the notoriously awful internal transfer process as is, I would imagine that many people have tried to circumvent it via deans/professors/chairs.

Transferring schools feels very scary at this point -- after all, I'd be uprooting all of my social circles, much of the extracurriculars I've built to this point, and the relationships built with professors, among other things.

 

[wysdoc]

It's so odd how different one school is to another with regard to transfers.
I remember going on college tours with my sons and some schools said, "oh, many students change their majors 2 or 3 times by the time they graduate". Others, like yours, "oh, once you are in a major it is almost impossible to change, especially to an "impacted" major."
I don't see a benefit in making it so hard to change, but it seems it is very hard at your school.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

It's so odd how different one school is to another with regard to transfers.
I remember going on college tours with my sons and some schools said, "oh, many students change their majors 2 or 3 times by the time they graduate". Others, like yours, "oh, once you are in a major it is almost impossible to change, especially to an "impacted" major."
I don't see a benefit in making it so hard to change, but it seems it is very hard at your school.

When your department/school budgets rely so much on majors taking classes in your courses, and with the slow decline of the number of traditional college students (population bust in the US), I fully understand the importance of keeping every FTE in your column.

 

[Apprentice of St. Luke]

The only benefit of an engineering or technical degree is you can apply to Carle Illinois or Harvard HST.

Could you request a meeting with your advisor and explain your situation? They would have much more knowledge on the transfer process and can provide you with more guidance since we don't know the school you're talking about.

Also Texas A&M University School of Engineering Medicine - ENMED (actually located in Houston, not College Station or Bryan).

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Thank you for your advice!

I am interested in engineering, just not specifically Aerospace. Even without any particular aid in admissions, I would rather get a degree in an Engineering of my choosing than a more common premed major. I particularly like the computational side of engineering, but am much less enthusiastic about the physical aspects (which is literally all of Aerospace).

Unfortunately, I have low hopes for appealing by reaching out to professors/deans. I will definitely give it a try, but due to how big my school is and the notoriously awful internal transfer process as is, I would imagine that many people have tried to circumvent it via deans/professors/chairs.

Transferring schools feels very scary at this point -- after all, I'd be uprooting all of my social circles, much of the extracurriculars I've built to this point, and the relationships built with professors, among other things.

I understand how difficult your dilemma is, and I don't intend to make light of the situation, but you did title this thread, "Am I screwed?" so I'm going off that statement.

In the end, it's up to you. I'm just assuring you, you have to own your choices. If you otherwise feel you're in a good position except for the fact you don't want to learn what you're learning for your degree., great... but you don't get any sympathy points when it comes to your application. And you might not save any money or time by doing what you're doing.

If you have great references, wonderful! Can they write about your qualifications as a physician? Will we see you in a year or so wondering if your aero eng professor counts as a "science professor"? These are things you need to think about now (probably should get a more traditional biomedical science professor letter if that professor has a close relationship with you).

 

[wysdoc]

"You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes you just might find
You get what you need" Rolling Stones

 

[Goro]

Thank you for your advice!

I am interested in engineering, just not specifically Aerospace. Even without any particular aid in admissions, I would rather get a degree in an Engineering of my choosing than a more common premed major. I particularly like the computational side of engineering, but am much less enthusiastic about the physical aspects (which is literally all of Aerospace).

Unfortunately, I have low hopes for appealing by reaching out to professors/deans. I will definitely give it a try, but due to how big my school is and the notoriously awful internal transfer process as is, I would imagine that many people have tried to circumvent it via deans/professors/chairs.

Transferring schools feels very scary at this point -- after all, I'd be uprooting all of my social circles, much of the extracurriculars I've built to this point, and the relationships built with professors, among other things.

If you wish to be a doctor, you need to get out of that program, or get out of that school.

How badly do you want to be a doctor?

 

[PikminOC]

I think you'll be fine. You will take a gap year like most students do to get the volunteer hours you need for med school admissions. You will be a unique candidate as well. You are taking classes that are very difficult, the med schools will know that too when they look at your gpa.

 

[MDMechEngr]

I think you'll be fine. You will take a gap year like most students do to get the volunteer hours you need for med school admissions. You will be a unique candidate as well. You are taking classes that are very difficult, the med schools will know that too when they look at your gpa.

As a Mechanical Engineering major, this was my path/experience exactly. At my UC, It is harder than hell to transfer from one impacted major (Aero. Engr.) to another impacted major (Biology). If you enjoy engineering/math/science, you likely will do very well. You will have to study more than all your friends in order to maintain a high gpa for med school. If you achieve this as an engineering major, you will kick ass in medical school due to your conditioning as an engineering major. May Stephen Timoshenko be with you. GL.

 

[SaltySpark]

Thanks everyone for the kind replies, I feel more motivated and calm now. Originally, I think the shock of being rejected from the internal transfer made me think irrationally a little as I was not expecting it at all. I most definitely do want to attend medical school and become a physician so I'll be doing the best I can in this situation. I did find out I have one last chance to transfer after a semester, but after failing with a 4.0 and what I thought was a solid essay, I know I can't guarantee a major transfer in the future. I'm going to start researching outside programs as I feel that I have a solid overall application and I'll most likely apply for Biomedical Engineering or Math. It's a little hard to find programs worth transferring to, as my current school is super cheap and has a plethora of opportunities (one of the big public state schools). There are thus only a handful of super selective schools I would consider, but I might as well try. Looks like I got myself a lot of writing to do this year 😬.

 

[WildWing]

A little late to this party, but if you can't transfer out of Engineering, you might consider switching to Mechanical, as that will have more overlap with Biomechanical Engineering. I was an Aeronautical Engineering major (many years ago). I was able to add a second major in Mechanical Engineering with relatively few additional courses as the curricula overlapped so much. It might be an easier story for your application from Mechanical versus Aero, and you probably don't have to shift that many courses.

 

[SaltySpark]

A little late to this party, but if you can't transfer out of Engineering, you might consider switching to Mechanical, as that will have more overlap with Biomechanical Engineering. I was an Aeronautical Engineering major (many years ago). I was able to add a second major in Mechanical Engineering with relatively few additional courses as the curricula overlapped so much. It might be an easier story for your application from Mechanical versus Aero, and you probably don't have to shift that many courses.

I definitely agree that mechanical engineering, being broader and having application in medicine, would be much easier to fit into the story of wanting to become a doctor. Unfortunately, switching between engineering majors is difficult at my school too. (I tried to switch to Biomedical Engineering but was denied). Further, we can't double major with two engineering majors(like you can't be both Aerospace & mechanical). Also, departments are divided pretty heavily, so even though theoretically Aerospace is usually seen as a subset of Meche, we don't have many overlapping courses (Like for instance, for applied thermo/fluid dynamics/etc, aerospace has its own version which wouldn't count for the meche degree or vise versa).