Do engineering courses help or work in your favor?

[D0CTORX]

So if someone majored in biochemistry or physics and took engineering courses in their elective requirements, are those courses going to be looked at favorably? Or not?

I understand that major doesn't play a significant role in admissions, gpa and mcat do, but I was just wondering.

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[ShenanigansMD]

People looking at your app will say, "Why is a science major taking engineering courses?" and there will just be more questions. It's really only going to distinguish you if you are an engineering major.

It's like saying "I took part in the New York Marathon!" when you only ran the first quarter mile.

Edit: But if it gives you skills or is appropriate, then go for it.

 

[TxResident]

I think engineering courses would work in your favor instead of helping in your favor.

 

[gyngyn]

So if someone majored in biochemistry or physics and took engineering courses in their elective requirements, are those courses going to be looked at favorably? Or not?

I understand that major doesn't play a significant role in admissions, gpa and mcat do, but I was just wondering.

Nobody is looking that closely.

 

[notbobtrustme]

Engineering sucks for medical school because a 3.0 is worth a 3.6 in any other major but adcoms don't have the time to actually know that. They are shifting hundreds of applications a session and if your application can't stand up to the 10 second lookover, then it'll get shuffled to the bottom.

 

[sliceofbread136]

Nope won't help at all sorry. Engineering courses tend to suck too.

 

[qwerty2012]

engineering courses are hard. won't be doing gpa a favour if don't study. better go social sciences, 3.8+ easy breezy. i see people who has high gpa in social sciences, who hasn't taken any science courses and I think it is easy to get.

good gpa with premed courses = respect. without premed courses = hmm.

engineering electives + biochemistry class? gpa killer.

In the end, adcoms don't give a cent. You can major in dance, poli sci, communication, EE, Comp sci, women studies, African studies, etc

 

[AestheticGod]

I personally would think that any engineering course would help you, since engineering courses are sort of difficult on top of your regular science courses. But if you're risking an A or B, then I wouldn't do it.

 

[dmf2682]

In terms of admissions it probably won't help you, but in terms of perspective and ways of thinking about stuff it might. I, as an engineer, find myself looking at things differently than my scientist colleagues. That might help but it also might hurt. Just different.

 

[cest la vie]

lol at the people who say it doesn't help. No crap it helps. The engineering majors at my school, even with lower GPAs have done well on in their application cycles. Adcoms specifically list that rigor/challenge of the undergraduate curriculum as part of their admission criteria.

You honestly think there would be equal rigor between Fluid Dynamics II vs Intro Psych I? Sure, it's just one course listed among your entire application but don't think that adcoms are not looking.

 

[ShenanigansMD]

lol at the people who say it doesn't help. No crap it helps. The engineering majors at my school, even with lower GPAs have done well on in their application cycles. Adcoms specifically list that rigor/challenge of the undergraduate curriculum as part of their admission criteria.

You honestly think there would be equal rigor between Fluid Dynamics II vs Intro Psych I? Sure, it's just one course listed among your entire application but don't think that adcoms are not looking.

Yeah, but one engineering class? That's not gonna help you, and no one is going to notice.