Electrical Engineering Major w/ pre-med

[pmahesh107]

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[RSAgator]

It looks like you're setting yourself up for failure. At the end of the day schools will look at your GPA first, and your course load second (if at all). If you don't put yourself in a position to obtain a high GPA, which you aren't doing by taking all those classes at the same time, you're going to ultimately have more trouble applying to med school. I'd suggest trying to pick up a summer semester or something to get some of your classes done. Sure, some people are going to pop on here and tell you all the wonderful things they did and how they were still able to get a 4.0, but why risk hurting your chances for med school by trying to do everything too quickly? You're a freshman, you don't really have any idea what those courseloads are going to feel like, so slow things down a bit and enjoy college rather than cramming all that class down your throat.

 

[Gut Shot]

I know it would be much easier to simply change my major to one of the natural sciences but I really want to do this. Any advice? Thanks.

I hope you're a manic workaholic with an IQ of 230. If your goal is to become a physician, chart the most direct, secure path to becoming a physician. Why pile on an incredibly difficult engineering degree that you probably won't ever use?

Jesus, you might as well cut off your thumbs, poke out one eye, give yourself a permanent limp, and post a sniper on the top of the library to try and pick you off each day.

 

[ChemEngMD]

Hey man, if you honestly think you got it in you to pull off all those courses while keeping a high GPA and doing plenty of extra-curriculars, more power to you, but it won't be easy.

I'm a Chemical & Biological Engineering double major at my university and let me tell you...keeping your GPA up with a hard engineering course load is not an easy task, especially if you have leadership positions in student groups. I do know of a few other engineering/pre-med students who have been able to pull it off with flying colors, but the ones who seem to have it easiest are the pre-med/poli sci majors or the pre-med/psych majors. I personally am currently working on getting my GPA back up to a competitive level because having a 3.4 in Chem Engineering might look good for graduate schools or getting an excellent job, but med schools look at your GPA as a whole (which is dumb to me because I think they should definitely take your course load into play, but still).

I think you can pull it off, but it won't be easy. And if I were you, I might throw Biochemistry into your course load, because it will help you a bit with the MCATs and some schools recommend/require you taking it during undergrad.

Good luck brother.

 

[ChemEngMD]

I hope you're a manic workaholic with an IQ of 230. If your goal is to become a physician, chart the most direct, secure path to becoming a physician. Why pile on an incredibly difficult engineering degree that you probably won't ever use?

Jesus, you might as well cut off your thumbs, poke out one eye, give yourself a permanent limp, and post a sniper on the top of the library to try and pick you off each day.

The point of having the engineering degree is as a back-up in most cases, because there are plenty of Biology majors out there who didn't make it into med school and are now living in their mother's basement.

Also, as a Chemical Engineer (Idk about EE) there are lots of cross-research things going on between the medical field and the Chem Eng field. Look at UConn's new Dean of the Medical College. His undergrad degree is in Chemical Engineering and he is also a MD. He's doing some crazy research with polymer science and the ACL.

 

[chr123]

You'll probably have a hard time fitting all that in your schedule. Labs really make problems arranging a nice neat schedule you'll need to take all those classes.

Take and extra year or take summer classes. The only engineers I knew that got through school in 4 years (without pre-med classes) without taking summer classes came in with a lot of AP credit.

 

[Gut Shot]

The point of having the engineering degree is as a back-up in most cases, because there are plenty of Biology majors out there who didn't make it into med school and are now living in their mother's basement.

Yeah, that's great and all, but I question the wisdom of one's backup plan jeopardizing the success of one's primary plan.

 

[nascardoc]

I was a Mechanical Engineering major and would recommend to lighten the course work. First, scheduling all of those labs during the same semester is not easy. Second, don't be afraid to go to undergrad for an extra semester. Not only do you help your chances with your GPA, but you also give yourself to take other med classes than just the pre-reqs. There's nothing wrong with having a backup plan at all, but make sure you give yourself the best chances at your primary goal. Good luck.

 

[airplanes]

save the burn out curriculum for med school.

 

[pmahesh107]

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[RSAgator]

Your initial post asked for advice on your schedule. Everyone said it was too hard, and now you're suggesting making it even more difficult? Why ask for advice when you're not going to listen to it? As much as you seem to think you're the exception rather than the rule, listen to the advice of those who have been through the process. A lot of undergrads are obsessed with graduating as soon as they can. Spread things out more, take on an internship, study abroad, etc., because with that schedule you will have very little time for things outside of the classroom that make you a better applicant, you will have very little time to enjoy life outside of school, and you may very well destroy your chances of getting into med school by ruining your GPA.

It doesn't matter if you're a poly sci major or have a double degree in EE/ChE, at the end of the day if your GPA is a 3.0 you'll be fighting an uphill battle just to get into med school, let alone getting into a med school you'd want to attend.

As for the AP bio credit, I would retake bio because a lot of schools don't look favorably on AP credit and the quality of an AP biology class varies widely. Also if nothing else it should be a free A for you.

 

[ACSurgeon]

I am currently a freshman majoring in electrical engineering w/ pre-med. I just finished making a 4-year plan to see what classes I will have to take each year in order to satisfy requirements for both my degree plans. This is what I get:

First Year:

Semester1:
Gen Chem I w/ Lab
Computer Science I w/ Lab
Calculus 1 w/ Problem session
Humanities
Total Hours: 16

Semester 2:
Gen Chem II w/ Lab
Honors Physics I: Mechanics&Heat w/ Lab
Computer Science II
Calc II w/ Problem Session
Intro to Experimental Techniques (EE class)
Linear Algebra for Engineers
Total hours: 20

Second Year:

Semester 1:
Bio I w/ workshop
Organic Chem I W/ Lab
Physics II: E&M w/ Lab
Digital Systems w/ Lab
Differential Equations w/ Problem Sessions
Total hours: 20

Semester 2:
Bio II w/ workshop
Intro to Bio Lab
Organic Chem II w/ Lab
Electrical Network Analysis w/ Lab
Probability & Statistics
Total hours: 17

The last 2 years is all EE classes and I would be done with my pre-med classes in the first 2 years. I have two questions: First, I know my schedule seems really tough for the second semester of first year and first semester of second year. Will it be possible for me to make As in my classes despite having organic chem durign a 20-hour workload? My second question is that for texas medical schools, I need 2 years of bio. I do have AP credit for Bio but my advisor recommended that I retake it as it would help me on the MCAT. If I retake it, I will have to take a year of advanced bio classes in the summer(probably Genetics and biochemistry). The other option is instead of retaking bio in college, I could take genetics and biochem during my second year. What should I do? I'm really confused about all this but I really want to be able to major in electrical engineering while doing pre-med. I know it would be much easier to simply change my major to one of the natural sciences but I really want to do this. Any advice? Thanks.

So I was a biomedical engineer in undergrad. Maybe you should look into BME because most/all premed courses count for something, and you don't really have to "add" pre-med courses. Most programs would have a bioelectrical engineering majors, which would be fairly close to the EE major, except most applications are biological systems/medical devices.

As for the schedule you have put:
1- Try to NEVER have more than 2 labs in one semester. They are extremely time consuming and could screw you over. With that, I know people who did just fine with the load you are describing.

2- One smart move would be to take two summer courses in two sessions. Maybe ochem 1 and ochem 2. Do it between freshman and sophomore year. It will be an intense summer, but at least you'll learn your orgo well for not having other courses. Plus, between your first two years in college, chances are you don't have enough science or engineering courses to score any good research job or internship (although you could). So, spend this summer taking orgo, and next summer prepping for the MCAT, and your last summer doing research or an internship.

3-With orgo pushed into the summer AND COMPLETED (you're more marketable if you have all your chems done), you have a LOT of room in your second year for volunteering/shadowing/doing research with a prof...etc.

4-PM me if you have any other questions.

Best of luck

 

[ACSurgeon]

Yeah, that's great and all, but I question the wisdom of one's backup plan jeopardizing the success of one's primary plan.

I actually did better with LESS studying in my engineering classes than with my pre-med or humanities classes. So, I would have been jeopardizing my primary goal by doing some else.

 

[ACSurgeon]

I was a Mechanical Engineering major and would recommend to lighten the course work. First, scheduling all of those labs during the same semester is not easy. Second, don't be afraid to go to undergrad for an extra semester. Not only do you help your chances with your GPA, but you also give yourself to take other med classes than just the pre-reqs. There's nothing wrong with having a backup plan at all, but make sure you give yourself the best chances at your primary goal. Good luck.

Excellent advice!

 

[jetspeeder]

Your initial post asked for advice on your schedule. Everyone said it was too hard, and now you're suggesting making it even more difficult? Why ask for advice when you're not going to listen to it? As much as you seem to think you're the exception rather than the rule, listen to the advice of those who have been through the process. A lot of undergrads are obsessed with graduating as soon as they can. Spread things out more, take on an internship, study abroad, etc., because with that schedule you will have very little time for things outside of the classroom that make you a better applicant, you will have very little time to enjoy life outside of school, and you may very well destroy your chances of getting into med school by ruining your GPA.

It doesn't matter if you're a poly sci major or have a double degree in EE/ChE, at the end of the day if your GPA is a 3.0 you'll be fighting an uphill battle just to get into med school, let alone getting into a med school you'd want to attend.

As for the AP bio credit, I would retake bio because a lot of schools don't look favorably on AP credit and the quality of an AP biology class varies widely. Also if nothing else it should be a free A for you.

I agree with RSAgator. Almost all the engineers I know (I am an EE myself), took more than 4 years to finish their degree if they went pre-med except for the bioengineers at our school where there's a strong overlap of pre-med courses. Also, texas schools don't need a year of english? Undergraduate is an experience you won't have again in your life n personally I think it's hard to build ur credential for medical school apps in 4 years given the strenuous EE curriculum. I could've finished in 4.5 years but i just took the full 5, it allows you to do more extracurricular activities (research, volunteering, leadership, sports, hobbies, etc). I don't know what kind of activities you have now, but if u were to finish in 4 you would be applying your 3rd year summer which means u have 2.5 years to build ur credentials, given the load of the courses (2 labs is crazy in 1 semester bc labs take forever n the reports r long n it's onli 1 unit or 2 unit sometime when the wrkload is 10+ hours a week) it is hard to maintain a balance. Research requires usually at least 6 hours, leadership requires at least 3 - 4 hours if u want a deep involvement, volunteer at least 4 hours, i dont really know how you will be able to fit that in with the classes you are taking. I am sure you would like to do other things too such as your hobbies and hanging with friends. And the hours I give are on average the minimum, i have friends research 20 hours a week bc u need to do that to actually get some decent work done. Some people volunteer at 2 places, that's 8 hours a week. You need to eat/sleep/get to places, you do the math and the schedule is pretty tight.

Number isn't everything, but it matters and there's no excuse that you were an engr major that you had a lower GPA otherwise. I personally think the engr degree is awesome n open doors to pretty much wutever u wannna do, but i think 4 years is too much of a rush. Also, why EE? do you wanna do bioinformatics? medical devices? you seem very eager to do EE? I personally am a big fan of integrated circuits. How do you like physics with E&M, circuits, etc cuz if you dont like it u'll not like EE and EE is pretty much about everything you cannot see unlike MechE, etc.

how r u doing in your 1st semester right now? also, i would recommend taking biology classes since i think it shows u can handle college level biology as oppose to AP biology which may be a big difference. Just think of AP calc AB/BC, they are jokes compared to engr math bc u dont even really need to know the theory, just u need to compute.

I think it's do-able, but why rush it n if you make a mistake along the way you r to blame for. If you don't have enough EC compared to others it will show. an extra year is nothing in the span of your life and might even get u into a better school. Good luck and you can PM me if you have any questions.

 

[talbo]

I agree about engr courses, if it comes more natural to you it will take less time since it is about understanding/concepts as oppose to memorizing loads of stuff in biochem classes.

 

[Gut Shot]

I actually did better with LESS studying in my engineering classes than with my pre-med or humanities classes. So, I would have been jeopardizing my primary goal by doing some else.

Best of luck to you, then.

 

[pmahesh107]

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[engineeredout]

I'm going to med school this upcoming fall as a ChemE. I'm still graduating in four years, but I took several summer and winter session courses throughout my years. They were mostly the bull**** general humanities requirements that schools make you take. Sure beats spending more than four years in college. You should consider checking into it if its possible.

Oh and yeah its possible to take Orgo I and II in one summer, at least at my school. Its six weeks each one.

 

[pmahesh107]

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[stooges287]

Also, one last question: I was considering taking English in the summer because I really don't want to waste my time with it during the school year. Would it look bad if it took English at a community college instead of at my undergrad school during the summer? If so, then I'll just take it at my undergrad.

No. As long as you don't make a habit of taking courses at a community college you'll be fine.

 

[pharm B]

Does your AP credit count for labs as well as the course? I know Texas schools require a year of Bio with Lab. Or does AP go around that?

 

[talbo]

just curious, what kind of activities to you plan to engage in or are currently engaged in?

 

[pmahesh107]

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[jellie]

Why do you need to complete your pre-med requirements in 2 years? If you aim to graduate in 4 years, you'll be applying in the summer before your senior year, and even then you don't necessarily have to have all the classes done. I graduated in 4 years, but I stretched out the coursework over all 4 years ... and took a year off before applying.

I always understood it as a general lesson never to use AP credit for any pre-reqs. College-level coursework is far more rigorous, and many (most) schools require you to take them. Furthermore, it's good preparation for the MCAT. You need to take English for most schools, too.

As for summer classes, I don't think you should take more than 1 lab course during the summer. I took bio and data structures courses one summer, and I nearly died. There were 3-4 hour labs 4 days a week, plus programming projects every other week...

 

[krk553]

Are you by any chance at UT Dallas?? All your course names look exactly the same as mine... haha.

Anyways, I'm a junior EE/premed, and am so far pulling off a 3.87. It's tough but I'm finding that the EE classes have really sharpened my brain. After taking the digital logic classes (digital systems and digital circuits) I feel i've become a logical thinker. This helped me greatly during organic chemistry and other premed classes.

In all honesty, you will at some point feel that all the EE classes are a waste and you'll never use any of the material. Although it is probably true that the phasor and laplace circuit transformations that you learn Electrical Network Analysis will have no direct connection to your premed coursework, they will make you smarter. There are about 5 people I know in the EE program who are also doing premed and all are breezing or breezed through ochem.

I have also found letters of recommendation to be easier to get from my EE teachers due to the smaller classes.

To maintain a high GPA, i reccomend you do something that I did sophmore year that helped me tremendously. try to take a junior or senior level EE class that doesn't have prereqs. at my school there was a technical writing class and an ethics class. I met a buch of older (juniors and seniors) there and was able to get a ton of advice on which teachers to take along with a plethora of past tests. Much of the EE gpa (and any engineering gpa for that matter) is a gamble and depends on which professors you take.

I'm also quite confident that your hard work in EE will pay off in your interviews. I honestly don't think anybody can look at an student who earned a 3.7 in EE and not be impressed.

Also, bio majors who don't get into medical school will have a little tougher time getting a job and won't be paid nearly as much. As much as premed students don't like to imagine themsevles not getting in, its responsible to think about it. everyone who graduated EE from my school last year who applied got a job.

 

[doctorobvious]

I did Electrical Engineering and pre-med as well. I did straight EE for 3 years, then decided that I wanted to be a doctor and added premed. I took most of the premed pre-requisities my senior year. I'm finish up this semester.

I know one person who did it in 4 years. If you plan it out, it is definitely possible. The only reason I am doing an extra semester is because I switched really late.

EE will also set you apart in the applicant pool. I have had a lot of success so far. Just be prepared to work really, really hard.

 

[pmahesh107]

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[175961]

post a sniper on the top of the library to try and pick you off each day.

That sounds kinda fun. It would totally be like sylvester stallone and antonio banderas stuff

Yeah, that's great and all, but I question the wisdom of one's backup plan jeopardizing the success of one's primary plan.

QFT

 

[mrbayoubengal]

That schedule is going to be rough. It is possible but I definitely wouldn't recommend it. I don't know how much sleep you need to operate on, but it better not be much with a schedule like that. I would recommend, if possible, that you take your classes at the best time for you. Either set them all up in the mourning if you are a mourning person, or in the afternoon if your a night person. Either way it will be one hell of a ride.

 

[mrbayoubengal]

I was a Mechanical Engineering major and would recommend to lighten the course work. First, scheduling all of those labs during the same semester is not easy. Second, don't be afraid to go to undergrad for an extra semester. Not only do you help your chances with your GPA, but you also give yourself to take other med classes than just the pre-reqs. There's nothing wrong with having a backup plan at all, but make sure you give yourself the best chances at your primary goal. Good luck.

Yes, going for an extra semester would help you out tremendously in spreading those classes out. I still wouldn't recommend you cramming 20 hours into one semester. 18 is the most I would put up with. Anything over that your pushing it.

 

[Food]

Your initial post asked for advice on your schedule. Everyone said it was too hard, and now you're suggesting making it even more difficult? Why ask for advice when you're not going to listen to it? As much as you seem to think you're the exception rather than the rule, listen to the advice of those who have been through the process. A lot of undergrads are obsessed with graduating as soon as they can. Spread things out more, take on an internship, study abroad, etc., because with that schedule you will have very little time for things outside of the classroom that make you a better applicant, you will have very little time to enjoy life outside of school, and you may very well destroy your chances of getting into med school by ruining your GPA.

It doesn't matter if you're a poly sci major or have a double degree in EE/ChE, at the end of the day if your GPA is a 3.0 you'll be fighting an uphill battle just to get into med school, let alone getting into a med school you'd want to attend.

As for the AP bio credit, I would retake bio because a lot of schools don't look favorably on AP credit and the quality of an AP biology class varies widely. Also if nothing else it should be a free A for you.

You're right about the GPA being the most important thing. There isn't any point in having an insane workload if you can't push a 3.5+. So with EE, unless you have an amazing work ethic, don't go for it - seriously. Believe me, I think med-schools should give more credit to engineering students with 3.0s, but they just don't - it's wrong IMO. Now, I do disagree with RSAgator on a couple points - because some MD/PhD programs might be impressed with you as an engineering student if you have reasonable grades.

At my interview at UF, the director of the MD/PhD program was talking about how medical schools should be moving towards accepting people with more diverse backgrounds because the future of medicine is going to be more interdisciplinary. So I think if you want to discuss the strength of your EE background, it really depends on what schools you are applying to.

Personally, I find it ridiculous that med-schools don't consider engineers with slightly lower than average GPAs as good applicants. Engineering classes require far more analysis, critical thinking and problem-solving than most pre-med courses combined. I think the best major to go for, in terms of problem solving and being able to make good grades is physics. Chemistry also isn't bad - but it is somewhat more widespread so you wouldn't be as interesting, but probably more interesting than a Microbio/Cell Science major. But what RSAgator says about GPA being the "it" factor is totally true. I'm telling you this from experience. I'm at a 3.4 sGPA, but I took courses like modern physics, organic spectroscopy, basically random high level science courses that most applicants don't end up taking...and it seems like the adcoms don't give a @#%. Which sucks.

 

[Food]

Also, why do you have to take Linear Algebra for Engineers before Diff. Eq? It makes very little sense to me...I'm also guessing that the Linear Algebra class is a watered down version of the pure math one...like it is at most schools.

 

[pmahesh107]

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[pmahesh107]

Food: OH i realized what you were saying after I already posted. Linear Algebra is not a pre-req for Diff Eq.

 

[ApoK]

Seems like unnecessary torture to me, but I'm pretty sure you're Indian. So, you probably are either used to the stress and/or torture and probably will find a way to manage through the next 4 years of misery lol. I can't imagine why you would want to though. BME makes so much more sense for a pre-med. All your upper level EE coursework will be meaningless to you as a physician.

I've taken several 20 credit semesters (with 22 credits this semester) because I'm a triple major. It's manageable, but you won't have time for fun and you'll constantly be busy and stressed out. I sometimes find myself snapping at people (like my family or gf) for wasting my time when I need to do schoolwork. It's not worth it ... find a hobby/life instead ... I wish I had only done 2 majors and graduated early. That would have made for a much calmer undergrad experience.

 

[bihari]

The point of having the engineering degree is as a back-up in most cases, because there are plenty of Biology majors out there who didn't make it into med school and are now living in their mother's basement.

Also, as a Chemical Engineer (Idk about EE) there are lots of cross-research things going on between the medical field and the Chem Eng field. Look at UConn's new Dean of the Medical College. His undergrad degree is in Chemical Engineering and he is also a MD. He's doing some crazy research with polymer science and the ACL.

Many EE's do bioengineering stuff, imaging and instrumentation mostly

 

[Habeed]

I vote you just sell out, go for kinesiology or business and a 4.0, and get into med school a year early.

 

[DeadCactus]

I'm an EE major and just got accepted into medical school. Here's the blunt answer:

Going into undergrad with the intent of trying for medical school and choosing EE (the one engineering major, at least at my school, which doesn't even have chem as a required course) is a poor choice. Engineering and pre-med isn't a bad deal. EE and pre-med is. I did it because I decided I wanted to go to medical school two years in and changing would have been a bad move.

A much better route is:
Do BME with an emphasis on the electrical side of things. The basic course load will cover the fundamentals of EE and personal interest will let you pursue the specific areas that really interest you. Meanwhile, many of the pre-med classes will be in your curriculum so you won't have to add extra hours to your degree requirements. Then spread out the courses through a few summers and winter session semesters. All this means a lower hourly course load which means more time to study, jump through pre-med loops, and do the kind of stuff where you really actually learn something.

Or don't listen. Go do EE, add on all the pre-med requirements so you end up needing 160 credit hours to graduate. Drop your GPA needlessly by a few points and spend 10 hours a week learning about transmission through power lines and the quantum mechanical details of semi-conductors while your peers learn things relevant to the MCAT...

 

[circulus vitios]

As for the schedule you have put:
1- Try to NEVER have more than 2 labs in one semester. They are extremely time consuming and could screw you over. With that, I know people who did just fine with the load you are describing.

Is there any truth to this? I'll have to take 3 labs a semester for 3 or 4 semesters to graduate on time.

 

[pmahesh107]

It's not true. I'm taking three labs right now and while the write-ups are somewhat time-consuming, it's not as hard as everyone claims it to be.

 

[Gut Shot]

It's not true. I'm taking three labs right now and while the write-ups are somewhat time-consuming, it's not as hard as everyone claims it to be.

Well, the important thing is that you're getting laid.

 

[RSAgator]

Well, the important thing is that you're getting laid.

I think this is the first thing I've ever read on SDN that's actually made me LOL.

Food: I would obviously agree that an engineering student with a 4.0 will be looked upon more favorably than just about any other student with a 4.0, I hope I didn't imply otherwise. The big caveat is the "if you have reasonable grades" part, and quite simply that's usually not the case.


To the OP, for heaven's sake don't let the next 4 years pass by without you having any fun and experiencing life. What ever happened to enjoying your new found independence...

 

[guamboy]

I'm a freshman majoring in Electrical Eng. too. I'm on my second quarter and what I can tell you is that there is a very good chance that you will opt to switch out, especially if you're thinking of going on the premed path. I've taken a lower division ECE class and boy was it had. Come to think of it, I was exactly like you; I made a schedule for what classes to take and I even predicted what I feel the grade I could achieve. In the end, I've decided to switch to Chemistry/Biochemistry. Try to keep an open mind.

Edit: haha I want to delete this reply but I don't know how. I don't feel qualified to answer; I'm just a freshman after all.

 

[krk553]

EE doesn't get hard until the junior level courses.
By that time it'll be too late to change majors w/out adding a year.

i'm taking semiconductor physics now. its gross.

 

[Blesbok]

If you are going to pull it off with a high GPA, I highly recommend you do some summer schooling for the first two years. One class a summer would help reduce the workload tremendously while only taking a small chunk out of your summer.

 

[futile]

I am surprised that there are so many issues that people have with EE and pre-med. I am a fourth year EE and I plan to graduate with a total of 4.5 years of instruction. These are my recommendations:

- Try not to take more than 3 courses/semester of "hard science" your first couple of years.

- Don't take more than 3 courses/semester of EE classes your junior year, and try to keep it down to 2.

- Go for 5 years so you can "spread out" the hard classes.

- Take as many biomedical classes as you can. I took at least biomedical imaging and instrumentation. These might be good to take early because you will have an idea how some of your classes are important for biomedical applications, and if you want to go into medicine, this makes it more interesting. (EM Fields has applications in MRI, semiconductors in various medical sensing devices like ENFETs, and any circuitry)

- Keep in mind that your EE classes probably won't count as "Science" in your AMCAS application. This is BS but it might help you keep your perspective on your chemistry/biology classes. BE SURE you can get recommendation letters from your biology/chem classes, because you can't get them from your EE/BME classes.

- I would honestly save like organic chemistry and upper level biology after your "junior level" EE classes. You will be hardcore by then. I feel like threy front-load the EE major in general so the weeding out happens earlier.

It's not impossible, but it is hard. Though I feel like training as an engineer makes everything afterwards that much easier. I don't think I would have like being a biology major. Everyone in bio seems so negative and tired of premeds, plus I think the notoreity that comes from being the only female in all of my classes helps my motivation.

 

[Perrotfish]

I was a dual major in ME and Chem. I'll just add my support to the opionin that you should EITHER

1) Plan on going 5-5.5 years and NEVER taking more than 15 credits for semester (and maybe 12 for the harder maths)

2) swith to an easy major so that you can get a 4.0.

I like backup plans, so I like option 1. But overscheduling is not an option. If you're taking 20 hrs/semester you might as well stop calling EE a backup plan and just start calling it the plan

 

[Naijaba]

Hi pmahesh,

I saw your post and I just had to reply! I had 3 majors as an undergraduate: Biology, Computer Science and Engineering, and Mathematics...and it only took 4 years and I came out with a decent GPA (3.5+). I'm currently applying for the 2010 entering class.

If you are an analytical guy like me then the biggest challenge you will have is MEMORIZING the biology. There simply isn't enough time to memorize a ton of knowledge. I resorted (unfortunately) to cramming, and I managed to do OK.

My question for your is WHY do you want to do this? I love computer science, I love mathematics, and I *like* biology. I want to develop medical software and be my own medical adviser. (I actually have a website: http://www.eigensheep.com)

Do this ONLY if you love EE, otherwise it will be very difficult for you. If you can't sit there and get a little excited over matrix diagonalization then engineering AND biology might not be for you.

By the way, the name of my website is a linear algebra joke:

What do you call a young eigensheep?.....A lamb-duh!

(Get it?? It's lambda as in the variable used for eigenvalues!)

 

[futile]

I forgot to mention that if you are interested in going into research or MD/PhD, EE/premed is a really excellent idea.