Engineering GPA

[aster]

UConn has a medical school and I just read on their site that "An engineering major is considered more difficult than other programs of study, and medical school reviewers consider this when reviewing applications." I got this from http://www.bme.uconn.edu/premed/bmepremedov.htm.

Should this be trusted, since this isn't necessarily from UConn's school of medicine but from UConn's undergraduate-pre-med website?

Please do not take this as an attempt to feed my ego about engineering curriculums, but rather to just get some comfort in knowing that my gpa won't be looked at lightly without the context of its courseload.

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[zpiff]

Unfortunately everyone I've talked to in advising and faculty in my department (biomedical engineering) has told me that medical schools don't look at major that much so engineers get a bit screwed in the process. However, an engineering education I belief can really help you once you do get into medical school.

 

[blargh]

i'm an engineer with a 3.8 who got screwed. all the hard work and sacrifice that went into my gpa was hardly noticed by med schools. a minor help, if any at all.

me = bitter

 

[chr123]

i'm an engineer with a 3.8 who got screwed. all the hard work and sacrifice that went into my gpa was hardly noticed by med schools. a minor help, if any at all.

me = bitter

I fail to see how you got screwed.

 

[tiedyeddog]

I fail to see how you got screwed.

The same effort could have gotten a 4.0 in a different major.

 

[CoolSpot7Up]

A 3.8 engineering GPA is probably not what screwed you. A 3.8 GPA in any major is phenomenal, so there must have been something else lacking in your app.

Let's put it this way, engineering is tough, and med schools know that. But if you choose to do it, it should be because you enjoy learning engineering, thus you should do well. Don't use engineering as an excuse for a low GPA. If you do engineering and do well, it will look extremely good. If you do engineering and don't do well, they may feel some sympathy, but won't do anything to help you out in the admissions game.

 

[blargh]

.

 

[blargh]

The same effort could have gotten a 4.0 in a different major.

4.0 in a different major + a lot more ECs

 

[muffin man]

.

 

[aster]

I tend to agree with the consensus, especially since a lot of BME departments and pre-med advisors seem to throw out facts they aren't too entirely sure of.

My only itch factor is that UConn does have a medical school and I don't know whether or not UConn's BME department has been known to throw out unsubstantiated facts or if what they posted really happens in their UConn medical college's admissions process, and thus, really a factor that some med school adcoms consider.

Any other inputs, ones especially welcome are those from UConn undergrads or UConn BME's who have experience with advisement or some insider of their medical school.

 

[SirGecko]

I've heard that a schools do look at the difficulty of your undergraduate institution/major. Of course this may just be for the most extreme ends of the "hard major/school" spectrum but the premed advisers at my school have said that at least my program often gets this consideration. (that isn't to say always, just often)

It might matter what stage of schooling you are at though for what advise they are willing to give you. When I was a freshman they loved pushing this "engineers get no quarter" viewpoint but the reality is a little less harsh.