Undergraduate Degree Advice

[RozeK]

Hello everyone,

This will be my first post, I've been on this site for a few months now and just recently made an account. I am a first year undergrad student finishing up my first semester and have wanted to become a physical therapist since my sophomore year of high school. I know this is what I want to do, I've shadowed a therapist (yes I'm aware I'm very young but I was allowed to volunteer at the clinic that helped me recover after a surgery a couple years ago) and have taken many athletic care and sports physiology classes in high school (vocational school). I am currently doing biomedical engineering with the intention of getting my bachelors in biomedical and then going into a doctoral program for physical therapy immediately after graduation.

I felt that this would be the best route for me because of my strength in subjects like calculus and physics, which I quite enjoy doing. However as the semester draws to a close I'm beginning to wonder if this is the best option for me. I know I want to become a physical therapist and that PT programs are very competitive GPA-wise. Although I don't have too much trouble grasping the concepts in my physics and calculus classes, I feel overwhelmed by the workload. I'm now wondering if I can maintain a high GPA for all four years and complete my pre-reqs for PT. Should I switch majors and do exercise science instead? Any advice would be much appreciated. Anyone who is/was a biomedical engineering major and went into PT, how did you fare?

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[mn977]

Hello everyone,

This will be my first post, I've been on this site for a few months now and just recently made an account. I am a first year undergrad student finishing up my first semester and have wanted to become a physical therapist since my sophomore year of high school. I know this is what I want to do, I've shadowed a therapist (yes I'm aware I'm very young but I was allowed to volunteer at the clinic that helped me recover after a surgery a couple years ago) and have taken many athletic care and sports physiology classes in high school (vocational school). I am currently doing biomedical engineering with the intention of getting my bachelors in biomedical and then going into a doctoral program for physical therapy immediately after graduation.

I felt that this would be the best route for me because of my strength in subjects like calculus and physics, which I quite enjoy doing. However as the semester draws to a close I'm beginning to wonder if this is the best option for me. I know I want to become a physical therapist and that PT programs are very competitive GPA-wise. Although I don't have too much trouble grasping the concepts in my physics and calculus classes, I feel overwhelmed by the workload. I'm now wondering if I can maintain a high GPA for all four years and complete my pre-reqs for PT. Should I switch majors and do exercise science instead? Any advice would be much appreciated. Anyone who is/was a biomedical engineering major and went into PT, how did you fare?

Sorry to say that I think your GPA will hinder you unfortunately. Since most schools generally don't care what your undergraduate degree was, an engineering degree (though a huge accomplishment considering its difficulty) will drag your gpa down. Also would you be able to finish an engineering degree in four years as well as taking all your pre-reqs and doing your observation hours, while getting great grades? Unless you are considering becoming an engineer, I don't see a need to acquire an engineering degree. You should also look into 3+3 programs that allow you to finish your undergraduate degree and DPT degree in six years instead of eight.

 

[Hopefulpt33]

I would not let worries about your gpa change what you want to do for your major. My undergrad gpa is a 3.3 and prereq gpa even lower, and I just got into Northwestern. Follow classes that you find to be the most interesting.

 

[RozeK]

I would not let worries about your gpa change what you want to do for your major. My undergrad gpa is a 3.3 and prereq gpa even lower, and I just got into Northwestern. Follow classes that you find to be the most interesting.

Thank you that gives me some hope I think I may just be having freshman worries because I hear how tough classes can be and this semester I'm only expecting 2 or 3 A's. They also say it gets easier though so let's see.

 

[Grizzlyman]

Hello everyone,

This will be my first post, I've been on this site for a few months now and just recently made an account. I am a first year undergrad student finishing up my first semester and have wanted to become a physical therapist since my sophomore year of high school. I know this is what I want to do, I've shadowed a therapist (yes I'm aware I'm very young but I was allowed to volunteer at the clinic that helped me recover after a surgery a couple years ago) and have taken many athletic care and sports physiology classes in high school (vocational school). I am currently doing biomedical engineering with the intention of getting my bachelors in biomedical and then going into a doctoral program for physical therapy immediately after graduation.

I felt that this would be the best route for me because of my strength in subjects like calculus and physics, which I quite enjoy doing. However as the semester draws to a close I'm beginning to wonder if this is the best option for me. I know I want to become a physical therapist and that PT programs are very competitive GPA-wise. Although I don't have too much trouble grasping the concepts in my physics and calculus classes, I feel overwhelmed by the workload. I'm now wondering if I can maintain a high GPA for all four years and complete my pre-reqs for PT. Should I switch majors and do exercise science instead? Any advice would be much appreciated. Anyone who is/was a biomedical engineering major and went into PT, how did you fare?

You should absolutely not choose Exercise Science. Of course it is understandable that your GPA will be a little lower being an engineer. Everyone knows the challenging work and great problem solving skills you are developing. You will really benefit by standing out as person with expertise outside the ability of most other applicants. Plus you will always be able to get a high paying job with a engineering degree; where as with a ES degree, you will be ineligible to even apply for most jobs. ES = Van Wilder.

Get a 4.0 in your pre-reqs and you will have no problem choosing your PT program!!!

If BioE is not for you, consider Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Mechatronics or a hard science.

Good Luck

 

[astarblaze]

Hello everyone,

This will be my first post, I've been on this site for a few months now and just recently made an account. I am a first year undergrad student finishing up my first semester and have wanted to become a physical therapist since my sophomore year of high school. I know this is what I want to do, I've shadowed a therapist (yes I'm aware I'm very young but I was allowed to volunteer at the clinic that helped me recover after a surgery a couple years ago) and have taken many athletic care and sports physiology classes in high school (vocational school). I am currently doing biomedical engineering with the intention of getting my bachelors in biomedical and then going into a doctoral program for physical therapy immediately after graduation.

I felt that this would be the best route for me because of my strength in subjects like calculus and physics, which I quite enjoy doing. However as the semester draws to a close I'm beginning to wonder if this is the best option for me. I know I want to become a physical therapist and that PT programs are very competitive GPA-wise. Although I don't have too much trouble grasping the concepts in my physics and calculus classes, I feel overwhelmed by the workload. I'm now wondering if I can maintain a high GPA for all four years and complete my pre-reqs for PT. Should I switch majors and do exercise science instead? Any advice would be much appreciated. Anyone who is/was a biomedical engineering major and went into PT, how did you fare?

How are you doing grade-wise this semester?

I would suggest finding some upperclassmen who are also doing biomedical engineering and picking their brain about what you should expect down the line re: workload and otherwise with the major. They'll know much better than anyone on this forum what the next 3.5 years will look like for you if you continue with biomedical engineering at your school since they're living it.

Sometimes intro classes are "weeder" classes that are meant to be very hard and discourage people from continuing on unless they're serious. Sometimes not.

My guess (just given that you're in your very first semester in college) is that you probably have some room to improve in terms of studying skills/time management, etc. Most freshmen don't come in with perfect habits, and learning to manage a heavy workload and be very efficient in your work will pay dividends once you get to PT school. At the same time, you don't want to kill yourself, especially given that you'll need to make time at some point to get more observation hours in, build relationships with professors, etc. And as you may have gathered, grades are one of the most heavily-weighted parts of PT school admissions. So it's probably not worth it to do an extremely difficult major if it means your grades will suffer for it.

Another thing you might consider is whether there might be another major that could still fulfill your interest in calculus/physics type subjects but with a little more breathing room/lighter workload. Have you thought about other major options? Straight up math or some variation, maybe even computer programming?

 

[beyoutiful_sunshine]

I think you should choose a major that 1) you LOVE and 2) you're good at. If you see that biomedical engineering is going to be a challenge, I wouldn't go that route. Even if you retake a class, it will still affect your gpa with PTCAS. You're young and now is the best time to make sure you have really good grades.
Yes, you can get into PT school with a low gpa... but why purposely have a low gpa if you can have a high? Having a high gpa gives you more options to choose from, opens more doors and increases your chances of getting in on your first try.

Of course I'm assuming you're okay with changing majors. If biomedical engineering is the love of your life, then it's a different story. But if you find a major that 1) you think you'll enjoy more than biomed. Engineering and 2) you think you'll be more successful at; then go for it.

 

[hopefulpt1]

Depends on what your grades are and how you're doing thus far with the major. I see no problem with keeping it so long as you get your pre-reqs done and dont mind the hard work.

PT schools dont necessarily care about what your undergrad degree is in but I have been asked about it in every one of my interviews so far. If you can relate that to how it has shaped you personally and professionally then id say you're fine. Remember, any major is 4.0-able with enough hard work and dedication. Good luck.

 

[WATT99]

I'm an Animal Sciences major and my interviewer loved the fact that I had a different undergrad experience with different views. It's not really about your major/which classes you take, it's about you apply them. I was able to compare and contrast human and animal similarities during my classes and it made it a lot more interesting. If your GPA isn't super high, get involved and try to get in a research lab! It'll work out for ya.

 

[RozeK]

How are you doing grade-wise this semester?

I would suggest finding some upperclassmen who are also doing biomedical engineering and picking their brain about what you should expect down the line re: workload and otherwise with the major. They'll know much better than anyone on this forum what the next 3.5 years will look like for you if you continue with biomedical engineering at your school since they're living it.

Sometimes intro classes are "weeder" classes that are meant to be very hard and discourage people from continuing on unless they're serious. Sometimes not.

My guess (just given that you're in your very first semester in college) is that you probably have some room to improve in terms of studying skills/time management, etc. Most freshmen don't come in with perfect habits, and learning to manage a heavy workload and be very efficient in your work will pay dividends once you get to PT school. At the same time, you don't want to kill yourself, especially given that you'll need to make time at some point to get more observation hours in, build relationships with professors, etc. And as you may have gathered, grades are one of the most heavily-weighted parts of PT school admissions. So it's probably not worth it to do an extremely difficult major if it means your grades will suffer for it.

Another thing you might consider is whether there might be another major that could still fulfill your interest in calculus/physics type subjects but with a little more breathing room/lighter workload. Have you thought about other major options? Straight up math or some variation, maybe even computer programming?

I have looked into other major options but none of them interest me as much as biomedical engineering. I would prefer to stick to BME but am wondering if my choice will kill my chances later on. Yes, I am aware that my study habits could use improvement, I've been told it gets much easier after the freshman classes despite the workload being the same, but I'm just worried about what might happen if my grades don't match up with PT :/

 

[RozeK]

Depends on what your grades are and how you're doing thus far with the major. I see no problem with keeping it so long as you get your pre-reqs done and dont mind the hard work.

PT schools dont necessarily care about what your undergrad degree is in but I have been asked about it in every one of my interviews so far. If you can relate that to how it has shaped you personally and professionally then id say you're fine. Remember, any major is 4.0-able with enough hard work and dedication. Good luck.

Thank you for your advice

 

[CaptainMonty]

I was actually a BME the first 2 years of my undergrad. The workload was intense and my grades were decent. I had something like a 3.2? I changed majors my junior year when the weedout classes were just killing me.

My own 2 cents, if you stick with BME you will do far more work, and most likely hurt your chances at getting into PT school. You will have better career options (as others have pointed out) and you could go off and do something with the degree or do something else entirely different! You'd have that option. Companies don't really care about your GPA in engineering, they just want you to know how to do the work.

Yet for something like Grad school (especially PT school), your GPA is worth it's weight in gold. Getting B's in high level engineering classes doesn't hold up against someone who got A's in their freshmen Bio courses and then took sociology and psych classes that just require a paper. In many cases a 3.0 rules you out. On my own PTCAS app it's a night and day difference from years 1&2 to 3&4 where it's basically all A's the last 2 years.

The choice is yours and you should do what you enjoy. But if BME is the road you take, you will work so much harder for every point of your GPA compared to other applicants.

 

[astarblaze]

I have looked into other major options but none of them interest me as much as biomedical engineering. I would prefer to stick to BME but am wondering if my choice will kill my chances later on. Yes, I am aware that my study habits could use improvement, I've been told it gets much easier after the freshman classes despite the workload being the same, but I'm just worried about what might happen if my grades don't match up with PT :/

Gotcha. You should do what you enjoy. If you're really excited about BME, then give it a shot. Just keep an eye on your GPA and make course corrections as you go (e.g. you can switch to something easier -but that you still like- later on if it really looks like your GPA isn't going to cut it). Figure out the study habits that will help you succeed, seek out other students that are on the same page about doing well academically, etc etc. Make sure you ace your prereqs so that your prereq GPA is as high as possible.

PT schools have different standards, so the GPA you need really depends on the specific programs you want to apply for. Others will have different opinions, but my view is that you'd want a minimum 3.5 cum GPA to be safely competitive for some (but not super competitive) programs, and a 3.8 GPA to have a good chance at any program. Obviously other aspects of your application matter, and many people get in with lower cum GPAs, but the lower your GPA, the less options you'll have (and the less attractive those options- i.e. more expensive, newer, less established programs, or programs with worse student outcomes). You can search through the GPA's, GRE's, XTRA'S ACCEPTANCES thread to get a sense of how people with different stats have fared in recent years at specific programs.