Where To Put Engineering Classes On AMCAS Form ?

Started by engineergirl
Get help with your application

Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.

Browse articles Compare schools My application plan Read Interview Feedback
Practice for interviews Ask an Advisor
E

engineergirl

Junior Member
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
20+ Year Member
Can anyone out there help me ? Where should I put my chemical engineering classes on my AMCAS application. Would they fall under the "science" part even though they are neither "math" or "chemistry" or"physics" ? It seems strange to me to count them in my non-science gpa because these classes were technical in subject matter. Any thoughts?

Thanks

------------------
 
What is chemical engineering? Is that like commercial industrial chemical stuff (like Dow Corning)?

Knowing absolutely nothing about the field or the courses taken by you, I'd say that I'd put it under Chemistry.

Oh, if you didn't get stellar grades, then I'd put it under "non-BCPM". Most interviewers talk about my science/BCPM GPA but NEVER NEVER about my non-science GPA.

------------------
 
If I remember correctly, I put all of my engineering classes as "other." They are sort of science, but not really. At the time, putting it under other worked out well for me because my engineering grades were not that high. And, when you send in your AMCAS, they check it anyway.
 
As a fellow engineering major (electrical/computer engineering), I would say that the most appropriate category is science.

Most engineering classes require a basis in math, chemistry, and physics and are therefore applied sciences.

I disagree with the previous post that engineering is not really science. Of course you cant label your engineering classes simply math, chemistry or physics (they are all 3 put together, or at least math/physics together).

------------------
"There is nothing more powerful on this Earth as a man who has nothing to lose. It does not take ten such men to change the world--one will do." Elijah Mohammed
 
... So I guess I could put a class like numerical methods under the math category, but would thermodynamics be a chemistry or a physics? Classes like heat and mass transfer and fluid mechanics are gonna be tricky.

GCC you mentioned that AMCAS will check it anyway. Are you saying that they will recategorize a class if they think that you put it in the wrong category ?

To Carbon Klein: Presently I work in a chemical manufacturing facility. We manufacture polyethylene. I could not describe in one sentence what a chemical engineer does, but on any given day I could do engineering design, process trouble shooting, and computer based process modeling.

Baylor21 you're a EE/computer engineering major and premed on top of that ? I think that is AWESOME !! I avoid EE stuff like the plague when I can.

Thanks to all for your responses.
 
I would call AMCAS to be sure where they go. If you do it wrong, they may delay the processing of your app., which could put you at a major disadvantage!
 
engineergirl,

Yes i'm premed and electrical/computer engineering, but chemical engineering is no piece of cake.

I'd put thermodynamics under physics. I took thermo and advanced thermo also and noticed that our physics dept has its own thermo class.

------------------
"There is nothing more powerful on this Earth as a man who has nothing to lose. It does not take ten such men to change the world--one will do." Elijah Mohammed
 
According to the American Heritage Dictionary, engineering is "the application of scientific and mathematical principles to practical ends such as the design, construction, and operation of efficient and economical structures, equipment, and systems."

Engineering involves science, but it is not pure science. That is one of the reasons I did not list it as science...how would I list a class like Biothermodynamics? It is a mix of physics and biology, but it is an engineering course.

Yes, they check the AMCAS. I put a 'G' instead of 'P'(and I don't remember why) for a couple of classes that I took P/F and they marked through it and put 'P'. Do they check to see if you listed a class correctly? I don't know, but I know they check the grades.

I agree with one of the previous posts...if in doubt, call AMCAS and ask. However, I listed all of my engineering courses as "other" and had no problems with AMCAS or the medical school interviewers.
 
Thanks to all who responded to my post. I contacted AMCAS and I was told that how I decide to classify my engineering classes is up to me and AMCAS will not challenge me. The only time that AMCAS would actually change anything is if a class was blatently misclassified ( i.e. a chemistry class that was classified as a math ). I would think such an occurence is rare. I will classify what I can in the BCPM and put everything else as other. Thanks again to all.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.