By Krista, IvyWise College Admissions Counselor
While we are not supposed to have favorite applicants in the admissions process, I will fill you in on my little secret; my favorite applicants to read at Johns Hopkins University were often the Biomedical Engineering (BME) applicants. I loved learning about their innovative solutions to the problems overwhelming healthcare. These students are always so creative, passionate, and excited about making their impact in the world through engineering.
For instance, during my time in admissions, 24 of our matriculated BME students worked together to design an anti-fog facemask with an N95 front during the COVID-19 pandemic, all created remotely from the comfort of their homes. Another group of students built a retractor to hold back cortical brain tissue during brain surgery. These are just a few examples of the jaw-dropping work our students were doing in BME. I found it so rewarding to be one small part of these students’ stories.
So, you may be thinking at this point, “Krista, those students sound awesome! How did the Admissions Committee identify those great students in the BME application process?”
Understanding What Biomedical Engineering Is
First, colleges are looking for students who are a good fit with the major and truly understand what BME entails. Many applicants see “bio” and “medical” and assume it is a straight shot to medical school. While the BME major will certainly require courses in the natural sciences, and some graduates ultimately do pursue medical school, it is first and foremost an engineering discipline. Simply put, if you are interested in pre-med or bio but not engineering, BME is not for you. To thrive in a BME program, you need to excel in the natural sciences, math, and engineering.
So, let us dive a bit deeper into what BME entails. Biomedical Engineering is for those students who like to find innovative solutions to problems in healthcare. This encompasses a wide range of specialties including, but not limited to, prosthetics, biomedical data, neuro-engineering, computational medicine, tissue engineering, and more. You should do some research to learn about all the specialties within BME before applying. This research will help you begin to narrow down your interests and strengthen your argument for why you want to pursue BME.
It is important to note that not all BME programs are the same. Colleges have different specialty areas and resources for practicing design, doing research, and potentially even creating your own product. Before applying to a college, make sure you understand why that college’s BME program is a fit for you given your specific interests.
What Courses Biomedical Engineering Applicants Should Take
In addition to having a firm grasp on the BME discipline, competitive applicants have strong academic prep work. The best way to prove you will thrive in the college’s BME program is to excel within the opportunities currently given to you in high school. This means that you should be taking a challenging course load and doing well in those courses, especially in STEM. Physics and calculus, ideally Calc BC, are two of the most imperative courses to take if offered at your high school. Physics and calculus are often seen as the basic building blocks of engineering. Some high schools offer relevant electives as well. These electives are a wonderful way to test out engineering and determine if it is the right discipline for you. Excelling in your rigorous high school courses and choosing classes that prepare you for engineering will show that you can excel in a challenging college BME program. If your high school doesn’t offer some of these courses, especially more advanced physics and calculus classes, you can always supplement your curriculum by taking courses at a local community college or online.
What Extracurriculars Biomedical Engineering Applicants Should Participate In
Colleges are looking for students who not only take advantage of opportunities in the classroom but those who are acting on their curiosity in their spare time. This can be shown in a plethora of ways including, but not limited to, school clubs, research, summer programs, and internships. Ideally, these experiences would closely relate to BME. It does not even have to be a formal club or program! I have read applications from students who developed apps to help with a healthcare problem, patented a medical device, presented their own research at ISEF (International Science and Engineering Fair), created a CAD (Computer-Aided Design) portfolio, and more. Also, do not be afraid to “cold call” college professors if you are interested in joining in their research! In short, practicing your skills in engineering within the healthcare field while in high school will show the Admissions Committee that you have developed a passion for BME and will show your commitment to the discipline.
All of this to say, a strong BME applicant “nerds out” about healthcare innovation. They love engineering and applying their skills to the field of medicine. Admissions Committees can see this passion through an applicant’s knowledge about BME, course choices, and activities. The more this passion has been developed through the applicant’s high school experiences and time spent researching the field of BME, the stronger the application will be.
At IvyWise we work with students to help them explore their interests and develop a specialty that will help them gain admission to the best-fit schools for them and their goals. If you’re interested in BME and need help finding new ways to engage with your interests, IvyWise is here to help! Contact us today to learn more about our college counseling programs and how the IvyWise team of experts can help you stand out when preparing for college.
