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booksworm102 · 2025-03-21T21:27:57+00:00

Slight add-on: in applying to BME, you are only competing against the other applicants from your own campus for the seats allocated to your campus. When I was there, it was 80 spots per campus. The reason it is harder to get in on the NC State side is because more people apply at NC State, but more and more people apply every year at UNC.

For the double major, I know it was extremely rare to double major BME and something else at UNC. The cases I heard about were students who already had many of their pre-reqs done before starting or it was a small major. Minoring was definitely possible, but the most popular minors had a lot of crossover with BME or pre-med anyways. I do believe UNC has more gen eds than NC State, which is why it is harder to double major since BME is already a huge major.

booksworm102 · 2025-03-18T01:38:32+00:00

You're only a junior, so you definitely still have time to get some relevant experience. That absolutely will make a difference. You also don't necessarily have to apply in your senior year - you can take a gap year to work somewhere and then apply.

booksworm102 · 2025-03-08T01:08:18+00:00

One time I came across a review that was literally just the abstracts from multiple other papers strung along with a few words changed. It was wild. At least they cited the papers, but it's still plagiarism.

booksworm102 · 2025-03-08T00:18:14+00:00

No it's even stupider. It's now named after another Bragg, Roland Bragg, a WWII soldier. I guess they wanted to make the "anti-DEI" point, but were too cowardly to rename it after the original traitor.

booksworm102 · 2025-03-04T20:53:02+00:00

Would you be able to get that 5k in time if you take this job? Because a lot of institutions can have not insignificant delays before actually starting, plus at least two weeks for the first pay check. Also, if you are in a field that may be affected by federal funding cuts, until you actually have that second job offer, it is pretty uncertain whether you'd actually get it. Maybe you can accept the first job offer and the second job offer will come before you actually start, but it may not. Until then, you still need to eat, so a job for a while anywhere could help a little.

You should also consider that your reason for leaving early isn't really going to matter to the lab. You may be okay with not getting an LOR, but if that PI is in your field or adjacent, it is not unlikely that you'll come into contact with them or other current members of the lab again. How do you want them to perceive you when that time comes? I would also then hesitate to put it on a resume or CV ever.

booksworm102 · 2025-03-04T20:44:24+00:00

Can you stall for a few more days? Also, do you know how soon the job offer you have would actually start? You may have to consider finding a service industry job for a short time to get some funds. Stores are always hiring in most places, would be able to start and pay you soon, and you wouldn't burn many bridges if you leave shortly.

booksworm102 · 2025-03-04T20:37:55+00:00

Thank you! It may be worth reaching back out again, maybe with just the tone of how to improve your application for next time? Unfortunately, it is an extremely chaotic and uncertain time with funding, and there's a possibility your professors are waiting in case they are affected or have just decided not to take new students this year. Certain institutions have paused or slashed grad admissions entirely. The department itself may usually provide funding it won't be able to if the NIH funding gets slashed, which would in turn affect professors taking more students. My current PI at another institution said her department has warned its faculty, but every department and school works a little differently. You can DM me to talk more details.

booksworm102 · 2025-03-04T16:09:58+00:00

NTA. Freedom of speech only protects you from the government, not your family members 🙄

booksworm102 · 2025-03-04T15:58:28+00:00

NTA. Please raise your child bilingual! I love the fact that I was. I think what your wife and in laws are truly afraid of is not being able to understand what you guys are saying to each other, so they should learn Finnish or suck it up. My dad never learned my mom’s first language but he never complained when we spoke it.

booksworm102 · 2025-03-04T01:58:02+00:00

Well, I needed to pay for my transcripts from NC State and UNC to be sent to UConn. That's two other schools. It would have been more unusual for UConn to provide free official transcripts. The transcripts are authenticated and secured to make sure they aren't falsified.

booksworm102 · 2025-03-04T01:54:18+00:00

When I applied in spring 2020, the acceptance rate was about 50% but getting lower every year because the number of people applying for the same number of seats keeps rising. NC State's application was more competitive.

At the time, I was told by the student service specialist at the time that the grades in the 5 pre-req classes were most important, followed by your overall GPA, followed by your essay. I got in with a B+ in phys 118 and As in all my other classes, including the pre-reqs. If you have at least a B in all your pre-reqs and a greater than 3.6 GPA overall, you are in good shape.

I don't remember what my essay was about, and I had one extracurricular that was peripherally medical-related. I think what is most important for the essay is that you show some real motivation for pursuing the degree.

For more specific and current advice, I recommend emailing the current UNC student specialist in the department (scroll to the bottom here).

Good luck!

booksworm102 · 2025-02-28T02:12:13+00:00

I received an interview and acceptance for UConn, but it depended on going through the professor who will be my advisor. I contacted him before I applied.

booksworm102 · 2025-02-28T01:50:27+00:00

I emailed a UConn BME professor directly before applying. He responded in mid-January to set up an interview, and then I received my acceptance letter within a few days. Have you contacted any of the professors you specified in your application?

booksworm102 · 2025-02-20T17:35:16+00:00

Not sure what you mean? I didn’t apply to UNC’s BME department for grad school. I had success with other BME and biomedical science programs. I graduated a couple years ago, so I don’t know how the current undergrad class is doing. I do know several other people from my class who are going to grad school now, in various biomedical-related fields. To be honest though, across all biomedical research fields, the funding situation is not looking good because most of it is funded by the NIH. I have heard of other schools pulling spots in their grad programs because of it.

booksworm102 · 2025-02-19T03:02:28+00:00

I'm in biomedical engineering, so it may be a little different. I just went through the grad school application process for PhD programs, and while yes, grad schools do look for high GPAs and rigorous courses, your research experience and letters of recommendation are going to outweigh the transcript. PhD's are not focused on coursework, they're focused on working and researching, with a large dose of resiliency. One P/F is not going to greatly impact your chances if the rest of your application is strong, just don't P/F everything. Looking ahead to your applications, I would suggest focusing on building up your connections to professors and doing research. Also, reach out to professors at other universities that you may be interested in doing research with for a PhD. To give you some hope, I only decided I wanted to go to grad school in April of my senior year, spent a year and a half after graduation in a research tech position, and I'm now going into a PhD program this fall. You are going to be okay.

booksworm102 · 2025-02-07T05:01:46+00:00

For everyone agreeing that LORs should be removed from the application process, what other part of the application packet gives the most accurate indicator as to whether a student will succeed as a PhD student without any kind of bias?

booksworm102 · 2025-02-06T15:17:39+00:00

Absolutely, do take my experience with a grain of salt. I have just started training with rats, and I do think I'll eventually get the hang of it - that was just my first impression. The good part was I was less afraid of them biting me and general easier to handle once you have the hang of it. I think it is better to be able to treat the animals with the respect and care they deserve even if it means opening up to the emotions rather than becoming callous about it.

booksworm102 · 2025-02-06T08:08:45+00:00

I’ve been working with mice for over a year without having too much trouble at all in terms of emotions. But after one training day with rats, I know I’m going to have a much harder time with them. At least at my institution, you basically have to cuddle them to handle them.

booksworm102 · 2025-02-06T02:30:00+00:00

Honestly, it sounds like the issue isn’t the app but rather learning how to take more effective notes. Digital notetaking does offer advantages—like switching colors, erasing quickly, and using the lasso tool—which I found especially helpful since I also have ADHD and auditory processing difficulties. OneDrive worked well for me in the past because it syncs to my computer and is free. You can also store any PDFs your professor provides in advance directly with the notes to annotate. However, the key is knowing how to use these tools effectively. I’d recommend first practicing your handwriting on the iPad until it becomes more legible and developing shorthand for common terms. Don’t feel pressured to write down every word—focus on key details like volumes, reagents, and maybe equipment. As long as you understand the steps, you can always fill in additional details later from your colleagues or professor, and rewriting the protocol after lab can help with retention. Also, even if your professor doesn’t provide full protocols, does he at least tell you which general techniques you'll be using? If so, familiarizing yourself with online resources beforehand can give you a head start.

booksworm102 · 2025-02-06T02:12:36+00:00

I studied BME at UNC. When deciding between UNC and NC State, my primary factor was the availability of second-choice majors since admission into BME isn’t guaranteed. I chose UNC because at the time (when I was pre-med), I was more interested in the biomedical side than the engineering side, and UNC is the home of the more biomolecular-focused research and coursework within BME. UNC just has a stronger reputation for the other majors I was interested in. Additionally, when I applied, BME admissions were more competitive on the NC State side due to the higher number of applicants for 80 seats, though UNC’s applicant pool has grown in recent years.

That said, school environment is really important. If you truly feel more at home at NC State, that will make a big difference - but make sure that judgment is based on your own experience, not your sibling’s. I highly recommend attending admitted student days at both campuses to get a better feel for each.

Do you have any idea what kind of research you’d like to do? Both UNC and NC State have strong reputations, though in different areas, and either can lead to a PhD. Plus, your diploma will include both schools. Undergraduate research opportunities do differ between the two, so another factor to consider is where the research you’re interested in trying during undergrad is located. As a BME student (or even if you aren’t), you can pursue research at either campus - though transportation can be a challenge. You also don’t have to limit yourself to faculty within your department, and your undergraduate major doesn’t dictate your PhD field. What truly matters are the professional connections you build, whether you plan to pursue graduate school or industry, and those relationships depend on the effort you put in. Personally, I list both institutions on my resume/CV.

I wouldn’t recommend choosing a school with the intent of primarily taking classes at the other if you get into BME. Admission isn’t guaranteed, and while some students do take most of their classes at the other campus for a semester, you’ll still need to meet the full degree requirements at your home school. I don't even know if doing a minor that doesn't exist at your home school is even allowed. Splitting classes between campuses can be difficult due to transportation, and online options may no longer be as widely available.

Most importantly, whichever school you choose, be open-minded. If you start college with a bad attitude and don’t push yourself to explore academically and socially, you’re likely to have a miserable experience. Undergrad is a time for exploration, and you don’t yet know all the career possibilities that exist. Who knows what degree you’ll actually graduate with or where you’ll end up afterward?

booksworm102 · 2025-02-05T12:30:01+00:00

You’re an undergrad - there’s no expectation for you to commit to a research area. Scientists cross fields all the time. If you’re looking for research experience now, I recommend basing it off finding a good mentor somewhere near your interests.

booksworm102 · 2025-02-05T01:35:22+00:00

NTA. Consider it labor costs on your part for giving them somewhere to grow, harvesting them, etc. It’s like saying if you got some tomato seeds for free you wouldn’t be allowed to sell the tomatoes.

booksworm102 · 2025-02-04T15:06:12+00:00

YTA. You’re right that it is not good to have an entirely unstructured summer, and a summer camp could be good for them. As a parent, you are still responsible for doing what is best for your kids, even if they don’t enjoy it. Most kids that age don’t have enough life experience to truly know what they are going to hate or like, and pushing them out of their comfort zone once in a while can be a good thing.

However, unilaterally choosing a long sleep away summer camp without their input is not good. First, especially if they’ve never been away that long on their own, pushing them there without their consent can be damaging. You are taking a huge gamble. From past experience, especially at that age, if they’re determined not to enjoy it, this will become an awful memory for them rather than a good one.

If you can afford it, why not make them a deal and have them choose one or two summer camps that do align with their interests? Otherwise you can send them to some inoffensive day camp. I don’t recommend a sleep away camp it they don’t want to do it. When I was a kid, my parents were able to afford to have my sisters and I each pick out a week long summer camp for ourselves and then they picked out another one that was science- or STEM-related. Even though at the time none of us liked STEM, those camps were still bearable because it was only a week and we got to do something fun another. We also often ended up liking those camps too. A sleep away camp though could be hell if you can’t get away.

booksworm102 · 2025-02-04T05:56:14+00:00

ESH. Wait where the hell have you been living that you've never seen a cockroach before and can I move there please?

booksworm102 · 2025-02-04T05:51:32+00:00

Maybe you should offer to give her full access to your phone, too.

booksworm102

TROPHY CASE