Download ppt - Academic Advising Day

Academic Advising Day

Group Pre-Advising Session(Junior Class)

Prof. George Pins

February 12, 2008

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

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Topics for Juniors?

• How do I do a degree audit?

• How do I find an awesome MQP?

• How do I find an REU or summer internship?

• BME careers (BS/MS, Grad. School, industry)

• Graduate School

• Other????


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How do I do a degree audit?

• 4 year plan – helpful for detailed scheduling– http://users.wpi.edu/~kbilliar/service_adviseersrc.html

• BME Tracking document – to figure out what you need to graduate - Fill it in EACH semester! – http://users.wpi.edu/~kbilliar/service_adviseersrc.html

• Electronic audit to Registrar’s Website– Login through student tools– Known bugs

http://users.wpi.edu/~kbilliar/service_adviseersrc.html

http://users.wpi.edu/~kbilliar/service_adviseersrc.html


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How do I schedule in all those courses?

• Course schedules:– http://www.wpi.edu/Admin/Registrar/Rainbow/ (Course

schedule for current ’07-’08)

– http://www.wpi.edu/Admin/2008courselist.html (Preliminary schedule for ’08-’09)

• Watch out for category II classes (check course schedules, review ’07-’08 schedule)

http://www.wpi.edu/Admin/Registrar/Rainbow/


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How do I find an awesome MQP?ATTEND: BME Department MQP Fair

Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2008Washburn 229, 5 PMSend project sign-up sheet to Prof. Rolle

Go to: http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Projects/ for project listings

• Propose your own idea and group?

• Think of background courses and experiences that you’ll need for your MQP– Analysis/design skills - FEM/CAD, Circuits, materials– Lab skills - wet lab, cell culture, testing– Writing

• Aim to have Project by end of C or D terms….


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How do I find a job or research internship over the summer?

• REU and summer internships are great, but competitive (see: http://users.wpi.edu/~bmes/)

• Check under student resources http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Depts/BME/Resources/links.html

• REUs: http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.cfm • Career Development Center information sessions

– Summer Internships and Cooperative Education– Given by CDC on academic advising day– Check www.medzilla.com

• Check our MassMEDIC or Mass Biotech. Initiative for Massachusetts

companies http://www.massmedic.com/ or http://www.massmedic.com/

• When: REUs (NOW!!!!! May are closed!!!), Internships/Co-ops (Late C or D terms)

• Jobs: BEGIN IN SEPTEMBER!!!!!!!!!!!


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What can I do with a BS, MS, and PhD?

• Undergraduate (BS) Degree (Biomaterials example)– Device/Implant Design and Development Team– Biomaterials Selection/Feasibility Assessment– Clinical, User Interface– QA/QC/Regulatory/Sales– Laboratory Technician– Graduate School

• Masters (MS/ME) Degree– Team Leader/Program Manager– Research and Development

• Doctoral (PhD) Degree– Director of Research and Development– Academic Research


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When do I sign up for the BS/MS program?

o Go to site:

http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Depts/BME/Undergraduate/bsms.html

o Apply spring of Junior year or Fall Senior yearo Completely SEPARATE from admission to the

graduate program

o Get signatures of instructors of 4000-level courses you’d like to double count – before you take the course


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What is the difference between and M.S. and an M. Eng. degree?

• M.S. requires a thesis and is generally considered more scholarly and hands on than the M.Eng. (M.E.).

• The M.E. does not require a thesis but requires additional coursework - it is generally viewed good technical degree.


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Graduate School Applications

• Begin in the Fall, GREs are VERY important for highly competitive programs

• Personal Statements / Recommendation Letters– See: http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/FS/– For letters, ask faculty that know you and/or you did

well in their classes


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What do I need to do before meeting with my advisor to get the most out of

our meeting?

• Fill out a proposed course schedule for upcoming year

• Fill out a BME tracking document and tentative 4 year plan

• Any questions you have – about MQP, summer jobs, career planning, etc.

• Degree evaluation– See tracking document

• Links and forms – http://users.wpi.edu/~kbilliar/service_adviseersrc.html


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Other Questions ???