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Name: Kimberly
Age: 27
College / University: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Country origin: USA
What did you do in high school to prepare you for this major? Tell us about your extracurricular activities and any honors/awards you received while preparing for university.
My high school experience was generally pretty well-rounded with a focus on what I was most passionate about! I had a pretty full course load with more AP classes later on in high school, and I emphasized courses in math and science. I played on the tennis team and also played oboe in the concert band and orchestra. I volunteered in a few organizations with younger students, as outreach has always been a passion of mine. I was also involved in more academic organizations like honor societies. I sought out leadership positions when possible and generally tried to put my best foot forward across all aspects of high school including both academics and extracurriculars.
Please tell us your daily life schedule as a student with this major in your university.
As an undergrad, I did a double major in mechanical and biomedical engineering. My life was quite full, with rigorous academics but also a number of extracurriculars and social activities. It was challenging, and time management was critical, but I had an incredible experience and learned so much that set me up for both life and my career afterwards.
I am now pursuing my PhD in a biomedical engineering program at MIT. As a PhD student, my school life is now much more focused on research- including designing/conducting experiments, data analysis, publication writing, fellowship writing, and ultimately completion of my dissertation. I similarly put forth effort to maintain a balanced life though and outside of lab, I play volleyball, make pottery, volunteer with different science outreach organizations, and enjoy time with friends and my kitty.
How do you manage your stress? What's the secret?
Ultimately everyone has to figure out their own inner scaffold for stress management, and truthfully I am still working on building my own. Some things that help me are detailed to do lists and calendar structure so that I don't have to remember everything, ensuring I maintain focus during times of work and then give myself freedom during non-work times, and finding outlets for creativity and movement that are fun and restful.
What advice would you give high school students wanting to study this major?
My advice would be to seek out opportunities to explore this field and gain experience outside of coursework alone. Coursework is great, but real work experience like research, internships, extracurricular projects will really help you excel and apply the skills you learn in class!
What was the most helpful when applying to college for this major?
My personal opinion is that the essays are super important for both undergraduate and graduate school applications. Do your best to tell a story and paint a picture for the admissions committee about who you are, how you got here, who you want to be, and why.
Thank you to Kimberly!
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