The average score for Rose-Hulman applied biology majors was a 173, an amazing 2¹/₂ standard deviations above the national mean, according to Lee Waite, chair of the Department of Applied Biology and Biomedical Engineering. The U.S. institutional mean score for the exam was 152.

"This year's score puts Rose-Hulman students in the top 95th percentile of biology majors taking the exam," noted Waite. "The hard work of Rose-Hulman applied biology students and the commitment of our faculty to develop top-notch curriculum have paid off. I am proud to lead and serve such an outstanding group of students, faculty and staff members."

Faculty members that teach in the biology sequence includes Jameel Ahmed, Ric Anthony, Peter Coppinger, Ella Ingram, Jennifer O'Connor and Bill Weiner.

Rose-Hulman's Department of Applied Biology and Biomedical Engineering was started in 1998.

The MFAT is an objective, end-of-program test, based on the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) subject tests. The two-hour exam reflects on the quality of instruction in undergraduate programs and is appropriate for all seniors majoring in a field, not just those planning graduate study. Test scores provide useful information for institutions seeking outcomes measures, for departments in evaluating their curriculum, and for faculty in measuring the progress of their students and considering curriculum changes. The MFAT provides reliable data for individual and group measurement at the undergraduate level by assessing student learning in major fields of study.