Frequently Asked Questions

Systems thinking is at the heart of BAPS. Instead of only looking at one part of a problem, it helps us understand how people, processes, and ideas connect. 

To learn more about what “systems” means and why it matters, visit our Why Systems? page.

BAPS differs greatly from consulting organizations because it is a service organization led by systems engineers. BAPS does not have a fund that it is trying to build, but rather we work for service organizations for free to help them solve their problems. The main difference between a consultant and a systems engineer is that systems engineers must undergo a heavy STEM-based curriculum, especially focused in optimization methods and data-driven problem-solving approaches.

Additionally, many modern-day consulting projects involve using business principles to create a recommendation plan for ultimately increasing a client's profit. Our projects are very different, as we are directly creating and leveraging technical tools to advance the operations of service organizations. Rather than increasing a profit, this work helps these organization fulfill their missions of service more effectively.

Anyone! Although, we are historically a club for Systems Engineers, anyone and everyone is welcome to join!

Project teams are formed at the beginning of each semester. BAPS members fill out a survey to record their skillsets, preferences, etc., then the BAPS Executive Team works to build groups based on the survey responses. The number of students on each team varies. Project assignments are primarily handled by the Director of Project Management, who works with the Director of Outreach to understand the projects and determine which team(s) might be the best fit to work with each organization.

There is no guarantee that your project will be accepted, but we can guarantee that we will read and consider every project application.

You will receive correspondence from a BAPS member on next steps. A BAPS project team will eventually be assigned to your organization's project, and communication will continue from there between the project team and your organization's point of contact.