American Grad Schools for a Canadain Chem Eng Student

College Majors Engineering Majors
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<p>Hi, I'm Chem Eng undergrad at a top canadian university (McGill), but want to apply to american grad schools. I unfortunately don't know very much about american universities in terms of selectivity, rankings etc...and would like some help. I've been trying to inform myself as best I can, but it's tough.
Most of my professors come from top american engineering schools (Berkeley, Caltech, MIT, Minnesota etc..), But I'm reticent about asking them too many questions, as they would likely prefer if I went to my current college for grad school.</p>

<p>My CGPA is 3.64, with a major GPA of 3.76 and my GPA for the last too semesters is 3.83 (one A- per semester). This might not sound too impressive, but it easily puts me in the top 5% of my class and I can't think of anyone that I know who is doing better. The lower CGPA is mostly due to mediocre 1st year grades, as a result of not being to well prepared for college and study (came from a terrible small town high school).</p>

<p>I have also done 2 summers of research with grants, one summer at a well-known government research lab, another with a professor at my school. I also am working on an undergrad research project in the BME department and will be working on another in the ChemE department (paid). I'm also on the university varsity cycling team.</p>

<p>I haven't written the GRE's yet, but preliminary results suggest at least 700 verbal, 700 quantitative and maybe a 4 in writing. </p>

<p>I know of people who have matriculated from my school to schools like Wisconsin-Madison, MIT, Yale, Cornell, UT-Austin and other such places. </p>

<p>What kind of hance do I have in applying to schools like UT-Austion, CMU, Wisconsin, Delawae, Caltech, MIT etc...?</p>

<p>Thanks in advance.</p>

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<p>My mom moved to Canada and I’ve looked at going into graduate programs in the US and in Canada. From what I’ve noticed, some schools in Canada seem to base your GPA on your final 2 years of study while in the US most will consider your total undergraduate GPA and your major GPA. Canada’s schools also seem less dependent on the GRE. Some schools (like the University of Alberta) dont require the GRE. Also, most of their schools seem to prefer to admit students to a MSc program and the let them transfer to the PhD while in the US they prefer to admit you to the PhD if that is what your goal is.</p>

<p>Something else worth mentioning is that I get the impression that top programs in the US are harder to get into than top programs in Canada because there are a lot more international applications. MIT, berekely Caltech especially. I guess since America is a bigger country its top schools are more internationally known. </p>

<p>I think you have a great shot at those schools. You have good grades and a good GRE. You also mentioned research which top schools will like. </p>

<p>Just a note though, apply to a lot of schools but dont rule Canada out either. Theres McGill, Toronto, Waterloo…</p>

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<p>Canadian schools definitely don’t require the GRE for canadian students, but they might for foreign students. You’re right about the Msc being required before the PHD, soem schools do allow you to transfer credit from the masters to a PhD however. </p>

<p>McGill (My School), Toronto an Waterloo all have great engineeering programs, but I’m still interested in applying to american school too.</p>

<p>Thanks for the insight Carnelian. Anyone else?</p>