<p>Any MIT Aircraft Systems Engineering SM program students out there? I was really interested in this program but can't really find much info on this SM degree except ONE outdated pdf file on their website. Is there anyone out there who's in this program willing to answer my questions, or anyone who knows someone currently in or a recent graduate of this program?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>My husband is an undergrad alum of the department, and he is still fairly close with people in the department – he goes back to help teach the senior capstone class, for example. </p>
<p>If you have questions you want to ask here, I can pass them along to him. I do know that you don’t apply to the different tracks in the master’s program separately – you aren’t applying to the Aircraft Systems track, just to the Aerospace Engineering SM program in general.</p>
<p>thanks for the response.
So if I don’t apply to Aircraft Systems Engineering track, what/how do I apply then? I mean, as a Mech Eng. junior, I am involved in Aerodynamics research. However, the idea of Aircraft Systems Engineering, learning about the aircraft as a whole, sounds more appealing to me. Do I have to mention in the SOP that I want to pursue Aircraft Systems Engineering?
The thing is, I love aircraft as a whole and that’s why I wanted to pursue that degree option rather than focusing on one aspect such as controls, Aerodynamics, Navigation, etc. How does the application work if I am not applying for the different SM tracks within Aerospace Engineering?
Also, what kind of research falls under Aircraft Systems Engineering, could you find that out? As mentioned earlier, I am currently involved in Aerodynamics research with a faculty but I’m not quite sure if that would relevant to Systems Engineering as the website doesn’t say much about it.
And in case I get into MIT’s SM program, can I choose to do Aircraft Systems Engineering even if my research adviser is not involved with research in that field? And does this SM track choosing thing happen only after acceptance?
thanks</p>
<p>
Yes, you would mention in your SOP that you’re interested in the research in particular labs, and in aircraft systems engineering as a whole. They’ll use the SOP and your research interests to determine which lab you’re placed into. So you’re not applying to that track in particular, but your interests will determine which lab and which faculty advisor you have.</p>
<p>
Not really – the research advisor and lab you have will determine the track you’re officially in. But if you say that your interests are in a particular area, then you will almost certainly be put into a lab and with an advisor in that area.</p>
<p>I hope that’s clear. I’m relaying what my husband is saying, so I can ask him to clarify later if necessary.</p>
<p>Could your husband clarify what they’re looking for of someone who finished undergrad a while ago? (Can a bad GPA be overcome by good work experience? Are they specifically looking for course 16-esque work experience in between, if students take time off?)</p>
<p>@molliebatmit,
thanks.
i have another question. So like i said earlier, I love aircraft as a whole and that’s why wanted to pursue Aircraft Systems Engineering that would give me knowledge of the overall aircraft system. Infact, I believe my current dual major (Mechn Eng. and Economics) might come in handy with systems engineering. How do I convey this message without giving the faculty the picture of me not wanting to focus in one aspect of aerospace engineering, which is what they would want in a graduate student?
Also, while I am currently involved in aerodynamics research and that’s what I might apply to MIT for, would I be able to change my research interests after I get in? The thing is, my college doesn’t have aerospace engineering program and i’m only exposed to fluid/aerodynamics. So I think I might get interested in other aspects of Aerospace Engineering while still remaining in SM Aircraft Systems Engineering. (This however doesn’t mean I’m not ready to go to graduate school. MIT’s ASE is the perfect thing that I’m looking for, except the research part).
ps, do they have the same SM program without research option or anything like that?</p>
<p>ahhh, so many questions!!!
Hope you come back with answers
Thanks :D</p>
<p>
In general, undergrad GPA will be less important, and work experience will be more important, with greater distance from undergrad. And he says that aerospace work is particularly useful, but there are a lot of people who are admitted with work/academic backgrounds only in other fields of engineering (often mechanical, sometimes EECS).</p>
<p>
I’m confused by your phrasing here. You do want to focus on one aspect of aerospace – you want to focus on aircraft systems. You can justify and explain that in any way you want, and you shouldn’t feel that having an undergraduate major in mechanical engineering is a liability. Many people don’t specialize until graduate school – it’s not a problem.</p>
<p>
Yes, it’s possible, but it’s not always easy. You’ll be admitted to a lab, and to a lab that has funding to support a master’s student, so in order to switch labs, you’ll need to find one with funding that is willing to take you. In general, you should be fairly sure what you want to investigate at the time you apply to the program.</p>
<p>
No, there’s no class-based master’s. (I’m not sure there are any non-research-based master’s programs at MIT, actually.) The “research part” is the most important part of any graduate program.</p>
<p>@molliebatmit,</p>
<p><a href=“http://web.mit.edu/aeroastro/academics/grad/aircraftsystems.pdf[/url]”>http://web.mit.edu/aeroastro/academics/grad/aircraftsystems.pdf</a>
This is literally the only thing I could find on aeroastro about Aircraft Systems Engineering. I don’t seem to be interested in any of the prof. involved in this field based on the list in the file. Would you be able (and willing) to find out what professors are involved in Aircraft Systems Engineering in recent years? I did find this lab called SEARI (Systems Engineering Advancement Research Initiative) and their website with some professors though. While I did find that the courses listed on the SEARI lab’s website matched the courses listed on that ASE file up there, I couldn’t find much info on current research projects. I have a feeling that this might be the lab I would want to apply to, but honestly, I don’t have much idea of what Systems Engineering (especially Aircraft Systems Engineering) comprises of. Any suggestions on what I should do to find out research projects in this lab? My undergrad research area, Aerodynamics, doesn’t relate to this area as well. Now would that be another disadvantage when applying to this SM program?</p>
<p>
No, this isn’t a problem.</p>
<p>With respect to professors and their research interests, I think you’re putting too much emphasis on the “aircraft systems engineering” title. Look at [this</a> page](<a href=“http://aeroastro.mit.edu/faculty-research/research-labs]this”>http://aeroastro.mit.edu/faculty-research/research-labs). Pick a lab that does research that you find interesting, and look at the research interests of the faculty members. This is what matters, not the title of the track within the master’s program – you need to find a lab, and a faculty advisor, and a research project. The exact sequence of courses you take as a master’s student are entirely secondary to your master’s thesis research.</p>
<p>Mollie - Does your husband have an idea of the upper age range of people who get accepted? (Or how long out of school? ie, is it normal to do the program right out of undergrad, or to wait a few years while working?)</p>
<p>He says the majority of first-years are right out of undergrad, but it’s not unusual to take a few years off, either. </p>
<p>(I will note, from a totally not-an-engineer perspective, that this could have to do with $$$ – it’s tough to go back to grad student penury after too many years making good money as an engineer. That, and you forget all the math.)</p>
<p>You got any home built aircrafts in the backyard Mollie?</p>
<p>Try in the front hallway… </p>
<p>He’s a model aircraft-builder in his free time, so almost every spare inch of horizontal space in our apartment is covered in remote-controlled airplanes. The 100-inch foam jet he built last year is stored in the front hallway. He goes to work and builds little airplanes for money, and then he comes home and builds little airplanes for fun. Nice work if you can get it.</p>
<p>Time to move to the white picket fence home so he can build the bigger versions. :p</p>
<p>Or so I can stick him in a lovely garage workshop far away from the kitchen table…</p>
<p>So I emailed one of the professors who does research in Aircraft Systems Engineering, Prof. Weck asking him about his recent projects (since they were not up on website) and some other questions, also sort of indicating that I was interested in applying for graduate program in his lab. However, it’s been almost a month and he never got back to me. Does this mean he is just a busy professor and is not going to reply to my email ever (which by now is probably lost deep in his archive)? Should I email him again with or without indicating him that I had contacted him earlier? Would that mean I’m too “clingy” or even annoying, or would that be seen as an interested candidate? What should I do? I really wanna go to MIT for graduate studies.</p>
<p>It is not appropriate for prospective applicants to contact MIT professors. It’s really only appropriate once you get in and are making your decision whether to go or not.</p>
<p>I would not contact him again.</p>
<p>I would not email again.</p>
<p>Master’s applicants talk to the department and professors.</p>
<p>But I thought getting to know the professors was important. How am I supposed to find out what his recent projects are? I mean I can see the bigger picture of his lab that really interests me but I don’t really see what current projects are that I might be interested in. I am applying for the SM program but I intend to continue to PhD. How am I suppose to find more information? I need to start working on my SOP but I don’t know what projects he is involved in.</p>