<p>Hi everyone,
I am an international student. I like to pursue a graduate program in renewable or sustainable energy(actually in the engineering field) in the US. My all scores are
GPA : 2.85
TOEFL : 101
GRE Q 165, V 149
I would like to go to CMU, Illinois Urbana Champaign, Cornell or top 20 engineering schools. Can I get into those schools?
Thank you so much.</p>
<p>I think your GPA is going to be a big hinderance 
a lot of schools have a soft (obviously not definitive minimum) of a 3.0 in my experience</p>
<p>Thanks a lot Amandarin :)</p>
<p>(For top 20, I’m sure other programs have different minimums)</p>
<p>Your numbers are WAY too low for Cornell (I’m assuming you’re applying to their MAE program given the “renewable and sustainable energy.”). Cornell has a high emphasis on AWA scores such that the majority of their admitted students score a 5.0+.
You also did not mention whether you’re applying for PhD, MS, M.Eng. Either way, those numbers will probably not get you into the M.Eng (the least selective of the 3).</p>
<p>Not too familiar with UIUC nor CMU.</p>
<p>UIUC and CMU are both top engineering schools; I don’t think a 2.85 is high enough to cut it at either.</p>
<p>Do you have otherwise outstanding credentials? Publications, lots of work experience, outstanding recommendations?</p>
<p>Thanks you all, DoubleD and Juillet, by the way, I got 3.5 AWA and have six-year work experience in electrical engineering field(leading the team project of the cost-saving in power consumption). Also, I will apply for M.Eng. Do you have any ideas to boost my chance to those schools? (Retake GRE, or others)
Thanks</p>
<p>Your GPA is too low. If I were you I would try to retake the GRE and aim for a perfect quant score.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot, Ace6904… :)</p>
<p>Check this out: [Admissions</a> - School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering - Cornell Engineering](<a href=“http://www.mae.cornell.edu/mae/academics/graduate/meng/admissions.cfm]Admissions”>http://www.mae.cornell.edu/mae/academics/graduate/meng/admissions.cfm)</p>
<p>I’m not sure how accurate that FAQ is seeing that their M.Eng GRE stats are higher than PhD stats (Excluding the AWA).</p>
<p>I can tell you that Cornell is much more selective than UIUC and CMU.</p>
<p>Your Q is definitely fine. Any adcom who demands a 170 is silly seeing that you can drop from a 170 to 168 by missing one question. Cornell does not care much for the verbal, but yours is below average for what it’s worth. I think AWA is fine for the M.Eng, but anything higher could help. </p>
<p>What’s going to kill your app is your GPA and I have no idea how you can raise that.</p>
<p>I would look into TAMU.</p>
<p>Thanks very much, DoubleD.
The details you have given are very great. I feel very thankful.</p>