I am a junior EE major at the University of Oklahoma (yes, where the SAE video originated from - very disappointed)
My credentials:
4.0 overall GPA
Last summer: undergrad research at UT in power engineering - conference paper published in IEEE, second author
This summer: internship as facilities engineer at Chevron
I am aiming for:
Stanford
Berkeley
MIT (although I don’t think MIT offer terminal MS)
Carnegie Mellon
Cornell
…etc. etc.
What do my chances look like for these schools? How can I improve them?
I would say your chances look good! You have the right GPA, you have some research experience, including a publication, and you seem to be looking at a decently-sized list of schools. I would be sure not to tank the GRE, but otherwise the most important thing is more research experience. Ideally, you want diverse enough experience to get strong letters of recommendation from 3 different professors, while still focusing enough to make a real contribution. That’s really it. Just remember that grad admissions are fickle, and you should definitely apply to a spread of schools to ensure that you get offers.
And no, MIT does not offer a terminal MS unless you are already an undergrad there. From OU, they would only admit you for the PhD or degree of Engineer.
Thank you so much for the reply!
I understand that more research experience is preferable. I have one more year left, and will be applying in December ish, if I have the dates right. Currently I am not doing any research and will not be during my internship over the summer. Should I look for some more research opportunity in the fall?
Yes, absolutely. Grad admissions has two stages. The first stage is an down-select, where the vast pile of applications is winnowed down to a manageable number, primarily by looking at GPA and GRE (with the emphasis on the former). The second stage is an up-select, where those with spots to fill pick their students based on their preparation in their specialty and on their research credentials (as demonstrated by LOR’s and, to a lesser extent, publications).
Right now you are set to cruise through the first stage, but you are lagging behind on the second stage. I would say that for the schools you listed, 3+ semesters of research is what you really want to show, with 3 professors all able to write letters saying “fcoresre is one of the finest researchers ever to come through my highly distinguished lab”. You can still get that, if you start working on it NOW, but otherwise you are going to probably see more “no thanks” than “you’re admitted!” results.
Just a suggestion, make sure each of the schools you are applying to excels in the particular sub-specialty you are interested in. If it’s power engineering, “back in the day” not every name school had the best programs in that area, There are probably others that should be on your list, as well or instead. For practice, consider attending the best program in the region you ultimately hope to seek employment.
If your plan is to do research, not every school offers a terminal master’s degree with research emphasis. Some offer “master of engineering” degrees, with a practice-oriented design project instead of a research-oriented thesis. These programs will likely not care so much about how great your research has been.
Thank you both for the informative feedback. I would like to clarify that I intend on doing a Master of Engineering degree that will allow me to learn more advanced, specialized topics to work in industry. I do not foresee myself doing research.
Does that kind of raise my chances of getting into, say, Stanford or Berkeley’s M.Eng. programs?
It does, as those programs are more like undergrad admissions and focus almost entirely on GPA and GRE. But is there a reason you are eschewing a research degree? I am in industry, and I would heartily recommend a lower-tier research-based M.S. over a top-tier M.Eng. Why do you want the degree?
I want a M. Eng degree because I feel that my bachelor’s here at OU will not be competitive enough to work for high-tech companies. As to why M. Eng over M.S. w/research, I would do the M.S. at a top-tier university if I can get in, however, I feel like my credentials are a little below average for it.
Between M. Eng at a top-tier university and a M.S. at a lower tier university… I would love to hear your argument on it, because I know very little about the pros/cons.
I have always kind of been under the impression that top-tier university is the way to go and I know that I could be very wrong on this
Assuming your GPA is on a 4.0 scale, and considering that you are a junior, I would say that you are in an excellent position… provided you work in the right direction!
There are two groups that particularly care about prestige - investors, and academics. Since you have not voiced an interest in either entrepreneurship or academia, I’ve been assuming you had your sights set on getting a job. If that is the case, then prestige matters only so far as it is reflected in recruiting (which you can always check) and rigor.
If you go into industry, your last school will provide the recruiting advantage. Prestige does matter here, as “better” schools do attract a more geographically diverse set of employers, but the slope is gentler than you think - the top few schools draw big money jobs like consulting and finance, but top-50 departments are still getting some national attention. If you are comparing a Stanford M.Eng. to a South Central Louisiana State (GO MUDDOGS!!) M.S., then yes, the prestige gap will matter. But with a 4.0 from a decent school, you should be able to get into M.S. programs that still have excellent recruiting.
And what happens once you get that job? Your credentials stop mattering after a few years, but your level of knowledge matters forever. My company pays for people to get their M.Eng. degree constantly, but one of the characteristics I have consistently seen in top engineers is a research-based degree. All the classwork in the world is not nearly as educational as getting elbows deep in something that no one else has ever done before. That Stanford M.Eng. may get you a better first job, but a Purdue M.S. is going to get you a better job 5, 10, 20 years down the line.
"That Stanford M.Eng. may get you a better first job, but a Purdue M.S. is going to get you a better job 5, 10, 20 years down the line. "
I didnt notice any correlation like that, in my area, at the time I practiced. Actually the best engineers were just as likely to have only BS degrees.
It probably depends on how closely what you do for work relates to what you were researching for your thesis. Or how closely your work relates to research in general, vs, practice in a particular area which may not relate that closely with reearch, or schoolwork for that matter.
Maybe you should take questions this specific to a larger forum of engineers, practicing in the area you’re interested in.
If there is such a thing. Even the engineering subforum here might be of some use.