Chances of getting into an ECE MS program (no research experience)

Graduate School
1

<p>I promised myself that I wouldn't make a post like this but I'm losing sleep over it and I can't resist it any longer.</p>

<p>So heres the deal:</p>

<p>I'm applying with a 3.8 in Electrical and Computer Engineering from a tier 1 engineering school (I think, whatever that means). Two minors, math and econ and 4 semesters of Japanese (dunno what I was thinking, hurt my gpa more than anything...). As for GREs I got a 780Q\550V and a 4.0 writing (prob should have studied for the writing section I know). Normal work experience really, I interned one summer at a top financial institution. As for LOR, I got them all from professors that know me relatively well (and I did well in their classes), I hope theyre solid but I really have no way of knowing.</p>

<p>Thing is, I've got no research experience whatsoever. I'm really impressed with those of you who managed to do years of research even publishing papers while doing your undergraduate degree... damn I really dunno how I could have managed doing all that.</p>

<p>I applied to these ECE (optics) programs (mostly MS a few MS->PhD Programs sprinkled in):
Georgia Tech
University of Maryland
University of Michigan
Stanford
MIT
Columbia
Rutgers University
UCLA
UCSB</p>

<p>So I guess the bottom line is how bad are my chances getting into these programs given my lack of research experience? Do I have a realistic array of schools or should I try to push out another last minute application to another school that isn't as competitive?</p>

2

<p>You'll get into half those schools fairly easily. Given how the MS many places is not research oriented (or you can opt out of the thesis by taking more courses at places like GT, for example), I don't see it hurting you much.</p>

3

<p>You are fine. If you were applying to PhD programs you'd have more trouble, but with your grades earned at a tier 1 engineering school, you really don't have much to worry about. Research is not as important for MS candidates.</p>