Hello, this is my first post so apologies if I am doing something wrong. I just don’t know what to do anymore and I am torn.
I graduated Chemical Engineering BS in 2020 (GPA 3.76), and have been working in a large pharma company as an automation engineer for 2.5-3 years. I want to go back to grad school because I hate my job and career choice and want to switch to more robotics/ML/AI applications (The only part of automation I enjoy).
Long story short, last year I spent an entire year and 5000$ on GRE test prep, took the test twice and ended up getting a mediocre score both times. I just cannot do the GRE anymore, I just can’t. It ruined me psychologically.
luckily I saw that one of the programs I was applying to (Duke Mechanical Engineering Masters with concentration in Robotics with ML applications) didn’t require GRE so I applied. It was the only program I had time to apply to last cycle. Now I got accepted but have FOMO if I am making the right choice since I didn’t have any other college to apply to.
As far as cost goes, I can pay while taking loans and perhaps will have worst case ~40k in loans.
The only issue now is; do I wait for the next cycle or go this cycle? I haven’t paid anything yet. One part of my brain is like “what if you could get into more competitive engineering programs like dream schools (UC Berkeley, Cal tech, cornell, stanford etc.)” and the other part of my brain is like “what if they require the GRE again this cycle? then you are actually screwed and can’t apply AND you loose out on Duke”.
Any help would be greatly appreciated, I am really suffering mentally.
Duke is a really good school and not much different than the other schools you are thinking of. If you really want to go back to Grad school, and Duke has the program you want, go ahead. Remember that the bird in the hand is worth more than 2 in the bush.
Duke is a topnotch school, they admitted you, you’re free from GRE prep forever, you really want to leave your job and pivot, so basically the upsides are way bigger than the one downside. Congratulations on a very difficult acceptance and enjoy your graduate studies in a field you want to be in.
Duke is a fantastic school and a bird in the hand and all that…I am not by nature a risk taker, so I personally would jump at the Duke offer and not look back.
Perhaps you are overthinking. Sounds like you got exactly what you want – a top notch grad school, a robotics program, a manageable debt load, and no GRE. If I were you I’d be running to Duke.
You sound a lot like me once upon a time. I was miserable in a banking career making chump change. So I went to graduate school, got a masters degree in IT, and I’m a heck of a lot happier. If you’re miserable…don’t prolong your misery. You have a golden opportunity. I would take it and run. Opportunities like this are rare, especially if it’s EXACTLY what you want to do for a career. And there’s ALWAYS a “what-if.” A “what-if” is just a fantasy that reality can’t compete with. Just go where reality is taking you and be happy you did.
I appreciate all your responses. Perhaps I am overthinking a little bit. I just wanted to see if the jump in ranking of engineering programs between Duke and the other top engineering schools is so great that it justifies the risk. But from what im seeing it seems Duke’s engineering is not that bad and will likely get me career opportunities outside of NC as well (assuming I work hard). If this is the case I guess I am letting my anxiety get the better of me
OP, Duke is excellent! And definitely known outside of NC! Congratulations… you don’t seem to realize the opportunity you have, but you should be celebrating.
By reputation, Duke is a top school. Where did you get the idea that it isn’t? I don’t know the nuances of engineering programs but I would be happy for any of my kids to attend Duke. You are already in. I really don’t grasp your question
Are you having difficulty with the math portion of the GRE ?
What do you consider to be mediocre GRE scores ?
A bit concerned regarding the last 5 words of your thread-starting post.
Maybe you have a temporary bout of Groucho Marx syndrome (I wouldn’t want to be a member of any club that would have me as a member).
Duke is an excellent school for engineering. Contact the Duke program to which you have been accepted and inquire about the job placement of their graduates.
I am not sure what the FOMO is. You’ll be missing out on another year of fulfilling your goal if you wait, and there is no guarantee you will be able to make Duke work next year if you defer. I’m not even sure if grad programs let students do that. And hoping for something even better next year is pointless when you already have something great.
Please forget about the GRE. Many people are not good test takers and succeed nonetheless. You got into Duke without it. The GRE might have seemed like a big deal at the time, but you have to put that behind you.
I get the sense that you are suffering from imposter syndrome. You are focusing on the negative experiences you have had. Switch your focus to the positive things you have achieved and will achieve in the future. You got into an amazing school without a GRE score. You have been proactive in trying to move forward. You seem to be hung up on the past. Now it’s time to let it go.
FWIW, my kid also graduated in 2020 and worked for two years in a job that bored her to tears. She is currently a grad student at an amazing university. She doesn’t regret one bit leaving behind her old job.
Often when something happens seemingly easily, it’s easy to devalue it. Don’t! This is a great opportunity, and honestly, you risk losing it by waiting a year. Anecdotally, Duke seems pretty welcoming to its own when it comes to grad school programs, but they might feel less welcoming if you decided to try again next year while you shopped around. Not to mention that you’d have to spend another year in a job you hate!
Not only is a bird in the hand worth two in the bush, you’ve got a very nice bird!
Perhaps it would be helpful to reframe your thinking: Instead of having FOMO, maybe this is the universe holding up a neon sign to tell you that Duke is where you are supposed to be.
You know you want to leave your job, you know you want this degree, and you know you want to avoid the GRE.
Instead of the stress of going through more misery of working/test-taking/applying/and making a difficult decision, the universe has decided that you need a break and for something to be easy! They have delivered to you one of the best universities on one of the most beautiful campuses. The door is open…you just need to walk through.
I appreciate everyone’s help so much in this thread you have no idea. I was in such a rough place earlier but I calmed down now. You and my close friends are all saying the same thing (one of them even referenced the bird and bush analogy, which I’m ngl I’ve never heard before but now I think I’ll never forget lol). To answer questions;
My first time taking the GRE was I think Q161 V154 and after wasting some money and studying as hard as I could for 2-3 months I got Q159 V156. So then I gave up. Losing my money and my sanity was not worth it after that.
I have a lot of anxiety when it comes to life decisions so I’m trying to cope with it by obsessing over planning ahead. My brain was telling me I didn’t work hard for this but I think I am definitely overthinking it.
At this point in time my dream roles would be either as a robotics engineer (ML or computer vision) or as a data scientist. I don’t think I need a PhD for these roles, I took the professional masters due to lacking technical knowledge in the field and wanting networking career opportunities.
