Difference applying MS and PhD for engineering?

Graduate School
1

<p>i have heard people talking about manipulating the system by applying as one and then changing to another. i assumed it was harder to apply as a PhD applicant straight out of undergrad, but i have seen people write "i'm going to apply for a PhD and then demote myself down to a masters."</p>

<p>which one is harder to get into? is it harder to get into a phd program after you have a masters?</p>

2

<p>Ph.D. admissions are always more selective than Masters Degree admissions by virtue of almost always being funded. You can, if you are good enough, be admitted by a Ph.D. program and then leave with a masters.</p>

3

<p>Applying for a PhD program and leaving for a MS is a backdoor way of getting a free MS degree since most MS programs are unfunded and PhD programs are funded. It's somewhat unethical and looked down upon though... but the decision is up to you.</p>

4

<p>thanks ken285. that answered my question.</p>

<p>/Thread</p>

5

<p>Don't apply to PhD if you have no intention of getting it. Simple.</p>

6

<p>Is there any financial aid available for M.S. students, like RAs or TAs? How does a typical grad student pay for a M.S. if they don't work for a company that will pay for it?</p>

7

<p>Some schools are better about it than others, Joe. You should see what kind of reputation your prospective schools have for giving assistantships to MS students.</p>

8

<p>
[quote]
Is there any financial aid available for M.S. students, like RAs or TAs? How does a typical grad student pay for a M.S. if they don't work for a company that will pay for it?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>If you're attending your state school for your MBA it should cost about the same as undergrad.</p>

9

<p>My adviser said that for some schools, it's harder to get into the Masters than PhD programs for a variety of reasons. I didn't believe what my adviser said because I thought it was normally for schools with smaller departments until I saw this website:
[url=<a href="http://fenske.che.psu.edu/Grad/prospective/index.html%5DPenn"&gt;http://fenske.che.psu.edu/Grad/prospective/index.html]Penn&lt;/a> State Chemical Engineering Prospective Graduate Student Introduction<a href="second%20paragraph">/url</a>.</p>

10

<p>I know that it doesn't mean that it's harder to get into, but since the school isn't specifically looking for Master's students, I would imagine that you would be at a disadvantage from the start of the process.</p>