<p>Hello All, </p>
<p>I'm working on separate degrees in electrical engineering and computer engineering and will graduate in four years. Will PhD program admissions committees consider the difficulty in doing this when they look at GPAs? I will have over 160 credits when a single engineering degree at my school requires only 128.</p>
<p>I have a 3.682 cumulative GPA and my freshmen / sophmore grades are higher than my junior level grades mostly because I was taking 5 senior level engineering courses both semesters. I was a moron and scheduled all the easy engineering courses for my senior year. As a sophmore I was taking mostly junior-level courses. My in-major GPA is closer to 3.6. However, if I fill out a complete plan of study for each major and calculate my GPA excluding courses that aren't necessary for that particular degree I would have a 3.829 in computer engineering and a 3.799 in electrical engineering. Is there an appropriate place to mention this on my application? For reference I go to a state school that isn't top-tier.</p>
<p>I am applying to MIT, Berkeley, Stanford, Cornell, Harvard, Yale, and BU. I have done research with two professors and should have strong recommendations. I have a second-author journal article submitted for publication, three poster presentation, two awards in an international computer security competition, and I've put together an undergraduate course. I'm preparing for another conference paper. I worked 20 hours per week for the first three years of college as the broadcast engineer for my school's radio station. I've met in-person with two MIT professors about potential graduate work (though in the second meeting I didn't have a great answer to a question about my work and its been eating me alive since august; naturally, I thought of one after walking out of his office).</p>
<p>I feel like these research experiences are worthwhile, but my concern is that if my GPA is too low they might never read about them in my statement of purpose. Should I be re-adjusting my target schools?</p>
<p>No one has any insight?</p>
<p>I think your gpa is fine. I think you have good topics for a solid statement of purpose. Just apply like everyone else and pray a little :)</p>
<p>What are your GRE scores? Those have to be factored in when you are applying to these very selective programs. They need to see something that distinguishes you from all the other applicants who have similar or better GPA and GRE scores. This is probably excellent letters of reference from the faculty you have worked with. Do these individuals have contacts at the schools you are applying to? Ask if they will use them.</p>
<p>Bottom line, I think your GPA is probably a bit low to be a shoo in at the first 6 schools you mention. I think that BU is likely easier to get into though. Is that your safety or should you choose another one?</p>
<p>Should I be re-adjusting my target schools? yes you should add some schools that have great engineering programs but are a little easier to get into- like USC.</p>
<p>So you have like 260 credits in four years? That’s like 30+ credits per semester, thats insane man.</p>
<p>IMO:
Nope. It looks like EE with specializing in CE. Committees can see you can do the work in one major, What will matter is your LOR’S, not if they are good but who they are from. Competition will be stiff.</p>
<p>Why does it look like a specialization when I’ve taken an extra full year’s worth of courses (without spending an extra year to do it)? Don’t people normally earn a specialization by picking related electives?</p>
<p>The reputation of the reference writer matters more than the reference? So, applicants coming from state schools with no famous professors have no chance at getting into a top graduate program?</p>
<p>bump.</p>
<p>I’m doing the same thing with Math major and (hopefully) Physics minor. At my school, double majoring in EE and CPE requires no extra classes with careful planning. </p>
<p>Also, what’s the range for acceptable GRE scores (considering everything else is average).</p>
<p>Well this is what I’m worried about. I took an extra twelve classes to get a separate degree rather than just double majoring. Do people on the admissions boards really look at transcripts or do they just use transcripts to back up the GPA that was written on the application? I put in an immense amount of extra time and effort and my concern is that it will be shrugged off as nothing.</p>