EE major--what's a good GPA?

College Majors Engineering Majors
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<p>I'm a Sophomore EE major (soon to either switch to or double major in Computer Engineering). What is a good GPA for grad school? I intend to obtain a PhD and become a professor/work in R&D. Currently my GPA is 3.35.</p>

<p>I hear that having a 3.5 when applying to Grad schools will get you in. I would like to go to a top school like MIT for grad school (ambitious, but it gives me a goal). With this is mind, what should I aim for by senior year? I already have research experience and am planning on pursuing research throughout undergrad. If it helps, I'm very interested in consumer electronics, and would like to work with hardware as well as software in my life.</p>

2

<p>There’s no hard and fast number. GPA is only one factor in your admission decision.</p>

<p>Still, I’d also like to know what GPA range is typical for the top schools. 3.7? 3.8? 3.9+?</p>

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<p>bump? help!!!</p>

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<p>How about at University with a top notch engineering program, but ranks so-so overall, such as UIUC?</p>

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<p>MIT is unrealistic.</p>

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<p>First off MIT is a possibility, but it’s not a sure go for anyone. I would, though, make sure that I am looking at the depts. and particular research labs at each school and not at the “prestige” of the school ;).</p>

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<p>in any case, for the sake of application what would be a decent GPA?</p>

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<p>and I’m not hell bent on going to MIT, it’s just a goal that I keep in mind so I can stay on track. I have no idea where I’ll be in the coming years.</p>

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<p>I think MIT is a perfectly achievable goal. I do believe that as of right now, nobody who got into MIT was SO obviously expecting it at all. If you feel like you can raise your GPA to the best you can do (without asking what would be a good GPA), then go for it.
Good luck.</p>

10

<p>There are people getting 4.0 (or close to it) in any major. I’m not sure what the distributions are like for various majors… I think it would be interesting to see.</p>

<p>Still, if just 10% of students in EE/CE have higher than a 3.35, and of those 10% want to go to graduate school, that’s a lot of people applying to graduate school with higher GPAs.</p>

<p>Of course, there are other ways to shine besides GPA. Do well on the GRE and get some good LORs, and if you can help it get a research experience (the more work the better, but if you’re just running supplies and reading documentation for 75% of it, that’s a lot better than nothing, or so I’ve been told).</p>

<p>GPA will tell them you’re a good student… but what they probably care about is your research potential, and nothing says high research potential like having actually been involved in research before.</p>