<p>I am in the process of figuring out whether grad school, particularly an MS degree, is a possibility for me. I'm also wondering what caliber of schools I am qualified for. My background: 3.40 cumulative GPA w/major in mechanical engineering at a top 10 program (about the same major GPA). GRE scores: 159V, 168Q, 4.5A. Also, about 2 years of research experience (no publications). I am also getting a minor in mathematics, with very good grades in everything besides the first course I took freshman year (C in calculus). I can get good letters of recommendation.</p>
<p>With those qualifications, what kind of chances am I looking at for a Mechanical Engineering MS? What types of schools do I have a realistic chance of getting into? Also, is something like Applied Mathematics a possibility? I have taken calculus, linear algebra, diff.eq, linear and nonlinear dynamics, honors real analysis, differential forms, and abstract algebra.</p>
<p>I really want to go to grad school, but I'm pretty unsure of where I stand. Thanks in advance for any helpful comments!</p>
<p>You sound like a strong applicant for many Masters programs. It is always difficult to estimate chances for graduate programs simply because the decisions made are very individualized. You have a shot at some of the more selective schools but I would recommend that you also apply to some schools which are a notch less selective and where you think you would still be happy to attend.</p>
<p>Have you considered staying at your undergrad for the MS? It is likely to be faster and easier to get funding than going elsewher.e </p>
<p>Applied math is certainly a possibility. I think of engineering as an application of physics and math (i.e., applied physics+applied math). I don’t know what particular area in applied math you are interested in, but if you want to stay in engineering, you can still pursue that area.
Computational methods involves a lot of applied math (e.g., numerical methods). Nonlinear&linear dynamic systems are commonly found in controls research, which seems more appropriate for your math background. </p>
<p>Overall, your application looks pretty good to me. </p>
<p>Within the top 10 schools, you will find gaps in selectivity with Caltech at the top and public schools at the bottom. MS programs that provide full financial support (e.g., MIT and Princeton) are often more selective than their PhD programs, whereas MS programs that do not provide financial support (e.g., Stanford and UMich) are not very difficult to get into.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice. Also, I did not take the math subject GRE and I’m finding that most schools want that for Applied Math. Probably should’ve done that.</p>
<p>Is there a good way to figure out which schools to apply to other than looking at rankings?</p>