<p>Any research is better than none, but you should explain why you switched your goals in your SoP. It's also better to have your non research recs come from propulsion related classes. All in all, I don't think it's a huge deal, but grad schools do place a big emphasis on how your research interests match those of the professors they have. If someone with matching interests and experience shows up, then they are obviously preferred, but even at top schools that is quite rare, so don't worry about it.</p>
<p>
[quote]
you do research in solid mechanics but you write that your desired field is propulsion...
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Haha....that was my exact situation. If you'd like I can show you the part of my SOP that dealt with this issue.</p>
<p>But in general, don't sweat it, you'll be fine. Just having done research is really what grad schools are looking to see.</p>
<p>how did you deal with it in your SOP, viennariver?</p>
<p>US Domestic Applicant
School: Berkeley EECS
GRE: 680v, 800q, 5.5
GPA: 4.0 in major and overall
Field: Electrical Engineering
Degree: PhD
Research: 2 summers, 2 semsesters. 1 publication, 1 to be published, 1 thesis
Applying to:
Berkeley
MIT
Stanford
Caltech
UCLA
UCSD</p>
<p>Figo, would you mind elaborating on what you know about the situation at UMich? I'm a new PhD student in electrical engineering there.</p>
<p>US Domestic Applicant
School: RPI
GRE: 1370, 5.0
GPA: 3.96
Field: Biomedical Engineering
Degree: PhD
Research: 2 summers, 3 semesters, no publications yet
Applying to:
MIT
Stanford
Johns Hopkins
UC:San Diego
Caltech
UMich:Ann Arbor
Duke
Columbia
UPenn</p>
<p>US Domestic Applicant</p>
<p>GRE: 570 V, 790 Q
GPA: 3.0
Field: EE, going for Computer Engineering for grad.
Degree: Masters
Research: lol</p>
<p>Applying to:</p>
<p>UCSC
UCSB
UCD </p>
<p>Cal Poly Pomona
Cal Poly Slo
San Diego State
CSU LA
CSU Fullerton
CSU Long Beach
CSU Northridge
San Jose State
CSU Sacramento</p>
<p>Yes, I know I have no chance at the UCs. Hopefully a Cal State will take me.</p>
<p>US Domestic Applicant
School: Jesuit Liberal Arts School
GRE: 1370 (800q/570v/5.0aw)
GPA: 3.8 (4.0 in major)
Major: Chemistry</p>
<p>Field: Materials Science and Engineering
Degree: PhD
Research: 5 semesters, 2 summers, 4 presented posters, 1 publication, 1 thesis
Applying to:
Cornell
Florida
Illinois*
Johns Hopkins
Michigan (Macro Sci and Eng)
MIT (PPST thru Chemistry)
UCSB</p>
<p>*=Accepted</p>
<p>US Domestic Applicant
School: University of Connecticut
GRE: (710q/550v/4.0aw)
GPA: 2.4 (3.63 in 12 credits after BS)
Major: Comp Sci & Engineering</p>
<p>Field: Biomedical Engineering
Degree: PhD
Research: 4 years, two 1st author abstracts, two 3rd author abstracts, one $9000 award for research study
Applying to:
BU
Tufts
UConn
Yale
Columbia
Polytechnic
NJIT
Rutgers
UPenn
Drexel
JHU</p>
<p>no response from any school yet.</p>
<p>International Applicant
School: Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur
GRE: 800q/670v/5.0aw
GPA: 7.47/10.0(~3.0/4.0)
Major: EE
Field: Signal Processing
Degree: PhD
Research: Graduated in the year 2000, working at a major corporate R&D center since last 5 years, 7 conference publications, 13 patent applications</p>
<p>Applying to:</p>
<p>Berkeley
CMU
UIUC
Gatech
UTexas
USC
UCSD
UWash
RICE
RPI
BU
UFL</p>
<p>Questions:
1) Did someone hear anything from RICE? The only time I heard from them was when I submitted my online application saying thanks for my submission
2) Any Gatech applicants around?</p>
<p>International Applicants
top 15 asian univ
GPA 3.78/3.9 overall/major
GRE V550 Q800 A4.0 sub-CS830
2 year experiences at univ & comp
four 1st author papers, one 2nd author paper (all with normal quality)</p>
<p>Berkeley - EECS PhD - waiting
Princeton - CS PhD - waiting
Cornell - CS PhD - waiting
UCLA - CS PhD - waiting
Harvard - CS PhD - waiting
Yale - CS PhD - waiting
Columbia - CS PhD - waiting
Brown - CS PhD - waiting
Northwestern - EECS PhD - waiting
NYU - CS PhD - waiting
USC - CS PhD - waiting</p>
<p>i'm in the exact same boat as you sleepybunny. I did a lot of tissue engineering research in my undergrad. But my main interest lies in mechanics and modeling. I tried to articulate this as much as possible within my SOP. I thought I had done a fair enough job, until a professor called me and wanted to talk about my research interests.
His exact words were: I read your statement and saw that you expressed a 'GENERALLY MILD" interest in mechanics, but you seem more experienced in TE, and seem like a good fit for my lab.
***!!!! i mean i'm glowing with the call and all, but seriously, there was more than a MILD interest in my SOP! i guess there is not much to complain, especially cuz he called me, but seriously..</p>
<p>US international applicant
school: good enough. Top 25
GRE: freaking low for an engineering student (1280 total)
GPA: 3.7
Major: ChE
Degree: PhD Biomedical Engineering
Research: 2 publications, 2 conferences, 1 poster</p>
<p>Applying to:
Duke
Stanford
BU
UMN
U Pitt
Purdue (accepted)</p>
<p>US Domestic Applicant
School: good state university
GRE: (780q/650v/4.5aw)
GPA: 3.76/3.9 overall/major (1st in major)
Major: EE w/minor in Mathematics
Research: 1 year, 1 paper co-author, 1 thesis, 1 design project (1st place)</p>
<p>Field: Electrical Engineering
Degree: PhD, communication theory</p>
<p>Applying to:
U of Michigan - accepted</p>
<p>Stanford - waiting
Berkeley - waiting
MIT - waiting
Maryland - waiting
Cornell - waiting
Princeton - waiting</p>
<p>JMehl, I'm in my first year in the Michigan EE:Systems program. May I ask what your interests are in communications? My research interests lie in between communications and signal processing.</p>
<p>US Applicant
top 25 undergrad
GPA 3.79
GRE 800Q/560V/5.5W
2 summers research + 1 year research
paper in prep and conference poster
Field: Bioengineering</p>
<p>Applying to:
Harvard (Systems Biology) -rejected?
UCSD -interview
Stanford -waiting
Johns Hopkins -waiting
UW -waiting</p>
<p>US Applicant
Top 25 Undergrad (In Engineering)
GPA: 3.59 overall 3.65 major
GRE: 760 Q / 580 V / 4.5</p>
<p>No research experience, but one decent internship</p>
<p>Going for Masters in EE, maybe specializing in dsp, communications or computer vision dont really know</p>
<p>Applied to:</p>
<p>Cornell Meng Program (waiting)
Princeton Meng Program (waiting)
Purdue (waiting)
Wisconsin (waiting)
Rutgers (waiting)
Penn State (waiting)</p>
<p>US International</p>
<p>Top 20 National University
GPA: 3.7/4.0, B.Eng (Honors)
GRE: 800Q, 600V, 5W
4 different research experiences, 2 internships, no publications
Very strong recommendations
Few leadership roles
Applied to EE PHD.</p>
<p>UMichigan: Accepted (EE:S, 1/29), Masters (I believe if you only had a BE, they told us to apply to MS and express interest in PHD)
UCSD: waiting
JHU: waiting
Duke: waiting
WashU: waiting
UPenn: waiting
NW: waiting
Harvard: waiting</p>
<p>I am desperately hoping I get assistantship at Michigan. To the other poster who got into Michigan EE:S (sorry forgot your name), let me know if you got into MS or PHD, and if you think we have a good chance of getting assistantship because we heard relatively early (I believe)?</p>
<p>SlantNGo: </p>
<p>I'm not entirely sure. My interests are around where yours are. I'm mostly interested in the application of communication theory to real-world systems. Not sure if I'll find that in school, but we'll see. I have some experience with ultra-wideband, which is an interesting field.. How are you enjoying the program thus far? Please PM me, I definitely have a few questions for you...</p>
<p>LFCDore:
I applied directly to the Ph.D. program and was accepted. I called yesterday to ask about the financial aid process (through fellowships, RA/TA positions). They stated that this process has not yet begun and we may not hear back until Mid-March. They're waiting for more admitted students to have a larger pool to pick from.</p>
<p>Hope this helps,</p>
<p>J</p>
<p>Hi JMehl84 and SlantNGo,</p>
<p>Appreciate your reply JMehl84. Few questions which I will appreciate you replying:</p>
<ol>
<li>When I was filling the app, I pretty clearly remember it saying me to apply to MS and express interest in PHD if I only had Bachelors. Am I mistaken? Do you have an MS already? </li>
<li>What are the aid outlooks for MS people?</li>
<li>Michigan admits people on rolling basis. But, what is that based on? Like how early apps were submitted or alphabetical order or random or strongest candidate to weakest or ...?</li>
</ol>
<p>PM me if you feel more comfortable that way. And I will truly appreciate your replies.</p>