<p>For the top names: MIT, Stanford, CalTech etc., how selective are graduate admissions? I've seen US News stats saying roughly 20-25% get in, but that doesn't tell much. Do the applicants all have 3.8+ GPAs or are they more average engineering students? For these schools, acceptance to the undergraduate program requires a pretty outstanding high school record + background. Is the graduate situation analogous to that? Or are the selection criteria a bit more relaxed?</p>
<p>Stanford EE has an average GPA of 3.9, and UIUC ECE has an average GPA of 3.85. My peers at Stanford EE are mostly from the top 5-10 students at the top 10-15 programs in the field (top 1 or 2 from lesser programs). For graduate engineering admissions, you'll want a high GPA, good research experience, and letters of recommendation (preferably from well known faculty). GRE scores and the essay are less important but need to be good for top programs as well. Unlike undergrad admissions, extracurricular activities and "well-roundedness" play no role.</p>
<p>I was waiting for your response im_blue. I appreciate your dedication to the board. Good advice yet again.</p>
<p>phpguru</p>
<p>Hunh... Well, I can offer myself as a case-study for CEE, if you like; this is for structural engineering:</p>
<p>I had a 3.5 GPA in structural engineering from Rice and I had no trouble getting into MIT, Stanford, UIUC, Berkeley, Cornell, UT, & Georgia Tech. Only applied for masters programs (specified no PhD) and got full-ride+25% stipend from UIUC, 50% tuition+stipend for Cornell's MEng program, and partial scholarship for UT's structural program. (Lack of funding was due to only applying to Masters w/o PhD and MEng programs.) I was drum major of the band and held down 2 part-time jobs (extracurriculars might count a bit in terms of faculty recommendations, perhaps...), and I had recommendations from well-known faculty, but no research experience. My GRE scores were pretty strong... 800 math, 610 verbal, 4.5 critical writing.</p>
<p>So, if you've got a 3.5 undergrad GPA, it's definitely possible to get into a good engineering graduate program... Got in everywhere I applied, and applied to 7 of the top 10 eng schools.</p>
<p>Could any of you offer any advice specific to aerospace engineering graduate programs?</p>
<p>Could you could provide more information on the differences between applying for doctorates and master's degrees? Are they generally very different in selectivity?</p>
<p>They are indeed vastly different in selectivity. I presume that im_blue was talking about PhD admissions (I know plenty of guys who have either gotten into or graduated from the MS engineering programs at Stanford who have nowhere even close to a 3.9 undergrad GPA).</p>
<p>The dirty secret at Stanford is that almost ANYONE can get into a MS program in engineering... they are not very selective for those who say they want a MS only... Stanford gives ZERO financial aid to MS only students, so it uses them as a cash cow... almost anyone who is half-way decent can "buy" a Stanford MS degree... </p>
<p>The PhD programs are incredibly competitive and selective, and guarantee full financial aid for your entire time.</p>
<p>Do you have to major in engineering in undergrad to get into a grad school for enginering? Or can you major in something related like, say, Physics and get into Electrical Engineering?</p>
<p>You can certainly major in a pure science and do engineering for grad school. A lot of my aerospace engineering professors majored in Physics as undergrads.</p>
<p>I know one person who majored in biology in undergrad at Harvard and is now getting a master's degree in Civil Engineering at MIT. That's a pretty extreme change, you must admit.</p>
<p>I know one person who majored in Philosophy in undergrad at Chicago and got into PhD Mechanical Engineering programs at UIUC and Northwestern.</p>
<p>jab93, what types of engineering in M.S. can almost anyone get into at Stanford?</p>