<p>I'm an undergraduate at VCU right now and will be receiving dual degrees in mechanical engineering and physics. I have fairly close to a 4.0 GPA in my fields and I know I have at least two professors who will give me shining recommendations. I have even done research these past two summers and have my name on a paper (not first author). This is the problem I have though.</p>
<p>I want to apply to the material science program at MIT for a PhD preferably. Unfortunately, the research I have done is in the operations research field which is not something that I'm interested in for a degree. Furthermore, the two professors are not in the material science field; one is a nuclear engineering professor and the other was my professor who I conducted research with.</p>
<p>I've tried to do research in the field in the past, but every time I've applied to something I've been turned down. I did take one graduate level class in nanotechnology, but that is about it as far as non-required courses (related to material science that is). What I'm wondering is how difficult it might be for me to be accepted to a place like MIT for such a program. Half of the people I know say it will be no problem and I will get 100% funding easily; the other half say it will be very difficult and funding is very hard to come by.</p>