<p>exactly how difficult is it to get into masters of science programs? Is it considerably easier to get into MS engr. than PHD engineering programs? What kind of gpa would get me into MIT/PRINCETON/STANFORD/CAL TECH MS engineering programs? I would like to do a masters in engineering(which i've heard is a little easier to get into) but lack of funding might become an issue. </p>
<p>SO i've been thinking of pursuing a masters recently.i havn't really done much research..i did an nsf reu after my freshman year but nothing else...i am currently a junior and would like to work on research that involves coming up with math models that describe various physical phenomena in chem E. Im hoping these chem E MS programs might want me due to my advanced math background in addition to the chem E background. My GPA is low though-3.5 GPA(but i have taken several honors courses)....I'm a minority, have tutored for several years(this might help me get a TA position), and im hoping for good GRE scores..i will try and take a grad level course next spring....
shoud i even bother applying?</p>
<p>Yes...PhD programs are substantially harder to get into. Where as Masters programs might have acceptance rates in the 20-30% range, PhD admission acceptance rates are in the single digits. Admissions is hard to gauge to be honest. Your best bet would be to speak to your advisor and see where you stand relative to past applicants from your school. Your 3.5 is low, but is it from a good school? Do you need funding? If you don't need funding, I can see you getting into maybe one of those schools. With funding based on what you have posted, probably not. These schools only give money to those who have a high chance of pursuing a PhD. Masters who have no desire to pursue a PhD will not get funded. This also means having the research experience to backup any PhD intentions and not just simply stating you want a PhD on the application. They determine this by having faculty interview you individually about your research during visitation weekends to ascertain whether or not you know what you are talking about and what you learned from your previous research. Feel free to PM me with any more questions or post here. If you have AIM, that would be helpful too.</p>
<p>Dude let me tell you!! You have a great GPA. Don't let people get you down.
I'm also a minority. I have the same GPA you have. My GRE score were catastrophic. I didn't study for it.. just the min required. I ace my last year as a senior at my school. I have just a little bit of research experience. People told me don't apply with that GRE (1000 combined) for a doc program. I did anyway. I got a few interviews. Got accepted to two schools with funding and in addition I got an extra fellowship for being a minority. I came from a small liberal arts school in the middle of nowhere!!! nobody knows about the school.</p>
<p>You never know until you try. make sure you don't based your choice on school prestige. Based that on your research interests.</p>
<p>While there may be some AA for admissions (and I doubt this for the top schools), there isn't any for funding within engineering at the top schools. Diversity is the last thing professors care about when they pay people to do research.</p>