<p>well i really want to go to mit for undergrad but i know how hard it is etc; so, my brother is going to the university of waterloo this year. so it would make more sense for me to go to that same university with him ( we are internationals btw) and major in nanotechnology engineering. I just wanted to ask how hard would it be for me to gain admission to MIT grad school with a university of waterloo engineering degree...</p>
<p>MIT's graduate acceptance rate is lower than its undergradutes. But with that said, it's easier to predict who will get in. Whereas Marilee Jones (MIT's former admissions dean) steered to school towards a Ivy-esque mysterious admissions process, MIT's, or any grad school relies heavily on test scores and in the case of MIT, research (in whatever field you are interested in). Top grades are a must. It doesn't matter much where you go to undergraduate.</p>
<p>okay thanks</p>
<p>and how is the University of Waterloo (canada) viewed in the US? It supposed to be the best school for math & Engineering in Canada but how is it viewed in the US? Is it op par with universities such as RIce?</p>
<p>Honestly, I've never heard of Waterloo. But then again, the only Canadian schools I know are McGill and UBC.</p>
<p>Although I have absolutely no idea how Waterloo may compare to Rice, grad. admissions are definitely going to be more about gpa and test scores than the random crapshoot it can be on the undergrad level.</p>
<p>Just as a correction, grad admissions do not rely strongly on test scores -- basically everyone who applies to top engineering programs has a 700+ on the math section of the GRE, so scores aren't used to discriminate between applicants. It's true that GRE scores would matter a lot if an applicant has a 600 on the math section, but for those who have above a 700, the actual score is pretty irrelevant.</p>
<p>A very important factor for graduate school admissions that hasn't been mentioned is letters of recommendation. LORs are exceedingly important -- probably moreso than GPA.</p>
<p>Undergraduate institution matters in certain ways. It's well-known, for example, that it's much easier to get into MIT for grad school if you went to MIT as an undergraduate. If you go to a well-respected program in your field, you have more flexibility with GPA -- you definitely don't need a top GPA in your class to get into a top-tier graduate program.</p>
<p>Personally, I don't think graduate school admissions are any easier to predict than undergrad admissions. The factors considered are more academic (extracurricular participation, for example, is not considered), but I don't think the results are any less holistic.</p>
<p>Thanks alot for that, molliebatmit. Also, how is the University of Waterloo seen in the US? ( it supposed to have one of the best engineering programs in canada)</p>