<p>I am Ghanian and I go to a really small historically black college. I wanted to study electrical engineering before I came to the US but the closest my school had to that was a computer science program. Now, I am trying to get into a top school for a PhD in electrical engineering (duke, cornell, mit, gatech, stanford, cmu etc). </p>
<p>I am a junior, and I have a 3.9 GPA. I will be taking the GRE soon but I scored 800 Quant and 680 Verbal in my practice with ETS Powerprep software. I started to do research with a Math professor at a nearby (better) school this semester (there is almost zero research opportunity in my school) and I plan to do some research with an Electrical Engineering professor starting next semester. These professors are not popular, but the experience is invaluable. </p>
<p>I also have one summer research experience from a top 10 engineering school and I hope to get one more net summer (I did not feel the program was rigorous enough though).</p>
<p>What are my chances with the schools I plan apply to? If my chances are poor, what can I do to enhance them or what are the best schools I have a better than average chance of getting into.</p>
<p>I can’t comment on your school specifically but I wanted to let you know that I also come from a small school. Thankfully my school is quite selective so I am able to use this as an advantage. What at least one of my recommendation letters said was “X and X school which is a highly selective …”. So, in short, if there is an advantage to your school that the people may not know, ask your letter writers to mention this and/or put a brief description in your statement of purpose.</p>
<p>No one can answer your question about your chances – there are just too many variables. You do seem to have prepared yourself well, however, and engineering fields are actively seeking diversity, which may make your application slightly more interesting than you think. </p>
<p>Students from “small schools” do end up at top programs, so the school itself is not the issue. You’ll need the EE coursework/prep and the research, the first I assume you have and the second you’ve been working on. Beyond that, you’ll need professors who are willing to write the kind of letters that demonstrate that you are top program material. Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply. In the coming spring semester, I will be taking INtro to EE (Circuits) and the first control systems class. Then in the fall of my senior year (hopefully no to late), I will taking another control systems class and a robotics class. Hope this helps anyone willing to give me some advice to understand my background.</p>
<p>I went to a small (c. 2100 students) HBC before I came to my top 10 PhD program. What you have done in undergrad is more important than where you have gone, and my colleagues are from everywhere from never-heard-of-it colleges to Ivy Leagues. With your GPA, potential GRE scores, and research experiences, you look like a solid candidate. Just keep doing research.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot. This is a ray of hope at a time I am about to give up. I plan to dedicate the large chunk of next semester to research. However, since I am a computer science major and need to graduate in 4 years (terms of my scholarship), I will barely have taken 3-4 Electrical Engineering classes by the time I graduate. This means I will not have too much of a theoretical foundation on which to do research. But I will give it a try anyway. And advice on other things I can do to make me a better candidate? Also how can I get published or I do I convince my research advisor to embark on a project with me with the aim of publishing?</p>
<p>beejaei are you international? Note you might be placed in a different applicant pool than US applicants in graduate school. You should be fine- but note apply broadly like broadly. Attending top schools give you an edge- people with GPAs of 3.5 are top schools would be viewed similarly as those with 3.8-3.9 at unknown school. But having a 3.9 places you in a rosy spot. As previously mentioned, just keep doing research.</p>
<p>It is nice to know that I will only compete with other international students. Thanks for the advice. What schools would you say I can consider a safety, considering my background and future plans?</p>
<p>No, being an international student is usually a big disadvantage. Funding is primarily for US students, so the number of slots open to international applicants is much smaller. Obviously still apply, but if you can apply as a domestic applicant, you’ll be in better shape.</p>
<p>^ thats what I meant actually. I wanted to make him aware because people giving him advise would do so from the non-international perspective. However being an international who studied in the US might be an advantage to him than internationals who did not study previously in the US. I think, I am not too sure about this.</p>