Is a 4.0 from Podunk University enough for grad school?

Graduate School
1

<p>I'll be graduating from a tiny (private) liberal arts university next year as a math major (B.S.), physics major (B.A.), and computer science minor.</p>

<p>(Coming out of high school, I was a Valedictorian, National Merit Finalist, and AP Scholar with 40 college credit-hours and every extracurricular activity you can name - I'll never know why I chose a university that no one's heard of... but that's another story.)</p>

<p>Some of my credentials:
- 4.0 GPA
- Summer research at home university (resulting in 2 physics conference presentations)
- Summer research at Duke University (in progress - Civil Engineering)
- Full scholarship (plus a big outside physics scholarship from a private organization)
- Honor's Program
- VP and Pres of numerous organizations (major-related and otherwise)
- No shortage of extracurricular activities
- My advisors (heads of the math & physics dept's) are prepared to write glowing, personal LORs
- Anticipated GRE scores: 650-700 (V), 750-800 (Q)
- I'll also take the Math Subject GRE, and I anticipate doing well.</p>

<p>My Question(s):</p>

<p>I would strongly prefer to attend graduate school (M.S. or PhD) in some branch of engineering - rather than math or physics (though applied math is still on the table). I have no real preference concerning which type of engineering (yet) - I am considering:</p>

<ul>
<li>Electrical</li>
<li>Civil</li>
<li>Computer</li>
<li>Mechanical</li>
</ul>

<p>Am I an attractive applicant to these types of programs, coming from an unheard-of school that has no engineering department?</p>

<p>Also, (though this may sound superficial, but it seems pertinent to me at the moment) what educational/career path is the most profitable (money-wise) for someone with my background?</p>

<p>Many thanks!</p>

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<p>Currency Counterfeiter. You’re perfect for it - especially if you also choose to study EE.</p>

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<p>Thanks… but I’m really interested in some serious feedback. Does anyone have any experience (or advice on) entering engineering with a purely math and/or physics background?</p>

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<p>I’m sorry but I also agree with ixington. It would serve you well to listen to the advice of those around you, once in a while.</p>

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<p>You’d probably be an attractive candidate for a master’s program in an engineering field, but probably not for Ph.D. – you don’t have the engineering background, plain and simple, and you’d have a hard time trying to prove you have the dedication to succeed in an Engineering Ph.D. program, especially since you don’t know which type of engineering you even want to go into. Figure out what you want to do FIRST, then figure out how to make it happen – because there’s almost always a way.</p>

<p>Also, if you care about the money, a master’s is much more profitable (considering the shorter time investment) than a Ph.D., or so I’ve heard.</p>

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<p>[Podunk</a> Univeristy - America’s Oldest University](<a href=“http://www.podunk.com/]Podunk”>http://www.podunk.com/)</p>

<p>You gotta be kidding…</p>

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<p>Undergraduate engineering has a very strict curriculum. I’m not sure you could even qualify for a master’s degree without first taking those courses. Yes, a lot of them are in physics and math, courses which you may have already taken, but without specific courses in engineering, I don’t see how you can get into a graduate program. You may need to take a year or so to make up your deficiencies.</p>

<p>

</li>
</ul>

<p>If you believe the above are interchangeable, then I have to question both your knowledge of engineering and your motives for studying it. I think that’s why you’ve gotten a lot a joke responses. </p>

<p>You might be closer to qualifying for a computer science degree; however, you’d still need computer courses to back up your claim of interest. Math and computer science are closely linked, although they are separate fields. The show Numb3rs was really about computer science, not pure math.</p>

8

<p>To Momwaitingfornew and ishmaelstrom:</p>

<p>Thanks for your responses! I think you’re right. I didn’t mention this before, but I am also interested in computer science for grad school. I’m a computer science minor now, and I’ll be trying to cram in as many CS classes as possible during my last year here. Given my strong math background, would I be attractive to a master’s or PhD program in computer science? Or computer software engineering? I’ve heard that some graduate programs permit you to take a few undergraduate courses (once enrolled) to make up for any deficiencies.</p>

<p>To masta_ace:</p>

<p>Po·dunk (noun)
any small and insignificant or inaccessible town or village. [Dictionary.com]</p>

<p>That’s not really the name of my school, of course - I was just indicating that I come from the middle-of-nowhere. Thanks for sharing the site, though…</p>

9

<p>Could you make the switch? Sure! It just depends on a few things.</p>

<p>Most engineering specialties really only require knowledge of a couple of areas - maybe 2-4 undergraduate courses worth. The trick for you will be to either identify a field in which you have already taken equivalents of those courses (electromagnetics in EE, for example), or else you will need to complete them as a non-degree student prior to enrolling. Mostly, that is - if you seem a good candidate they might let you make up some level of deficiency in your first year.</p>

<p>While I would generally recommend going for the PhD directly, do not be surprised if engineering PhD programs are reluctant to take you until you complete the MS. That will impact your funding opportunities, but will also give you some freedom to explore a bit. </p>

<p>You do seem better prepared for Comp Sci - most of the higher branches of that field are heavily mathematical. The real question becomes your passion - what do you want to do? Since this is the rest of your life you’re talking about, you should really make sure you can liev with your decision.</p>

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<p>Haha… my mistake…</p>

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<h1>7…</h1>

<p>Long time lurker, first time poster. As someone with BS and MS in engineering and a current engineering PhD student, I’m just going to say you’re 110% wrong on nearly all accounts.</p>

<p>First off, undergraduate engineering does not have a “strict curriculum.” It is broad, and can approach problems a bit differently, but in no way whatsoever does it truly cover any more breadth than math and physics undergrads. Especially when you’re at the graduate level in engineering, it looks an awful lot more like applied physics / applied math. I personally am surrounded by successful engineering graduate students that did undergrad in math, physics, CS, et al. They may have a leg up on you in some areas, but believe me, a pure mathematician has plenty of clout in an engineering department.</p>

<p>Secondly, while electrical/civil/computer/mechanical are not necessarily “interchangeable”, all engineering graduate work has a considerable amount of crossover due to its roots in applied mathematics. My personal research field (within aerospace) can also be found in abundance in all 4 of those disciplines listed.</p>

<p>You are completely incorrect in thinking this young man can’t get accepted to an engineering department. Not only can he, but with a background in math/physics/CS, he will most likely be sought after by very top schools.</p>

<p>I humbly suggest you refrain from giving advice regarding undergrad or graduate engineering.</p>

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<p>I don’t know what your definition of “very top schools” is, but here on CC that would be MIT/Stanford/Berkeley in graduate engineering (for many engineering fields). And they’re saturated by more than enough qualified applicants such that they can fill nearly all spots with graduates from top 50 schools + international schools. We know because that’s indeed what they do. Hardly anyone can be considered “sought after”, let alone someone from an unknown school. And your wording makes it sound like they prefer math/physics/CS students. That doesn’t even warrant a rebuttal.</p>

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</p>

<p>I recommend acquiring a dictionary.</p>

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<h1>12</h1>

<p>I’m at one of your very top engineering schools that you people pride yourself so much, and there are a ton of grad students that didn’t have engineering undergrad work.</p>

<p>Secondly, restricting “top schools” to three universities is absolutely absurd by anyone’s standards, even to the professors at those universities. Ask them. Hell, look at their alma maters.</p>

<p>Thirdly, you completely missed the point. Graduate departments don’t care about “top 50 schools” (oh I hope to god you’re from UIUC engr, of the many departments I’ve been in contact with, they were by far the most egotistical in admittance - and undeservedly so - even compared to your “very top schools”). Professor-based admittance is based on humans. Sure, they’ll sieve through by GPA or GRE, but in the end, humans get accepted, not print applications. Professors and departments in engineering don’t wish to simply fill their ranks with people that managed to get into well-ranked undergrad institutions. It’s simply a non-factor.</p>

<p>Fourthly, yes, many people can be “sought after” when they actually speak to professors at an institution they’re considering. You’re right though, if you’re a no-name on a piece of paper, nobody is going to beg you to come work for them. If you actually speak to the person that is going to be using their own personal research funds and they like you, they will woo you. People come from many diverse backgrounds, and fortunately a lot of engineering professors across the country aren’t as naive as the 20 year old’s, and take a holistic approach to acceptance. They have the experience to know that some snot-nosed brat from a “top undergraduate school” with a great GPA doesn’t translate to a great researcher.</p>

<p>Fifthly, sorry about my wording or your interpretation of it. They don’t <em>prefer</em> math/physics/CS students. I’m merely stating a fact that in the two major engineering departments I’ve worked in, I’ve seen those non-engineering-undergrad students be very very successful. Engineering is inherently multidisciplinary. With the work I did, I could easily have become a CS graduate student, and a CS undergrad could be in my engineering department. If you don’t realize that people with non-engineering degrees can successfully pursue graduate engineering degrees, you’re either not in engineering, are bad at it, or you have your eyes closed. Take a look at faculty CV’s at even the colleges you’ve listed. I promise you there are plenty there with non-engineering degrees to their name.</p>

<p>Sixthly, see secondly.</p>

<p>Choosing an engineering graduate school based on US News rankings and what you perceive as higher potential salary will leave you unsatisfied, which likely will make your work considerably poorer. No one should ever go to any graduate school because of name or rank. I’ve seen those people, and they invariably do mediocre work at best. Go find a professor with work that fascinates you, and you’ll do amazing work.</p>

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<p>and therein lies the problem. CC is not the real world.</p>

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<p>*slow clap</p>

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<p>*slow clap gains intensity and frequency :)</p>

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<p>If this were FB, I’d “like” posts 11, 13, & 14 :p</p>