Master Degree in the US (MIT, Stanford, Berkeley)

Student Lounge International Students
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<p>Hi folks, I'm an italian guy that wants to take a Master Degree in the US, maybe in EECS or something else if I can do it! (in Italy you can take a MSc in a particular field only if you have a BSc in the same one, otherwise you can't. Is it the same in the US?)</p>

<p>In reality for the moment, I just want to know if my characteristics are good enough to try an application to the written above Universities :)</p>

<p>I'm 25 years old, I have both a Bechelor Degree (GPA 95/110) and a Master one (GPA 110/110) in Telecomunication Engineering (It's equivalent to EECS in the USA scholar system I think).
The Master Degree is internationally recognized (or at least it should be), I take it in English. I have research experiences, 6 months in a laboratory linked with the university (I worked on MEMS microelectronics systems) and I have a scientific IEEE pubblication (linked to a conference I take for my Master thesis).</p>

<p>I worked for a company (I was the owner) but it's not linked with engineering stuff. The interesting aspect for the application (I think) is that I had many responsibility on myself.</p>

<p>I also have been a basketball coach for 2 years as a volunteer.</p>

<p>For the moment I haven't any SAT/GRE/TOEFL certifications, first I want to know if I have any chances to be admitted!</p>

<p>For my situation, expecially for the age (I can't apply this year, maybe the next one or the one next, so at 27 years old) Do I have any chances? There's a maximum age they look for? And, do thay admit for a MSc if the student has already one? An MSc would be the right choice for me or there's something else? (I checked, but it's quite tricky for an international guy to understand your system :) There's M.Eng., Engineer’s Degree, Ph.D., Sc.D.)</p>

<p>I know that without SAT/GRE you can't eveluate me, but I hope someone could help :)</p>

<p>Thanks guys, regards.
Mattia</p>

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<p>Your odds of admission depend on the following:

  • The university that awarded your degree. (Stanford/MIT/Berkeley are more likely to accept you with a degree from a renown university than a small obscure foreign university whose quality of instruction they do not know.)
  • Relevant work and/or research experience.
  • Your letters of recommendation.
  • Your ability to pay for the degree. (You can’t get a student visa if you don’t show sufficient financial resources…)</p>

<p>Your GRE scores are rather insignificant. (The GRE tests high school-level math and verbal skills. Doing poorly is a red flag, but doing well doesn’t mean very much.) As is your age.</p>

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In the US you are allowed to switch at the graduate level, though you need to have a somewhat related undergraduate education. For example, it’s possible to switch engineering specialties but you cannot switch from history to engineering.</p>

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<p>Well, my university is always first in Italian Ranking, but it’s small, the whole univeristy has just 16.000 students.</p>

<p>So if they look for “Relevant work and/or research experience” it means that the age is not a limit for the application, good.</p>

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That’s not small by US standards. The US has many specialized colleges with fewer than 1,000 students and most have fewer than 15,000. Not that the size matters. The question is whether whoever is reading your application is familiar with your university (and has a high opinion of it).</p>

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<p>Stanford costs a lot more, has a much larger MS program (and the MS degree is offered as a terminal degree, not just as a stepping stone to a PhD).</p>

<p>Those factors combined, make admission to UC Berkeley EECS MS is more difficult than Stanford EECS MS (assuming that you can afford either school if accepted.)</p>

<p>Without scores, it’s hard to evaluate. But I wouldn’t worry about age. USA doesn’t have compulsory military service, so American college grads are able to start grad-school earlier than international grad students who are required to serve in their home country’s military.</p>

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<p>[Academics</a> & Admissions | MIT EECS](<a href=“http://www.eecs.mit.edu/academics-admissions]Academics”>Academics – MIT EECS)</p>

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<p>Terminal Masters degree is offered only to MIT undergraduates.</p>