<p>I'm a chem eng. major at a state school and I'm projecting finishing up with a GPA of around a 3.4. I have good research and LORs, but I'm obviously still borderline for Ph D. programs. So if I don't get into a Ph D. program, I guess the logical thing to do would be to get an MS then apply for a Ph D. However, I'm wondering if it's possible to do an M. Eng. to a Ph D, so I could save a year's tuition and living expenses. I've seen professors before with both an M. Eng. and a Ph D., so is this a possible route to take? And what are the disadvantages to doing this? Thanks.</p>
<p>Mr. Spock,</p>
<p>While your GPA might be low, if your LOR/research is in place, you should still have a shot at a PhD program. Some of the more selective schools will be be harder but you are by all means still in the running for ANY PhD program.</p>
<p>I’d advise you to aim for the MS rather than the M. Eng–though I’m curious as how you will save money with the M. Eng. Typically, M. Eng are self-funded but most MS students can get a GRA/TAship. My reasoning is that the MS is a better precursor to the PhD and to be honest, if you like the prof. you are working with, you can easily transition straight to the PhD at the same institution.</p>
<p>Why are you assuming your GPA is low?</p>
<p>“Typically, M. Eng are self-funded but most MS students can get a GRA/TAship”</p>
<p>Really? From what I’ve heard, most MS students are self-funded, so it would be 2 years of tuition instead of 1.</p>
<p>“My reasoning is that the MS is a better precursor to the PhD and to be honest, if you like the prof. you are working with, you can easily transition straight to the PhD at the same institution.”</p>
<p>Yeah, I’ve seen that happen before and that is a big appeal, but if its $50k cheaper to do the M. Eng and go elsewhere I’d be more inclined to do that.</p>
<p>" Why are you assuming your GPA is low? "</p>
<p>My advisor said for a school like Virginia Tech or Penn State or RPI I would want to be applying with a 3.5.</p>
<p>If it helps ease your mind at all, I got into RPI and Texas A&M with full funding to a Ph.D. program with a 3.34 undergrad GPA and good letters and research experience and a good GRE, and then got into the M.S. programs (all with profs telling me they would be happy to fund me after talking to me) at UIUC, Purdue, and Ga Tech and got into the Masters at Cornell and Michigan but didn’t follow up on those two so I don’t know about the funding picture. You are certainly not out of the race if you have good GREs and everything else to make up for the somewhat low GPA.</p>
<p>While funding varies from school and department, the rule of thumb is that if you are completing a thesis/report, you shouldn’t be paying for it.</p>
<p>Most schools will offer you a TAship for the first semester or two and once you find a project your prof should give you a GRA–of course this is the ideal situation and with the economy where it is, funding is rough. </p>
<p>My advice is that if you want to go for a PhD, find an adviser early and be frank with him. Profs are much more likely to fund PhD students since they are committed for the long run and won’t bail after a year or so of training. From my experience, GPA will get you into the school but commitment and passion for the field will get you the funding for your PhD.</p>
<p>As others have said, your GPA isn’t really low at all. Sure, if you didn’t have research experience or LOR you would have some serious issues but that isn’t your case.</p>
<p>Wow ok that does make me feel a lot better. Thanks for the info guys.</p>
<p>Since Masters candidates rarely get funding, you probably won’t want to be a starving PhD student for another 3 years once you’ve incurred the first $80,000 in debt.</p>