<p>Hi all!
I'm an international freshman majoring in Electrical Engineering at Mississippi State University. My SAT scores and subject tests were pretty high(2200 and 2350 respectively) but I joined MSU because I did not get enough financial aid anywhere else. Is it at all possible to go to a top ranked engineering grad school like MIT/CORNELL/STANFORD from MSU provided i have research experience and a decent transcript?Or will they reject me outright because of the reputation of this school(not extremely well-known). Also, can anyone tell me whether it is possible to transfer to a top 20 university with aid? If so how should i go about it ?</p>
<p>For transferring advice, I would look at other forums.</p>
<p>As to the other question - it is certainly possible, but you are a little ahead of yourself. Focus on gpa and getting involved in undergraduate-level research. In a couple of years the status of those two efforts will largely define your scope of available grad schools.</p>
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<p>While I don’t know anybody from Mississippi State, I know of people who earned grad engineering degrees at MIT who came from such undergrad schools as New Mexico State, Oregon State, UTEP, University of South Alabama, Florida Institute of Technology, Appalachian State, Arizona State, Utah State, North Dakota State, University of South Florida, and Northern Arizona University.</p>
<p>fish: I’m pretty sure he meant freshman in grad school</p>
<p>He’s definitely a college freshman. Many top post-bacc programs do not accept transfers (especially if it’s an MS by research and not coursework) It is possible to transfer to MIT, but it is not easy. </p>
<p>Lastly, unless MSU is terribly regional and a for-profit institution (insofar as the program you’re in is legitimate) and you do extraordinarily well as an UG, MIT is possible for graduate school.</p>
<p>Mr. Zoo - I have never heard the term “freshman” applied to a graduate student, and do not think the OP is currently a grad student. The OP mentions his/her SAT scores where a graduate student would mention GRE scores, and everything in his statement applies as much or more to undergrad.</p>
<p>OP - if you are a current grad student, please let us know, as that would make this a very different issue.</p>
<p>cosmicfish-Yup I’m an undergrad…doing my first semester here…</p>
<p>Graduate students also don’t have majors.</p>
<p>In any case…</p>
<p>I’m currently taking a class for graduate students here at MIT, and a good number of my classmates come from relatively unknown undergraduate institutions. Lack of undergraduate prestige is never grounds for outright rejection.</p>
<p>Thanks guys for boosting my morale…i’ll try my best…</p>
<p>As a college freshman you have plenty of time to prepare for grad school and may even change your specific goals along the way. Your best approach is to achieve stellar grades in your major when possible and to get to know your professors. Getting to know professors is more easily done when you are a junior taking upper level courses in your major. Your professors will know other professors from meetings and publications in their field plus have their own grad school connections. Also go for any honors and research opportunities in your major. Last, but not least, discuss your goals and how to achieve them with your faculty advisor. Most students from your school may not be aiming for grad schools in the top tier but public U’s always have excellent students who are at their school, like you, for financial reasons. Don’t worry too much about grad schools yet, concentrate on getting the most out of your present school. You will learn a lot more about grad schools as your college career progresses.</p>