<p>i am applying to these chemical engineering MASTERS programs. not interested in a phd(at the moment). I go to a top 15 engineering school(Penn state). What are my chances with a 3.5 GPA( i have taken several honors courses and will be taking one graduate chem E course my senior year..im hoping these schools give me a chance because i have tried to take very challenging courses), good GRES, really good recs from two professors i have done research with. An NSF reu internship(after my freshman year), 3 years of tutoring calc 1 - differential equations, and an amazing essay. Should i even bother applying?I heard GPA is extremely important for the top engineering masters programs.</p>
<p>Also, I'm african. I'm hoping minority status helps a bit since the standards are a little lower for such applicants.</p>
<p>Can you pay full freight? I think you'd be in a shoe-in for Princeton's Master of Engineering program but probably no chance for the MSE or MS at other places as they require higher GPAs. Also do well on your GREs.</p>
<p>I don't this may sound bad. But I also think affirmative action (whether officially or unofficially enforced) will get you in anywhere... Your stats look pretty normal and nothing will hurt your chances.</p>
<p>Blah2009, why princeton and not the other two? I know stanford and MIT are top two but why are my chances much better at princeton than the others when it's is highly ranked in engineering?..</p>
<p>As for being able to afford it- we'll see when the time comes. I know princeton doesnt give masters students any aid at all. I'm hoping my tutoring experience helps me get something like a TA position(at schools that dont explicitly state that there's no aid available to masters students)...we'll see. I 'll apply and see what happens regarding aid.</p>
<p>Princeton has two programs, Master of Engineering (1 year course work only, no aid), and Master of Science in Engineering (2 year thesis based research degree with full funding). I think you'd be in a shoe-in for the master of engineering program but the Master of Science in Engineering program is ridiculously selective due to the guaranteed funding (2 out of 110 Masters applicants got in for my major this year)</p>
<p>so princeton is the only one that has a masters in engineering program? And i wasn't aware that MS was THAT selective. That 2/110 seems like an acceptance rate for a top phd program...</p>
<p>Princeton typically accepts 7 for my program (of MSE and PhD applicants) and expects to enroll 4. So not a big deal if a few don't decide to come. And most do since its fully funded. Remember though, this was for the research MSE program. MEng is easier as most people pay themselves or are funded by their company. Other MS programs at Stanford and MIT are not as selective but are still pretty hard to get in. (Acceptance rates hovered around 35% for Masters but only 5% or so of applicants received funding)</p>
<p>The average GPA for Stanford Engineering is about 3.8, so I would say your chances are low unless they give significant consideration for affirmative action or you have great research experience. Plus your undergrad is not stellar (top 15 is on the low end for the top grad programs), so you'll get even less of a chance to overcome your low GPA.</p>
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The average GPA for Stanford Engineering is about 3.8, so I would say your chances are low unless they give significant consideration for affirmative action or you have great research experience. Plus your undergrad is not stellar (top 15 is on the low end for the top grad programs), so you'll get even less of a chance to overcome your low GPA.
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<p>Is that 3.8 for Chem engineering, specifically, or for all engineering? I had a 3.5/3.6/I-don't-remember from Rice and got into Stanford's structural grad program. No research experience. Rice civ isn't even on the radar for "top ranked programs," either. It's ridiculously tiny... graduated 12 my senior year.</p>
<p>Try applying to wherever you'd like to apply.</p>
<p>I just noticed Stanford ChemE is only accepting PhD applications with MS offered to Stanford students only so looks like stanford is out of the question for him unfortunately.</p>
<p>That kind of sounds like what they did to my brother... He didn't get into the PhD program, but he got into the MS program (no funding, though). What you can probably do is apply to the MS program at Stanford and then reapply to the PhD program when you're actually <em>at</em> Stanford... I can't imagine them locking out all candidates from other institutions for their doctoral programs... That's pretty poor form. They probably just want to make sure their doctoral candidates can hack it at Stanford.</p>
<p>Doesn't sound like it though. They simply aren't offering the MS to people outside of stanford undergrads at this time. You can still go for a PhD directly with a bachelors and bypass the Masters.</p>