need advises for grad school application

Graduate School
1

<p>Hello all! </p>

<p>This is my first post on this forum, but i've seen so many good applicants here on CC :)</p>

<p>My background: </p>

<p>International student (english is not my 1st language so please bear with me)
undergrad: Tufts University, MA
MAJOR: CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
CUM GPA: 3.82<br>
MAJ GPA: 3.90
GRE: 760Q/510V/ W(waiting) </p>

<p>some minor honor: (top 5% or so of class, maybe even top of cheme class), taubetapi..</p>

<p>EXP:
HHMI microarray summer research grant - ended up with a poster presentation
Research at school department since this summer and on going
-most of my work is on cell culture, protein purification+quantification
-also fabrication of microneedles and micro particles (for sensing stuff etc..)
Research assistant for Tufts Med research- mostly translator's work (</p>

<p>LOR: 1 strong letter from the prof im working with now.
might have 2 more good letters from respectable prof in the department, including one that has HHMI grant</p>

<p>I'm looking into MIT and some other top engineering schools, but only for MS. programs. My supportive prof. said I'm competitive enough to apply for PhD. but it will be hard and especially for the schools im interested in. However, I'm really only interested in doing Master at the moment, not just because it might give me more time to prepare and boost my app. (which i guess it does), but also because I don't know if I want to work in the industry or continue doing research as a PhD. I guess MS is a better fit for me in this case.</p>

<p>So I heard that getting into MS programs is easier than PhD programs, mostly due to nonfunding. But again, that is not the main reason why I'm not trying to apply for PhD. As I said before, Im just really interested in getting a master atm. I am fortunately don't have financial constraints and can afford a 2 year MS degree if I don't get funding of any kind, and start working right after that. However, I guess I would still apply for some less well- known PhD programs (a.k.a. not MIT and the likes) just to see how it goes.</p>

<p>Here are some of my concerns:</p>

<ul>
<li><p>I know my stat is not stellar especially my GRE is not good and I have no publication at all. My GPA is just ok, I got 3.93-3.97 for all semesters except for 1 that I had a C+ in Genetics and B for biometerial because I was rlly sick and depressed. Even though both of them are not required for my major, I just took them for fun (and they're kinda related to my major anyway)</p>

<ul>
<li>should I retake GRE? I still have time until the end of this year to do it. would it make my app look better or just show the admission people that Im obsessed with high score and such? I just spent like 3 days to study for GRE, mainly squeezing in vocab and like 1 hr for math and writing strategies. Yea, it is not hard to guess why i bombed the test :P I didn't time myself well during the test and literally skipped the last 2 questions of math. I know I was so unprepared this time (kinda overloaded with work in school now), so might be I will have a better shot next time? but there is a chance I will screw up again too...</li>
<li>should I take a year of after graduation, to work or do research with a prof, and during that time doing test prep and app for the year after that? how does it look on my app. if Im not applying for grad school straight out of college?</li>
</ul></li>
<li><p>Im now working on a math minor. I've been getting straight As for all math classes so far, including some honor courses, but the math im taking right now and also the last one to getting my minor is way over my head. I have considered dropping it and not getting a math minor at all. I know it always look better to have something else on your degree, but i might get a B in this class and it would compromise my GPA (Im trying to keep it>3.8 to get summa). Is it worth it to do this math? especially when im so overwhelmed with research, applications and classes for my own major this year. Does it significantly make me look better in general, for school or job application?</p></li>
</ul>

<p>Sorry for long post, Im always overworried about things. Thanks for any input :)</p>

2

<p>That major GPA just stinks. :slight_smile: Relax. You’ll get in somewhere unless no one wants to write an LOC and you write your personal goals like you did this post.</p>

3

<p>Be more succinct in your personal essay! I don’t know why if you are applying for schools, you wouldn’t apply for your top choices/fits. Your GPA is excellent. GRE is just okay but I don’t think that MIT accepts GRE scores.</p>

4

<p>MIT does require GRE scores for chemical engineering.</p>

5

<p>Sorry to misspeak, they don’t for CS, so I stupidly thought it was for all PhD programs</p>

6

<p>Actually your stat is pretty good. However, it still depends on how competitive the programs are. Do you have in mind where you wanna go?</p>

7

<p>he said MIT. I think he is good to go. Also consider princeton. It has a good MSE program. I think Columbia has one too.</p>

8

<p>Your stats look competitive for getting into a program somewhere, not necessarily the top schools. Your professors/advisor will be writing your letters of recommendation for you- ask them for names of programs (schools) for which they would be willing to write a good recommendation for you. Programs will care most about the grades in your major- don’t let the knowledge gained in a math course but “only” a B deter you from it. Grad school applications are entirely different than undergrad apps. Definitely spend some more time with your advisor and any other professors discussing what you want and the jobs available with the masters and PhD level degrees. Consider where you want to be in ten years, and which degree is best for that.</p>