<p>Since one of the most important criteria when applying to engineering grad schools is research experience [and I have no idea what that is], how am I supposed to apply and be admitted without any RE (research experience) or published papers (PP)?</p>
<p>Professors, lecturers, students, deans and others at my (international) university have completely no understanding of what RE is, how it is done, etc.</p>
<p>My letters of recommendation will come from unknown profs, high GPA won't help since the school rank is, well, probably top 1000... GRE scores are fine.</p>
<p>What are the chances of being admitted into the top engineering grad schools without any RE and PP? Has anyone been in these situations?</p>
<p>Finally, can someone explain to me what RE and PP are and how do you do them?</p>
<p>What degree are you currently studying for and what degree are you applying for in the US (PhD, research-oriented Master, professional Master)?</p>
<p>I find it hard to believe that your professors don’t know what research is. Presumably they all hold doctorate degrees and presumably they had to do some kind of research to get it?</p>
<p>
Ask yourself the following: Why should the top graduate programs admit you? What have you done that illustrates your potential, your drive to succeed and your readiness for a graduate degree? Why are you better than thousands of other applicants with high grades and good GRE scores?</p>
<p>If you cannot answer these questions for yourself, the admissions committee is not going to see it in your application either. It’s your job to convince them that you are a top candidate for admission.</p>
<p>This fall I will be in my second year, Bachelor’s program, Mechanical Engineering.</p>
<p>I don’t exactly know the differences between the Master’s degrees, because we simply go Bachelor’s–>Master’s–>Doctoral without any variations.</p>
<p>Professors do their dissertations, but those are done alone, I don’t suppose one can join them. Nor can you ask to help or work in the lab for them, it would seem very weird and rare because no one has ever done that.</p>
<p>I get along well with all the teachers, and we discuss this research thing from time to time, scratch our heads, smile, and move on. It just does not seem to be applicable to us…</p>
<p>We do projects, all 30 of us, but it’s not exactly a specific request to research and learn something new, show your eagerness to be taught. Those projects, such as the Internal Combustion Engine Project, are pretty generic and they are listed in the program (we can’t choose courses/subjects).</p>
<p>I’ll share some thoughts on research experience later.</p>
<p>
In the US there are variations, and you should take your time to learn what the differences are. Roughly speaking, you would proceed as follows:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>If your goal is to quit school with a Master’s degree, choose a terminal Master’s program that prepares students for the job market. Many of these will have hands-on project or internship requirements, but you typically don’t have to write a Master’s thesis.</p></li>
<li><p>If your goal is a PhD, you have two options. You can apply straight to PhD programs with a Bachelor’s degree. However, if your application would not be very strong (e.g. because of a lack of research experience), this might not be in your best interest: you’d end up in a not-so-good PhD program if you got accepted to one at all. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>In this case, you’d be better off to apply to research-oriented Master’s programs first. Spending a fair bit of time on research and writing a Master’s thesis will give you a better background to apply to PhD programs later. </p>
<p>The downside of doing a separate Master’s degree before the PhD is that you might have to pay for the Master’s degree out of pocket. PhD students are typically funded but many Master’s students are not.</p>
<p>Thanks, this was very helpful. I have a few questions though.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>How relevant/important is a PhD degree in engineering? I always saw it as a theoretical craft degree (humanities and such). A Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanics sound a bit unusual.</p></li>
<li><p>You mentioned funding for the Master’s programs. Is it limited only for research-oriented programs or both research and terminal?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>For academia, it is essential - do your professors (I am assuming you are doing an engineering degree) not have Ph.Ds in the fields they are teaching? You mentioned earlier that your professors had done dissertations. Engineering PhDs also get hired in industry all the time.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>This highly program dependent, but as a very, very, broad generalization, funding likelihood goes: terminal/coursework masters < research/thesis masters < Ph.D . Funding generally comes in the form of research assistanships, teaching assistantships, or external/internal fellowships. The first two are essentially compensation for work, while the third is (sometimes) closer to a scholarship.</p>
<p>Finally: you say that you are an international student. Do you mind sharing what country your school is in? It seems odd to have a university system with such little familiarity with academic research.</p>
<p>Now the question… I would rather not disclose it… A place where schools like Harvard are as approachable as the Elysian Fields. A place where people enjoy living in a box and America is the greatest nemesis. Have an idea? They are more than happy to bury it. Education is worthless, literally. It is free. All 3 levels.</p>
<p>I guess my point is I wish had pulled my head out of the sand sooner and now I am trying to do everything in my hands to consolidate my chances of achieving decent education.</p>
<p>Thanks for the help, guys. It was really useful. Feel free to share anything else regarding similar topics :)</p>
<p>I agree with all of the above, but it’s important to realize that many Master’s programs aren’t formally labeled as terminal or research-focused programs. Every school is kind of doing their own thing, and whether or not a program is research-focused is usually implied by the school, what other program there are, how the program is advertised and funded, etc.</p>
<p>You can still get into research by attending a terminal Master’s program, but the support you get may not be the same. Which university you attend also plays a big role. A research-heavy university will inherently offer a lot of opportunities to get involved, regardless of what “type” of program you are in.</p>
<p>So, while there is a distinction between “terminal” and “research-oriented” Master’s programs, the line often isn’t clear-cut.</p>
<p>It is certainly not hopeless. At my university, we see a lot of students from countries such as yours (likely even yours). Many of these students are extremely motivated and do very well. Many have successful careers in academia (after a Ph.D.) and industry. The key is to be able to take the GRE. You might have to travel to a different country in the region to do so.</p>