<p>I have a BS in Civil Engineering from Florida Gulf Coast University, graduated with a 3.87 GPA a year early and have 2 years of experience working as a water resources and utilities engineer. I am thinking about going back to get my master in structural engineering since I have always dreamed of designing bridges.</p>
<p>In a nutshell, is it the right choice for me to go back to school? What are the chances that I will be accepted? (Schools of interest University of Texas at Austin, Texas Tech, University at Buffalo, University of Florida), How hard is it to get scholarships after working for two years? What are the possibilities of getting a lab assistantship position? What are my chances of finding a job in my field of interest? Does anyone know of any other schools that specialize in research related to the field of bridges?</p>
<p>Thank you very much for any advice that you can give me!</p>
<p>Not all programs offer assistantships for Masters students. Do a little bet of research on the schools you are interested in to see if they offer this kind of support to non-Ph.D. students. As for getting in, you seem to have a good GPA but you will need to take the GRE for just about any graduate program. You also need to have some research experience for a research-oriented masters degree. For a professional Masters degree, research experience is not as important and your work experience is a plus. </p>
<p>Whether it is the right thing for you is really a personal question. Since you seem to want to change your career into more of a structural engineering direction, is it possible for you to find a local program which will let you complete a professional degree part-time while you are working? That could help you finance the degree. Alternatively, have you tried looking for jobs in the structural area? Your new employer might be willing to pay for a Masters degree.</p>