<p>Tx, I can tell its really stressing you out which is more a sign of how much you want it than complete despair. The thought of grad school applications feels all too much like the senior year of high school and the SAT as the GRE. I hated the SAT and got terrible scores and the thought of the GRE terrifies me. Both for the interesting experience and to strengthen the other aspects of my application, Ive been working for the last 2 years post-undergrad and will probably wait another year or two before applying. Im not saying you should take 4 years off, but I agree with those who suggest getting some experience under your belt before applying. Besides, youre an engineer! I know people getting internships and job offers at Toyota and Siemens before they finish their undergrad! Remember that unless you plan to be an academic a graduate degree is a means to an end, not the end, and its more about what you do during the time youre studying than going to a brand name program.</p>
<p>You could also consider studying abroad. From what I understand there are strong engineering programs in Asia and Germany and none have heard of the GRE.</p>
<p>Youre young and motivated to work in a field that the world is desperately looking for; youll be just fine.</p>