<p>I just graduated with my BS degrees in physics and applied math in Dec 09. I chose not to apply to grad schools in December because I didn't know what field to choose to apply to. Also, i figured taking a year or so off, and working in industry would better help me decide what to do in the future. Also, i was hesitant about getting a MS or phD. But now that I've taken 2 ME classes (heat transfer and fluid mechanics) this quarter, I'm sure I want to do mechanical engineering. Also, I did apply to my current school's ME graduate program, since the deadline was much later than the other schools I was considering such as Berkeley and MIT</p>
<p>Well, a few days ago, I just got accepted into my school's ME phD program this week. However, I'm strongly considering not accept the offer since I have changed my mind and would rather pursue a MS instead of a phD (I don't know if my school lets me switch to just the MS), and I prefer to do my graduate studies at a different school, such as MIT or Berkeley. If I had applied and got accepted into the other top schools of my choice, such as Stanford, I'd take the offer in a heartbeat since I'm not getting any job offers in industry for months now since the economy is really bad right now. I've been applying for 100s of technical positions, preferably mechanical engineering ones at defense contractors, but have only gotten a few interviews but no offers for programming/analyst positions. So while I don't really want to take the admission offer, its really tempting. Do you guys have any input on what I should about this? What factors does one take into account for choosing what schools to attend for a MS in engineering, other than the prestige of the school? </p>
<p>Also, I don't know how much this matters, but I will probably get accepted into the summer research program at one of the national labs for the DOE. I was thinking of only accepting the offer if I can't job by then</p>
<p>A few things you might want to consider when selecting programs are:</p>
<p>Location - though its not a definite, a lot of people work near where they went to school, the local industry will likely have good job connections</p>
<p>Money - Are you comfortable paying for your MS or do you want it funded. Stanford is somewhat (in?)famous for giving out MS degrees that you pay for, but only a few of them are actually funded. </p>
<p>If you are only getting a masters, it might not be a bad idea to just stick with the university you went to for undergrad. One can argue that its not ideal, incestual education can be frowned upon by some, but if you like the program and you can start it next fall after a summer program it might not be a bad move. You’ll be out in the industry a year sooner that way. </p>
<p>But really, do what you think is right and makes you happy. Good luck!</p>
<p>well i would much rather have it funded. But if I get a MS with thesis, doesn’t every school including Stanford fund it? I thought MS students doing research get funded? </p>
<p>I guess i’m just a little unhappy at the thought of going back to my undergrad school. I worked hard to get a 3.77 gpa with good letters of rec, but my school’s ME department (top 5 state school) accepts almost 50% of its applicants</p>
<p>I think its a general rule of thumb that MS programs are not funded. A funded MS program is the exception not the rule. Schools typically reserve funding for PhD candidates. With that being said, have a look around and see which schools might offer funding for MS students, just so you know, Stanford is definitely not one of those schools. I got my MS from Stanford in ME. There were about 150 students in the entering graduate class for ME, 25 of whom had university fellowships and an additional 5 had RA positions (I was lucky enough to be one of them). Throughout the program some students picked up TA/RA positions, but most students payed for the entire program. And most people who paid for the programs raced through it to spend as little money as possible.</p>