ENGINEERING

Engineering courses at the Masters and the Doctorate level are the most popular courses among most students going abroad to study.

Getting an admission requires you to do a lot of home work, be aware of how things work and prepare for each step in the process.

There are several factors that act together and are important to get you an admission. Getting one or two of them right is not good enough. All of them are equally important, give them the importance they deserve, and you will be on your way.

The key factors that will get you an admission are:

1. Your Homework

The application process begins with your decision of which programs you are interested in applying. Typically, you would begin with a broad list of universities and then start the elimination process based on certain factors.

It will be the easiest for you if you are planning to pursue a subject in which you have your Bachelors degree. If you are planning a change of subjects, you will have to do that extra bit of convincing about the reasons for the change and demonstrate your eligibility for the new subject.

While it is possible to apply to a department that is different from that of your bachelor degree program, you would need a good reason to justify the change.

You need to talk to all your seniors and friends who are already in the US , take their views and ask them for universities they feel are good for a person with your background.

You have to spend long hours on the Internet, researching universities, their programs, entry requirements and their reputations. Read articles on the internet about the universities, besides going through the university websites.

Networking is an important part of the graduate engineering admissions process. This is more important if you are looking for financial aid in form of tuition or research assistantships. Many graduate departments at universities offer teaching assistantships or research assistantships to their graduate students (students pursuing a master's or doctoral degree particularly in engineering).

Assistantships usually involve a tuition award and some sort of salary in return for teaching or research duties. Every school has a limited number of openings for assistantships based on the amount of funding allocated. As a result, such scholarships are merit-based, meaning they are competitive, based on your academic performance to date.

Individual departments at the university generally control funds.  It always helps to write directly to the department to inquire about available funding.  Students who are research oriented or have published papers in a particular field should contact professors interested in that field.  By contacting professors in advance and building a relationship, you can greatly enhance your chance of getting admission and aid.

The whole procedure can get very difficult and it requires you to be organized to make sure that the decisions about the courses and universities you choose is the right one.

2. Your Schedule

Start your application process as early as possible, typically, at least 12 to 18 months in advance. 

You have to spend long hours on the Internet, researching universities, their programs, entry requirements and their reputations. Read articles on the internet about the universities, besides going through the university websites.

If you are looking at September semester, you should send in your applications by the month of December of the preceding year. This means you should have your GRE and TOEFL scores by the month of October of the preceding year.

The earlier you apply, the better your chances of admissions and financial aid. As mentioned in the previous issue, networking is a very important part of graduate admissions. 

You should write to the professors much before you apply. This way, you would be able to gauge their interest and make a decision on whether you wish to apply to that university. The chances of getting a reply are much higher if you mail early. As most students apply late, professors usually have more free time during October and November. This is the best time to approach them with complete details.

Remember, if you write to them without complete details, like say, if you write to them without your GRE score, you may not get a reply. Most of them get hundreds of mails and only the serious and well-written mails get a reply.  

The financial aid decisions are made pretty early and there is a lot of competition for funds. An early start would give you a big advantage in getting any kind of financial assistance.

To sum it up, APPLY EARLY.

3. GRE Score

GRE scores are required for admissions to most colleges in U.S.A. , some colleges in Canada and a few in other countries.

Your GRE score is the single most important factor in your admission to the top program. No matter how good your undergraduate GPA is or how inspiring your statement of purpose is; you do not stand a chance in the top program without a good GRE score.

What is a Good ' Ball Park '?

In most of the top programs, 'ball park' starts at about 1300. This is not a strict cutoff. However, with scores less than 1200, your chances of getting into the top program are minimal (Unless of course, you wrote a research paper challenging Einstein's Theory of Relativity)

As a good estimate, if your GRE score is within a school's median 80 percent range, even if it's 60 points below the school's median, you have a reasonable chance of being admitted. If it's below that 80 percent range you still have a shot, but it's a long shot. Most programs print their 80 percent ranges in their brochures. For those that don't, you can make a rough estimate by assuming the range starts about 60 points below the median and ends about 60 points above it. As long as you are within that range, you have a reasonable chance of being admitted.

Break-up of GRE Score

The GRE score is further divided into verbal, quantitative and analytical writing assessment scores in your score report. Separate scores, particularly for quantitative section, are very important. Most engineering programs put strong emphasis on quantitative ability and consider your math score to be a reflection of your quantitative skills. A good balance in the quantitative and verbal scores would be ideal; however, if you have to be stronger on one section of the test than on the other, it is definitely better to be stronger in quantitative sections.

A good balance would be getting in the 700s in each section. Your GRE score card will have the following breakup:

 
We have seen that most international students perform well in the quantitative section as compared to the verbal. Students who have strong mathematics background should invest time in improving their verbal scores to achieve the desired balance in their scores.

For candidates with less than 1000 score, we would recommend one of the following:

• If you attribute your low score to lack of effort, preparation or coaching, you should definitely take the GRE again. A better GRE score along with good credentials in other key criteria will greatly enhance your chances of getting into a good program.
• There are many candidates, who do not perform well in limited-time, high-pressure exams. If you are one of those candidates, you may not score high by re-taking the exam. No problem! You just need to put extra effort on your statement of purpose highlighting your research capabilities. For some of you who need guidance with writing application essays, we strongly recommend our consulting services.

Subject GRE

Some programs require you to take the subject GRE for the field of study that you are interested in. The requirement depends solely on the school and varies across the board. Once you have short-listed the schools that you would like to apply to, we advise you to go through the school web-site to confirm whether or not they require a subject GRE. More information on the test materials can be found on Subject GRE

Re-taking the GRE

If you are not happy with your GRE score, you can take the GRE test any number of times until you get the score you want. Most schools that we are aware of consider only your highest score. We do not know of any top or mid-tier school that takes an average of two or more scores.

Your 'GRE transcript' will provide only your three most recent scores. It does not matter if you send your transcript after every test or after you score the number you want. The application will ask you to specify the score you want the admissions committee to consider. Please remember that you cannot mix the sectional scores from different tests. In other words, you cannot take the quantitative score from one test and the verbal score from another.

A Word of Advice

We cannot stress enough on the importance of taking GRE seriously. There is no substitute for good preparation and it is very much worth the effort. Please consider taking preparation courses that help you achieve your goal. The more practice tests you take, the better you get. For international students, we would also recommend paying extra attention to the verbal ability section. And, of course, if you don't do well the first time, don't be afraid to take the test again.

4. Academic Record

This is probably the most important criterion for admission to a graduate - masters or doctorate program in engineering and science. 

Since many of the candidates apply to the MS program right after their bachelor degree, the undergraduate Grade Point Average (GPA) becomes even more important.  For some of you, who have a few years of work experience after the undergraduate degree, the GPA can be discounted to some extent.

Most of the top programs require a GPA of 3.00 on 4.00.  

There are many countries that do not have a GPA system. For example, In India, universities have an absolute scoring system, where students are scored on a fixed scale. So, most students do not get a GPA, but get a percentage, like say, 65%.

If you have done your bachelor degree from a university that  does not score on a scale of 4.00, we would recommend you to apply to the programs of your choice even you are not over 3.00 after conversion.  

Particularly for universities which grade on a percentage basis, we would recommend not even trying to convert your GPAs.  Send your undergraduate reports as they are and let the schools worry about the conversions. Just mention your class rank, if you can and mention that your percentage cannot be converted to a GPA scale.

A big mistake made by students is trying to give reasons for their low GPAs.  Don't whine about it.  Take responsibility unless you have a strong reason that you think the admission committee should be aware of.  In most cases, please don't use the extra essay question to address the GPA issue.

If you have a low score in your undergraduate degree, work hard on your GRE preparation and try to make up for the weakness with a high GRE score.

It may not make much sense to apply to top universities if you have a GPA of less than 3.0, unless you have significant achievements, like publication in an international journal.

5. Statement of Purpose

There is no doubt that your stellar academic records and ace scores in the standardized tests are key evaluation parameters at all programs. However, there are less quantifiable indicators that are of equal or greater importance to the admissions committee. These include your personality, motivation, goals, interests, team spirit, dedication and communication skills. The admissions committee makes a judgement of these qualities from your statement of purpose and application essays

Particularly, since most MS engineering programs do not require an in-person/phone interview, an applicant's personal statement is a crucial factor. This is your opportunity to sell yourself to the admissions committee. Prepare your statement carefully highlighting unique information about yourself, your ambitions and your interests. Your essay is evaluated for substance, writing ability and skill in organizing and presenting thoughts.

The idea here is to be unique. Rather than writing cliched words like "problem-solver" and "hard worker", try to focus on one or two experiences that are unique, interesting and something you are proud of. 

Provide situations that justify your statement. If you have been research oriented, elaborate not only on what you achieved but how you achieved your results. Focus on what you learnt and how that experience will help your fellow classmates. 

Have a clear focus of your goals.  Think about your goals and ambitions and link it closely to your achievements thus far as well as to your application. It is important to convincingly prove the reasons for choosing a particular course and university.

Try and personalize your statement of purpose as much as possible. It should reflect the person that you are, your passions, your achievements and your values. Think about how your experience can add value to the class or how your past projects demonstrate your research potential. A balanced statement of purpose reflecting you as well-developed personality could be very powerful.

Last but not the least; do not underplay your abilities. A lot of us find it difficult to say, "I am the best" (although we know it in our hearts, don't we!). But trust us, you have to be aggressive in your essays. For your benefit, we have enclosed some sample Statement of Purpose of students who have been accepted in the top engineering programs.

Tips for good writing

• Please make sure there is no spelling or typographical error in your SOP. There is nothing more repulsive than a typo for a reader.
• Give yourself time to think about the essays. Write down the key points that you wish to cover. Work through several drafts. Make sure every sentence is adding value. Do not expect to produce your statement of purpose overnight and get into the top program. Plan at least two months in advance.
• Answer the question. If you are substituting parts from statement of purpose of one school to another, make sure you appropriately revise them to ensure that they match the requirements of the other school. In many instances, applicants try and incorporate more than one situation to justify a point and go completely off track.
• Find someone to edit your essays - parents, friends, colleagues. Make sure you are meeting your objectives. The test of your writing is what the reader understands, not what your intent may have been.
• If you feel, your statement of purpose is not projecting your background and achievements in the right manner, don't hesitate to use a professional editing service. This is important, especially for students who do not have a good way with words or students whose first language is not English.

A word of Caution

The sample SOPs have been distributed to all the engineering programs. Please do not plagiarize. These essays are only meant for you to use as reference material to help you write your own.

6  Recommendation Letters

Your recommendations are important because they verify your claims and provide the admissions committee an opportunity to learn more about you from people you have worked closely with. Hence, good recommendations can serve as a powerful tool to 'sell' yourself to the committee.

What should your Recommendation Letter Address?

Academic Excellence
Your achievements in your undergraduate program should be addressed in detail. Quantifying statements like "one of the top three students" is particularly insightful. The admissions committee is looking for candidates with strong analytical and quantitative skills. Your recommendation letter should address these skills along with your intellectual curiosity, creativity, imagination and ability to think "out of the box".

Projects & Achievements
At least one of your recommendation letters should mention the projects that you did during your undergraduate program. Graduate programs in engineering and sciences are specialized programs and any projects that you may have done in a similar field in your bachelor degree would add a lot of value to your profile. Your letters should also mention some of the good grades that you got in the course taught by the recommender.

Research Aptitude
Your recommendation letter should mention demonstrate your research aptitude and abilities. If you have been research-oriented, particular emphasis should be given to your research/publications. The academia loves students with research interests. Make sure you leverage this factor in your recommendation letter. This will be very helpful if you are applying for research assistantships.

Interpersonal Skills
Your recommendation letter should demonstrate your ability to work well under stressful conditions. It should address your interpersonal skills, team spirit and ability to work well with others. Your dedication, motivation and thoughtfulness should be adequately addressed. It is also important to address your oral and written communication skills. This would be helpful if you are applying for a teaching assistantship.

Choosing Your Recommenders

Most schools require 2-3 recommendation letters. For candidates applying right out of undergraduate programs, all your recommendation letters should be from professors. If you worked for a company as a summer intern, you could take one letter from your immediate supervisor. For candidates applying after work experience, you should try and get  atleast two letters from your professors. You can get the third one from your immediate supervisor or someone you have worked closely with. Here are a few other things to keep in mind about choosing recommenders:

• Choose people who know you well. Rather than choosing a famous professor who has no intimate knowledge of your skills and abilities, it is much more powerful to use a person who can illustrate your strengths and show you at your best. For candidates who have performed research, leverage the strong relationship you built with the professor to get your recommendation.
• Choose people who really like you. It is important that a recommender invests time in writing your recommendation. A person who likes you will take out the time as well as put a positive spin on your qualities.
• Choose people who can address more than one key criteria: your academic caliber, your intellectual ability, team work, maturity, work ethics etc. For example, a professor under whom you did a project or a professor who taught you a course in which you scored high.
• Give your recommender an outline of the assignments/projects that you worked on. Include in that outline some suggestions on how he/she might address specific issues such as analytical ability, integrity, intellectual curiosity etc.

Critical Elements of Good Recommendation Letters

• The recommendation letter should provide specific examples to illustrate the points. For example, a statement such as "James has good interpersonal skills" is no good unless supported by why and how he is good. It is important to provide a frame of reference and description of specific situations as much as possible.
• The recommendation letter should reflect substantial thought and effort. It should show you as a distinctive candidate. This can be done by use of examples, comparison with peers if available, or quantifying claims whenever possible. For example, saying "One of the top 3 students in a class of 100" is more powerful than saying one of the best students in the class.
• Last but not the least; the recommendation letter should be well written and grammatically correct. It should reflect the thinking of a well-educated person. International students, whose recommenders may not be fluent in English, should assist the recommenders as much as possible. It may be a good idea to draft the recommendation letter to help the recommender.

Common Mistakes in Recommendation Letters

• Do not get your recommendation from a 'hot shot' who does not have intimate knowledge of your abilities. The admissions committee is not impressed by the recommender's title or reputation.
• Some recommenders write really nice things about you but without providing convincing evidence. It is your responsibility to make sure you provide your recommender with a draft of your assignments and projects that can help support his statements.

Common Dilemma

There are many situations in which the recommender will ask you to fill out the recommendation forms as well as write the letter. This is not uncommon. Some recommenders don't want to take out the time to answer 8-10 questions and fill out the forms. Particularly, if you are applying to 3-4 schools, that means 3-4 different recommendation letters addressing different questions. In such situations, it would be best to write one comprehensive letter of recommendation and change the name and address of schools on top. Most schools look for similar information. In addition, the admissions committee understands that the candidates have limited control over the recommendations and will not penalize you for not answering in their format.

If you are writing your own recommendation (as per your professor/supervisor), please bear in mid that it is very easy for the admissions committee to identify based on your writing style, grammar, voice etc. If you are forced to write your own letters, encourage the recommender to provide some assistance with the language so that it will not be an obvious applicant recommendation letter.

If you find yourself in a situation where you have to write all your recommendations, formatting them differently would help camouflage the fact that you wrote them all. For example, format one as a letter and another in question-and-answer format. Use different typefaces and font sizes. Ask a friend to change the language.

A Word of Caution

Don't try to forge your recommendations. Even if you end up writing your own, make sure that the finished product is verified and signed by the recommender. Most schools send acknowledgement cards to your recommenders.