Choosing A Degree
Master of Science (MS)
An MS degree requires completion of classes as well as a thesis. It is often the step between a Bachelor degree and a PhD. It takes around 2 years to complete and although some people self-fund their degree, it is often subsidized by an employer, fellowship, graduate assistantship, or teaching assistantship. An engineer with an MS is qualified to do more heavy work in design or production rather than “day-to-day” engineering tasks. It is also a common path to going into project management.
GRE (Graduate Record Examination)
Verbal Reasoning (Reading) is graded on a scale from 130 to 170 in one-point increments. There are three different types of questions: reading comprehension, text completion, and sentence equivalence. The second and third types are easily recognizable as vocab questions.
Quantitative Reasoning (Math) is graded on a scale from 130 to 170 in one-point increments. None of the material that appears is from beyond a high school-level. The basic topics it covers are Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, and Data Analysis.
Rankings
Higher-ranked schools will almost always be better funded and have more resources available to grad students, but they are also be more competitive.
- US News
When to Apply
Every school has a different application deadline, but it seemed like most range from Dec 1 to mid-January. If you’re applying for Masters rather than PhD, the deadline is typically, but not always, later
Master of Engineering (MEng)
The MEng is sometimes referred to as a non-thesis MS. It consists of only courses and no thesis program, although sometimes an internship or capstone project similar to the one completed in undergrad may be required. It is typically slightly shorter than an MS degree, depending on the courseload taken each semester. These degrees are very often self-funded, although it is possible to have it subsidized by an employer or a teaching assistantship. An engineer with an MEng may become an engineering supervisor or senior engineer.
Transcript
Most schools won’t request your official transcript (expensive) unless you enroll, so buy one PDF version of your transcript from your undergrad school and upload it to all of the applications so you only have to pay for it once.
Location
Ask yourself if you’d rather live in a big city or a small college town. This might not matter to you, which is good too! Climate is very important – do you hate being hot or cold? Also, consider job opportunities in that city and try to picture yourself settling down there.
Application Fees
In my experience, they ranged from $35 - $125
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
A PhD requires students to take coursework and develop original research leading to a dissertation defense. It can often take anywhere from 4 – 6 years, depending on whether you have your MS already. Possible career paths include being a professor, researcher in industry or in a national lab, or working at a startup. An engineering student should never self-fund a PhD. Instead, they should be able to get tuition + a living stipend paid for by a graduate assistantship, teaching assistantship, fellowship, or a combination of those.
Letters of Recommendation
You need at least 1 academic reference. Ideally, this is a professor that you’ve interacted with a lot outside of class. Most schools accept between 3 and 5 reference letters. Give your LoR writers plenty of notice beforehand – bring it up within a few weeks of getting back to class in the fall. Always send a thank-you note and gift to your writers once the application season is over!
Cost of Living
Look at the average cost of an apartment near the campus that you’re looking at. Will the typical stipend at this school be enough to cover your portion of rent? In a big city, you will almost definitely need to have roommates.
Statement of Purpose
What do you want to study? Why do you want to study it? What experience do you have in this field? What do you plan to do with your degree? Why is this program a good fit?
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
An MBA is a coursework-based degree that allows you to gain soft skills (teamwork, leadership, ethics, communication) that you don’t learn in engineering school. There is a strong emphasis on strategic decision-making. Applicants will typically have 3-5 years of full-time work experience before beginning their MBA. Some possible career paths include going into management, changing careers entirely, or starting your own business. They are often self-funded or subsidized by an employer.
GPA
a MINIMUM of a 3.0; a 3.5 is most definitely preferred, and 3.8 is ideal
Research Opportunities
Go to the department’s website and look at the professor’s CVs and websites. Are they doing projects that are relevant to your interests and background?
Visit Weekends
Schools will often pay for your flights and hotels to come visit them if they admit you or are considering admitting you. Prepare as you would for any interview, wear business casual, do your research ahead of time, and bring some resumes just in case