<p>I am working on my AA right now in Engineering. I plan on transferring to the University of Central Florida after this summer (fall 2010). My major will be Aeronautical Engineering. I am making all A’s right now and my gpa is 3.32(I went to UCF my freshman year and messed up. I then dropped out and moved around and two years later I have a new found motivation to bring my grades up and succeed). My gpa was 1.7 when I dropped out. So, I worked hard and brought it up to 3.32. It will be above 3.5 once I transfer to UCF. I have no extracurricular activities. Though, I will be joining the math olympiad team this semester. My SAT score in high school was 1160. I didn’t work much on that score. I was a completely different person when I was 18. Now I’m 21 and I have a burning desire to do my best. </p>
<p>What will it take for me to be accepted into MIT graduate school? In two years I will graduate from UCF with my bachelor’s in Aeronautical Engineering. In those upcoming two years, what’s the best I can do to create a very strong resume for MIT graduate school? I am willing to put forth any amount of effort necessary to make this happen. I want to change the world and I feel like Boston and MIT are calling me out. I’ve always loved a challenge. This is my greatest so far. Please give me advice. I appreciate your time! Thanks.</p>
<p>I thought you must earn a masters first then a Ph.D later if you decide. So, on that note, I would be applying for my master’s right after my bachelor’s. I just feel like I have nothing to show MIT right now. Thus, in two years, what can I do to create a good chance of being accepted? It’s in my power. Of course, make all A’s. I can do that. What else? Start researching with professors and get an internship? What tests should I start practicing for? I have 1000% motivation right now and it’s scary. I am willing to put the time in. I don’t want to leave you any doubts. Just what do I need to do?</p>
This. Your professor recommendations and personal history of research and design work are the most important pieces of the application for graduate school in engineering – more important than your GPA, although it’s certainly good to keep it high.</p>
<p>Standardized test scores are also less important than recommendations and research history, although virtually all applicants to MIT’s engineering graduate programs have around an 800 on the GRE quantitative section.</p>
<p>Overall, though, you should focus on applying to graduate schools where there are professors doing research in areas that interest you, not at schools that have general “prestige”. The MIT AA department is very good in some subfields, but has few researchers working in others. You will want to apply to programs that have strong researchers in your area of interest.</p>