Getting into grad school at MIT (Aero/Astro)?

samolyet144
Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:03:24 +0000

Hello.This is my 1st post here. I’m a ugrad at UIUC in Aerospace Engineering interested in going to MIT for grad school. Now, my GPA isn’t great (3.35) but I really want to get into MIT. I had a difficult time adjusting here to courses and stuff but dramatically improved getting mostly A’s and a few scattered B’s in my Aero core classes. Now, the reason I want to go to MIT is not primarily because of prestige but because the type of research I want to do appears to be only offered at MIT (Human Factors/Aviation Safety). I’ve done research for two summers in a row here mostly in Applied Aerodynamics/Flight Simulation and hope to get good recs.

Now, I’ve got a couple of questions. I am absolutely positive that I only want a terminal MS degree For the type of work I’d like to do (Flight Test Enginnering/Test pilot?) there really is no point for me getting a Doctorate. Also, there is a good chance that I probably will not need funding at all.

1) Is it easier to get into grad school @ MIT if you want a terminal MS?

2) Is it also easier to get in if you don’t ask for funding at MIT?

I appreciate any responses.