<p>First post: Hi all, this is my first post. </p>
<p>I’m currently an undergrad enrolled to UmassAmherst College of Engineering.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I didn’t make the best of my 4-years in highschool (I felt I could have done more outside of academia, joining the math team, expanding the scope of the projects in my engineering club) and I felt that this had led me to sell myself short in applying to college (although I don’t regret enrolling to Umass). I definitely don’t want to squander 4 years in college and sell myself short again in applying to grad. school.</p>
<p>Interested in science, math, and engineering and in a post Baccalaureate degree, I’d like to know how I can put myself in a good position to apply to “top” (I don’t care about rankings as much as the quality of grad. programs and faculty, which often correspond to their ranking) private grad. institutions. Here is what I have in mind to do already:</p>
<p>-Join RAP; //Not really a boost – I just like to surround myself with a community interested in tinkering with stuff. Whether this help, I don’t care.
-Study abroad; // I’ve yet to look at what this program offers with respect to what an undergrad majoring in engineering could gain.
-Top level courses in Calc & science/engineering major; //I didn’t take AP Calc or Physics (although I did receive A+ in “Advanced” Calc class – basically AP AB Calc) so I’m not sure if this is possible. Usually, someone who enrolls in grad-level courses (high tier courses) skips courses with AP credits. I would like to know if it’s remotely possible to do so without AP credits.
-Join academic clubs/start academic clubs; //The UmassAm website extracurricular activity catalog did not include engineering club (Organization for black,women engineers but I’m neither). On this note, is there an activity fair at Umass where I can learn about the clubs that are available or do I have to visit the Students Center?
-Undergraduate Research; //I’m a bit annoyed that Honors College seems to have a bit more leverage with undergrad research opportunities than regular UmassAmherst students. I hope this isn’t true.
-Commonwealth Honors College; //I didn’t make the first-year cut (stupid SAT scores…). I plan to apply just because it boasts: “graduate with distinction”, work with faculty with their research, rigorous academic standards, and community with said standards.
-Double Major;// I plan for Engineering-Mathematics – just because I love math but I heard that grad schools see engineering applicants in a better light if they are focused on engineering and do very well with it rather than do a mediocre job, majoring in both. </p>
<p>These are just my academic goals. I can tell you about my plans to get started playing jazz piano, skydiving, rafting, and skiing (there’s a CLUB for these activites … Umass ftw) but that’s for another post.</p>
<p>I’m kind of in the same boat as you. I suggest you focus on doing research. I’ve taken a bunch of college classes. My dad is a college professor. I come from experience when I say professor’s are not byproducts of the red tape that often coat state schools. Rather, they are human beings. They didn’t become professors just to deny kids the opportunity to pursue their academic ambitions outside the classroom, just because they don’t meet a certain criteria. Investigate engineering professor’s resumes, their interests, and what they’re researching. Find some that have similar interests to yours. Contact them this summer and ask if they have room for a research assistant, or need another set of hands in a lab. This is exactly the type of responsibility and ambition professors like to see, and I would be shocked to find that a professor looking for help would deny you because you weren’t an honors student.</p>
<p>While I am in the commonwealth honors college, I quite frankly have no idea how the school finds research opportunities for kids. I probably won’t need to either. I’ve shamelessly stalked a few professor’s resumes in the political science department, and plan to come forward about some ideas for research that I have.</p>
<p>I also suggest you take advantage of the 5 college consortium. Nothing says committed on an application like a kid who took a harder class than he had to, at a better school than he was at, and did well in it.</p>
<p>Basically, there’s no secret path through college that will lead you to an excellent grad school that most kids just don’t know about. It’s all about ambition, and looking for opportunities. Look around for scholarships. Take a look at your required classes for your major, and look at what 200+ level courses match your interests. Find out what other successful kids at umass did. Talk to professors during their office hours, even if you just want advising.</p>
<p>With all of that said, getting into a good grad school doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. Go to football games. Join a club sport. Black out a few times. There’s no rule that you can’t have fun at Umass and be successful.</p>
<p>Edit: Also, if you’re worried about having time to take advanced classes, think about taking on a heavy load your freshman/sophomore year, or taking classes during the summer.</p>
<p>Can you pass the CLEP exams in Calculus? If you’ve learned enough for AB, then by all means take the CLEP exam at a local community college.</p>
<p>Engineering-mathematics?!?! God bless you. I though microbio/military leadership/pre-med was bad!</p>
<p>In your first semester, I’d keep it nice and simple. Go to all your classes, get acclimated to your new environment (dorm life, food, study areas) and attack and learn your coursework.</p>
<p>Go to office hours with your engineering/math professors and try and develop a first name relationship with them.</p>
<p>Once you hit your stride, you can go ahead and implement all your other plans. Also, it’s good to be ambitious but don’t let it cloud your experience. You and everyone else can get spread too thin and burn out. This is especially possible if you are taking on 2 tough majors like you are planning.</p>