How to get in MIT/Stanford/Berkeley Engineering?

cosmicfish
Thu, 15 Jul 2010 12:35:46 +0000

Just to chime in, be aware that:

1) Many of these programs will not accept terminal MS applicants, or else will use their MS programs as a way to sift “second-tier” PhD applicants.

2) I expect all of these programs are looking for researchers even in their masters students, which means your lack of research experience will hurt you, as will your MBA - it suggests a desire to burnish credentials rather than be technologically innovative.

3) None of these programs are cheap, and few are likely to fund a masters candidate. Have you considered how to pay for your degree?

All that aside, you need good letters and preferably some solid research experience to get into those schools. If you do not have them, I suspect you will be out of luck - Stanford perhaps being the exception, as they seem to take in more masters students than most. It is late in the game, but you may want to see if there are any labs in your current school or nearby that will take a free lab assistant - be upfront, explain that you are trying to get some research experience for grad school, and they may take you. You will get experience, some exposure in the field, and hopefully one or two letters of recommendation.

Good luck!