[Reality Check] My chances for MechEng MS degree in the US?

Graduate School
1

Graduated from best engineering school in Indonesia (ITB MechEng),
will be on full financial aid from the Indonesian government (tuition, COL, etc)

Undergrad GPA: 3.39/4.00 (major) . 3.43/4.00 (total), about top 15%

Research experience:

  • 6 month research internship at Osaka University on application of carbon nanotubes
  • research assistant for ~10 months on development of prosthetics (biomech)

Work experience: 3 month internship at Chevron as a MechE + cofounder of medical device startup

Publications: none

Conferences: 2 conference papers, regional and international (materials-nanotech, biomechanics)

GRE: Currently awaiting for results, have tried trial GREs though 162V/165Q

LORs: 2 good recommendations, 1 decent recommendation

Target Schools:

  • Berkeley MechE (Dream school)
  • Stanford MechE (Dream school)
  • Georgia Tech MechE
  • Michigan Ann-arbor MechE
  • Rice MechE
  • JHU MechE
  • Ohio State MechE

Thanks a ton guys,

2

You certainly have a chance at a number of these schools because of your government scholarship. Whether you get into anyone of these schools specifically is hard to judge as some of them are highly selective, but I would think that you will get into one of them at least. As a hedge you might wish to apply to a less selective safety as well. Look for a smaller program that has strength in the specific field of research you are interested in.

3

Hi xraymancs, thanks a lot for the suggestion, will definitely look into smaller programs with possibly more lenient admissions, By the way, I’m assuming my “match” schools are michigan ann-arbor/georgia tech, skimming through my profile, how true do you think that is?

4

I would say that OSU is the most likely to admit you.