Hi, I just finished my junior year at a mid-tier school in the US, and I am beginning to look into chemical-materials engineering PhD programs. I'm at a bit of a loss as to what type of schools I should apply to. For reference, here are my stats:
GPA: 3.96/4
Research Experience: 2.5 years by the time I am finished with my undergrad
Publications: A couple in the works right now, likely to have one published and another one (first author) being submitted by the time I start applying
GRE: Haven't taken yet, studying for it right now
LoR: Can likely get three good ones, one from my PI and others from two professors I know well
I'm also an American if that matters
As I said, I am unsure of which schools I should look into. I clearly want to go to the best programs possible, but I also don't want to be the person who only applies to the top 10 schools and is crushed when I get no acceptances. Is there a "strategy" I should use when looking at schools? Should I even bother applying to schools like Berkeley and MIT? My main concern is even though I have a high GPA and decent research experience, my school isn't very well-known for engineering.
I'm sure you all understand how confusing this whole process can be, so I appreciate any advice.
Thank you.