Golgotha

Rejected as well. At least I can stop worrying about it now. Hopefully SOMEONE off the waitlist gets an offer, although the results search is looking pretty bleak so far.

They're really dragging this one out. It's pretty frustrating.

Samesies. Biosciences, still under review.

I hate how they start the waitlist e-mail with 'We are pleased to inform you...' Buildin' me up just to break me down.

There you have it, got my final rejected from CalTech. So I guess it's between Harvard and UCLA for me.

To be honest I don't have the slightest idea what happens over at admissions. When applying for my Master's I was wait-listed even though I had been offered a position in a lab already. So it's really a mysterious process. But I have heard that MIT has a bias against admitting it's own undergrads into their graduate program..."inbreeding" they call it. Not sure if this is true but my MIT history could very well have worked against me.

Got my MIT rejection today.

Stanford Master's student here. It depends on your end-game. If you want to contribute meaningful research to a field that you're passionate about, and you're excited about devoting the next 4+ years to research, go for a Ph.D. If you just want two more years of coursework and a degree with Stanford's name on it, go to Stanford. In my experience, at Stanford it's notoriously difficult for matriculating Master's students to obtain any significant research position unless they have their own funding. In the end, a Ph.D is a Ph.D, it doesn't really matter where you get it.

Thanks! Sheesh, that's a good question. I've established a foothold in socal so CalTech would probably win out in the event I get accepted into all three (I wish I were as optimistic as you; got rejected from CalTech and waitlisted at MIT when I applied for my Master's). Plus it's sort of a personal dream of mine to work at JPL someday. However I really have no contacts at CalTech, whereas with MIT and Harvard I've had a pretty constant dialogue with professors who have expressed interest in me so it's a tough choice.

Undergrad Institution: MIT Major(s): Mechanical Engineering Minor(s): GPA in Major: 4.7/5.0 Overall GPA: 4.6/5.0 Length of Degree: 4 Position in Class: Unsure Type of Student: Domestic, male Grad Institution: Stanford Major(s): Mechanical Engineering, Design Minor(s): GPA in Major: 3.7/4.0 Overall GPA: 3.7/4.0 Length of Degree: 2 Position in Class: Unsure GRE Scores (revised/old version): Q: 800 (94%) V: 610 (87%) W: 4.5 (76%) Research Experience: 0.5 years: non-cleanroom nanopositioner fabrication (thesis, led to 2 pubs) 1 year: impact attenuation for re-entering spacecraft Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Academic all-conference soccer team, 2 years Pertinent Activities or Jobs: spent half a year interning at various aerospace companies Applying to Where: Caltech MIT Harvard - ACCEPTED UCLA - ACCEPTED USC

I guess I could have been a little more indirect in my approach. I hope he's not offended; nothing to do but wait for his response I guess.

Thanks for your reply. Yea in the e-mail I sent to him, I told him that I wasn't sure if the e-mail was appropriate and that I wouldn't be offended at all if he declined, so I'm hoping he understands that I'm not trying to put him in an awkward position or anything. I guess we'll see what his response is!

Hey guys. So I was internally wait-listed at my top institution, which happens to be my undergrad institution as well. My POI is also my undergraduate thesis adviser, LOR writer, and I've done a lot of coursework under him so he knows me really well and has been impressed with my current/past work. Well, he basically told me that if I got accepted into the grad program, he has an opening in his lab that he'd like to offer me. Now, is it a good idea to ask this professor to speak with those in admissions and try to sway the odds in my favor? Or is this in bad taste? Hell, is it even possible to influence their decisions at this point in the game? *It should be noted that I've already sent him an e-mail out of pure haste and desperation, and in retrospection I realize it might have been a really bad idea, but I honestly have no clue. Feedback is appreciated.

Usually my stomach jumps into my throat and I can't open the e-mail fast enough. I've waited (albeit impatiently) for 4 months now, no use dragging on the suspense at the last minute.

Everything except my official transcript and resume, which were still in the mail.

I think they made most of the Master's acceptances last week. Unfortunately you might be waiting for a rejection. Although I could be wrong.

Actually, the only admissions thus far for MIT MechE have been Master's candidates. AdComm is behind and Ph.D decisions are supposed to come out in early March (maybe this week?) Fret not, you still have a chance!

eye candy

You can e-mail the grad ME department directly and ask about your status. Unless they're in the process of reviewing applications they may be able to help you out. But if you got the e-mail saying your application is complete, then you should be good to go.

I applied to Purdue's ME program as well. ApplyYourself still says I'm missing my transcript, but I've gotten e-mails confirming that my application is complete. They probably just don't update the website after the application has been received. I wouldn't worry about it.

Sub-par GRE Verbal/AW score (hopefully won't matter since I'm an engineer?) Lack of publications/journal papers (although 1 is in progress) Haven't really had any correspondence with any professors of interest

Undergrad Institution: Top engineering school in the US Major(s): Mechanical Engineering GPA in Major: 4.6/5.0 Overall GPA: 4.6/5.0 Length of Degree: 4 years Position in Class: Top 30% at least Type of Student: White male GRE Scores: Q: 800 V: 610 W: 4.5 Research Experience: Currently doing Bachelor's thesis on microfab in the Precision Compliant Systems lab, working on NASA-funded airbag attenuation concept, designed and manufactured prototypical 360-degree optical tomography platform. Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Candidate for Pi Tau Sigma honor society (top 35% of class), NEWMAC Academic All-Conference soccer team Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Several summer internships in the past. Applying for PhD at: MIT - pending Stanford - pending Berkeley - pending Purdue - pending Texas A&M - accepted

Pessimistic. That way I won't be disappointed.

Personal history statements. Especially ones that ask you to demonstrate your leadership experience with lower socioeconomic classes. I'm a middle-class white kid from the 'burbs, my whole life has been white-collar. I honestly had no idea what to write.

Undergrad Institution: MIT undergrad G.P.A: 3.6 Major: Mech. E GRE: 1410 (800-Q + 610-V), 4.5 AW Experience: 2 summer internships as mechanical engineering intern, NASA-funded research position Publications: 1 journal article in progress Awards: NEWMAC Academic All-Conference soccer team, Pi-Tau-Sigma mechanical engineering honor society nominee (top 35%) Recommendations: Professor with reputable background in MEMS, Instructor for one of my courses, Supervisor at my last summer internship Applied to: MIT - pending Stanford - pending UC Berkeley - pending Purdue - pending Texas A&M - accepted