ssk997

Hi GradCafe regulars! Crossposting from the Q&A sub. Its my first time posting on this forum. I heard of this place through my PhD application research and wanted to get some advice from some of the more qualified people here. I really want to know what users here who already got PhD admits in their desired schools and their safe schools this year feel about my chances. I know this question is probably asked a lot here but I hope you guys'll be patient with me, and please let me know if there is a better sub to ask this question on this forum. That being said, i'll keep it short: Degree GPA Notes Mechanical Bachelors+ Master's dual degree approx 2.9 out of 4 [my school grades on %] finished this 5 year program in 6 years due to my final thesis getting extended, retook 3 course final exams. Had 4 C's and D's. Swedish Higher Education doesn't grade students on a GPA scale. Their grades range from Excellent(A) to Sufficient (E) Information System Master's 3.67 out of 4 US based masters, all A's Research Experience Duration Location Notes Mechanical Independent Master's thesis 1 year research conducted in a military lab + university lab graded, finished thesis as sole author, published in Swedish universities-only academic online journal Mechanical Bachelors's thesis 6 months university lab graded, not published Mechanical Bachelor's summer Research Project 4 months university lab graded, not published Information systems Master's Summer Research Project 3 months university lab graded, not published GRE - 320 (quant 166, verbal 154, AWA 4) My target universities are: U. of Vermont, U. of Maine, U. of Rhode Island, Rochester Institute of Tech, CCNY, Boston U, USF Tampa, Florida International U, Florida State U, UT Arlington, UNCC, NCSU, U of Arizona, Cleveland State U., U of Wisconsin Madison, Washington U St. Louis. My target programs: Mechanical, Industrial, Sustainable My age: 31 LOR's: on a scale of 1 to 10? 6.5. Written by 3 professors from my second master's. My first master's and thesis were 7 years ago so I can't contact them for LOR's. Notes: I went into full time work for 3 years in the IT sector before getting into second master's program. Worked for 2 more years after. 1) Are my universities too ambitious? Should I go lower to get into a fully-funded program? 2) Should I instead go for a PhD related to my second master's because I have better GPA in that one? 3) I have seen in almost all PhD admit profiles that they come from tier 1 universities back in their home country. All my universities (home+US) are tier 2. So should instead apply for tier 3 universities? So far I have mailed probably 80 professors across 10 universities and I expect to email 100 more. But the response rate so far has been 5 out of 80. Please add any more thoughts you have that are relevant to my profile.

Hi GradCafe regulars! Its my first time posting on this forum. I heard of this place through my PhD application research and wanted to get some advice from some of the more qualified people here. I really want to know what users here who already got PhD admits in their desired schools and their safe schools this year feel about my chances. I know this question is probably asked a lot here but I hope you guys'll be patient with me, and please let me know if there is a better sub to ask this question on this forum. That being said, i'll keep it short: Degree GPA Notes Mechanical Bachelors+ Master's dual degree approx 2.9 out of 4 [my school grades on %] finished this 5 year program in 6 years due to my final thesis getting extended, retook 3 course final exams. Had 4 C's and D's. Swedish Higher Education doesn't grade students on a GPA scale. Their grades range from Excellent(A) to Sufficient (E) Information System Master's 3.67 out of 4 US based masters, all A's Research Experience Duration Location Notes Mechanical Independent Master's thesis 1 year research conducted in a military lab + university lab graded, finished thesis as sole author, published in Swedish universities-only academic online journal Mechanical Bachelors's thesis 6 months university lab graded, not published Mechanical Bachelor's summer Research Project 4 months university lab graded, not published Information systems Master's Summer Research Project 3 months university lab graded, not published GRE - 320 (quant 166, verbal 154, AWA 4) My target universities are: U. of Vermont, U. of Maine, U. of Rhode Island, Rochester Institute of Tech, CCNY, Boston U, USF Tampa, Florida International U, Florida State U, UT Arlington, UNCC, NCSU, U of Arizona, Cleveland State U., U of Wisconsin Madison, Washington U St. Louis. My target programs: Mechanical, Industrial, Sustainable My age: 31 LOR's: on a scale of 1 to 10? 6.5. Written by 3 professors from my second master's. My first master's and thesis were 7 years ago so I can't contact them for LOR's. Notes: I went into full time work for 3 years in the IT sector before getting into second master's program. Worked for 2 more years after. 1) Are my universities too ambitious? Should I go lower to get into a fully-funded program? 2) Should I instead go for a PhD related to my second master's because I have better GPA in that one? So far I have mailed probably 80 professors across 10 universities and I expect to email 100 more. But the response rate so far has been 5 out of 80. Please add any more thoughts you have that are relevant to my profile.