PSUGrad11

Undergrad Institution: Big State School, top 25 ranked engineering, US Major(s): Electrical Engineering Overall GPA: 3.61/4.0 Length of Degree: 4 and a half years Type of Student: Domestic GRE Scores (old version): Q: 800 (94%) V: 660 (94%) W: 4 (45%) Research Experience: Semester long poster project on computational stability analysis of hybrid control systems Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Dean's List Pertinent Activities or Jobs: 2 Internships with top telecommuncations company , 7 month co-op with industrial company, 1 Internship with top aerospace company Applying to Where: Berkeley U. Wash UCLA USC U. Maryland Penn State All Electrical Engineering MS/PHD

I was wondering how much a school's name matters when receiving a masters? I'm debating whether doing a degree part time while working full time if the company offer tuition reimbursement is worth the stress. I just feel that it will be very difficult to balance academics outside a full time technical job. This also limits your options in only attending local school to your employment location. I'm really interested in control systems and I want to get a higher level education. As stated previously, I have no real motivation to obtain a PhD so that reduces my chances significantly to receive any funding for a masters. I still want to apply to my dream schools, but how can I even attend if there is no funding?

Thank you for your response. My first immediate thoughts were that I have a high probability of getting into these schools, but as you said I figured my application most likely would not receive any awards. If you think I would most likely not get funding, should I try to get a full time employment first to try to pay for it or try to take out some loans and offset the cost later on? Or do you think I should I apply to a lower ranked school to try to get funding? For example, I actually live in NJ so should I consider Rutgers due to in state tuition and better chance of funding or go for a school for a higher reputation name and try to figure out a way to pay for it? I really have no source of income after graduation and I don't expect my parents to support me after undergraduate education.

I'm graduating this December at Penn State in Electrical Engineering and I'm considering graduate school for next fall of 2012. My gpa is a 3.59. I have not taken my GREs, but I will be taking them soon. I expect to score in the high 700s for quantitative, around the 600 range for verbal and aiming for a 4 or 5 in the writing section. I'm a US citizen. I will have 3 summer long internships after this summer and another 7 month co-op for work experience all with fortune 500 companies. I don't really have much research experience, but I am in the midst of obtaining some experience my last semester under a professor. My LORs will most likely be from two previous employers and a professor. I'm thinking about the following schools for a MS degree. I'm not interested in a PhD. So my question is, do you think it is worthwhile to obtain a MS degree if you don't plan on getting a PhD? And what are my chances of getting admitted to the following schools? Should I shoot lower, higher or is this about the right range based on my predicted stats? MS EE USC UCLA UCSD UCSB WashU Ohio St Michigan Penn St Duke