My question is exactly what the topic title says...how to get into a PhD program for EE...
I just started my MS in EE in Fall 2011...I work fulltime and take 6 credits at a time (fulltime students take 9..also, I got in fulltime, but did not receive funding via TA or RA-ship...which is why I still work fulltime)...I got an A and a B my first semester...not bad for working fulltime and living 50 miles away I don't think...also, the B I got was in supposedly one of the hardest EE grad classes offered at my school
to make up for lost time due to working fulltime, i plan to also take 6 credits in the summer...I am obviously planning on doing a thesis...starting that next summer...if things go as planned, I will finish my MS in May 2013 (classes and thesis...everything)
as far as the thesis goes...one of my classes next semester will be a topics class...trying to decide between Computational Electromagnetics, and Noise in Mixed Signals (trying to decide which suits my abilities better and which has better research potential right now)...I plan on starting my thesis the following summer in whichever topics class I take next semester...
I guess my questions are as follows...
1. How many publications can you get through a normal MS thesis in electrical engineering?
2. Would a normal MS thesis be good enough, as far as research goes, to look good as a PhD applicant?
3. What type of GPA (within the MS program only) do students looking for PhD program admission, have?
4. When do you apply for PhD program (like how long before finishing the MS)?
5. When do people take the qualification exams? (From my research, some people say you need the qualification exams to get in...others say you take it a year or so into the PhD program...this has me quite confused lol)
6. Do they look at your undergrad GPA at all?
7. What about GREs? (I am wondering about these last two questions because they were used to get into the MS program in the first place...so why would they even matter for PhD admission??...it feels as pointless as asking for your HS transcript and SAT scores for admission to the MS program)
some things you should know
Undergrad school: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Undergrad GPA: 3.2
GRE Scores: 800 Q, 490 V, 3.5 W
Current Grad School for MS: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Current MS GPA: 3.5 (got an A and a B this term and that's all I've done so far)
thanks for your help!