Tobson

look it up: https://engineering.purdue.edu/AAE/Acad ... gradfinaid I am on a Fulbright, so I applied to one school only.

Hey Matteo, you may find a similar profile of mine in the "applicants of 2009" thread in the engineering section. Did you convert your GPA? I wouldn't do that, I don't know about Italy, but the grading especially the "philosophy" of grading is in the very different in the US , compared to Germany. I always think that this is very hard, but I tried: Chances: Embry Riddle Purdue (no funding for Masters) Texas A&M Virginia Tech (I can tell you more this coming fall) Matches: Minnesota Twin Cities Case Western Illinois Tech Safeties Missouri S&T West Virginia

well as far as international (esp. European) applicants are concerned I found a very nice study by the IEE (mostly about the acceptance of the Bologna Process) (http://www.iie.org/Content/NavigationMe ... er2009.pdf) One nice part, applicable to this thread was this:

well as you mentioned one has to be realistic, the job marked for tenure position in the social sciences is really competitive. (I think that is part because there are a lot more women than in the engineering disciplines - where I come from - and also because this job market in general pays less). You should discuss it whith your partner in depth but in my opinion she is right with her doubt. It might be different if you were 33 y/o without debt but with debt it is probably almost impossible. You don't only have to pay your debt/interest, you also have to start thinking about your social security after retirement as well as the possibilty of getting children (expensive). Just run the numbers. A good school with good funding would possibly be a first step towards solving this dilema - especially if you really want to get on the tenure track.

Didn't they tell you anything? About te decision? Good luck!

Haha, I know what you mean, I am moving to the US for my Masters. Since I am from Europe the only things I will bring are my books, clothes, computer and my camera. Any international student will face similar problems and I'd almost go that far and say any student moving more than 300 miles will be in a similar situation. Just see it as the adventure it is. About the academic stuff I don't worry about in the moment, I am in grad school right now, it can't get worse (I am working week-ends and hollydays....) I second the suggestion of making list, especially a time table is very good - for example I have to submit homework on monday and a presentation for an international conference on wednesday - no reason to worry about anything else than that

because April the 15th is the deadline for studentes with funded offers - the first round of admitts. So if somebody rejects the offer, they will offer it to their pool of qualified applicants (which probably weren't as qualified as the first round)....Since some people wait pretty long to decline the offers, some admitts will be pretty late. This is especially true for programs that only accepts funded students.

lol - guys, that's what I am thinking all the time. I am glad somebody spoke it out. It is not called theUNDERgradcafe...

Why do you think so? This certainly depends on the area you want to pursue research in. If they publish a lot they won't have securtity restrictions, maybe you just applied to the wrong schools. But you are right many fields are also covered my the ME departments so this is an advice to take into account.

I second the "Barrons" - it is a good book -especially the practice CD.

University of Rhode Island also has a July deadline. I seriously would call the addmission people and talk to them, maybe it is possible to enroll as a non-degree seeking first (first semester) and switchto degree seeking, that might enhance your initial chance. e: oh I forgot, spring addmission is not recommend by most school, but very often possible.

Sorry but you are way to unspecific. We don't know where you come from, what you want to do with your degree (final degree, or progess to a phd) and honestly I expect a college graduate to at least weigh the options. I mean you selected the schools and applied there ... Good luck with your desicion.

The truth is this is a moral choice which only you will be able to make. There are a few other threads about such a dilema, but personally I would go to the place that wanted me in the first time.

Undergrad Institution: University of Applied Sciences - Germany Major(s): Mechanical Engineering Overall GPA: not comparable Length of Degree: 3 years of Bachelor's + thesis (best grade possible) +1 year of graduate school Position in Class: not ranked, top 10% Type of Student: International, male GRE: Math: 780 Verbal: 380 AWA: 3.0 - I know this sucks, but really I don't know why it is that low - I tried to compensate with a writing sample Toefl: Listening: 29 Reading: 29 Speaking: 23 Writing: 28 109 out of 120 Research Experience: thesis, acknowledgement in one paper (should have been co-author by the amount of work done), one international conference presentation coming this May, Research Assistant Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Fulbright Scholarship study abroad Studied abroad one semester at a top 50ish US University, maintained a GPA of 3.75 there - taking 4 classes. I took three classes in my major, and one history class, in which I was ranked 3 out of 70 participants. (no chance to get credit for at my home instituiton - shows commitment) LOR two good ones, third I don't know Applied to: Virginia Tech - Accepted

well I do not know what you mean by "regional state universities" but there are quite a few universities with late deadlines. Ohio State(1.June), SUNY at Buffalo(15.May), Syracuse(1.July) just to name a few (depending on the departement). But the thing is, I don't know how good chances are to apply that late. Sure there won't be any funding, but how the chance of admission is, I don't know either.

ha sounds like a desicion I had to made some time ago. Well, I went for the program and choose the middle of nowhere location. But it is only for a Master's, for a phd I would take the environment into the equation - happy people do work better. So I would vote for option B - only because you just spent 10-12h in the lab doesn't mean you can't have fun afterwards. :mrgreen:

to be honest this point of view came to my mnd when I wrote my comment - you're right it makes as much sense, if not even more. But I wanted to make that point.

but isn't it possible that if the get new funding they will offer to applicants who have already accepted without funding (but whom they told that there might be funding in the furture)?

well then I would have been rejected many times. :? Isn't it refreshing if even the graduate coordinator doesn't know when desicions will be made..... It is not over till it is over!

well you should know wheter you want a MS degree or a PHD....? Same goes for specialization. If you are not sure about the specialization, the MS degree might be better, because you have the chance to gain insight over what you really want. We cannot make the desicion for you!

don't get crazy folks, eduaction is what you make out of it. I'd personally go for the funded offers - gives you the stability you need for a fruitfull research and in the end it comes down how good and many publications you have published.

well I sure won' t claim parentship. But as long it keeps me from spaming my schools I don't care what I do....

Tomorrow the waiting should be over.

Thanks for your reply. Maybe I should have mentioned that I applied for a MS program. What I just don't understand that they dodge all the time, telling me that there hasn't been made a desicion yet , and that they don't know when there wiill be one....that is just bad style...

Hey folks, I am Fulbright grantee from Germany, unfortunately we are only allowed to apply to one school and my (semi free) top choice was Virginia Tech. First they messed up my stuff at the graduate school and lost my Toefl score report, so after a long time of waiting they sent it out to the department and that is the place where it still is. The secretary/grad coordinator told me that a descicon will be made "shortly", that was three weeks ago. Last week she, as well as the graduate school told me that a descicon on my application has not been made yet and is not due to April the 15th. I just don't get why this is taking so long, I am fully funded by the program...., am I waitlisted?...any ideas? My stats, in case it helps: GRE: Math: 780 Verbal: 380 AWA: 3.0 - I know this sucks, but really I don't know why it is that low Toefl: Listening: 29 Reading: 29 Speaking: 23 Writing: 28 109 out of 120 GPA: hard to translate, the System is very different, A's are only given for outstanding work - so I would say it is something like a B+. Finished my Bachelor's thesis with the best grade possible. Studied abroad one semester at a top 50ish US University, maintained a GPA of 3.75 there - taking 4 classes. I took three classes in my major, and one history class, in which I was ranked 3 out of 70 participants. This professor also wrote me a LOR. Other than that I am graduate student here, also working as a RA.