phsu Posted January 26, 2008 Posted January 26, 2008 I'm applying for MSE phd programs at several schools: NU UIUC Stanford Berkeley UCSB Caltech WUSTL Cornell MIT So far I've been accepted to UCSB and got invited for a campus visit at Caltech. Anyone else?
sigh Posted January 27, 2008 Posted January 27, 2008 I got a yes from Berkeley just before Christmas (yay!). I've applied to Northwestern and Stanford MSE (also UPenn and Penn State), and a bunch of other schools in either EE or applied physics. Is it just me, or do the California schools do this faster than everyone else? Maybe it has something to do with the earlier time zone...
phsu Posted January 27, 2008 Author Posted January 27, 2008 I'm not sure. I heard people were hearing late from both Berkeley and Stanford last year.. so maybe they're trying to step it up this year. I haven't heard from Berkeley or Stanford yet =/
hahniel Posted January 27, 2008 Posted January 27, 2008 I applied to Michigan, WUSTL, Stanford, MIT, UIUC and Caltech. Stanford notified me by email on Friday.
phsu Posted January 27, 2008 Author Posted January 27, 2008 Congrats hahniel. I also heard of a few people who go into UIUC already. I think Northwestern will be tough this year. From what I've heard, last year's class was suppose to be a small group, but they ended up with 40 something students! So I think they may be accepting fewer students this year. What schools are you guys at for your undergrad?
hahniel Posted January 27, 2008 Posted January 27, 2008 I am graduating from Michigan in April. I feel rather fortunate about being admitted to Stanford since I don't feel that my application was very strong. Oh well, I am so excited now since Stanford is my one of my top(if not first) choice. I hope to hear from more schools though. Haha. I really like the program at WUSTL too.
Othello Posted January 28, 2008 Posted January 28, 2008 If you have any questions about MSE at Stanford, I'm a first-year PhD student there.
hahniel Posted January 28, 2008 Posted January 28, 2008 Hi Othello, thanks for the offer! I am already looking into flights to Stanford for the open visit day, can't wait for it. At this moment, I would just like to ask about the chances of getting sufficient financial aid since I am international (can't/did not apply for external fellowships) and money is a huge issue. Anyway, so what are you research are you working on? I am interested in thin film materials/characterization studies.
phsu Posted January 28, 2008 Author Posted January 28, 2008 Hi Othello From reading your previous posts, I found out that you were choosing between Stanford, Berkeley, and Caltech. I'll be visiting Caltech in a couple of weeks, and was wondering what you thought of their department and etc.
Othello Posted January 29, 2008 Posted January 29, 2008 Hahniel, are you an admitted PhD student? If so, you'll at least be given a 1-year fellowship. That's what they provided me with, since NSF and NDSEG deemed me unworthy. After the first year, you'll be under an RA with your advisor. My research deals with studying the mechanical properties of thin film materials. What kind of thin films are you interested in? phsu, I liked Caltech when I visited, and I would have been happy to go there, but it was just too similar to my college (small tech school). The materials science department is small, and there isn't a whole lot of overlapping research between profs, so you really should be certain of who you want to work for. The profs were nice, and I got along with the grad students well. Eh, not quite sure what else to say. Caltech is a special school, and it's not a fit for everyone. I liked it, but Stanford was a better fit for me. Enjoy your stay in Pasadena!
hahniel Posted January 29, 2008 Posted January 29, 2008 Thanks for the information about funding and Yup, I am admitted into the PhD program. I worked on sputtered metallic thin films for surface coatings during my undergrad years and I spent a lot of time characterizing the films with x-rays. However, I am not sure exactly what kind of thin films I want to work on so I am looking forward to the open visit day when I can talk to the faculty and learn more about their research. Perhaps you can give me some advise on which faculty is working on what kind of thin film materials? Anyway, can I ask which Professor are you working with? I have a few top choice Professors whom I am really interested in working with. Oh man, I can barely contain my excitment. Stanford has excellent faculties doing thin films research and was recommended by the Professor in am working under here in Michigan. If I get the funding, the admission offer will be irresistable for me.
Othello Posted January 29, 2008 Posted January 29, 2008 hahniel, I'd be happy to tell you more personal information about me, but let's do that through private messaging. If you want to study the electrical properties of inorganic thin films, McIntyre and Clemens are the profs to talk to. If you're interested in mechanical properties, speak with Nix and Dauskardt. Sinclair does a lot of TEM analysis of thin films. If you have an interest in organic thin films, you may want to speak with McGehee. If you like thin films research, Stanford is a good place to be.
phsu Posted January 31, 2008 Author Posted January 31, 2008 Othello, thank you for your thoughtful comments. I have really only one materials professor who I am interested in working for, but quite a few in applied physics. I wonder if researching in other departments is common at Caltech. So has anyone heard from anywhere else? I have a friend who heard from WUSTLÂ and MITÂ last week. Me.. I'm still in the same spot as before =/
anon54321 Posted February 5, 2008 Posted February 5, 2008 Applying to Northwestern, Berkeley, WUSTL, Michigan, Penn and UCSB. So far, just in at UCSB. Not expecting to get in at Northwestern.
phsu Posted February 5, 2008 Author Posted February 5, 2008 Hey anon, I got into ucsb also. will you be visiting on the 28th?
hahniel Posted February 6, 2008 Posted February 6, 2008 I just got accepted into UIUC! Nothing about funding though, but I am still thankful. How about you guys? Heard back from more schools?
phsu Posted February 7, 2008 Author Posted February 7, 2008 Congrats hahniel. There are some pretty good thin film professors here at UIUC. Hope you enjoy your visit here. As for me, still no word from anywhere else. Not even UIUC. From my class, I believe I am the only person who hasn't received an offer from us. A bit confused. But it's okay, I can't be too greedy.
phsu Posted February 8, 2008 Author Posted February 8, 2008 I just received word from Northwestern! What a relief. Very satisfied with my admissions results now. just in case anyone was wondering, the email states a 2 quarter fellowship with tuition and 2180 stipend. Afterwards RAships are provided according to the amount of available funding.
anon54321 Posted February 8, 2008 Posted February 8, 2008 Any idea when the visit weekend is for Northwestern?
phsu Posted February 8, 2008 Author Posted February 8, 2008 I'm not sure when the visiting day is. The email says I was recommended, and will be receiving the official admission email and letter in a few days. My friend who is a graduate student at NU says they have two visiting weekends set up. I think one in early March and one towards the end of March.
hahniel Posted February 9, 2008 Posted February 9, 2008 Congrats dude! You've already got guaranteed funding! I still have to wait for word on funding, bah..
uefastation Posted February 9, 2008 Posted February 9, 2008 Hey guys, sorry I'm joining the party late, but: Applied: Cornell, Florida, Illinois, Johns Hopkins, Michigan, MIT (Chem), UCSB, WashU (Chem) Accepted: Cornell, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, UCSB, WashU No word on the last two yet.
sigh Posted February 9, 2008 Posted February 9, 2008 Wow, congrats! You've got some tough choices to make... I got the same offer from NU.
anon54321 Posted February 9, 2008 Posted February 9, 2008 How many recruiting weekends are you guys going to? I feel like more than 3 is unnecessary.
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