A big dilemma, M.S in Berkeley, MIT :( need advices

[omega]

Hi,

I have a good chance of getting into Civil engineering program in Berkeley and MIT. I am currently an undergraduate. I loving doing research and may have papers published this year. I am just not sure if I really want a PhD or not. I am now in a dilemma about if i should go for PhD or go to Industry after I graduate from Master Degree. Berkeley and MIT both offer M.Eng, but M.Eng is less research-based, more project-oriented. I guess what I really like to do is the creative part in research, but this can be used everywhere in industry. What if I changed my mind to work after I graduate. Anyone knows M.S from Berkeley and MIT will get a nice job offer ? or goint for a M.Eng will be a nice choice ? One more question, if i decide to apply M.S, The research project that i am doing in undergraduate level will not continue in my graduate school, how can I point out what my areas of interest are in SOP if I was not exposed to those new areas before ? I guess funding is not a big issue for me here.

Thanks for any input.

Jason

[anthropologygeek]

I would apply to both and if you get into both then your have to decide.

[omega]

i can apply only one program in one department.

[d3amon]

As far as I know MIT offers only MS leading to Phd in Civil engineering...

[omega]

I feel i have difficulty to write SOP, because when asked to talk about long term goals. It is really hard to come up something far beyond M.S degree, have you guys had some problems before ? I mean i can write, but who knows it is going to happen or not.

[UnlikelyGrad]

I feel i have difficulty to write SOP, because when asked to talk about long term goals. It is really hard to come up something far beyond M.S degree, have you guys had some problems before ? I mean i can write, but who knows it is going to happen or not.

It's okay if the project you write about wanting to do (in your SOP) is not the topic you end up writing your thesis on. You wouldn't be the first person to do this and you certainly won't be the last. I think probably at least half of all grad students end up working in a slightly different field than they originally intended.

[navyasw02]

Hi,

I have a good chance of getting into Civil engineering program in Berkeley and MIT. I am currently an undergraduate. I loving doing research and may have papers published this year. I am just not sure if I really want a PhD or not. I am now in a dilemma about if i should go for PhD or go to Industry after I graduate from Master Degree. Berkeley and MIT both offer M.Eng, but M.Eng is less research-based, more project-oriented. I guess what I really like to do is the creative part in research, but this can be used everywhere in industry. What if I changed my mind to work after I graduate. Anyone knows M.S from Berkeley and MIT will get a nice job offer ? or goint for a M.Eng will be a nice choice ? One more question, if i decide to apply M.S, The research project that i am doing in undergraduate level will not continue in my graduate school, how can I point out what my areas of interest are in SOP if I was not exposed to those new areas before ? I guess funding is not a big issue for me here.

Thanks for any input.

Jason

When you say M. Eng, do you mean a MS or are you talking about the Engineer's Degree which is different?

[omega]

When you say M. Eng, do you mean a MS or are you talking about the Engineer's Degree which is different?

I think M.S and M.Eng are parallel degrees; i talked to a few people and many suggested me to do M.S. Only not because company always highly considers M.S, also, M.S probably will have funding.

[navyasw02]

I think M.S and M.Eng are parallel degrees; i talked to a few people and many suggested me to do M.S. Only not because company always highly considers M.S, also, M.S probably will have funding.

Again, are you talking the Engineer's Degree or a M.Eng. Different things again.

MS is basically the same as a M. Eng

Engineers Degree is a MS plus a few extra classes and a beefier thesis in most case. Technically, the Engineer's Degree is the terminal degree for engineers, but most schools dont offer this. See the wikipedia entry on it for more info.