Profile Evaluation for EE Application

[SamiurRahman]

Hey guys,

I've been on this forum for a couple days now, reading about Graduate school applications. I've been working on my apps for a couple weeks now, and would love it if you guys give me some tips/evaluation on my applications.

The schools I'm applying to:

MIT, Stanford, UC Berkeley, UC LA, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, USC, Caltech, UIUC, Columbia, Princeton, CMU (CS), Purdue, Rutgers, Virginia Tech

I'm applying for wireless communications focus in EE programs in all the schools except CMU.

I am currently a senior at Cooper Union with 3.6 GPA. I know that's not phenomenal, but our school has a tendency towards low grades (Average GPA is around 2.6-2.7). Unfortunately, I have no idea if anyone knows about Cooper's grading policies or not. I've also taken 7-8 courses per semester, meaning I've already finished my credit requirements to graduate (135 to graduate, I have 136.5). I don't know if taking a lot of courses and doing relatively well is a good thing or not though. I mostly took a lot of courses just because they really interested me.

My GRE scores are 800Q and 650V (haven't gotten writing score yet).

I've had some research experience, but have only published one paper and that was also in Korea, so I don't think that counts for much. It was also in Artificial Intelligence, so it would probably help with CMU but not the others. I am currently working with 2 professors (1 from Cooper, 1 from USC) on research that they think will be publishable, but not by the time I apply. Is there anyway I can indicate that? They are both writing recommendations for me anyway, so maybe not? The professor from USC was someone I worked with last summer as part of a program similar to an REU and did research on a Wireless Networking related topic. My other recommender is a Professor at Cooper who I've taken a ton of courses with, worked on a couple projects with, and is also my senior thesis advisor (which is also Wireless networking related). 

I'm not entirely sure on what to write for my SoP, although I have a draft (would be greatly appreciated if people would like to read/criticize that for me too). I am probably going to concentrate on my wireless related research for all my apps except for CMU. I wish more schools other than UC-B asked for a personal history statement, because I feel mine would be really good.

BTW, I am an international applicant (no US Citizenship). I don't know if that puts me at a disadvantage (don't need F1 visa though, my mother is a diplomat so I have a diplomatic visa).

So, please evaluate guys and suggest what I should write for my SoP, what schools I should be considering more strongly and how to approach applying to them and maybe even what I should tell my professors to focus on for recommendations.