Masters Program in Bioengineering

[jackblackyou]

What are my chances/shots of getting into a good Masters Program in Bioengineering?

What are my chances/shots of getting into a good Masters Program in Bioengineering?

I am currently a 3rd year at UCLA in Bio-Engineering (going to be a senior soon) with a cumulative gpa of 3.45. I took the GRE's recently and I got a 1370 (730 Q; 640 V; 4.5 AW) I am interested in going to masters in BioEng. and will apply starting next year (I have 3 - 4 quarters remaining before I apply).

Some of the schools I am considering:

-Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor

-UCSD

-Duke

-UCLA

-Washington University in St. Louis

-Rice University

-UC Davis

-UC Irvine

-Case Western

Other details:

I have been doing research since the start of my 2nd year and will continue to do so until I graduate.

Given seminars/presentations including science poster days (total of 3 = 2 Seminars + 1 SPD)

I have got a co-authorship on a recently published paper (2nd/3rd author).

I have won university selected research scholarships (2)

I am pretty sure I will have good teacher recs.

Does anyone have an idea:

Assuming if I applied right now with my qualifications, what colleges from the above, if I were to apply right now would I get accepted into their Master's program?

To better my chances, how much do I need to increase my GPA to, REALISTICALLY?

Thanks.

[theflash7269]

GPA is fine, I would try and get your GRE Quant above 760 though, 780+ would be ideal. Everything else looks like you'd be perfectly qualified for any of those schools/

[profoundquiet]

Your research experience looks great.

To be honest, people applying to the top schools get 780+ on the GRE Quant, so you may want to work on that. Verbal/AW don't matter.

GPA looks alright. Many successful applicants have 3.3+. But 3.5+ would be top notch.

Irvine, LA, SD, and WashU in particular are going to be pretty challenging. I think schools in the northwest and south are a bit less competitive.

UCLA's a good name though. So with a 3.45 + research, you shouldn't have too much of a problem getting into multiple schools.

[jackblackyou]

Thanks!

Also, my top schools  are Duke, Washington University in St. Louis, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and UCSD.

I am worried that none of those schools are going to accept me into their M.S. Program for BME.

I am trying with the GRE Quant. but honestly I am just a poor standardized test taker!

Do you think with my standings I have a good enough shot, if not, what do you think I should do to better my chances?

-Thanks for the Support!!!!!

On 4/28/2011 at 2:03 PM, profoundquiet said:

Your research experience looks great.

To be honest, people applying to the top schools get 780+ on the GRE Quant, so you may want to work on that. Verbal/AW don't matter.

GPA looks alright. Many successful applicants have 3.3+. But 3.5+ would be top notch.

Irvine, LA, SD, and WashU in particular are going to be pretty challenging. I think schools in the northwest and south are a bit less competitive.

UCLA's a good name though. So with a 3.45 + research, you shouldn't have too much of a problem getting into multiple schools.

[profoundquiet]

Yeah, standardized testing is always a pain. I would just say try practicing the areas in math you think you're weak in using a GRE practice book before taking it again.

I think you have a pretty good shot at getting into at least one of these schools. Ann Arbor doesn't look like it'll be as hard as the rest. Plus Masters programs are less competitive than PhD programs.

I think that although your GPA and GRE may be average, but your extensive research experience will count for a lot.

Make sure your recommendation letter writers (like your PI) are influential people and that they'll write good, non-generic letters for you.

Other than that, just stay on top of school and try to raise your GPA.

Good luck!

Edited May 1, 2011 by profoundquiet

[HassE]

listen, no disrespect to anyone else, but right now you have absolutely everything to at least be considered (if not accepted) into every single school that you applied too. UCLA is a top-20 engineering school and your GPA is fine. For meticulous reasons, I would try to get your GPA up to a 3.50 solid, although it would have a very little effect anyways. They say that a 3.0 to a 3.49 is one class, and a 3.5 above is another category.

Here's my biggest question, are you a US Citizen? When people always post their profiles and ask, this is the biggest deciding factor. If your a US Citizen, I'd say your current profile, you have a VERY HIGH shot at every single on of those schools.

If not your a US Citizen, you still have a very good chance, but you might want to try to shoot your GPA up a little higher (maybe a 3.65 since there isn't much time left) and try boosting your GRE scores up.

Remember, as the CTO of my internship told me, graduate school is a business. They will gladly accept you and take your money, however, it's another story when your looking to get funding. For a MS student, you have a very rare and slim shot to receiving any funding (although it is possible, just rare).

As sad as it is, I was accepted into Brown, Mich, USC, Iowa, and others, I only had a 3.5 GPA and a 620/370/4.0 GRE scores. Only took them once as well, I feel a major portion of this is because i'm a US citizen. When I visited the Michigan campus, the assistant told me that 80% of the students there are non-US citizens. So they are desperate for domestic candidates. You can't have a US school with all students from outside US.

This is just some food for thought, feel free to PM me and I can advice you better.

[jackblackyou]

Hi everyone,

just as an update:

My Cumulative GPA: 3.464

My Major Field GPA: 3.690

Jr/Sr. GPA: 3.820

Along with the stats from above:

I have a 1st Authorship that is currently in production...hopefully by the time i send my apps, it be submitted and in review.

Will the above stats along with what i previously wrote help me get into any of the school that i listed earlier??

Please let me know....I am really worried that I might not get into schools like Columbia, Univ. of Michigan, AH, Duke, Washington University in St. Louis...those are my top choices (I'll be really ecstatic if I get into any of those!!) So what do guys think? Any shot or am I dreaming too much?

[jackblackyou]

listen, no disrespect to anyone else, but right now you have absolutely everything to at least be considered (if not accepted) into every single school that you applied too. UCLA is a top-20 engineering school and your GPA is fine. For meticulous reasons, I would try to get your GPA up to a 3.50 solid, although it would have a very little effect anyways. They say that a 3.0 to a 3.49 is one class, and a 3.5 above is another category.

Here's my biggest question, are you a US Citizen? When people always post their profiles and ask, this is the biggest deciding factor. If your a US Citizen, I'd say your current profile, you have a VERY HIGH shot at every single on of those schools.

If not your a US Citizen, you still have a very good chance, but you might want to try to shoot your GPA up a little higher (maybe a 3.65 since there isn't much time left) and try boosting your GRE scores up.

Remember, as the CTO of my internship told me, graduate school is a business. They will gladly accept you and take your money, however, it's another story when your looking to get funding. For a MS student, you have a very rare and slim shot to receiving any funding (although it is possible, just rare).

As sad as it is, I was accepted into Brown, Mich, USC, Iowa, and others, I only had a 3.5 GPA and a 620/370/4.0 GRE scores. Only took them once as well, I feel a major portion of this is because i'm a US citizen. When I visited the Michigan campus, the assistant told me that 80% of the students there are non-US citizens. So they are desperate for domestic candidates. You can't have a US school with all students from outside US.

This is just some food for thought, feel free to PM me and I can advice you better.

Yes I am a US Citizen!