How to better my PhD chances?

[Collegebum]

Hey guys,

I'm writing on this forum because I need some advice about PhD applications.

I just graduated my undergrad, with a bachelors in biomedical engineering. I was premed for 3 years, and during my final year decided engineering was right for me. However, I was more interested in industry so I applied to M.Eng programs and will be attending Cornell next year for a M.Eng in biomedical engineering.

However, since the beginning of this summer, I have realized my desire to pursue a PhD. Although I do not want to go not academia, I have a strong desire for R&D, and therefore want to complete a PhD before I start my career.

The only problem is that my undergraduate career was not that great. My cumulative GPA was 3.21, however, during my senior year, I got a 3.6, and a department award for my senior design project from the Dean of Engineering. I also did not have any engineering research experience, although I worked in a neuroscience lab at a National lab run by the DOE for 2 years and presented my abstract at a national conference.

My goal right now is to work in a lab in Cornell and hopefully find a professor within the department who can sponsor me for the PhD program at Cornell. I spoke to current students, who have said this is possible, but not guaranteed.

My question to you all is, would my application be strong enough for PhD admissions this January if I did well in my first semester of M.Eng with a strong recommendation from a Cornell professor? I can apply after my M.Eng is complete but that would mean another year in between.

What should I do now to best help out my PhD admission for next year?

Thank you.

Edited June 23, 2011 by Collegebum

[starmaker]

Eh, your GPA is fine. PhD programs don't care whether you have the best GPA, they care that you show evidence of being able to pass your grad-level classwork and quals while excelling at the stuff that actually matters (research).

Along those lines, I think the best things that you can do are 1) gain research experience (it sounds like you have some good research experience already, which will help, but more high-quality experience is even better), 2) get your research supervisor to like you a lot so that they'll give you a good rec for all your apps and possibly help you get in at Cornell, and 3) don't completely screw up your MEng coursework.