Application Help

[hernesto44]

Hy all,

I am about to graduate from Mechanical Engineering from GA Tech; However I have a horrible GPA, it will be around 2.86 when I graduate. I have taken the GRE already and got 790 on the math part, 510 on the verbal part and 5 on my essay. I have also done undergraduate research for around 3 years with two different professors. I am highly interested in attending graduate school, mechanical engineering as well, but from what I have read my GPA is really not helping my options. In the long run I would like to do a PhD but I hear that PhD programs are even tougher to get into. So is it more advisable to apply to only master programs, as I would have more chances, or should I apply to PhD ones as well? Also, what are some of the universities you think I would have chances of geting into? One last question: Say I get into a masters program and get very good grades, application to a PhD programe should now be somewhat easier right? or is my undergrad GPA going to haunt me that far?

Thanks for your help.