Distance Learning Masters at Stanford

[koab79]

Hi all

Looking for opinions on how competitive slots for Stanford distances learning Masters in Mechanical Engineering at Stanford. My company is on the list participating firms so I was thinking of applying. How competitive do you feel this program is? I would assume that this is pure green to the institution it seems like a great way to get into a great school. I would be attending part time. In regards to stats I have years of working experience and my undergrad GPA is strong ~3.8 though I went to a tier 3 state school. I was thinking with a strong GRE score I should have a good chance but I am fishing for commments.

More info on the program can be found here

Stanford Honor's Cooperative program

http://scpd.stanford.edu/certificates/mastersDegrees.jsp

Thanks in advance

KOAB

[eesj]

Hi all

Looking for opinions on how competitive slots for Stanford distances learning Masters in Mechanical Engineering at Stanford. My company is on the list participating firms so I was thinking of applying. How competitive do you feel this program is? I would assume that this is pure green to the institution it seems like a great way to get into a great school. I would be attending part time. In regards to stats I have years of working experience and my undergrad GPA is strong ~3.8 though I went to a tier 3 state school. I was thinking with a strong GRE score I should have a good chance but I am fishing for commments.

More info on the program can be found here

Stanford Honor's Cooperative program

http://scpd.stanford.edu/certificates/mastersDegrees.jsp

Thanks in advance

KOAB

They treat HCP students as continuing students ( like you did your undergrad there). Admissions are not as competitive compared to external applicants.

I think you have a good chance of getting in with your GPA and assuming your GRE scores are decent (>700 Q ).

Note they also apply a scaling factor to your GPA...where did you do your undergrad?

[uclacolumbia]

the selectivity: continuing stanford ugrad (least competitivetive) < HCP < external applicants (most competitive)

GRE score should be at least 750. (I think 700 is way too low for an engineering program.)

Your GPA looks good, but where you went to ugrad matters a lot (3.4 at Stanford probably weighs more than 3.8 at Cal State Los Angeles). I also wonder when you did your ugrad.

[eesj]

the selectivity: continuing stanford ugrad (least competitivetive) < HCP < external applicants (most competitive)

GRE score should be at least 750. (I think 700 is way too low for an engineering program.)

Your GPA looks good, but where you went to ugrad matters a lot (3.4 at Stanford probably weighs more than 3.8 at Cal State Los Angeles). I also wonder when you did your ugrad.

I was basing my assumptions off this email from stanford's CS department...

From daemon@CS.Stanford.EDU Mon Nov 6 21:44:34 2000

Received: from Sunburn.Stanford.EDU (Sunburn.Stanford.EDU [171.64.67.178])

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Mon, 6 Nov 2000 21:37:08 -0800 (PST)

Date: Mon, 6 Nov 2000 21:37:08 -0800 (PST)

Message-Id: <200011070537.VAA01100@Sunburn.Stanford.EDU>

From: David Dill

Reply-To: David Dill

To: mscs@CS.Stanford.EDU

Subject: Fall folders

Content-Length: 3705

Status: RO

X-Status:

X-Keywords:

X-UID: 283

In the interests of efficiency, I have elected to send out an email

about reading folders rather than getting us all together to discuss

them. Please take a moment to read this message carefully.

I think we need to be more consistent about admissions. I reviewed

several cases last year where I honestly could not explain why

an applicant was not admitted.

A handout from previous years was included (at least in my bunch)

that contains some guidelines, but this message has more specific

information.

If you see an error or omission in these notes, or simply disagree,

please send me email or talk to me.

------------

In the Autumn and Spring, we have a small number of folders consisting

of three classes of applicants:

* co-terminal BS/MS degrees (Stanford CS undergrads)

* Honors Coop (HCP) students (from industry)

* People wanting to transfer to other departments (or get another degree).

The Winter has a boatload of external applicants, so that’s when we

have to work the hardest.

IMPORTANT:

Transfer’s are held to a higher standard than co-terms and HCP students.

On the evaluation sheet, the threshhold score for co-terms & HCPs was

around 6, and for transfers and external applicants, around 7.25.

Before we made the program more competitive last year, the

threshhold for external applicants was 6.25 or 6.5. We accept

about 1/4-1/5 of external applicants (although you won’t have

a statistically meaningful sample in this batch of folders).

Coterms:

-------

Our main priority is to make sure they will do OK in our classes.

Since we can see their Stanford grades, test scores and recommendations

are secondary unless they are truly problematic (or unless there

is a grade problem).

I would like to see at least a B+ average in the tougher CS courses,

such as CS140, CS143, CS154, CS157, and CS161. It would be great

to have at least one A and nothing worse than a B at this level.

Classes like CS108 and CS193whatever seem to be easier.

The usual guideline has been: the applicant is in if they have

>= 3.5 GPA, and people under that are considered based on

recommendations and test scores.

HOWEVER, be careful about applicants with good GPAs who have had

no upper-level CS courses. Usually, we can ask them to reapply

after they’ve had some more classes.

HCP:

---

The Honors Coop program consists of students working in industry

who are generally working full-time.

Many of these students will have taken some of our courses “NDO” (not

for credit). The standards should pretty much be the same as co-terms

in these cases -- if the grades are good, GREs and recommendations are

no too critical.

If someone has NOT taken our classes, then test scores and

recommendations carry more weight. Still, our main concern is whether

they can handle the classes. Of course, other universities vary in

strength, so you have to use your judgement to adjust their grades to

Stanford’s.

If a candidate is marginal and has not taken our classes, we can

reject them and suggest that they take some classes NDO. If they

do well, they’ll get admitted later (and they can convert the

credits).

Transfers from other departments

-------------------------------

These students need to be treated like external applicants

(otherwise, they apply to, say, Petroleum Engineering as an

easier way to get into the CS MS program).

The guidelines handed out with the folders are fairly reasonable,

but could be perhaps a little more stringent.

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[uclacolumbia]

When they say GRE/recommendation are secondary, does that mean applicants need not submit score and letters as part of the application?

I've seen many programs requiring applicants to submit unnecessary stuff that they know won't be used for evaluation (things like recommendation letters).

[koab79]

Thank you for the replies

Yeah I actually have 2 undergrad degrees, one in finance and one in engineering.work experience in finance but not much in engineering, I just completed my career switch. The company I work for makes getting an MS mandatory as part of there on boarding so I figured why not shoot for the top. My finance degree was 3.7 from a tier 3 borderline tier 2 private school in NY and as I said before my engineering is a tier 3 public in NY with a 3.8. I figured they would have some scheme to ding me for the tier 3 aspect but given my odd profile I figured that would help my chances. I will make sure I hammer the GREs It seems like the deadline is coming up too quickly for me to get my stuff in order for next fall but I will make sure I am ready for the spring. I called them up and asked and they said most people start taking a couple classes as NDO then matriculate, I may do that if things do not work out on my first pass for admission. It seems like this company has some pull when it comes to admissions as they seem to have 100% acceptance with Ga Tech. ( I know not Stanford but still a tier 1 school. Do you think employer name pulls any weight?

In any event you all have laid out a road map on what is required.

Thank you all for the advice.

KOAB

One follow on question I had. As a career changer back and school with a need to pay bills, I was basically a pariah at my institution. I did the work and left usually heading back to work. As a result I have limited exposure to research or any real relationship with professor that would result in a very strong recommendation. I have much better work recommendations. Do you think this will be an issue or the fact that I am asking to do online courses and just take additional classes make this a moot point. I mean I am not asking to do research over there.

Edited November 9, 2011 by koab79

[eesj]

Thank you for the replies

Yeah I actually have 2 undergrad degrees, one in finance and one in engineering.work experience in finance but not much in engineering, I just completed my career switch. The company I work for makes getting an MS mandatory as part of there on boarding so I figured why not shoot for the top. My finance degree was 3.7 from a tier 3 borderline tier 2 private school in NY and as I said before my engineering is a tier 3 public in NY with a 3.8. I figured they would have some scheme to ding me for the tier 3 aspect but given my odd profile I figured that would help my chances. I will make sure I hammer the GREs It seems like the deadline is coming up too quickly for me to get my stuff in order for next fall but I will make sure I am ready for the spring. I called them up and asked and they said most people start taking a couple classes as NDO then matriculate, I may do that if things do not work out on my first pass for admission. It seems like this company has some pull when it comes to admissions as they seem to have 100% acceptance with Ga Tech. ( I know not Stanford but still a tier 1 school. Do you think employer name pulls any weight?

In any event you all have laid out a road map on what is required.

Thank you all for the advice.

KOAB

One follow on question I had. As a career changer back and school with a need to pay bills, I was basically a pariah at my institution. I did the work and left usually heading back to work. As a result I have limited exposure to research or any real relationship with professor that would result in a very strong recommendation. I have much better work recommendations. Do you think this will be an issue or the fact that I am asking to do online courses and just take additional classes make this a moot point. I mean I am not asking to do research over there.

So I received my admit email today for Stanford. Here is what I can now say about the admission process...Grades matter, you definitely do not need stellar GREs, you do need good LoRs and SoP.

I feel I was admitted based on the fact I networked with professors at Stanford. If you have the opportunity to meet with one...do it. If you are able to schedule a meeting phone or in person, make it count. Send a well taylored CV, and prepare some "poster" style presentation detailing your accomplishments.

[justsayani]

i am in a similar situation like koab79.

 

I have finished 3 SCPD CS courses (two 200 level and one 300 level) with couple of B and A in 300 course.

 

3.93 UG GPA (in CS), 4.0 GPA Grad GPA (in Math), GRE Q800 and V400. Applied for HCP CS Masters at Stanford Fall 2013.

 

Waiting for the results this week. Any opinions?

Thanks!