Chances - MIT HST (Medical Engineering)

[collegebum1989]

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to get a feel for whether I would be a good candidate besides my undergraduate performance.

Undergrad GPA: 3.2 (Biomedical Engineering, State School) - 3.60 final year

Graduate GPA: 3.95 (Biomedical Engineering, Masters at Ivy)

Research

-2 Years at National Laboratory - One Conference Presentation and Abstract

-Senior Design award from College of Engineering and Applied Sciences

-Masters Thesis - Conference Paper, Second-Author Publication

-International Fellowship (1-year) - Pilot study to developing nation with MIT HST department

LORS

-Great, one from faculty member affiliated with MIT HST department, one from DoD, one from masters adviser.

GRE

-Q: 780, V: 550, W:5

I understand that my undergraduate GPA may not be competitive, but will my upward trend and graduate GPA along with my research experience with the department and pilot study research next year compensate for this? My LOR is also coming from a faculty member. Would this have an effect on admissions if he is willing to sponsor me as an advisor?

Thanks

Edited June 4, 2012 by collegebum1989

[Usmivka]

If anything, your lack of first author papers after doing a masters and all that research time seems like more of a problem than your undergrad GPA--you have time before the next app season, see if you can pump out a paper and get it submitted.

I can ask some of the current program students next week, if it will really, really make you feel better. I don't know if that will be helpful or not though, it sounds like you already have an in. If the prof is willing to advise you and has the money, I don't see how admission is more than a formality.

[collegebum1989]

Yeah, its because i was in a non-thesis engineering masters, so I did not write a thesis, but instead worked in a lab and will continue to work on it in the summer for a second-author publication (since it's not a thesis). My undergraduate research wasn't that great because I had a manipulative PI who took advantage of undergrads, making it highly unlikely to get a first-author publication in his lab.

However, the pilot study which I will be conducting this upcoming year will be a first-author publication. But I plan on applying next cycle, so I will be in the process of conducting the study during applications so I don't know how much it would help. If you could ask, I would more more than delighted to find out lol. PM me if interested.