Is MS in Robotics at CMU a good step for a future PhD?

[nalsrayatko]

Hi folks,

I am currently a MS student in a good engineering school in my country and also have double BS degrees in Computer and Electrical Engineering from the same school. I applied for both MS and PhD in Robotics of Carnegie Mellon University in order to increase my chance to get admitted for Fall 2009. Luckily, I have been admitted to MS in Robotics program, but rejected for PhD in Robotics. In fact, my final goal is study to on control, develop autonomous system and to get a PhD in Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE) or Electrical Engineering&Computer Science (EECS) from a top engineering university (MIT, Stanford, UC Berkeley, UIUC, Caltech, CMU), but I do not any hope that I could achieve that at this time. Therefore, since CMU is a very well-known university in robotics, I seriously consider getting a second MS degree in robotics and then reapplying those program with better qualifications and records one or two year later. However, I am not sure that this is a good way and hope to get some help to make every thing clearer.

1) Is this program a good step for a future PhD and academic career based on its curriculum and is it an academical or professional MS program and different from any other MS programs in other universities ?

http://www.ri.cmu.edu/ri_static_content ... enu_id=322

2) Although I know that admission process of the top engineering schools are very competitive and they make decision based on several criteria (research experience, skills, GPA, references, publications etc. ), will getting a MS degree in robotics from CMU increase my chance to get a PhD in top schools? Is the MS in Robotics program as good as MS programs in ECE, EECS of MIT, Stanford..?

Thanks in advance

[ponja]

The question here is what you do with the degree. Naturally being at a top university will give you access to top professors which to work with.

Should you go to C&M get a good project with a good prof and then manage to get published as well as keeping a 3.5+ gpa (mind you which definately is not easy) then sure it will increase your chances. Unfortunately it might not increase your chances much more than getting the same results at a lower tier university.

Feel free to disagree with me here.

[nalsrayatko]

Thanks for your kind reply. I am already aware of what research is and will do my best during my education.

[unknown]

I have finished my B.E in ECE at Anna University in INDIA. I have a great passion for NASA and ROBOTICS.....Its my dream to pursue a career at NASA.I am going to apply for Fall 2010 at some US university. I have not done any projects related to robotics. But I would like to do. If there is a will there will be a way. I have the will . Can you please show me the way to join NASA so that I could work in the field of robotics. I have a CGPA of 8.5(10). I have done a project related to RADAR tracking at ISRO, INDIA. I am going to write GRE and TOEFL in September 2009. Can you please list some universities where co-op is available to join NASA and that would accept my profile. I think Carnegie Mellon University would not accept a person with my profile, because it accepts only persons who have done many Robotics Projects. Which universities would accept my profile? ( they should also act as a gateway to join NASA). How much should my GRE and TOEFL score be? Please tell me if my dream is realistic? Kindly reply me...Thanks in advance........

[navderm]

I have finished my B.E in ECE at Anna University in INDIA. I have a great passion for NASA and ROBOTICS.....Its my dream to pursue a career at NASA.I am going to apply for Fall 2010 at some US university. I have not done any projects related to robotics. But I would like to do. If there is a will there will be a way. I have the will . Can you please show me the way to join NASA so that I could work in the field of robotics. I have a CGPA of 8.5(10). I have done a project related to RADAR tracking at ISRO, INDIA. I am going to write GRE and TOEFL in September 2009. Can you please list some universities where co-op is available to join NASA and that would accept my profile. I think Carnegie Mellon University would not accept a person with my profile, because it accepts only persons who have done many Robotics Projects. Which universities would accept my profile? ( they should also act as a gateway to join NASA). How much should my GRE and TOEFL score be? Please tell me if my dream is realistic? Kindly reply me...Thanks in advance........

[uNQUOTE]

Okie first of all you have no name!!!

To all the people in asian countries, getting into NASA is a dream which you should seriously think about. This is specially true after 9/11 wheere they have become very very strict on laws and leave NASA far away, normal companies in robotics require US citizenship.

And I don't know when you acquired such a dream or working in robotics (last night???). robotics is a very competitve area and people do a lot of work (those who have interest) by the time the complete their B.E.

But MS is something tricky. You don't require any work experience and stuff.!!! Yeah thats true. All you need is a good SOP, grades (which in your case is low), good LORs, and GRE TOEFL Score. Work always counts but is not a very important criteria.

So i would suggest do some work before its too late, and work on other areas of your MS application.

Good universities in Robotics:

CMU

UPENN

UC San diego

UFL

MIT

Stanford

Gatech etc (not arranged in ranking order