Mechanical Engineering undergrad from Saudi Arabia

[Atif A]

Hello Everyone.

This is my first post so here goes. I completed my undergrad a year and a half (Mechanical Engineering) at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Saudi Arabia and I am considering the following schools for a Masters in Mechanical Engineering for the Spring Semester 2014:

1. University of Texas, Austin
   
   
2. Texas A&M
   
   
3. University of Florida
   
   
4. University of Colorado, Boulder
   
   
5. Virginia Tech
   
   
6. Pennsylvania State University
   
   
7. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champagne
   
   
8. Carnegie Mellon University
   
   
9. Rice University (my father went to Rice for his Masters)
   
   
10. University of Maryland
    

I dont think it would be wise to apply to all these schools in one go so I want to narrow it down to a couple of choices to maximize my acceptance. My profile is as follows:

• Cumulative Gpa: 3.34 out of 4
  
• Major Gpa: 3.6 out of 4
  
• ASME conference papers on: a. Design of a Renewable Energy System b. Design of a noise reduction system for Compressors
  
• Research experience: a. Industrial design project for a year b. Reverse osmosis membrane research for one year (MIT-KFUPM collaboration)
  
• Work experience: Will complete around 2 years in a well recognised multinational company (Oil and Gas) as Mechanical Design Engineer.
  
• Funding: Self funded
  
• Core Research Interests: System level design of Hybrid power generation systems.
  
• TOEFL score:117/120
  
• GRE: Not yet taken
  

I am considering to apply for a Masters of Engineering program in the more competitive programs (such as UT Austin) to maximize my chances of getting in.

I understand it may be difficult to evaluate the acceptance rates of individuals based on the above information but I would appreciate everyones input on which universities I should focus on and which programs may be best suited for my profile. Thanks!

[TeaGirl]

It's good that you have research experience and work experience. Those are competitive schools to get into, so with your GPA which is good but not very high, you're gonna need a pretty high GRE score, a strong SOP and excellent LORs. I'd suggest Picking around 4-5 from this list and adding 2 schools from the 20's and 30's ranks.

Good luck.

[Porridge]

If you are self-funded. That puts you in good stead.

[Atif A]

Thanks for your input guys. And yeah I've been told being self-funded makes the chances slightly in your favor. So What do you you guys think about applying for a Masters of Engineering program instead of Masters of Science?

[BambooPanda]

I know someone who went to Urbana-Champagne and it's a great school. Recommended.