Do I stand a chance to get into a program for MSc in Electrical & Computer Engineering?

[BJT92]

Hello!
 

Can you guys please take a look at my profile and tell me if I have a shot at any of the top 50 or top 100 even schools in the USA for MSc in Electrical & Computer Engineering (focus on embedded systems). Which schools do I have a good chance at being accepted into? I realize that my GPA isn't stellar. And my profile in general probably pales in comparison to that of most applicants.

 

I have a very strong interest in embedded systems and computer engineering. I have got great grades in relevant subjects. Relevant project work, research and internship experience too.

 

Top school for engineering in Pakistan

- Very competitive to get into

- Very rigorous course load

- Can't pick/drop courses on your own...Fixed course outline

- Out of 140 credit hours only 12 were non-engineering/humanities related.

- Don't have grades like A-, B-, C- etc. If you don't get an A (4.0)...You fall down to B+ (3.5).

 

Bachelors of Electronics Engineering

 

cGPA: 3.13 (7th out of 20 students - Rest of them have a < 3.00 cGPA)

 - 4th year GPA is really good [3.50 (8th semester) & 3.61 (7th semester)]

 - But 3rd year GPA is bad in one semester [2.44 (6th semester), 3.14(5th semester)]

 - The bad GPA was in a semester in which I studied courses I have no interest in pursuing (Control System, Communications)

 - Other than that it is above 3 in rest of the semesters. 

 

Worked on a number of projects:

- 6 Legged Mobile Robot (Final Year Project) - Received A grade

 

     Designed and fabricated a 6 legged mobile robot having 3 DOF per leg and 18 DOF in total.

     Implemented movement based on Inverse Kinematics using a self-fabricated Serial Servo Controller

     to control 20 servos. With ability to be remotely operated (using a PS 2 controller) over WiFi networks

     using SSH protocol, and video streaming from on-board web-cam for surveillance. All controlled using

     a Single Board Computer (SBC) BeagleBone Black running Linux.

 

- PID Line Follower

- Water Level Detection System using self fabricated sensor design

- VGA Display and PS/2 Mouse Interfacing with Spartan 3E FPGA

- Micro-controller Based Smoke and Fire Alarm

- XBee Pro Based GPS Transceiver (to track boats at sea)

- 5 Degree of Freedom (DOF) Robotic Arm

 

- Received semester scholarship for outstanding GPA.

- Won 1st prize and 3rd prize in two different competitions for my final year project.

- Very active in the IEEE Student Branch in my university as an executive member and received awards for my service.

- Interned for 6 weeks in the R&D department of a multinational company that provides embedded systems solutions.

- 2 years of undergraduate research experience (no publications).

- Writing a paper on a multiple channel serial servo controller with speed control...Hopefully it will be published.

 

I haven't take the GRE yet but hope to get a top score.

 

Also, I can likely get really good LORs from my professors who are PhDs from US.

 

Thank you for any help in advance!

 

Also since it seems like that my last 2 year GPA is less than 3...Does that mean I can't apply to programs with 3.0 GPA cut off? This is very depressing... I had above 3 GPA in 3 out of the final 4 semesters and one bad semester threw everything off. 

Edited June 27, 2014 by BJT92