Alternative Path

[Arash.V]

Dear All,

I'm an applicant for EE major. It's April, and having got no admissions, my hopes have almost faded.

Please give feedback: what if I don't get admitted at all? what other alternatives do I have? what universities get students in Spring semesters? Are Spring admissions funded? Do Spring applications accompany with some kind of problems (e.g. Profs don't have positions at that time?) Is it a good idea to apply for the next year?

Best

Edited April 1, 2015 by Arash.V

[twentysix]

At my school any spring admit was unfunded, and not considered for funding until the next fall.

 

I can't say whether all schools function in this way, but I would bet it is pretty common. Most programs/professors function on year long budgets.

Edited April 1, 2015 by twentysix

[Xyzm]

Get a 3D printer?

Thats my plan C haha

[Crafter]

Getting a 3D printer is a great plan C!!!!!!!!!

 

Now, back to the OP: Are you applying to american schools only?

I see you are from Iran. I am not sure if this is a generalized thing, but I know that many iranian students are being rejected when applied to STEM programs because of political issues, regardless of their skills and background. I don't know if this is true everywhere, but there is a post here with a link to a memo from some good school whose name I can't remember, but they have a sort of policy on not accepting applicants from Iran if they are pursuing STEM fields. The recommendation comes from the Department of Homeland Security.

 

Try to apply to Europe next year, maybe? Before applying next year to any American School you may want to contact the grad school and the department and make sure you will not be wasting money and time.

 

But then again, I just read it in a post here at the Grad Cafe, this may not be a general thing.

 

In the meantime, if possible, try to get more research/experience to strenghten your applications for next year. Also, make something related to your area that is yours and will set you apart. The 3D printer is not a bad idea! Design your own.

[juilletmercredi]

It's not a general policy against Iranian students to general STEM programs. The Department of Homeland Security policy is based on a 2012 U.S. law that declares Iranian citizens ineligible for U.S. visas (student or otherwise) if they are seeking higher education in preparation for careers in Iran's energy or nuclear power sectors. However, every student's visa application is reviewed individually and decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. Students who have no intention of working in Iran's nuclear power or energy sectors should be fine. There's only one university that has made a blanket decision to stop admitting Iranian students to a narrow swath of STEM programs - that is the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and it was to chemical, computer, and mechanical engineering and the natural sciences. I suppose electrical engineering might fall under computer engineering, but UMass-Amherst is the only university who's made this decision.

 

It's doubtful that this is the reason that the OP has been shut out of all programs.

 

OP, if you are applying to PhD programs, it's quite rare for PhD programs to admit students in the spring. If your goal is an MS, then I would say that yes, most MS spring admissions will likely be unfunded since funding seems to run fall-to-fall. There are also often fewer slots in the spring.

 

If you don't get admitted, you could always work in industry or research for a year and reapply next fall.