Cornell EE ms/phd: dangling by a string?

[VanVeen]

I haven't seen many responses from Cornell on the results page, I'm starting to sweat. I've been rejected from all of my other schools and I'm feeling rather nervous... It seems like I should have heard back by now if I were accepted. I haven't made any contingency plans for the probable rejection, I assumed I'd get in somewhere. Anyone else in the same boat??? any advice? Find a year long job? Internship? But I'd like to do some interesting research or work instead of deck-scraping intern toil, what are my options?

-VV

[ptkmag]

Which schools did you apply to? Yeah April seems kind of late.

I had a friend who went through something similar. He applied to top institutions in EE after he earned his BS from Miss State. Didn't get accepted. Went to work for three years (3 count em). Kept on sending out feelers, etc. Eventually UT Austin called him back and got him funded. So it happens.

[VanVeen]

I applied to MIT, UC Berkeley, Stanford, USCD (wtf is the deal with ucsd? It was my safety but it looks like they didn't want any new ee/cs grad students this year), and Cornell. I'm not entirely surprised that I didn't get into the first three, but I didn't expect to get into none of these schools.

I'm toying with the idea of just finding some research work to keep my level up and make some money in the next year, try to publish something, patent anything, and reapply next year... that or slowly sink into alcoholism

glug

[VanVeen]

I should mention also that I'm graduating from UIUC with a B.S in EE with a minor in mathematics, with research experience, study abroad, 3.8/4.0 GPA, friendly, enjoy long walks on the beach, candle-lit dinners.........................

[Minnesotan]

If you're female, I'll accept you into my "program."

*ahem*

(Nevermind me. I just finished my penultimate research paper for the term. I think a wire snapped in the process.)

[ptkmag]

I should mention also that I'm graduating from UIUC with a B.S in EE with a minor in mathematics, with research experience, study abroad, 3.8/4.0 GPA, friendly, enjoy long walks on the beach, candle-lit dinners.........................

That's interesting. I was just at UIUC (visiting). Really interesting campus. So you're at a top 5 EE institution with a GPA that has to place you in the top 10% of your class. What the heck happened? I'm supposing that your GRE's are also high. You must have pissed off your professors and got some crazy bad LORs. J/K.

[m15a]

i'd say that, since you're in a good school, talk to professors you know there and see if they have any ideas for research you can do. also, tutoring or maybe teaching, is an option. you might want to see if there's any official position you can get with the school.

[ptkmag]

What's your research interest?

[VanVeen]

My research interests are in the domain of communications mostly - wireless communications, coding theory, information theory, networks. CS theory, though I haven't had much experience with it, is also the bomm. Cryptography and number theory in general I find interesting also.

I know that UIUC is basically at the tip top of these fields, but I was born and raised in champaign-urbana, and I feel like my soul will die if I stay much longer.

[ptkmag]

My research interests are in the domain of communications mostly - wireless communications, coding theory, information theory, networks. CS theory, though I haven't had much experience with it, is also the bomm. Cryptography and number theory in general I find interesting also.

I know that UIUC is basically at the tip top of these fields, but I was born and raised in champaign-urbana, and I feel like my soul will die if I stay much longer.

For someone with an undergrad education you seem to be very aware of advanced topics which interest you.

I would imagine your undergrad institution and GPA would make you look attractive to a committee. May I ask what were your GRE scores?

[VanVeen]

my GRE scores might be was did me in, I had a very sub-par performance (for a variety of reasons, but I hate making excuses...) and didn't have time to retake before submission dates- 540 Verbal, 760 Quant, 4.0 written.

for reapplying next year, I'm definitely going to retake and get 800 in quantitative....

[ptkmag]

my GRE scores might be was did me in, I had a very sub-par performance (for a variety of reasons, but I hate making excuses...) and didn't have time to retake before submission dates- 540 Verbal, 760 Quant, 4.0 written.

for reapplying next year, I'm definitely going to retake and get 800 in quantitative....

You'll want to be top 10% in all of those categories if not top 5%. I'm sure you can do it. It sucks that those scores may have been your problem since you've obviously got the right stuff. Surprisingly I was reading that they even look at verbals at the top institutions. They have to have something to separate equally qualified candidates.

On the bright side at least you didn't pick a safety school you'd be completely miserable at.

[errjun]

I really dont think there is any significant difference between a 760 and 800 on the quantitative. Youre talking about getting maybe 2 more geometry/trig level questions right...I cant imagine theyll care a whole lot.

Did you highlight your research experience? I.e. your role in projects, responsibility, etc? Thats a lot more important than GRE math