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Engineering Graduate School Admissions with Physics Degree

Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 6:37 am
by kitaewolf
Hi, I'm a concerned college student (aren't we all :0 ), who is intending to major in physics in one of the bigger universities in US. However, it seems that my inclination lately lies more towards engineering graduate school (if I go). So if I apply for an engineering grad school with physics degree (of course to engineering school that accepts physics degree) will the admissions view my GPA differently? For example, I see that most accepted GPA for even the major engineering grad school ranges from 3.4 to 3.6. With my degree in physics, will the admissions expect my GPA to maybe around that or higher?

Re: Engineering Graduate School Admissions with Physics Degree

Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 12:42 pm
by elliott34
YOU"VE ASKED THIS QUESTION THREE TIMES ALREADY

Re: Engineering Graduate School Admissions with Physics Degree

Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 2:38 pm
by HappyQuark
elliott34 wrote:YOU"VE ASKED THIS QUESTION THREE TIMES ALREADY
Don't get upset just yet. The forum has a rule that says you are allowed to ask the same question up to 5 times before being reprimanded for being a socially inept jackwad.

Re: Engineering Graduate School Admissions with Physics Degree

Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2011 2:45 pm
by bfollinprm
kitaewolf wrote:Hi, I'm a concerned college student (aren't we all :0 ), who is intending to major in physics in one of the bigger universities in US. However, it seems that my inclination lately lies more towards engineering graduate school (if I go). So if I apply for an engineering grad school with physics degree (of course to engineering school that accepts physics degree) will the admissions view my GPA differently? For example, I see that most accepted GPA for even the major engineering grad school ranges from 3.4 to 3.6. With my degree in physics, will the admissions expect my GPA to maybe around that or higher?
Look, of course if you want to be an engineer, you should study engineering as soon as possible. They prefer engineering backgrounds at engineering schools, obviously, so there is preferential selection towards engineers. But physics is fine, and if you do well in physics, you'll be a fine applicant to engineering programs.

If you want more detail than that, you'll have to ask in a place where there are engineers. People here are taking/have taken the Physics GRE, so almost by definition we didn't choose to be engineers. Therefore, none of us know. I can say do your research in AMO or plasma, not, say, astrophysics or HET. Or try to get a position in Berkeley's engineering department over the summer--that shouldn't be impossible. These things should show more of an aptitude for the engineering side of the spectrum. I hope that satisfies you enough that you don't have to post the same question again.

Re: Engineering Graduate School Admissions with Physics Degree

Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2011 9:07 pm
by cryingsun
kitaewolf wrote:Hi, I'm a concerned college student (aren't we all :0 ), who is intending to major in physics in one of the bigger universities in US. However, it seems that my inclination lately lies more towards engineering graduate school (if I go). So if I apply for an engineering grad school with physics degree (of course to engineering school that accepts physics degree) will the admissions view my GPA differently? For example, I see that most accepted GPA for even the major engineering grad school ranges from 3.4 to 3.6. With my degree in physics, will the admissions expect my GPA to maybe around that or higher?
In general I think you will be less competitive than engineering undergrads, but you can still get into top engineering programs. Btw, if you are a guy, it is very difficult to get funding from engineering programs.