Graduate School

[alphatarget1]

Me: 1 1/2 years away from getting my BS in Civil Engineering.

What I want to do: go to grad school for structural engineering, maybe blast design (w00t.)

For those of you that are going to graduate school, could you tell me a little more of doing research and stuff and what it is like? I have OK grades (3.38) because I slacked off a lot during freshman/sophomore years but my grades from then on are really good. Working in the industry isn't really appealing to me, I feel like all that cool math stuff and the theories I learned over the years are going to go down the drain.

Any comments are welcome!

 

[CycloWizard]

I can tell you that it would greatly behoove you to get some research experience in now. I started doing research year-round right after my sophomore year. My GPA suffered terribly (graduated with a 2.99 ), but I got into a pretty good grad school because I had extensive research experience. Basically, grad schools will look at the following things:

1. GRE - as long as you don't suck it up too bad, they'll put a check mark next to this one and you're good (getting a very high score won't really help though)
2. GPA - how well did you do in certain classes in particular? Your GPA in your major classes is probably much more important than your overall GPA, as all you'll take in grad school are major classes (maybe some math and such as well, but same idea)
3. Experience - research or industrial experience is good. The major part of any doctoral program is the dissertation, so demonstrating that you can work independently and do something novel on your own is really a big bonus. Having one or two publications is also a big plus.
4. Personal statement/admissions essay - be frank, admit your weaknesses and your strengths. Demonstrating that you know your weaknesses instantly makes you a better candidate, as you can work around them if you know them. If you don't know them, then they'll constantly be slowing you down. Just as important is knowing what you're good at so you can focus on it and get the most out of yourself.

There are six people in my class, four worked for a while before coming to grad school, while two of us (myself included) went straight from undergrad to grad school. Industrial experience is very helpful, possibly as helpful as research. One problem I'm finding in my own research is that I have a lot of theoretical/textbook knowledge, but my practical experience is lacking. Those people in my class who have worked seem to be lacking on the theory, but doing well on the practical stuff. However, this link is not always true - many people are just simply better at theory than experiments or vice versa. Thus, you should ask yourself: are you good at experimental work or theoretical? Many programs will offer more theory-based research than experimental or vice versa, so that's another thing to consider. I'm sure there's more, but that's a good start.

 

[alphatarget1]

Originally posted by: CycloWizard
I can tell you that it would greatly behoove you to get some research experience in now. I started doing research year-round right after my sophomore year. My GPA suffered terribly (graduated with a 2.99 ), but I got into a pretty good grad school because I had extensive research experience. Basically, grad schools will look at the following things:

1. GRE - as long as you don't suck it up too bad, they'll put a check mark next to this one and you're good (getting a very high score won't really help though)
2. GPA - how well did you do in certain classes in particular? Your GPA in your major classes is probably much more important than your overall GPA, as all you'll take in grad school are major classes (maybe some math and such as well, but same idea)
3. Experience - research or industrial experience is good. The major part of any doctoral program is the dissertation, so demonstrating that you can work independently and do something novel on your own is really a big bonus. Having one or two publications is also a big plus.
4. Personal statement/admissions essay - be frank, admit your weaknesses and your strengths. Demonstrating that you know your weaknesses instantly makes you a better candidate, as you can work around them if you know them. If you don't know them, then they'll constantly be slowing you down. Just as important is knowing what you're good at so you can focus on it and get the most out of yourself.

There are six people in my class, four worked for a while before coming to grad school, while two of us (myself included) went straight from undergrad to grad school. Industrial experience is very helpful, possibly as helpful as research. One problem I'm finding in my own research is that I have a lot of theoretical/textbook knowledge, but my practical experience is lacking. Those people in my class who have worked seem to be lacking on the theory, but doing well on the practical stuff. However, this link is not always true - many people are just simply better at theory than experiments or vice versa. Thus, you should ask yourself: are you good at experimental work or theoretical? Many programs will offer more theory-based research than experimental or vice versa, so that's another thing to consider. I'm sure there's more, but that's a good start.

I haven't really gotten much research experience. I have some work experience (been working at this firm for about 2 months for an internship) designing houses and stuff. My major GPA is pretty good (3.5 something) but that doesn't include the supporting courses, which drops it down to 3.2 something.

One reason why I wanted to go to grad school is that I want to do more theoretical stuff. Structural Engineering is really code-based. Let's say you're working with concrete. All the development length (embedment length needed to develop full strength in the reinforcing) stuff and shear cracking stuff is based on research. I'm planning to go straight into grad school and I won't by any means have ample knowledge as a design engineer, but I will have a pretty firm grasp of practical stuff.

Did you get any assistantships (research, teaching)? I taught two help sessions (where they go into my class and copy homework solutions ) and I thought that was enjoyable, so that's a plus I guess. Thanks!

 

[CycloWizard]

Originally posted by: alphatarget1
Did you get any assistantships (research, teaching)? I taught two help sessions (where they go into my class and copy homework solutions ) and I thought that was enjoyable, so that's a plus I guess. Thanks!

Yes, I got all my tuition paid, plus a monthly stipend. As an engineer, you should NEVER pay for grad school (unless you're older and just have so much money you don't know what to do with it), and should expect to earn a modest stipend (at least $1000/month, more if you live somewhere expensive). I would definitely mention your 'teaching experience' in your admission essay, regardless of how limited - forgot to mention that in my first post.

 

[alphatarget1]

Originally posted by: CycloWizard

Originally posted by: alphatarget1
Did you get any assistantships (research, teaching)? I taught two help sessions (where they go into my class and copy homework solutions ) and I thought that was enjoyable, so that's a plus I guess. Thanks!

Yes, I got all my tuition paid, plus a monthly stipend. As an engineer, you should NEVER pay for grad school (unless you're older and just have so much money you don't know what to do with it), and should expect to earn a modest stipend (at least $1000/month, more if you live somewhere expensive). I would definitely mention your 'teaching experience' in your admission essay, regardless of how limited - forgot to mention that in my first post.

You go to UW right? Were you from Washington or did you come from out of state? I want to leave California for a few... So I don't know how that works. I've been told that research assistantships are better, since you can work on your own thesis, but I wouldn't mind teaching either...

 

[CycloWizard]

Originally posted by: alphatarget1
You go to UW right? Were you from Washington or did you come from out of state? I want to leave California for a few... So I don't know how that works. I've been told that research assistantships are better, since you can work on your own thesis, but I wouldn't mind teaching either...

Actually I go to Wash U, which is in St. Louis. I'm from Indiana, did BS/MS in Ohio, then came here.

I don't really know of anyone that gives teaching assistantships in engineering, though they may exist. Everyone I know is on a research assistantship/fellowship. We're required to do some grading for professors as part of that, but not actually teach.