NKnight:

Congratulations Superbrain!

What school accepted you?

bebure:

Congratulations Superbrain!!! What school accepted you?

Oklahoma State University, Stillwater. for Phd in Chemical Engineering.

I received an email from the department today stating that they would not be providing financial aid due to limited funds. I'm quite disappointed because I share similar research interest with the Graduate co-ordiantor at the department. I think NKnight was right about the funding situation. May take a semester or two before one can secure such and that would be based on exemplary performance in which case a TA might be most readily available.

I'm still waiting on the other four schools. I won't send in an acceptance yet just in case I get funding at any of the  others.

@ bebure, Sefago, biina, arshy et al, you guys have been wonderful. Let's keep the thread alive while we achieve our dreams. Love you all.

@ NKnight, did you get funding at UIUC and UT, Austin? Congrats once again.

@superbrain
Congrats on the admit.
If you are into pet, I think conocophilips has some research facilities somewere around there, and might worth looking into for job or research funding opportunities.

biina:

@superbrain
Congrats on the admit.
If you are into pet, I think conocophilips has some research facilities somewere around there, and might worth looking into for job or research funding opportunities.

Thanks. The Chemical Engineering department has strong ties with Conoco Phillips in Oklahoma. That is one of the reasons I considered the school in the first place. Like I said earlier on, I'm still waiting on the others though Oklahoma was top on my priority list so I might end up there.

Congrats superbrain- you could go there for one year and start looking for TAship or RAship if its possible. Also you could try and transfer to another school though I dont know how possible this is.

By the way a large amount of information can be found on this page, I think prospective graduate students should read it:

http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~harchol/gradschooltalk.pdf 

The boy genius – “When I was born, my mother gave me a glass ball to play with. I would
lay and look at the prisms of light shining through my ball. At age 3, my father brought home
our first computer and I disassembled it and then put it back together. It was then that I knew
I wanted to become a computer scientist. By age 5, I had taken apart every appliance in our
house. At age 6, I became a chess whiz , ”

This one got my attention and made me laugh- people usually start their SOP like this and its a really bad way of starting your SOP

@ Sefago,
Thanks. I'm quite confident I'll secure an admit with aid at one of the others. Looks like the financial aid situation is not so good as a result of the recession because two years ago, all admitted PhD candidates received full financial aid at the same school. The amount required for tuition and living expenses ain't so much though. What are you considering as concerns yours?

Superbrain:

@ Sefago,
Thanks. I'm quite confident I'll secure an admit with aid at one of the others. Looks like the financial aid situation is not so good as a result of the recession because two years ago, all admitted PhD candidates received full financial aid at the same school. The amount required for tuition and living expenses ain't so much though. What are you considering as concerns yours?

Concerning mine, I actually had a very mediocre performance in general. Well I got into an ivy league with a graduate assistantship of $29,000, but I really don't feel the place because its in a small town. However, the school is extremely prestigious, so I am putting it on the side. However, I don't like their department also, its really not as good as I want.

@ Sefago
Seems you finally got into Cornell. Congrats anyway.

^LOL, not even close. Hey BlackkBoy how did yours go- did u manage to get into any of the schools because you did apply to a lot of hard ones and I was really skeptical about them?

Hey guys,

I need some suggestions. I am trying to decide which University to attend. I have shortlisted USC and Penn State for MS Petroleum Engineering. Although these colleges dont have programs as good as the top ones(UT, Stanford, A&M, Tulsa, Mines), i have decided on these two.

Any thoughts on which is a better program in terms of potential jobs/internships ,etc?

@sefago
I didn't know I was even applying to hard ones until the results started coming. You predicted quite well.
Anyway got in with TA in a small school in Philadelphia. (Really don't feel like going - high cost of living, high crime rate, blah, )
Also Alberta.

BlackkBoy:

@sefago
I didn't know I was even applying to hard ones until the results started coming. You predicted quite well.
Anyway got in with TA in a small school in Philadelphia. (Really don't feel like going - high cost of living, high crime rate, blah, )
Also Alberta.

Did you get to school into alberta? why dont you decide to go there, excel if you got a studentship and then try and get into a PhD in the US? I know people put the US on a high pedestal but you could try and come there later

SEFAGO:

Did you get to school into alberta? why dont you decide to go there, excel if you got a studentship and then try and get into a PhD in the US? I know people put the US on a high pedestal but you could try and come there later

I'm considering that, but my decision remains in abeyance until I receive the funding letter.
I really hope I can make it to Rice.

^ yeah keep ur fingers crossed for rice- they are very nice to Nigerian students, the other schools u applied for are very tough and they have prolly no nigerian student straight from Nigeria. The schools that are really nice to nigerians are TAMU, UT Austin, UIUC and other state schools except california schools. Its way easier to get into UT Austin from Nigeria, than Hopkins engineering even though Austin is higher ranked- I dont know the particular reason why.

Private schools are way harder from observation, I would postulate because of the availability of funding and the wider range of opportunities coming out from them (i.e banking, consulting and industry), than public engineering schools.

Moviebuf87:

Hey guys,

I need some suggestions. I am trying to decide which University to attend. I have shortlisted USC and Penn State for MS Petroleum Engineering. Although these colleges dont have programs as good as the top ones(UT, Stanford, A&M, Tulsa, Mines), i have decided on these two.

Any thoughts on which is a better program in terms of potential jobs/internships ,etc?

Those are solid schools- which one is cheaper for you?

USC actually presented misleading statistic for its engineering program last year, and there was a scandal about it. However, its still a solid engineering school. I would go to USC but thats because I tend to prefer private schools, but I have this gut feeling that your job opportunities might be larger at penn state.

Can't you email a current student and find out how they place for jobs? Also you can check online for company in the Pennsylvania and california are and scout for oil companies- penn state would be the principal feeder for Pennsylvania while California would have a lot of competition.

Oh and dont forget that California's economy is on a major meltdown. Thats what you get when you make a bodybuilder the governor hehe.

I have been admitted to study petroleum engineering in Louisiana. Still waiting to hear from some other schools but this school has some solid industry links (especially with oil services companies like schlumberger) so I am more than happy to attend it. Plus its not too expensive.

My Stats: GPA:~ 3.5 or Second Class Upper (64%) in Mechanical Engineering; GRE: 760 Q; 550 V; 5.0 AWA; One year work experience as a mechanical engineer & One year materials research (structural adhesives) all completed in England.

Thanks a loet SEFAGO. Appreciate the advice. I think Penn St. may be slightly better in terms of jobs. But i'm really keen to go to USC.
even if it is very expensive, the way is see it, its an investment. The USC brand name itself does almost half the job. Plus there is an option to get your MS without a thesis, which is want i want to do.

Hello house. i want to register for my Gmat text in ibadan, so i need a reputable test center. i reside in ilorin and its unfortunate i cant get any test center there. tanx

bebure:

I have been admitted to study petroleum engineering in Louisiana. Still waiting to hear from some other schools but this school has some solid industry links (especially with oil services companies like schlumberger) so I am more than happy to attend it. Plus its not too expensive.

My Stats: GPA:~ 3.5 or Second Class Upper (64%) in Mechanical Engineering; GRE: 760 Q; 550 V; 5.0 AWA; One year work experience as a mechanical engineer & One year materials research (structural adhesives) all completed in England.

My brother! Congrats on your admission. LSU Pet Engr. is very good and the department has very strong links with the Oil and Gas Industry in Louisiana and Texas. So that's a big one. I'll suggest you start your visa application pronto! Once again, big congrats.

Moviebuf87:

Thanks a loet SEFAGO. Appreciate the advice. I think Penn St. may be slightly better in terms of jobs. But i'm really keen to go to USC.
even if it is very expensive, the way is see it, its an investment. The USC brand name itself does almost half the job. Plus there is an option to get your MS without a thesis, which is want i want to do.

My guy, if you're going for an engineering degree, Penn State is the place oh. I think it's more prestigioius than USC for engineering grad and career placement for most departments are between 90-98%. Just my own 2cents.

keneyinks:

Hello house. i want to register for my Gmat text in ibadan, so i need a reputable test center. i reside in ilorin and its unfortunate i cant get any test center there. tanx

No idea bro,

Do you know that you can actually get to study abroad in one of Europe's best Universities with as low as N500,000 for your school fees and accommodation? Copy this this to your browser for proper information.

http://studyinukraine01..com/2010/04/study-in-best-universities-for-at-least.html

To everyone who has contributed to this thread thank you. Your advice has been of significant value to me. I will visit this thread from time to time in case anyone needs help regarding the GRE exam, converting British/Nigerian degrees to GPA and other grad school admission stuff such as statement of purpose.

bebure:

To everyone who has contributed to this thread thank you. Your advice has been of significant value to me. I will visit this thread from time to time in case anyone needs help regarding the GRE exam, converting British/Nigerian degrees to GPA and other grad school admission stuff such as statement of purpose.

Sounds like a goodbye sorta.

^ hey tell me if an ur offer comes up from alberta. I also wanted you to note that it is way easier to get jobs in oil and gas from alberta than other schools. The work visa process in canada is quite easy I must say than the one in the US

SEFAGO:

^ hey tell me if an your offer comes up from alberta. I also wanted you to note that it is way easier to get jobs in oil and gas from alberta than other schools. The work visa process in canada is quite easy I must say than the one in the US

Yea thanks sefago. I really want to go, but I hope the funding comes with a sort of scholarship/tuition waiver.

1

2

^wtf

Dastardly

BlackkBoy:

Yea thanks sefago. I really want to go, but I hope the funding comes with a sort of scholarship/tuition waiver.

I thot all of Alberta's Chem Eng admits came with a full tuition waiver and funding
http://www.engineering.ualberta.ca/cme/MSc.cfm
http://www.engineering.ualberta.ca/cme/financial_support.cfm

University of Alberta is a strong engineering school- not in the same class as University of Toronto or McGill but close to it.

Also blackkboy another thought- you can try and transfer from the school u are going into in the US, if you want to- I would not encourage it, very unethical and could destroy any reputation you are trying to build in academia (assuming you are not planning to work in industry). However, being fully aware how you were disadvantaged in the process, considering how brilliant a student you were, I would you not dissuade you from doing it.

You did deserve to attend good schools, just that they are really if you lack research experience.

SEFAGO:

Anyways guys just came back from some soul searching discussions- I am technically done with my cycle- I would not be putting concrete info, but this is how my cycle went:

100% naija Boy
GRE: 1490/1600 (790 math 700 V)
GRE subject test: 910/990 (99+ percentile  )
College GPA: Graduating with honors (Around high second class upper/close to first class equivalent)
Class Rank in Department: Probably in the lower part of the class (The top 4 students in my departments will be attending Harvard, Yale, Berkeley, Washington University Med school. The middle pack consist of a couple of guys going to Goldman Sachs/Mckinsey/Bain and Citigroup as well as lower schools like Columbia and then me , olodo group). Dont let grade inflation deceive you- a lot of people in my college where phenomenal especially in my department, and this comes from a very talented science student.

Research: Actually very average (around a year). Worled on several projects though.

Schools applied to: This is going to be hard. I would start with the easiest.

Accepted: Yale (PhD), MPhil Chem Engineering Cambridge Uni (20,000 pounds  ), ETH Zurich+ (Some insignificant British schools)
Rejected: Harvard (Interviewed then rejected- these guys have so much money, man they are like a corporation , I stayed in their hotel- made sure I ate all the free food there, trust bush naija boy) + 12 other schools (Lots of Ivies and other top privates- all in engineering)

Did not like New Haven much, the people where nothing like the people in my undergrad. Not as social as I wanted. I did like the academic culture though- it was brilliant. All the professors seem excited at the work they were doing. I met so many oxford/harvard/MIT people though, in the department I was applying to. Also they seemed to have a high opinion of my undergrad like the snobs at cough cough the big H which rubbed my ego a bit. Got  interviewed by a Nobel laureate too. I felt a bit intimidated but stood my ground during the interview. There was like no black male in all the three departments I got interviewed at. They have like 2 Nigerians come to the whole of Yale Grad school each year anyways, so makes sense.

All in all I did not get into where I wanted.

If you got into Yale for a PhD in Chemical Engineering and Cambridge for an MPhil in Chemical Engineering and you are part of the "olodo group" then I'm guessing everyone above you had a 3.9 to 4.0 GPA and 1550 and above in GRE with two or more years of research done under some nobel prize winning chemistry professor.
Not many schools in the world are better than Yale or Cambridge in anything so you have a lot to be proud of. You must have worked really hard to get there. Looks like you applied to almost 15 schools in the U.S. That must have cost a fortune- but at least you got into Yale which more than makes up for any rejections. Have you decided between Yale and Cambridge?
I'm just happy my folks don't know you. They'd be giving me a very hard time right now if they saw your stats. They still haven't stopped busting my nuts over my two cousins who got into Harvard last year. Congratulations.

I'm guessing everyone above you had a 3.9 to 4.0 GPA and 1550 and above in GRE with two or more years of research done under some nobel prize winning chemistry professor.

Not rily they had the around same GRE score- remember GRE has nothin to do with academic ability. Also I test well relative to my actual academic ability. Most had GPAs between 3.7-3.9 (thats equivalent to a first class). They are really open about grades here. Yeah most had good research experience- not from my undergrad, they actually seeked opportunities both in my undergrad and outside. I wish I had done that. Some had like 2-3 years experience and had published papers and presenting in conferences.

My case is irrelevant, but what I noticed while I interviewed at schools, and from my classmates is that who you know carries more weight than what you know. GRE+GPA are quite irrelevant. Research experience carries a lot of weight and who you did it with. While at one of my interviews, I was continually being questioned about a certain professor in my school who I did not know, but people kept on asking about him. Apparently, he had done his post-doc with a couple of the people on the interview committee and they were interested in finding out if I had worked with him. Immediately they found out I had no connections with this guy, they lost interest in me lol.

SEFAGO:

I thot all of Alberta's Chem Eng admits came with a full tuition waiver and funding
http://www.engineering.ualberta.ca/cme/MSc.cfm
http://www.engineering.ualberta.ca/cme/financial_support.cfm

University of Alberta is a strong engineering school- not in the same class as University of Toronto or McGill but close to it.

Also blackkboy another thought- you can try and transfer from the school u are going into in the US, if you want to- I would not encourage it, very unethical and could destroy any reputation you are trying to build in academia (assuming you are not planning to work in industry). However, being fully aware how you were disadvantaged in the process, considering how brilliant a student you were, I would you not dissuade you from doing it.

You did deserve to attend good schools, just that they are really if you lack research experience.

Thanks. But I am not new to the site you recommended. Tuition is not guaranteed. They only give a 75% of tuition differential for international students.
Congrats on your acceptances. Really it's been one hell of a year. Two acceptances out of at least 15 schools you appllied to. But acceptances are great ones anyway. You must have written a winning SOP to Yale (Yes I know they pay a lot af attention to writing skills). Were you admitted for PhD in ChemE?
Cambridge is also one of the best in the world. Infact top 5 in ChemE world rankings. I'm sure it might take you several sleepless nights to make your final decision (Except, of course, if you consider it extremely expedient to earn a PhD as a young man - Kidding).
Don't you ever say you are an 'olodo'. Anyone who is on the track of having the 'Cantab' suffix after his/her must be quite smart. Gaining graduate admission into top schools like Yale and Cambridge, in my opinion, makes you doubly smart! Congratulations.

hmm