Snapshots
Name : Megha Sinha
Graduation College : DJ Sanghvi College of Engineering (Mumbai University)
Graduation Stream : B.E. in Electronics & Telecommunication
Graduation Aggregate : 72%
GRE Score : 1310
TOEFL Score: 112
University for Masters: University of Colorado, Boulder
Course Details : Interdisciplinary Telecommunications Programme (ITP)
Applications & Admits
Universities & Courses applied to :
- Georgia Institute of Technology (GaTech) – ECE, Telecommunications
- Pennsylvania State University – Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE)
- University of Maryland – Engineering : Telecommunications (ENTS)
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities – Electrical Engineering (EE)
- University of Colorado, Boulder - Interdisciplinary Telecommunications Programme (ITP)
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey – ECE
- North Eastern University (NEU) – Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE)
- University of Texas, Dallas- Electrical Engineering (EE)-Telecommunications Engineering
Admits from (Universities & Courses) :
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities – Electrical Engineering (EE)
- University of Colorado, Boulder - Interdisciplinary Telecommunications Programme (ITP)
- University of Maryland – Engineering : Telecommunications (ENTS)
- University of Texas, Dallas- Electrical Engineering (EE)-Telecommunications Engineering
Minutia
Final Year Project : Automatic energy meter reading using ZigBee.
Technical Papers : Two technical papers – One on the Final year project and another on 4G technology. Both these papers were published in the college technical magazines.
Letter of Recommendations : Three LORs; one from final year project guide (also the Head of Department at the time), and two others from Professors.
Extracurriculars : Social Service Certificate for volunteering in the Teach India Program and teaching for one year. National Level dance competition certificates.
Work Experience/Internship: None
Financial Aid : None
Preparation
I had taken up GRE classes in June and kept motivating myself throughout to speed up the flash cards learning. Well,flash cards were very imp in the old pattern though now it’s a different ball game altogether!! I gave my GRE in August 2010 and TOEFL in Sept 2010. March is a better time to appear for GRE because once that’s done you have ample of time for the applications procedure, which is a headache for most of the students.
I did not join any counselors, because I thought the internet had now progressed to a great extent providing unlimited amount of information; only thing is you need to search for it. I took help from seniors and colleagues and could finally manage it all. Most of the students take it up just because everyone else around them is taking it. However, its a personal choice really. Some have pleasant experience while some find it an absolute waste of money...so it varies!!
Advice to Juniors
-> If you have technical papers published in international conference, only then can it add significant value to your profile. It doesn't affect much otherwise.
-> Extracurriculars related to technical stuff are preferred but anything significant can turn tables in your favour. So include the matter carefully and even if you don't have much in there, don't worry people still do get admits.
-> SOP is something that can either make or break your changes. This doesn't mean that you need to have a very good, flowery language to make it look impressive. Hell NOO!! So,don't just follow the counselors blindly, they just give you a set format, and it just makes your SOP look anything but genuine. Bear in mind that no one, except you, knows yourself better
-> Its a myth that you need to take LORs from the HOD or the Principal. Rather you should try getting them from someone who knows you well such as professors who have been teaching you a lot of subjects or your project guide.
All I can say is study well and try to get around 1250+ (for good Electrical Engineering Universities). I think its equivalent to 320 (155+ in Verbal + 165-168+ in Quant) in the new pattern.