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Before You Apply
After You Apply
Post-Acceptance
Before You Apply
Q: Whom do I contact in the Materials Science and
Engineering Department (MSE Department) at Penn with additional
questions that are not addressed here?
A:
Irene Clements (ipc@lrsm.upenn.edu,
215-898-8337) is the Graduate Program Coordinator and is best
person to contact. She can answer whatever questions you may
have at any stage of the process.
Q: If I want to get a Master's degree (M.S.E. degree)
as well as a Ph.D. degree, should I apply to the M.S.E. degree
program or the Ph.D. degree program?
A: You should apply for the Ph.D. degree program.
The requirements for the Ph.D. degree program supercede those
for the M.S.E. degree program, thus the requirements for the
Master's degree are automatically fulfilled during the course
of your Ph.D. degree studies. You do not need to conduct two
separate research projects (one for the M.S.E. degree, one
for the Ph.D. degree) to obtain both degrees.
Q: What are the important dates to remember, and can
I apply for admission for any term?
A: The following table is the official application
policy of the School of Engineering and Applied Science.
| Program |
Applicants |
Fall Semester |
Spring Semester |
Summer Term |
| Ph.D. |
All |
January 2 |
N/A |
N/A |
| M.S.E. |
U.S. |
June 1 |
November 1 |
March 1 |
| M.S.E. |
Overseas |
May 1 |
October 1 |
February 1 |
Q: Can I apply electronically? Can I still use a paper
application, and where can I get a paper application?
A: Yes; electronic applications are the only method for applying to the University of Pennsylvania. Paper applications are no longer available.
https://app.applyyourself.com
Q: What examination scores do I need to include on
my application?
A: The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test is required for your Penn application. The average GRE score: Quantitative - 700 - 800, Analytical - 3.0 - 4.0. Also, if you are a non-native speaker of English, then you also need to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The minimum TOEFL score is 250. IBT minimum score is 100.
Q: What is the Institution Code for
the University of Pennsylvania and Materials Science and Engineering?
A: The Institution Code for the University of Pennsylvania
is 2926.
Q: Does the department accept transfer students from
other departments?
A: Yes, transfers from other departments are accepted,
provided they meet the criteria set forth for all graduate
students in the Materials Science and Engineering department.
Transfer students are typically asked to include a letter
of recommendation from a faculty member at their current school.
After You Apply
Q: What factors are taken into account when evaluating
my application?
A: The underlying question that needs to be answered
by your application is, "Does this applicant have the
potential to be a research scientist?" Your academic
background is a large part of this question. If you have previous
undergraduate or industrial research experience, it makes
it easier for the evaluation committee to discern your research
ability. Your letters of recommendation are also important
since they are often written by professors and those who evaluate
research ability. The content of the application should demonstrate
that you have the potential to be a research scientist. If
your application does this, then you should feel confident
in you acceptance to the MSE Department at Penn.
Q: What happens after I get accepted? When do I need
to formally accept or decline an offer of admission?
A: If you are a student in the U.S., you will be invited
to visit Penn so that you can make a first-hand evaluation
of whether Penn and the MSE Department are right for you.
During the visit, you will speak with faculty and graduate
students, receive a tour of both the department and the campus,
and be treated to lunch at a local restaurant. Often, other
activities can be planned with the graduate students, depending
on the length of your stay. The MSE Department will reimburse
you for your travel expenses. Visits by international applicants
are not planned due to the complexities and costs of international
travel.
The next step for you is to determine if you will accept
the offer to conduct graduate studies at Penn. The official
deadline for notifying the MSE Department with your decision
is April 15.
Q: As a foreign student, I cannot visit Penn prior
to making my decision. How can I learn more about the department?
A: The Materials Science and Engineering website (http://www.seas.upenn.edu/mse/index.html)
contains a wealth of information about both the department
and Philadelphia. It also contains contact information for
all of the current and recent graduate students and post-docs.
They are happy to answers your questions and concerns about
the MSE Department at Penn.
Q: I received a letter of admission, but it didn't
say anything about a research fellowship. Why is that?
A: When you are accepted to the MSE Department at
Penn, you will receive two (2) letters regarding your acceptance.
The first letter concerns admissions and is sent from the
School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS). The second
letter concerns the research fellowship and is sent directly
from the MSE Department.
Post-Acceptance
Q: How do I choose a research advisor, and what are
the chances that I will be able to work with my advisor of
choice?
A: In September and October of your first semester,
all of the faculty of the MSE Department will give 15-minute
presentations about their current research and other activities
as well as their graduate groups. You are then asked to speak
with the faculty in whom you are interested as well as their
graduate students or post-docs. This is to determine if there
is a common interest and if the working environment is compatible
with your expectations. Then you are asked to rank your top
three advisors and submit this list to the faculty. Finally,
the faculty meets to determine which students will join which
groups. The likelihood that you will be able to work your
highest advisor is typically 100%.
Q: Can I 'pre-select' a research advisor prior to
my arrival at Penn?
A: Pre-selecting advisors is not practiced in the
MSE Department. However, you will probably have an advisor
or two in mind when you arrive here because they are likely
one reason why you chose Penn and the MSE Department. If you
have already been in contact with the advisor and they are
aware of your interest, this will increase the probability
that you will join that group. Again, a student almost always
gets to work with their top-ranked advisor, so you shouldn't
have to worry about it too much.
Q: What do I do about finding a place to live?
A: One option is the University's on-campus graduate
student housing (http://www.upenn.edu/resliv/gp.html).
This is probably the easiest option, but is usually more expensive
than finding an off-campus apartment. The University's Office
of Off-Campus Housing (http://www.upenn.edu/offcampusliving)
is an invaluable resource if you decide to look for an apartment
yourself. Talking with current graduate students would also
be quite useful in your search.
Q: Am I required to be a teaching or lab assistant
as a graduate student in the MSE department?
A: No teaching or lab assistantship is required for
the Ph.D. or M.S.E. degree programs. However, this option
is often available for students who would like this experience.
Q: As a non-citizen of the U.S., what information
do I need to know about visas?
A: Issues, such as visas, concerning international
students should be directed to the International Programs
Office (http://www.upenn.edu/oip/index.html,
215-898-4661).
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