Getting a master’s degree can be an ideal step towards obtaining a successful engineering career and improving your future. Students who are thinking about applying for a master’s degree in engineering should spend some time researching and learning more about the degree programs that are available to them in order to find the program that is the best fit for their requirements and goals.
Once you have completed your initial research to find out more about what’s on offer, spend some time narrowing down your options by comparing different programs and weighing up what they offer in comparison to what you need from your program. This will help you figure out the best way to apply for a master’s degree program to help you be in with the best chance of acceptance.
When it comes to getting accepted for engineering master’s degree programs, things can often get quite competitive with limited spaces available and lots of qualified, competent professionals looking to get in. Because of this, it’s a good idea to start early and determine exactly what the school or program that you’re interested in is looking for in order to help you improve your chances of acceptance. Get to know the application process better to figure out what you need to do to maximize your opportunities.
Keep reading for some further tips on getting into an advanced engineering degree program.
Table of Contents
Consider How You’re Going to Study
The first step is to determine how you are going to get your master’s degree in engineering. There are plenty of different options to choose from aside from the traditional, campus-based degree program option. For master’s students who are already working in an established career in engineering and need that extra flexibility to get their education done while fitting it around their current commitments, an online program such as this ECE master’s degree online might be good fit.
Studying online tends to be more flexible compared to attending classes on campus and many programs allow you to choose when you want to study rather than requiring that you are available for specific class times. On the other hand, if you like the idea of flexible learning but also feel that you might miss the social aspect of attending college, you could consider a hybrid program that allows you to do both depending on what suits you best at the time.
Speak to Your Employer
If you are currently working as an engineer and considering getting a master’s degree in engineering to further your career, then it might be worth having a conversation with your employer before you decide to go ahead. There may be an employer-led program that you might want to consider before you apply to a traditional college program.
Along with this, you may also have the option to get funding for your master’s degree through your employer if you go with a college program that is approved by them and meet other conditions, such as agreeing to work for your employer for a certain number of years after graduating. Your employer may also be able to help you strengthen your application, for example, by writing a letter of recommendation to the college that you’re considering applying to.
Submit Several Applications
Even if you have one dream college and program that you want to get into, it can hold you back if you only submit one application to the main engineering master’s degree program that you want. Don’t make the mistake of assuming that you are going to be easily admitted into the school that you want or the program or your choice; the reality is that things don’t always work out that way. While there is of course always the chance that you might get lucky, the reality for many students that make this mistake is that they end up without any alternative options to consider and need to wait until the next year to apply again.
Bear in mind that many programs only end up admitting a small percentage of those who apply – even if you have industry experience and outstanding previous grades, this isn’t always a guarantee that you are going to get in, especially if you are applying to a very competitive program. To improve your chances of getting a place, start early with your program research and choose around three to six options that you want to apply to. Get familiar with the application guidelines for each one, so that you can tailor your application to best showcase the experience, knowledge and skills that each is looking for. Remember that even if you’re not absolutely set on the option that you end up getting into, it might be a good option to take it and transfer to your first choice in the future.
Write Your Admissions Essay
Admissions officers often dread reading through a stack of applications essays, although it’s something that needs to be done to find the best applicants for the program. However, the main thing that makes this a tedious part of the job for admissions officers is that a lot of the applications might come across as being pretty much the same as one another. Or some applicants might make careless mistakes that could make it difficult to read the essay because of spelling and grammar mistakes, or because it has been rushed at the last minute.
Because of this, the sooner you begin writing your admissions essay, the more time you will have to ensure that it is just right and in with the best chance of engaging the admissions tutors. Wherever possible, submit your admissions essay online as this is easier for everybody involved. Be prepared for the analytics software that most colleges today will run admissions essays through; not only will this check for issues like plagiarism, but it will also pick out certain keywords that admissions officers are looking for. Before sending your application, consider running it through a tool like Grammarly to check for any typos, spelling mistakes or grammatical errors and check how well your essay reads.
Show Your Strengths
Once you’ve made the decision regarding the colleges where you would like to study and the programs that you are interested in the most, it’s time to consider how you can tailor these applications to put you in with the best chance of being accepted into each one. The earlier you start, the better; this gives you plenty of time to consider what admissions teams are looking for with each program and allows you to put together an application that is going to help you stand out from the crowd and appeal to admissions officers.
It’s important to be aware of and take any opportunities that you can find to differentiate yourself from your competition by showcasing your main professional and personal strengths. It might be worth submitting your resume alongside your application if you are a professional applying for a degree that is career-oriented, as this allows admissions tutors to get a better idea of what you have been doing with your engineering career so far, the type of employment that you have had and the transferable skills you’ve been able to develop that you can bring to the program. It’s a good idea to take the time to demonstrate your best strengths and skills by giving specific examples of where you have used them, why you put them to use, and the outcome.
Consider Requesting an Interview
Today, admissions interviews are not as commonplace as they once were, and you may or may not be invited to one. While not being invited to take an admissions interview might be relieving at first as it means less pressure, the truth is that not being asked to take an interview might not go in your favor. The admissions interview gives you a chance to shine and the opportunity for admissions officers to get to know you in-person, which can improve your chances of being accepted much more than simply having them read your application before deciding.
If you are not offered an admissions interview, it might be worth requesting one. Admissions interviews these days are often held on Zoom or Teams, so you can easily do it from the comfort of your own home, while showcasing your personality and strengths in a way that is difficult to get across in an admissions essay alone.
Tips for Getting the Best Results from an Admissions Interview
Whether you request an interview or are asked to do one after sending your application, the process can be quite a daunting and nerve-wracking one. As a prospective master’s degree student, you might have already had admissions interview in the past. However, when you’re applying for an advanced degree at this level, there is a lot riding on your admissions interview and you will be expected to perform better than ever, with less leeway compared to that which is often given for high-school graduates going to college for the first time. If you’re going to request an interview or have been invited for one, then it’s a good idea to keep some best practices in mind in order to improve your chances of being accepted.
Do Your Research
Before going for the admission interview, it’s important to have done your research into the college and the program you’ve applied for. This is especially important if you’ve been invited for an interview at a school that was not your first choice, since you might not have done as much research into a second or third choice as you put into your first. It’s very likely that you are going to be asked questions about why you want to attend that particular program or school during the interview, so the more knowledgeable you are, the better. Use your research during the interview to demonstrate everything that you know about the college and the course and provide a strong answer to why you want to attend and why you’ll be a good fit.
Consider Non-Academic Topics
You’ll need to be prepared to answer some questions about yourself during the interview that may not be strictly related to your academic achievements and performance so far. This is especially the case when applying for a master’s degree program, since admissions officers are going to be interested in your current career and how that might be related to the program that you are interested in enrolling on. You may be asked about your extra-curricular activities, work experience, projects that you have worked on in the past, personal strengths and weaknesses and more, so be prepared for more than just talking about your previous degree and qualifications.
The more you have to offer, the better; if you’re a member of any professional organizations, for example, or if you have taken on impressive projects in the past, then make sure you’ve gathered all the information you need to bring it up in a way that shows your best side.
Give Examples
Have some examples prepared that you could use when asked certain questions. For example, if you are asked about your strengths in your career, or to talk about when you have used certain engineering skills in the past, it’s a good idea to have a specific situation in place that you can talk about. Admissions officers are interested in learning more about how you have put your skills and strengths to work in real-world career settings, as this helps them get a better idea of what you might be like as a student. You may want to give examples of how you have used your skills in the past either in education or in the workplace to get the best outcome, or how your strengths have come in handy when overcoming issues and obstacles at work.
Getting a master’s degree in engineering can be an ideal way to take your career further. However, before you can meet those career goals, it’s important to consider the whole process of applying for your ideal engineering program and maximizing your chance of getting accepted.
