Most lucrative graduate degree?

[ready123]

What is the usual GPA required for MS in EE in the states?

Totally depends on the competitiveness of the school. I'm in the Cal State system, which is lacking compared to USC Viterbi or the UC system. Most EE grad students are working engineers who go here because it's near their job, or international students from India. The GRE requirement is just 800 out of 1600 and minimum GPA is 2.75.

Contrast this with MIT, where grad school admissions for engineering and computer science is extremely competitive. I have a friend who got her BS in Chem Eng from MIT, had a 3.5, reapplied to MIT for grad school, and was rejected. She had to "settle" for grad school at Stanford instead.

 

[ready123]

Does anyone know how much tattoos effect getting into grad/med/business/law school or hired thereafter? I'm referring to ones that are both visible (arms) and not visible (chest/back/etc.) I know a guy who got into a pretty decent law school with tattoos on his arms.

no effect

admissions is based primarily on test scores, transcripts, and essays

and if you do have an in-person interview, you'd be wearing a suit anyway for the sake of looking professional

 

[Wired for Sound]

I have a friend who got her BS in Chem Eng from MIT, had a 3.5, reapplied to MIT for grad school, and was rejected. She had to "settle" for grad school at Stanford instead.

3.5's pretty s.hitty when you're talking about a grad school like MIT. Dog eat dog.

 

[synergy1]

3.5's pretty s.hitty when you're talking about a grad school like MIT. Dog eat dog.

Grad school isn't as difficult to make it into as undergrad. that said, a 3.5 isn't that stellar for MIT, I was pretty close to that in mechanical engineering myself and hardly consider myself "MIT" material.

grad school is about your project and experience, not the school. You can have a joke project at a decent school or a really worthwhile project at an average school.

 

[Demystify]

your goal is to look competitive on paper. That means a 3.6-3.7 minimum GPA, at least a 30 on your MCAT, some type of hospital volunteer/shadowing experience to show you really wanna do this. Anything less, you're gonna have a hard time getting into any med school except DO schools and allopathic schools in the Carribean. Those are like the Devry's of med school so you don't wanna go there, especially if you want to want a competitive specialization. From what I heard, most Carribean MD's end up becoming pathologists and are stuck in a lab all day. Check out this forum: http://www.studentdoc.com/phpBB2/. They got a lot of good info here for premeds

The people on that forum are telling me to get a graduate degree and do my pre-med requirements in grad school but this is a problem for various reasons (my undergrad GPA more or less isn't good enough for grad school AND grad school is even more money on top of my med school). But I think if I stay in undergrad for two more years and really focus I can get my GPA to at least a 3.5 if not a 3.6, the only problem is it'd take me six years to get a Bachelor's, which doesn't seem like something med school would like.

 

[ready123]

The people on that forum are telling me to get a graduate degree and do my pre-med requirements in grad school but this is a problem for various reasons (my undergrad GPA more or less isn't good enough for grad school AND grad school is even more money on top of my med school). But I think if I stay in undergrad for two more years and really focus I can get my GPA to at least a 3.5 if not a 3.6, the only problem is it'd take me six years to get a Bachelor's, which doesn't seem like something med school would like.

I'll tell you, the mentality you should have is that being a doctor is a calling. It's a very competitive and uncomfortable road. Even after you get into med school, you're competing nationwide for a limited number of residencies, and the first two years of med school are ridiculous in the amount of info you need to absorb. All this for a job where you get to deal with death on a regular basis.

My friends that are doctors now wanted it bad. Most of them took 5 - 6 years and were rejected after getting their bachelor's. Some went to grad school, got a science MS, and reapplied. One friend went back to high school and taught biology for a year.

How bad do you want it?

 

[Demystify]

I'll tell you, the mentality you should have is that being a doctor is a calling. It's a very competitive and uncomfortable road. Even after you get into med school, you're competing nationwide for a limited number of residencies, and the first two years of med school are ridiculous in the amount of info you need to absorb. All this for a job where you get to deal with death on a regular basis.

My friends that are doctors now wanted it bad. Most of them took 5 - 6 years and were rejected after getting their bachelor's. Some went to grad school, got a science MS, and reapplied. One friend went back to high school and taught biology for a year.

How bad do you want it?

Fairly badly, but I'm curious as to whether this whole six year thing will be looked down upon by the Med School AdCom

 

[Johnny Soporno]

So I'm really struggling on what graduate degree I want to pursue.
If anybody has these degrees or knows anything about them I'd much appreciate some input.

My real goal is to make lot's of money. I have an interest in all three areas so I'd be happy doing any of the three. The deciding factor is earning potential and job outlook.

If you want 'A Job' which pays well, follow your engineering degree up with a Quants MBA with a minor in actuarial studies; get a job with a company like Zurich Re, or some equally large insurance/derivatives/risk-management company, and you'll pull mid 6 figures by the second year, plus INSANE bonuses paid in Switzerland.

Johnny Soporno

 

[ready123]

Fairly badly, but I'm curious as to whether this whole six year thing will be looked down upon by the Med School AdCom

GPA and MCAT scores are what matter most in admissions

if you got a 40 on your MCAT, how many years it took for you to get your BS wouldn't matter

 

[SmoothTalker]

If you want to be a doctor but aren't quite competitive enough, come to Canada. We're close enough in terms of quality, technology, medical knowledge, philosophy, and laws that you won't notice much of a difference. In fact its pretty easy for a Canadian doctor to relocate to the US.

Now, doctors here do make less, but its still good money.

However demand up here is insane. Many people (1/5 is the latest statistic I've heard) simply cannot even find a doctor already, and most of our docs are set to retire within the next few years while demand skyrockets due to aging baby boomers.

In other words, med school will be easier to get into here, cost a LOT less, hospitals will be looking to give you residence instead of you chasing them, and so on. After you are done, stay here if you're satisfied, move south if you want the really big $$.

 

[vonbock]

As a doctor I can tell you first hand experience. Don't do it. Everyone thinks salaries of physicians are so high. Well lets cut it down now, malpractice insurance rates going up, medicare cuttting payments down, more patients uninsured going to the ER where you get to treat them for free if you are on call that night, more paperowrk to fill out. You heard the saying that the grass is greener on the other side. I am perfect example. I knew several doctors are contemplating quitting. From Anesthesiologist to surgeons to primary care. Even if you use low end 120 k for a doctor, That is for 11 years of schooling, working 7 days a week, and yes I have Sunday off but I have to catch up in paperwork. People always calling you in the middle of the night for refills or dumb questions. Is it worth for 120k or 600k? My friends own liquor store, gangsters, nail shops, they make more than me and I make more than the low end of doctors. Not to mention, so called friends will call you up, and ask you to call something in for them. If you say yes, they think you are easy. If you say no, they spread rumors around saying you are selfish.

 

[Wired for Sound]

Something tells me that for every one of YOU around, there's 5 other doctors that wouldn't trade it for the world.

But what do I know; I'm just pre-med.

 

[Road Demon]

I Agree with Wutangfinancial. He provides alot of good, accurate options:

About the MD...

You get your 4 year degree. Whatever that cost you.

You pay anywhere from 100K (State U) to 160K (private) just for tuition to medical school. Want free tuition do MD/PhD program for minimium of 7 years, more likely 8 years. You still have to eat, no job as you focus 24/7, say you live on 15K a year, so add 60K to your tuition number.

3 year (short, say one internal medicine) residency pays what 45K for 100 hours a week.

Your fellowship is anywhere from 2-5 years, you still get paid 45-55K for very long hours.

To me that is 10 to 14 years without really making any money post undergraduate. Then you cash in as Plastic Surgeon suggests, assuming you get into a good speciality. I also beleive you will work 50-70 hours week as specialist?

Those lucrative specialities are very competitive to get into, so you have to be talented and have done well throughout your MD grade wise. Most MDs are GPs, not specialists.

Again its a long road with alot of personal sacrifice.

Personally, I think a top tier MBA will provide greater lifetime earning potential, than MD. Aka the Snowball effect with earning money, as you are making say 200-250K for almost decade before those MDs are cashing in.

BTW, I have Science PhD. I don't recomend a PhD, unless you have a strong personality and really ready to suffer (high level of natural intelligence is a given). A PhD will train to solve problems both in out of your field, so you have alot of employment options all over 100K, most around 150-250K depending on field of study and employment place. FYI: A PhD is at least 5 years of study, most are about 6-7. The completion rate is about 30%.

I beleive MS in science or engineering field coupled with a second tier MBA is another good option as you can understand the field and manage at the same time. Many people understand the field and many people understand business, few can do both. MS & MBA grooms you for upper level manangement.

 

[Centaurion]

Don't be cynical when choosing a career path. Every career path mentioned in this thread requires anything between 5 - 15 years to complete. Trust me on this one, you will not get very far if you choose a path solely based on monetary gains. I studied engineering / commerce for 2 years because I thought that I would make serious cash at the end, and I would have if I had only been able to complete it. There comes a point when you realize that you need other motivation besides money. I wasn't really interested in engineering nor commerce, and I just couldn't buckle down and sacrifice 6 years of my life for something I didn't really enjoy.

I dropped out and started all over again and now I'm studying law. This is something I really enjoy. When I was doing engineering/commerce it was pretty hard to sit down and study, but with law, since I really like it, it actually gives me pleasure to sit down and read.


Btw, I think a law degree combined with a MBA will rake in some serious dough!

 

[Wired for Sound]

Now THERE'S someone who truly knows what they're talking about.

Gastroentrologists seriously pull a mill a year and work a few months? That's just nuts. I don't know if I'd want to deal with that crap, though. No pun intended. Why do you say Cardiology is the greatest specialty ever?

I would consider dermatology, but rashes, welts, etc. disgust me. Neurosurgery is where it's at, in my opinion. The brain has gotta be the most interesting part of the human body, and you really have the opportunity to change and save lives. Not a chump change salary, either.

 

[DarthAngel707]

Lol is it me or is Plastic Surgeon the only medical student on these forums?

Here's a typical convo between him and a girl:

PS: Hi nice to meet you, I only have 30 sec to talk before I go back to work.
Her: Where do you work?
PS: Oh just at the hospital a few blocks down. Im a resident there.
Her: **thinks CHA CHING!*** Oh well, here's my number be sure to call me.

LOL You don't need this site since you already have society's best wishes on your side.