How are offers of admissions decided?
Completed applications are reviewed by the Materials Science faculty and rated. The undergraduate transcript is generally given the most weight, followed by letters of recommendation and GRE test scores. The statement of interest is not as critical as is often thought — most students have a range of interests that can accommodate a range of research opportunities. (Every year a couple of students write ridiculous statements for the purpose of attracting attention to their application. This is poor policy. Don’t do it.) The ultimate decision to accept a graduate student also weighs the research interests of the faculty, the abilities and interests of the top applicants, and the amount of financial support available that year for new students.
