Virginia Tech is among the top universities in the engineering and science research in the US. It has a very competitive program at the graduate level. Recently Prof. Mili was awarded $2 million grant for sustainable power, communications infrastructure research. At any such point when a professor gets a lot of grant money, it is usually the case that a number of RA positions would be opening up in his/her group. And hence it would seem that in the ECE department at VT, the funding scenario would be pretty good in the next few months to come. We spoke to Kshitija Deshpande, a PhD student in ECE, specializing in Radio Astronomy.

1) Personal Details

a. Name: Kshitija Deshpande

b. University you are studying or studied: Virginia Tech

c. Currently pursuing: PhD

d. Department/Program you are enrolled in: Electrical and computer engineering

e. Specialization, if any: Radio Astronomy

f. Undergraduate College: College of Engineering Pune. (COEP)

g. Undergraduate University: Pune university

2) General profile/background of majority of Indian students who get admitted to your program in VIRGINIA TECH.

a. Academics - GPA range or % range: about 3+/4 (USA GPA scale)

b. GRE score range (including minimum cutoff scores if you are aware of): 1250-1550 (not sure about the minimum)

d. Do you see more students with some particular kinds of work experiences getting more admissions in your program? If yes, please enlist the specific work profiles.

Mostly work experience of 2 years or so in well known software/hardware companies

e. Do you see more students from some particular undergraduate universities or colleges in India getting more admissions? If yes, please enlist some of the universities or colleges.

Many from IITs, NITs, Mumbai University, a lot from VJTI and UDCT too

3) Funding:

a. Percentage of students getting some sort of financial assistance in the first quarter/semester (whichever applicable)?

Almost all students enrolled in PhD program get departmental funding (TA atleast). Masters with thesis option students may get TA from department in 1st sem. No funding for MEngg (Masters without thesis.)

b. If one doesn’t get any funding in the first quarter, how good are the chances of getting funding in the subsequent quarters/semesters?

Good provided you approach a professor and work with him/her for the 1st semester.

4) Current research scenario in your program,

a. Please enlist some of the research projects that are currently being undertaken in your program/department?
Majorly Software Radio projects, communications, wireless projects with companies like Qualcomm and many more can be found on departmental website.

b. Please enlist any particular research area that has been a major focus in your program/department?

Wireless communications

5) Which other universities have similar good courses in US?

UT Austin, UCSD

6) What job opportunities are available to students like you after their degree completion?

Guaranteed job for atleast wireless communication major in places like Qualcomm

7) What advice would you like to give to the students from India applying to VIRGINIA TECH for your program?

ECE at Virginia Tech is pretty competitive. Make sure you portray your work and research experience very aptly. That would help you get into the Masters with thesis option.