I chose Clemson University since they have a lot of good courses to offer for the graduate program and I saw on their website that they had a lot of research opportunities.
Course Curriculum :
Clemson University offers a wide variety of courses for all specializations in mechanical engineering. My specialization is Design and Manufacturing. The courses offered at Clemson are essential for a design and manufacturing engineer to learn. For courses such as additive manufacturing and experimental methods in thermal sciences, lab access is provided to make students understand the processes physically. Some professors do plan an industry visit as a part of their course curriculum. For courses such as Advanced Design Methodology, Manufacturing Optimization, and Engineering Optimization, real-world problems or projects are taken as a course curriculum.
Exams :
My scores: GRE(312)- Verbal (145), Quant (167); TOEFL(96); There aren't any strict requirements with respect to GRE and TOEFL scores since admission decision depends on several factors such as university grades, experience, SOP, and LORs. It is recommended to have a GRE score above 310 and TOEFL score above 90 for getting admitted to Clemson University.
Placement :
There are career fairs organized each semester which many big and small companies visit. Students have an opportunity to connect with industry professionals. In the USA, most of jobs are secured based on individual effort and the online application process. The referral system is quite helpful in the USA to land an interview. I have seen almost all of my seniors getting placed in some company or another except a very few who had to opt for Ph.D program because of not getting a job. Overall, Clemson University's Career building facility is helpful and they help students by tailoring resumes and cover letters and also preparing students for the interviews. After that, it's the responsibility of that individual to grab the job opportunity.
Internship :
No. I did research and therefore I did not opt for any internships/co-ops.
Events :
I would give Clemson University a full- 5/5 rating in terms of campus life, campus infrastructure, and extracurricular activities. They have a very huge campus with a very huge library at the center of the campus. All the places on the campus are beautiful, peaceful, and pleasant. The Cooper library at the campus is almost open 24*7. You have an access to any book, study material, novel, software, research material, and movies through the library. If you request any of it, they will make sure that it is available to you at the earliest. The library has a printing and scanning facility, technology support for all electronic devices, plenty of space for students to sit, computers, discussion sections, and a café. The recreation center too is very huge and offers a gym facility along with sports including badminton, squash, basketball, swimming, and volleyball, etc. The other center has table tennis, snooker, and bowling activities to offer. There are many active organizations at the campus including the association of Indian students (CISA), Turkish students and student council, etc. Students have access to a WiFi facility 24*7 at the campus. Also, there is a free bus service that connects to the different apartments/accommodation services, campus, Walmart, and other cities around Clemson.
Fees :
The fee for the graduate program of Mechanical Engineering is $12500 per semester (9 or more credits). However, assistantships are available for students choosing the MS Thesis option. These assistantships are provided each semester based on the thesis advisor's recommendation. The living expenses are quite low in Clemson and cost around $400-$500.
Scholarship :
No, I didn't receive any scholarships from the university.
Faculty :
There are around 40 professors in the Mechanical Engineering Department of Clemson University. The faculty and staff are easily approachable. The graduate student services coordinator of the mechanical engineering department is very helpful and she always makes sure that all the doubts and concerns of the students are addressed well. Although some of the professors are reluctant to entertain students outside their research group, others are always open to discussions, doubt-solving, and other queries. The courses provided by Dr. Turner are very impressive and would recommend all the students with design and manufacturing specializations to opt for those.
Hostel :
The accommodation facility at Clemson is very cheap and it costs around $275-$350 per room (without utility costs). There are 2-room and 4-room apartments available. The rooms are separate for individuals (not shared rooms). Options for both furnished and non-furnished apartments are available and I would recommend having a furnished apartment booked.
