Interviewer: Nitish D, 2nd year, ECE department
Interviewee: Abinaya Senthil, MS ECE, Boston University
GT: What led you to select ECE in your postgraduate studies?
Abinaya: I was much more interested in the Electronics domain than in Communication, so I looked for good universities around the USA. Boston is one of the prime locations where electronic companies are, so I chose Boston University over others.
GT: What were the entry requirements to join Boston University?
Abinaya: There are three essential factors to be looked into - SOPs (Statement of Purpose), Letters of Recommendation, and the projects one did during their undergraduate studies. Also, the minimum CGPA required would be around eight.
GT: Could you please elaborate on the preparation of the Statement of Purpose and Letters of Recommendation?
Abinaya: I didn’t opt for any agents to get my SOP done. I divided my SOP into four parts, including the introduction and conclusion, and the other two parts served as a bridge to connect all my projects. Also, I included the names of professors in the university who had worked on projects similar to mine. So, before adding their names to the SOPs, try to take in their consent by emailing them.
GT: Could you please tell us about the timelines to be followed when applying to Boston University?
Abinaya: I filled my application to Boston University a day before the deadline! But I recommend that people fill and submit the application on or before December 15, not exceeding January. Otherwise, seats would get filled up by students of other countries.
GT: Could you please elaborate on how you rigorously prepared to enter the prestigious institution?
Abinaya: I wrote all the three prominent exams - GRE, IELTS, and TOEFL but unfortunately, due to the COVID pandemic, GRE got delayed, but I got good marks in the other two with an IELTS score of 7.5 and a TOEFL score of 114 out of 120. A month’s preparation would suffice for the latter two, whereas for GRE, you require at least 3 to 4 months of preparation
GT: How did your internship in BSNL help in the process?
Abinaya: BSNL gave me the practical knowledge one needs during their undergraduate studies, it gave me a chance to explore my projects, so it was helpful!
GT: What were your projects and publications during your undergraduate? Could you shed light on that?
Abinaya: Try to convert the Mini-Project you perform in your 3rd year as a full-fledged project so that you can add two separate projects to your resume. Apart from that, do a minimum of 2 to 3 online courses from renowned platforms like Udemy, Coursera.
GT: Could you please share with us the moments spent in CEG and how they helped you sharpen your skills?
Abinaya: CEG is a great platform to meet new people, but at the same time, you have to manage academics along with internships and projects. Try to talk to professors and utilize the opportunities provided by CEG. Initially, they might not respond but keep trying to engage with them. Since CEG is in Chennai, one can also use the opportunities outside the campus.
GT: What facilities in CEG did you use to get a seat at Boston University?
Abinaya: By the brand in itself, CEG is huge. People recognize CEG as a big university, so make full use of that since they regard students of CEG in a high manner, Take efforts to improve yourself through CEG!
GT: How did the pandemic affect the admission process?
Abinaya: The admission process started in February to March, but due to the COVID pandemic, the timelines started getting messy, and there were eleventh-hour preparations, which was unavoidable.
GT: Could you please share with us your short and long-term goals?
Abinaya: I don’t have any long-term goals for now, but my short-term goal is to get a good internship in the USA and then convert it into a full-time profession!
GT: What is your opinion about the College Admit Series from the Guindy Times?
Abinaya: It is an excellent initiative from the Guindy Times! While I was studying in CEG, we never got the chance to know all this, but you’re doing a great job in making students aware!
Kudos!
