Since you might come to Stanford, you probably will be interested in the Unofficial Stanford FAQ.

Preface

This document is NOT an official Stanford EE FAQ. I CANNOT guarantee the information provided here is correct or complete. You are welcome to share the FAQ URL to anyone but please do NOT copy/distribute this document. You are also welcome to contact me if you have any suggestion or question regarding this FAQ. Thank you.

Current Version: 0.8.50 beta

General Questions

Q: What is the "Unofficial Stanford EE FAQ"?

A: The Unofficial Stanford EE FAQ is a document that poses a series of common questions and answers regarding the Stanford EE mainly for the students who have not come to Stanford. The answers you read here are my own thought, and are not official answers from the EE department. Most of the questions are collected from my email sent by other students.

Q: Why do you write this FAQ?

A: Because some students contacted me for the similar questions, I decided to write my answers on the website so anyone can share those information.

Q: What sould I do if I still have questions?

A: You are still very welcome to ask me further questions by email. Just remember to mention that you have read this FAQ, and it will be better if you could brief introduce yourself in the email too. The more information you provide, the more I can help. If your questions are not personal, I will add them in this FAQ later.

Questions about Stanford EE Program

Q: I got MS/PhD admission. Am I supposed to fulfil M.S. requirements first before going further to Ph.D.?

A: To obtain the M.S. degree, you need to take total 45 units courses, which usually takes you 3 to 5 quarters. To know the requirement details of this 45 units, please refer to the EE Graduate Program Handbook. To become a Ph.D. student you need to either pass the Quals OR find a principal adviser. You can be a Ph.D. student before obtaining the M.S. degree.

Q: I heard that Stanford EE Ph.D. Qualifying Examination is "unusual". Can you tell me more about it? A: Yes, the EE Quals is hard, but I will say it's doable. Some students complain that they are not told anything about this Quals from the EE department before coming here. So, I strongly suggest you going through the EE Ph.D. Qualifying Examination web site (including the statistics) and the Unofficial Guide to the EE Quals 1998-1999 before accepting the admission.

Q: Can I transfer my credits from other schools?

A: ONLY Ph.D. students can transfer a maximum of 45 units from other schools. Please refer to the EE Graduate Program Handbook for details.

Questions about Stanford EE MS-only Program

Q: What should I do if I want to take Quals and become a Ph.D. student?

A: Comparing with other MS/PhD students, you do not need to care about the Quals in the first quarter and should focus more on finding an adviser. After two quarters, you can file a petition to take Quals if a regular faculty is willing to write you a recommendation. The petition requirements can be found in the EE Graduate Program Handbook.

Q: What percentage of students files the petition and what is the passing rate for the petition?

A: I do not know what percentage of students finding a professor to file the petition each year. (I cannot even guess.) As for the passing rate, as far as I know, most students pass the petition. I suggest you email the admission office for the past statistics.

Q: Is it "harder" for ms-only students to find an adviser or an RA?

A: Compared to MS/PhD students, I don't think it's harder for a ms-only student to find an adviser or an RA.

Questions about Financial Support

Q: Is that possible to get an RA or TA before going to Stanford?

A: Yes, it's possible (but not often). I know some students who get an RA or TA before coming here. In terms of the RA, sometimes some professors review students' applications, and if a student's background matches the professor's current project or research interests, the professor may provide an RA to this student (usually the professor will contact this student first). Personally, I think it's easier to get funding after you are here. As for TA, I guess the positions are assigned by the EE department.

Q: Usually how soon can I get support after I go to Stanford?

A: It's really hard to say because it depends on how active you are. Few students find support (not necessary from the EE department) in the first quarter, some find it later (around half people I'll say), and some never get it. You need to find the position which matches your ability. My suggestion is to take courses with project so you will have more chance to demonstrate your research ability and to let professors know you.

Questions about Stanford Wireless Sensor Networks Lab

Q: I am interested in wireless sensor networks research. What should I do?

A: I will suggest you finding out what we are doing from the WSNL website before contacting Prof. Hamid Aghajan. You are also welcome to contact me beforehand if you want. Please attach your resume (in the pdf/ps/text format) in the email so we can understand you better.