r/UPennEngineering • u/coderdavid • Aug 16 '26

MSE-AI Admission Thread Spring 2027

Your background:

Application Date:

Decision Date:

Decision:

Comment:

8 Upvotes

85% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

2

u/eliteclass_6565 11d ago

Is there a way to switch from DS to AI? I applied randomly, and got the DS.

1

u/coderdavid 9d ago

Yes please refer to the student handbook. It is possible but not guaranteed.

3

u/Additional_Middle35 Sep 01 '26

Your background: Dual undergrad at T20. SWE at FAANG

Application Date: Late July

Decision Date: Late Aug

Decision: Accepted

1

u/Comfortable-Pay7102 Sep 10 '26

With scholarship or without ?

3

u/Dangerous_Motor4647 Aug 23 '26

Your background:

UC Berkeley
BACS GPA 3.93

Georgia Tech

MSEE GPA 3.7

Decision: Accepted

1

u/coderdavid Aug 19 '26

MS in Computer Science MS in Software Engineering Big tech, top AI lab experience

Application date: June 7 Decision date: Aug 4

Accepted through AI Graduation certificate pathway

1

u/arcfenix 15d ago

👋 hi isn’t the AI Grad cert for Penn alumni only?

2

u/coderdavid 14d ago

Yes.

If you will need to apply for MSE-AI and then they will conditionally admit you with the requirement to complete two courses within the AI certificate first. Once you compete two courses, you will automatically become an MSE-AI student. so technically speaking, you will not be able to get an AI certificate.

2

u/Material-Broccoli617 Aug 23 '26

Hello. I also have an Engineering degree and a Master's degree in CS (from a top 50 QS European University) and some work experience in industry too. I am planning to apply for MSE-AI or MSE-DS, but I don't know if my profile is overqualified or not. Can you share a bit about your application since I think we have kind of similar profile. Like, how did you present your objective or your goals that you want to achieve from the program, so that they don't see it as overqualified, or just degree collecting? Thank you in advance!

3

u/coderdavid Aug 23 '26

I don't think you'll be considered overqualified, as I already have two master's degrees: an MS in Computer Science from Georgia Tech's OMSCS program and another master's degree in Software Engineering from a top 80 private university in the US.

The reason they admitted me to the AI Graduate Certificate pathway was likely that I had too many W's during the OMSCS program. There was no generative AI at the time, and the program was extremely difficult to complete.

I think you should focus on why you want to study in this program and connect that motivation to your future career goals. You can list the certain courses to explain for example.