An extra tip: Sometimes you can "tranfer in-transfer out" from schools in the same geographical area. Those schools call themselves "Associated Universities". For example: Boston University, Northeastern University, MIT and Harvard are four associated universities. You can join a PhD program in one school, and for the first two years stay in that school, however cross register for classes in any of the four schools. Of course, if it ought to be engineering, MIT may be the best choice. Then after taking classes, knowing professors, and that if you are to show symptons to shine, you can find yourself an adviser in that school, and transfer. That is what I call "Transfer-in Transfer-out". I have done it. So, thought it may be helpful for you to know. B.