Question about recommendation letters and GRE scores

[thepatient]

Hi everyone!

My goal is to study for my masters at UCLA. UCLA requires 3 recommendation letters and very high (80th percentile) GRE scores. I've tried contacting a few of my favorite professors from the school where I got my B.S.M.E. regarding recommendation letters, but I haven't had a single response. It's been 8 months since I graduated, so I don't expect them to remember me anymore.

Anyway, I was planning to do this. Enroll into another school with less strict entry requirements (CSU-Northridge). Take a few general graduate classes that apply to all majors. Build a rapport (better than what I had with my previous professors). And hope that they'd like me enough to write me a letter of recommendation to UCLA. Is this a good idea?

Also, a question about the GRE. I am studying for the GRE and I feel like some parts are really tough. I fear not getting to that 80th percentile that UCLA asks for. If I get to the 70th percentile, do I still have a chance, or are they very strict to their requirements? I have a 3.945 GPA. No engineering experience (haven't had luck with that either, but not giving up easily).

Thanks.

 

[thepatient]

Mmm, I just realized that CSU-Northridge does indeed require letters of recommendation. -___-

 

[Vanadium 50]

Your message left some important things unsaid. Are you applying for physics programs? Or mechanical engineering? Or something else?

 

[thepatient]

Oops, sorry. M.S. Mechanical Engineering program.