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ritendra · 04-01-2004, 04:55 PM

Hello,

Vishwa: I have partial fellowships in both, but this amount is much less in Stonybrook. I still have to work as a TA for the tution-waiver and stipend. The stipend also happens to be less in Stonybrook. So overall the money factor is always there, coz NY is as such much more expensive than PA, same goes for these university locations. Both have open offers in the sense that I can choose my advisor and research area after I go. So that's the thing. There are reputed profs in both, but that number I think is more in Stonybrook. I would hope you give me some more insights :-).

Jaideep: Are you a bengali? Where are you and what are you doing now? Thanks a lot. It always sounds good to be congratulated. My profile I have posted in an earlier posting (when I got the Penn State offer). I have 82% in my bachelors (6 semester average) in Information Technology from Bengal Engineering College, Shibpur,India. GRE:800Q,630V, AWA5.0, TOEFL:293, TSE 60. Research experience : Mostly independent research, but one vital Summer internship in a Petrochem company in West Bengal. wrote a few papers, sent them with my app, but had no publications nor sent any for review (basically because I thought they weren't worth publishing). Recommendation letters: were very very specific from my college profs: I did not see them but I gave the profs my SOP and resume, and requested them to be specific , and I think they could easily do it because I chose my fave profs. This was vital.

I would say I take most credit for my Stonybrook schol, because they presently have no more than 1-2 students who got a direct PhD from a BE from India other than from IIT. Competition for these have these and lack of funding had become a noram in the last 2-3 years in the US. The main thing was my SOP, the specific recos, and yes, TSE (If you wan't aid, take it). But I beleive what's most vital is your genuine interest in going into research and finishing a PhD if you are applying for one. In my case that was always there, and it got well reflected in my SOP and recos. For PhD, research potential and experience comes FIRST, and everything else (including the GREs etc) come next. Ofcourse it is important to have decent GREs so that your applications go into the round where Profs get to see it, otherwise it is pointless. Ofcourse it also helped that I have world-rank 851 in ACM UVa Problems Solving System, 56th in Bitwise 2k4, and cam 6th in ACM ICPC. What makes me feel good is that now I know that their admissions process is unbiased, and that I proved many wrong who told me that getting into direct PhD with aid in good CS Schools from a relatively unknown school in India was tough.

Phew..that was long ... but still more-or-less undecided abt my choice. But as far as admissions in CS PhD in general is concerned (don't know about MS much though - that is a different ball-game!!) you can ask more specific questions and I will try to see if I have an answer.

Any comparison about location, social life and living cost of both would be helpful

Thanks for the congratulations !

Ritendra

04-01-2004, 04:55 PM	#4 (permalink)
ritendra Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: India Posts: 15	Hello, Vishwa: I have partial fellowships in both, but this amount is much less in Stonybrook. I still have to work as a TA for the tution-waiver and stipend. The stipend also happens to be less in Stonybrook. So overall the money factor is always there, coz NY is as such much more expensive than PA, same goes for these university locations. Both have open offers in the sense that I can choose my advisor and research area after I go. So that's the thing. There are reputed profs in both, but that number I think is more in Stonybrook. I would hope you give me some more insights :-). Jaideep: Are you a bengali? Where are you and what are you doing now? Thanks a lot. It always sounds good to be congratulated. My profile I have posted in an earlier posting (when I got the Penn State offer). I have 82% in my bachelors (6 semester average) in Information Technology from Bengal Engineering College, Shibpur,India. GRE:800Q,630V, AWA5.0, TOEFL:293, TSE 60. Research experience : Mostly independent research, but one vital Summer internship in a Petrochem company in West Bengal. wrote a few papers, sent them with my app, but had no publications nor sent any for review (basically because I thought they weren't worth publishing). Recommendation letters: were very very specific from my college profs: I did not see them but I gave the profs my SOP and resume, and requested them to be specific , and I think they could easily do it because I chose my fave profs. This was vital. I would say I take most credit for my Stonybrook schol, because they presently have no more than 1-2 students who got a direct PhD from a BE from India other than from IIT. Competition for these have these and lack of funding had become a noram in the last 2-3 years in the US. The main thing was my SOP, the specific recos, and yes, TSE (If you wan't aid, take it). But I beleive what's most vital is your genuine interest in going into research and finishing a PhD if you are applying for one. In my case that was always there, and it got well reflected in my SOP and recos. For PhD, research potential and experience comes FIRST, and everything else (including the GREs etc) come next. Ofcourse it is important to have decent GREs so that your applications go into the round where Profs get to see it, otherwise it is pointless. Ofcourse it also helped that I have world-rank 851 in ACM UVa Problems Solving System, 56th in Bitwise 2k4, and cam 6th in ACM ICPC. What makes me feel good is that now I know that their admissions process is unbiased, and that I proved many wrong who told me that getting into direct PhD with aid in good CS Schools from a relatively unknown school in India was tough. Phew..that was long ... but still more-or-less undecided abt my choice. But as far as admissions in CS PhD in general is concerned (don't know about MS much though - that is a different ball-game!!) you can ask more specific questions and I will try to see if I have an answer. Any comparison about location, social life and living cost of both would be helpful Thanks for the congratulations ! Ritendra