Anybody familiar with UNC CS?

[prophet]

Hello, everyone. I got an offer from the CS phd program of UNC-Chapel Hill. I know very little about this school and their cs department. But the cs in UNC is the only top20 program that admitted me, all the other I applied have rejected me. I am wondering whether I can get a high quality graduate education there. So I'd appreciate you could give me some information or your personal opinion about this school and their cs program. Thank you very much!

[misspiggy]

All I know is that their computer graphics research is #1 in the nation...

Mind to post your profile, prophet?

[prophet]

Originally Posted by misspiggy

All I know is that their computer graphics research is #1 in the nation...

Mind to post your profile, prophet?

of course not, misspiggy . My profile:

undergraduate major: computer science
GPA: 3.82/4.0
GRE:V:650, Q:800, AW:4.5
two good research projects and two nationwide math competitions
a paper submitted
hopefully very good recommendation letters and sop.

Any other information about the school and program is appreciated. thanks.

[misspiggy]

Thanks for the profile.
It seems like everyone who got into a top school has a perfect or near perfect quantitative score...

[nomad]

@MissPiggy: Not me. I got into CS PhD. at University of Maryland, College Park, and my quantitative score was most definately not perfect!

@Prophet: Chapel Hill is in general a great school. My advisor actually went there and enjoyed it alot, though he said at that time the department was fairly small. The fit between you and the school always depends on what exactly you want to do, but if it is graphics, then its pretty much considered #1 with Stanford being the only real competition there. Even if it is not graphics, the CS program in general is considered very good and I am sure you wouldn't regret attending Chapel Hill. Best of luck!

[misspiggy]

Nomad, mind to share your profile? I've been denied by lots of top schools and I'm just really would like to know what I need to improve on. I got my undergrad at a state school (2nd tier, ranked very low), and I wonder if that's what killed my chances.

Originally Posted by nomad

@MissPiggy: Not me. I got into CS PhD. at University of Maryland, College Park, and my quantitative score was most definately not perfect!

@Prophet: Chapel Hill is in general a great school. My advisor actually went there and enjoyed it alot, though he said at that time the department was fairly small. The fit between you and the school always depends on what exactly you want to do, but if it is graphics, then its pretty much considered #1 with Stanford being the only real competition there. Even if it is not graphics, the CS program in general is considered very good and I am sure you wouldn't regret attending Chapel Hill. Best of luck!

[prophet]

@nomad:Thanks so much for your information. Congratulations on your great admit from UMCP! You must have some outstanding record in order to get in this top cs program.

@misspiggy:I think a 800 quan score is almost the same as a 790 or a 780. I don't think that your undergraduate school could kill your chance. But I must confess that undergraduate institution does matter. I am an international student and my undergradute school is not well known in the U.S. So in this aspect, your situation is at least better than mine. And why not post your detail profile here so that we could help you to find what the problem is and how to improve. As we all know, sometimes luck is also important.

[misspiggy]

@prophet
I got a 740 Q, and one school told me that's why I got rejected. I also did poorly on the CS GRE so I didn't even submit my score
However, I don't think my situation is better than yours in the way that you are an international student and your school is not well known in the US. Everyone school in the US knows that my school sucks in CS (it's ranked 90-100th in CS PhD in the nation). On the other hand, US schools aren't familiar with your school so they can't just assume your school is not good.

Originally Posted by prophet

@misspiggy:I think a 800 quan score is almost the same as a 790 or a 780. I don't think that your undergraduate school could kill your chance. But I must confess that undergraduate institution does matter. I am an international student and my undergradute school is not well known in the U.S. So in this aspect, your situation is at least better than mine. And why not post your detail profile here so that we could help you to find what the problem is and how to improve. As we all know, sometimes luck is also important.

[LostInLA]

Originally Posted by nomad

@MissPiggy: Not me. I got into CS PhD. at University of Maryland, College Park, and my quantitative score was most definately not perfect!

@Prophet: Chapel Hill is in general a great school. My advisor actually went there and enjoyed it alot, though he said at that time the department was fairly small. The fit between you and the school always depends on what exactly you want to do, but if it is graphics, then its pretty much considered #1 with Stanford being the only real competition there. Even if it is not graphics, the CS program in general is considered very good and I am sure you wouldn't regret attending Chapel Hill. Best of luck!

kinda off topic question. If I took a year as an undergrad at say university X and then transferred to university Y and graduated at university Y with BS and masters.

So it will be like:
1 year - university X
3 years - university Y <-- got a BS
and
1.5 years - university Y <-- got an MS

Do I have to submit my transcript from university X when I apply for cs phd?

[misspiggy]

I took one freshman class from a school and I didn't submit that transcript. It didn't cause any problems. I heard they would have asked me for that transcript after I got admitted (I didn't get into any school this year...).

However, I only took one class but you took one whole year of classes, so that might make a difference.