AGRE 770, Please evaluate my list

[MDK]

Hi Guys
I've just been informed by the Subject test score which was 770
I know this is not a good score, still it's not a bad one

Edited :
GRE score : Q :790 , V 340 , A : 3.0 , Honestly guys : I am wondering how some computer science graduate candidates gets on the verbal percentile more than what they do on the quantitative :S . Give me a break , we are supposed to be Math Gurus , not vocab Gurus . I think they should apply for linguistic or something related to literature.

I think my General score won't support my application ever. so I am going to resort the list below.may be I won't apply for top 50 :S
Regarding the TOEFL , i guess my score would be > 600

My GPA is 70.3 ( which equals A according to WES)

I guess I should remove some schools from my list for Fall '08 MSC , so please help me removing some schools .
I forgot to say that financial aid is not a big deal for me , I can afford the Master on my own.

I'm interested in AI and Multimedia Retrieval

Top univs :
Texas, Austin
University of Maryland - College Park // Really hesitated now
University of Virgina

Moderate:
MA - Amherst
Michigan State University // They ask for V 550 , I think i'll be out of the competition
Texas A &M // Now it's gonna be my best bet
Penn State (my favorite)
McGill
Waterloo
IL , Chicago
University of Utah

Safe:
USC
SUNY- Buffalo
Texas - Dallas

So guys, what do u think ?? should I apply to Texas Austin ?? Maryland ???
Please suggest my chances in each school , and help me to shorten this list. Or recommend other schools

[CalmLogic]

Originally Posted by MDK

Hi Guys
I've just been informed by the Subject test score which was 770

That is a good score in my book. In theory, it could be good enough for UT Austin since their website gives the average as 790, which translates to a difference in maybe only 2-3 questions. Of course, even with a higher GRE CS score of 800, UT Austin would still be questionable. So the other factors like recommendation letters could make or break you. In any case, I think you have a shot and my impression is that you should apply, at least to prevent regret.

I certainly would apply to GA Tech.

Some related links:
http://www.collegepond.com/index2.ph...do_pdf=1&id=17
IIITA Forums • View topic - Admits Rejects 2006
Budaörs West » PhD in CS

So far, I can only eliminate UT Dallas since, as you probably know, there is no need to apply since:

1. You are too good for them anyway
2. Worse come to worse, you would still have time to apply by May 1st after after getting your admission/rejection notices from the US universities (typically by April 15th)

[Ancalagon The Black]

How is 70 GPA translatable to a A in WES?

[CalmLogic]

Maybe MDK went to a top school like IIT?

[MDK]

Of course, even with a higher GRE CS score of 800, UT Austin would still be questionable.

For sure

So far, I can only eliminate UT Dallas

I agree, I was almost going to eliminate it

How is 70 GPA translatable to a A in WES?

WES has it's own conversion criteria depending on the country.
So, from where I came, it's not easy to get such a GPA , in fact only one or nobody at all can get a GPA over 80 (he would be a genius & geek ).

So , anybody knows about these two :
Brigham Young University
George Washington University

I've read some posts on the forum , but they were worthless

[CalmLogic]

George Washington University is too expensive, IMHO. There's no reason to pay that much for a school that doesn't even rank in USNews for CS. According to USNews, GWU also has a high cost of living.

But if you are willing to pay that much, then I would add USC to your list as a safety school. (UCLA also ranks well for AI.)

[Ancalagon The Black]

MDK: Which country are you from?

Calmlogic: It is very easy to get 70% in IITs. There is a lot of grade inflation. All my friends in the IITs get around 80%. I have read on the UC Berkeley admissions blogs that they want Indians to get around 60% (First Class) and then they specifically mention 70% for IITs...

[MDK]

MDK: Which country are you from?

Syria

I would add USC to your list as a safety school

Not a bad choice, with an acceptance rate of 49% , I guess I have a shot. any idea about their FA ?

UCLA also ranks well for AI.

I may be able to afford the Master , but certainly not in LA

BTW : USnews estimates the average Expenses for USC as 14k in the graduate edition , while it's estimated as 10K in the college guide, any explanation ??

[CalmLogic]

I don't know anything about USC except that people often comment that it's a safety school because of the expense and that they, like most schools, suck at financial aid.

This thread makes a good argument against going to USC because the cost does not seem to translate to job success:

http://www.urch.com/forums/admission...317-usc-3.html (In at USC)

So forget what I said earlier and don't apply to USC

Similarly, I had read another thread where a guy was happier to go to UF with a partial tuition waiver than to go to USC and pay a lot of $$$.

Yet another argument against USC:

This place will suck your parents hard earned money so fast and give you nothing in return. Let me narrate a few facts.

A mail about USC

So, anyway, I would suggest:

1. Remove George Washington University from your list
2. Consider UF as a moderate option because of the partial tuition waiver.
3. Forget that I even mentioned USC.

Of course, once you get your general GRE scores, then it will be much easier to decide how many moderate schools you need and how many, if any, very safe schools you need.

When will you know your general GRE scores (quantitative and verbal)?


A final point:

The reason I think GWU should be removed from your list is because UT Dallas seems better while costing much less. UT Dallas ranks in the USNews for Computer Engineering but you don't see GWU on that list. Less significantly, UT Dallas ranks well in the controversial publication-based ranking while GWU does not list at all:

http://www.urch.com/forums/computer-...partments.html (Alternative to USNews: Publication-Based Ranking of CS Departments)

[MDK]

So forget what I said earlier and don't apply to USC

I'm really stuck, I have read two opposite posts

Tee following recommends applying to USC :

One last and most imp. point I would like to mention is that gettin Oncampus Job in USC is very easy. Almost everyone gets it. This is very imp. for those who are gonna work here part time to cover their living expnses.

"USC is worth every penny".....acc to seniors here it is an "investment"....and its gonna pay u sometime....how fast it does it depends on u and ur hardwork.....

However, some other guy said :

Courses are not easily available as both the Electrical Engg & Computer Science dept's always over admit students. There are waiting lists which extend through semesters. For some courses like CS551 a really good course for networking, there is a diagnostic test with a twisted preference policy. Every semester nearly 400 students give this exam and only 130-150 get through that too because of their majors being CSCN or EECN. The remaining students never get around to doing this course. Registration for the Fall semester has already begun almost a month back and all good courses under good professors are taken. When you come in Fall you will get only what's left and still pay nearly $9000/- for 3 courses. Believe it's not worth it. Also getting through the formality of enrolling into a course can be pretty painful as you may have to deal with some very snobbish professors -- may not be true for all dept's

This would be really such a problem

Housing in and around USC is a major problem, never never bank on the University to help you. On campus housing is impossible as it's only for undergrads

I think this explains the difference between expenses for undergrads and grads students in US News

Finding good on-campus jobs is also a major struggle, all because the damn departments have admitted too many people

This might explain the high acceptance rate , but honestly I don't believe the guy with this one.

Getting good grades i.e a high GPA is also very difficult over here. Courses are tougher, professors & their TA's are crazy can even tend to be biased (Indians usually screw up other indians the most) Especially chinese guys can be very mean and they are in thousands over here.

No Comment :S

In conclusion : many ppl advised to apply to USC , still this only guy who is really suffering from USC

Of course, once you get your general GRE scores, then it will be much easier to decide how many moderate schools you need and how many, if any, very safe schools you need.

When will you know your general GRE scores (quantitative and verbal)?

My scores will be available on Dec 1st, anyway I guess I'll wait to know them before adding or removing any school.

The only fact that I have realized here : I won't apply to any school that its CS department doesn't rank ( at least in any ranking )