GRE 1330 (740Q, 590V, 5.0AWA) Please evaluate

[reef_d]

GRE: 1330 (740Q 590V A.W.A. 5.0 )
TOEFL CBT: 287 (valid until March 08 and many unis i emailed are accepting it)
TOEFL iBT: (taking it on December 7th)

Acads: 55% Mumbai University. Topper:72% (approx)
Also i started off badly in my First year but from second year onwards it was on the rise.

Final Year project: Developed a Software Firewall

Other: Conducted programming contests and designed puzzles for the ACM chapter of my college.

Applying for M.S. in C.S. with interest in the fields of SE, Computer and Network Security and A.I.


Here's a list of universities:

GA Tech
University of Illinois Chicago
Indiana University at Bloomington
Northeastern University
SUNY Buffalo
NYU
USC

Also which of these would be the best safe/moderate option

George Mason
Syracuse
Rochester IT

Also for an ambitious effort would it be a waste of time applying at maybe Dartmouth, UPenn or UPitts?

[MDK]

Also which of these would be the best safe/moderate option

George Mason
Syracuse
Rochester IT

Definitely George Mason , since some guy with a similar profile got admission
Applycorner: place for graduate school applicants

Also for an ambitious effort would it be a waste of time applying at maybe Dartmouth, UPenn or UPitts?

In case you don't know , Gatech is the most ambitious school of your list. So you should consider applying to Gatech before discussing the above schools.
But I think that a higher Quantitative score would support your application.

with interest in the fields of SE, Computer and Network Security and A.I

The Computer Science is almost divided into these three categories. I suggest you be more specific and choose one of these disciplines

[reef_d]

Well GA Tech has been my dream school and I am entitled to few ambitious efforts eh? Thing is that last year a lot of people with a profile maybe a little better than mine got admits there. Maybe with a convincing SOP and work experience as a TA in my undergrad coll will be good enough
What do you say? And to the other question..waster of time and money or not?

As for the fields, I'd say interest in SE and N/w Security

[MDK]

Thing is that last year a lot of people with a profile maybe a little better than mine got admits there

Cool, I am going to reconsider Gatech for myself.
BTW, can you give some examples ? post ? links ?

USC

It's always referred as a safe choice , but it's California = Pay more cash

For the other schools, I wish i could help

[reef_d]

^thanks for your comments

Anyway this is my final list (please comment on whether i should make any changes with the safes):

Ambi:
GA Tech
University of Illinois Chicago

Mod:
NYU (decided to go for it because of the Stern School)
Indiana University Bloomington
SUNY Buffalo

Safe:
NEU (is this safe or mod for my profile? )
USC
Syracuse
George Mason (chose this over RIT because course won't be so rigorous and fees are lower)

[MDK]

GA Tech

As I said , the most ambitious college

University of Illinois Chicago

In my opinion your chances are good .Their average Quantitative score is 744 , and I am sure that your verbal score is beyond their average.

NEU (is this safe or mod for my profile? )

NEU average quantitative score was 747 according to US news ( recall that this average for the whole engineering department).
In my opinion , you should postpone applying to NEU since their deadline for International Students is May 1st ( Unless you wan FA then the Deadline is March 1st ) . By the time you would hear from the other schools , if none of them accepted you , then apply for NEU
College of Computer and Information Science

[reef_d]

Thank you