GRE Q800, V680, AWA-pending, 6+yrs exp, aiming MS/PhD in top

[murboy]

Hi,

I am an Indian citizen working in the bay area for 5 years as Software Architect/Senior Developer, with 6 and half years of experience in the software industry. I aspire to do MS/PhD full time from a top 15 schools, for Fall 2004. I took my GRE on Nov 15th and have got 800 in Quants and 680 in Verbal, expecting at least above 4.5 in AWA. I have 270/300 in TOEFL. My undergrad was in 4 yr Computer Science Engg, with 82% aggregate (ranked 3rd in class) from an autonomous institution affiliated to Bharathiar University, India. I have good industry experience in database replication, relational database internals, Java, some Bioinformatics, etc. in research-like startup environments. I am interested in distributed systems, operating systems, databases, etc. I have three recos, one from my undergrad college Principal, one from former employer, a CTO (very strong one) and another former employer, a Senior Director of Engineering. I have registered for AGRE CS on Dec 13th. I am not sure if I will score well in this, as I have forgotten lot of undergrad subjects and I got less time besides work, I find it very difficult. I will do my best anyway.

What are my chances in getting into top 15 (among Carnegie, Berkeley, Univ of Washington, USC, UCSD, UTA, UCLA, Univ of Wisconsin, Cornell, Rice, etc) on MS/PhD in CS program? I would love to get RA, though I guess I could manage with bank loans and savings.

If not for the above top schools, what should be my fallback schools. Can I consider Univ of Utah, Duke, etc as fallback?

Given I am not so confident with my AGRE CS, should I waiting reporting the scores to the top schools until I see the scores?

Because I am taking AGRE CS only Dec 13th, how will it affect my prospects in schools that have app deadlines in Dec 15th, Jan 1st, etc? If I do not have the scores when I apply, some of them say it is enough if I give them the date of exam and my registration number.

Would it be detrimental if I choose to report my AGRE CS score and it turns out to be very low, say under 80%-ile?

How important is GRE AWA score for my goals?

Does it help if I apply early well before the deadlines?

Please advice at the earliest!

- murboy

[sh123sh]

Hi,

My case is very similar. Indian, have 5+ Software Engineer experience in TCS (well known, isn't it?). MCA from India. Now applying to Ph.D. in CS.

Found ST in CS on Nov 8 very very difficult - so did not send scores to any univ. You know, top univs do not ask for ST, only middle ranked ones do. Top univs ask for research ecp. and I'm hoping that my work exo. works for research exp.

Keep me posted.

All the best!

[rafi_dery]

Controlled Reporting of the GRE CS: It is on the edge, but possible:

Some of the universities ask you to fax/email your GRE/TOEFL scores - the report you got home from ETS. They want you to do it to save time, and they treat the unofficial score you provided as the real one, at least for the first stages of admission. Eventually they will require the official report from ETS, to verify your unofficial one.

I know at least Stanford act like this, and I'm sure it is not the only one.

So what I suggest is: as soon as the report arrives to you and it is satisfying, fax/email it to the universities, and start the procedure of the ETS Reporting.

Why I say it is on the edge? if you took the Nov. test there were more chances your report would arrive on time. December? I'm not sure... Maybe email some grad offices to see your chances.

Good Luck in the GRE CS!

Rafi

[murboy]

Hi,

As I was getting anxious to know my AWA score, I just called up to find out my scores by paying the $10 fee. To my disappointment, these were the scores:

Q-800, 92%ile (Is this bad? Can someone score above this percentile?)
V-680, 95%ile (I am glad about this, even though I wanted to go over 700)
AWA-5.0, 67%ile (Very disappointed :-( I was hoping 5.5, oh well!)

I am taking the AGRE on Dec 13th, no idea how well I will do it.

How important is AWA for MS/PhD in CS in top 15 schools? I have shortlisted MIT, CMU, UCB, Univ of Washington, Georgia Tech, UTA, Cornell, Caltech, UMD in top tier and then Duke, UCSB, Univ of N Carolina - Chapel Hill, Penn State Univ in the next tier. I might drop 2 or 3 in thlis list, but I am planning keep my net wide as I am really aiming for the tier-1 schools.

I have three very strong recos and a strong resume in relvant research areas, with over 6 and half years of experience in software industry. My undergrad was CS Engg, in a third-tier institute in India, with 82%.

Am I being too optimistic? Erin, someone please tell.

- Murboy