GRE, a nightmare....

[aszia787]

Hi,

It is very agonzing for me to declare the results of GRE i took yesterday. V350 and Q610. I had spent 6 months preparing GRE, finished the GRE bigbook and yet the outcome was so disastrous that i could never have imagined.

I am a Pakistani graduate of Computer Engineering and am a Canadian resident. Although most universities in Canada do not require GRE, but to overcome my average grades i decided to appear for GRE. I have already applied for MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering for the Jan session 2005 for Queen's University and Concordia University. I dont desire to be a part of a very good university, i just want to get into a Canadian university.

I was wondering if i score 6 in AWA, would it be able to cover the ugly scores of both verbal and quantitative. Please tell me which university would accomoodate me with a 2.65 GPA ,263 TOEFL score and the ugly scores above mentioned with a 6 in AWA.

Please mention some universities in Canada that offer a program in ECE MSc which are willing to accomodate a dolt like me.

Regards and do reply.
Please!.

[nilimb2000]

hi
a lesser GRE score does not mean you won't get a good college.
there are many people who have low GRE scores but have gotten into good colleges. Universities have many criteria for selection and GRE score is just one of them.(not the only one)
So go for the good ones as well.
Also a good AWA won't compensate for poor verbal and quant. scores. (at least not in the engineering field ) i am sorry to say that but i don't won't to give you any rosy picture.

I dont know much about canadian universities.
anyway i hope this helps.
Bye

[imranpola]

Helo,

1- For CS or CE your Quantitative score counts much, and I am sorry to say that 610 may not be a good score, I would recommend you to work more on improving Quantitative skills and then go for GRE again. Having a 6 in AW cannot compensate for the Quantitative section.

2- Canadian universitites dont' count GRE scores much. The first thing Canadian universities look at is your previous average or GPA. Generally speaking, even low ranking Canadian universities demand above 70% average (minimum) for admission to any Graduate program. And your GPA is below 3, so overall picture doesn't seem nice for you.

So, what I would recommend that if you must want to pursue higher education in some Canadian university, then apply as a "visiting student" to some good university like Toronto, York, McGill or Calgary, or any other university. As a visiting student you will be able to take a few courses. Work hard and try to get good grades PLUS try to meet with professors and show interest in subject (show interest in some good research area/problem). Then that same university may be able to offer you admission.
As far as Canada is concerned, this is the only method that with a low GPA and low GRE score you can get admission.

Another recommendation is to try in some U.S universities, there are many universities in U.S that can offer you admission even with below 3 GPA. You might need to improve your GRE score though. Specially, try in Wayne State University Detroit. I have seen many people getting there with low GPAs and low GRE scores.
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MY OWN STORY
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I am also from Pakistan and have MSc Computer Science from QAU Islamabad. My overall percentage in MSc is 67.4%. My GRE scores are Quantitative: 770, Verbal: 390, AW: 4.5 , TOEFL: 267 & 5.0
I tried to get admission in University of Windsor (that is probably lowest ranking university in Canada) in MSc Comp.Sc but my application was rejected due to POOR GPA. Then I tried in University of Alberta and University of Calgary but was rejected (through online pre-application assessment in both). Then I tried hard to find any university in Canada that could admit me with above scores and GPA, but honestly I was not able to find a single university in Canada that could admit a student to any Graduate program based on above profile. So I applied in Wayne State University Detroit in MS comp. Science and was admitted. From next month my classes are going to start..........
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As far I know about Canadian universities, they are literally "obsessed" with grades, anything less than 75% is nothing before their eyes. With same amount of hardwork that is required in Paksitan to get 2.6 GPA you can easily get 3+ in Canada but this thing is hard to tell them. So, I don't think that with above said GPA and GRE picture is good for you, specially GPA. So either take some courses as Visiting Student and get good grades, good reference letters and show interest to professors, ...... but this process could take much time and even after spending a semester or two there is no guarantee that they will offer you admission...... so my recommendation is to try to study in US (if possible). Otherwise try in Concordia, Acadia, Ryerson, or some remote areas like Sasketchwan or Nova Scotia... you might get admission there.
One thing more if you have relevant professional experience then that can help you. Mention in detail your relevant projects and work especially if it involves some sort of research work, that might help you.....
I hope this information will help you,
Wa Sallam,
Imran.

[pami]

hello there, no ned to get depressed. better said than done. but i think u need to analyze where u went wrong. its always a small mistake that steals the show. anyway, better luck next time. by the way, what were thy power prep scores?


dont quit!

[aszia787]

Hello,

Thanks guys. thanks for everything. The information provided by Imran was of great help to me and i was foreseeing everythig that was written there by him. I was actually looking for Wayne State at first, but they have the same requirement, they say that one should have a minimum GPA of 3. The other university i was lookin for was Rochester university, actually i am trying to get admissions into the US universities that have a border that is close to Canada. I dont mind going to US universities elsewhere but my priority would surely be universities near to the border.

Imran, if i am not asking for 2 much could u por favor, el señor name some universities that would accomodate people with a low GPA. Name some US universities.

My POWERPREP score vacilated, i mean once it was 1100, the other day it was 900, the final test i took i scored around 870, i was sure i would do better coz i had prepared all over again after receiving the low scores.

Thanks again guys.

Regards,
Ali.

[imranpola]

Helo ali,
Here is list of universities that normally admit students with low GPA. Some of these don't even require a GRE score. Type any universities name in GOOGLE.COM along with "computer science" or "computer engineering" and u will get their web-site. Although they mention on their websites they admit students with a minimum GPA of 3 out of 4, but you should apply. Because students with higher GPAs tend to go to HIGH RANKING universities, so very few people with high grades apply to these, so i think you should apply in some of these, consult their websites for further details. Also you should apply in Wayne State, sending application does not hurt in anyway, sometime they have shortage of students and they have to admit students with low GPAs.

University of Alabama Huntsville
Old Dominion University
University of Maryland Baltimore County .
Southern Methodist University .
Illinois Institute of Technology
University of Connecticut
University of South Carolina
University of North Texas .
Florida State University .
Lehigh University
University of Mass Lowell .
University of Alabama Birmingham .
Mississippi State University
Kent State University

Also visit this page for complete list of 100 CS universities, but try to explore the bottom 20 or 30.
http://www.vyomworld.com/gre/cslist.asp
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good luck,
imran.

[SHEEDA^PASTOOL]

Hi Imran
Thanx For the Post.
Are you In US or Canada At this??. I am a 4 years BS(Hons) computer Sci student in UCP pakistan .I am Going to apply in April for MSc in computer Scienc
My GPA is 3.2 /4 .What do you think what is a resonable Score to get admission in a Good university or like University of New Hampshire.
I am affraid about the Visa coz lots of people get rejection because they say Computer Scince is Offered in Pakistan.
Can i get admission with this GPA i have Experince in this Field (internship is a Textile Mills Computer Department ) i have good skills in Programin ANd Data structures ( i did Top in My University 100/100 in DATA Structure)
What Do you think when should i take my GRE and can u give me list of university that Dont cost Much
Please Please Reply This Post
Regards
Sohaib

[imranpola]

Sallam,
I am in Canada.
I think your GPA is ok. You should try to get good reference letters from your teachers, ask them to mention about your research capabilities in their letters. And you should start preparing for the GRE as early as possible. BARRONS GRE book is available in Pakistan, there are about 3500 words in that book, if you want good score in Verbal section, you have to memorize all of those words. However, for computer science, Qantitative section is much important, you should have above 750 score in Quantitative, in Verbal you should have average score like 500+. Vocabulary building takes much time so if you are serious in further study you should start memorizing a few words everyday, Quantitative section does not take longer to master, you can do in 2 months time.
2nd thing about US Visa, yes its a BIGGG PROBLEM. I am a permanent resident of Canada, even then it took 4 months plus 4 trips to US embassy to get visa, I can imagine how hard it could be from Pakistan. Anyhow, it may be difficult, but surely not impossible. You should be well-prepared for the VISA INTERVIEW, if they ask Comp.Sc is offered in Pak, tell them that you want to pursue research in Comp.Sc at the graduate level and you are interested in PhD after MS, there are no universities in Pakistan that are conducting research in Comp.Sc. Plus you should show them strong ties with Pakistan, like property, tax documents, any other assets, business documents, family relations etc. I hope you'll get visa. But before visa of course you need admission. So first step is to prepare for admission.

Study in US is generally very expensive. However, if you perform well in first semester there is fair chance of getting TAship, if you get that they give you full tuition + stipend, that's enough for thy basic needs, you should have money for first initial semester after that you'll somehow manage... i've seen many people who come to US with only first semester's money after that they somehow manage their studies.....

For university list, go to the list that i mentioned in previous post, check their web-sites in detail, all kinds of information about expenses, admission requirements, application forms etc. is there.
good luck,
imran

[SHEEDA^PASTOOL]

Asslamu ALikum
Thanx Very Much Again for providing Such a information.
Yeah i am Preparing for the GRE from Braons Book
Can some one Tell me How to Make Flash Cards i have heard a lot About them
But dont know how to create.
Regards
Sohaib

[Merrill]

Your quantitative score is good, and you are going into engineering. I doubt the schools pay much attention to the verbal. They will also understand that English is not your first language.

Where did you do your undergraduate work? If it was a really good univeristy, and your major was a tough one, a 2.6 GPA doesn't look that bad.

Here is my advice...

To improve the English, take a Berlitz course -very intensive. Also get a comprehensive grammar book and study it like crazy. Then go take the TOEFL again. You'll get a much better score.

There are tons of universities in the States, including some big state schools which have pretty lenient admissions policies. The only reason they are lenient, is because they are in a part of the country which does not attract a lot of students (Utah, Kansas, etc.) You can get a good education at a good price.