AlbaLed

Congrats in your admits I think most of the talk is going on here http://www.TestMagic.com/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=49 Best of luck

Dude, The best computes jobs are still in US !!! You're probably saying --> "What the heck is this guy talking about ???" This is what I know from companies that I worked with. Companies usually send routine work outside, after all US is the one who's demanding and doing all the "brain work". Most importantly computer companies are shipping PROGRAMMING jobs to china and india, I know that has smth to do with comp. sci. but programming on itself is not computer science. For someone with an MS or PhD programming is just a tool. Have you ever read any books in algorithms ?? What % of that book talked about a specific language or about some programming techniques. What about any AI books, what about comp. graphics, and database systems and the list goes on ...... ??? keep in mind programming is just a communication tool just like the language you speak. There are always opportunities for those who work hard and THINK harder, and there are always jobs for those who reach high. So don't be afraid of what the current market is and I don't know where you got the "forseeable future" but I don't think there is such a think, at least accurate.

Hey all It has been a long time since I have not posted here. I recently got a job at UCSF (UC San Francisco) and it is really keeping me busy. Congrats to all who got accepted in their dream univs and most importantly NEVER LOOSE FAITH to all who got rejected. Here is what info I got from inside the UC system. IT IS EXTREMELY HARD FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS TO GET ACCEPTED IN ANY OF THE UC-s AND/OR GET FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM THE SCHOOL, mainly because of budget cuts (most of the time they will not admit if the cannot support you !!). That was really bad news for me because two of my schools UC Berkeley and UCSF are UC schools. The budget thing should not make any difference in the admission to Stanford because it is a private school, and really expensive (: I have not heard anything yet from any of the schools, that could be good and bad at the same time. Just got off the phone with Berkeley, it was a REJECT just like predicted :). But hey, got to keep on fighting. Best of luck to all

hey nonevent CONGRATS and best of luck !!!!!! U deserved every bit of success so far, maybe more

Hi guys UPDATE: ETS called back as promised "within 48 hrs". The reason for the 5 questions removed is, actually "ambiguous questions". I asked the representative about the "ETS high standards", that they, themselves seem to brag about, and how it was possible to detect this errors after thousands of people took the test and not before? I was not waiting for an answer, and I did not get one. They seem to review the test again (or only) after people take it and during this process they identify their errors. A really cheap way of doing things. I am pretty upset about this (because I really spent time to prepare for this test, which was by all means a "rip off" and not a test) and I kind of have a feeling that admission comittees know about ETS's issues too, so I am not worried that the GRE score is a major factor in the admission process. Best of luck to all

beanfootage, I've already done my best with the applications. I submitted my two main application, Stanford and Berkeley. I did my best at SOP, I even had about 5 friends read through it, some professors from my undergrad took their time to review it too. My recos are great, two from research professors I've worked with, so I think I stand a good chance. I strongly suggest, if you've not done so already, give your sop to as many people as you can to review it. (people who know about your academic and achievements and people who don't), this process took all the water out of my sop. I've got two apps to go and then wait for the admin. decission. Best of luck to you

Update: Was on phone with ETS about the 5 answers not used for scoring, as usual, "We cannot answer this question right now. Give me your contact info and we'll call you back withing 48hrs". I'll update this again when I get a call from them. Here is something interesting I found on the "GRE - Guide to the use of scores 2003-2004" and I quote "Any GRE test, however, has two primary limitations: (1) it does not and cannot measure all the qualities that are important in predicting success in graduate study or in confirming undergraduate achievement and (2) it is an inexact measure; that is, only score differences that exceed the standard error of measurement of a given score can serve as reliable indications of real differences in academic knowledge and developed abilities." For computer science the standard error of measure(SEM) for individual scores is 30, and for score difference is 42 sample size 850 (smallest sample). Given the above and "The SEM of score differences is an index used to determine whether the difference between two scores is meaningful. Small differences in scores may be due to measurement error and not to true differences in the abilities of the examinees. This index incorporates the error of measurement in each examinee’s score being compared. Approximately 95 percent of the observed differences between the obtained scores of examinees who have the same true score will be less than two times the SEM of score differences." - quoted from "GRE - Guide to the use of scores 2003-2004" Now, what does this all mean, There is not a significant difference (I wish the admission commitee should use this ) between a score of: 1) 900 (99%) and a 860 (94%ile) = 4% diff (makes sense) 2) 860 (94%) and a 820 (84%ile) = 10% diff (kind of OK) 3) 820 (84%) and a 780 (70%ile) = 14% diff (woow) 4) 780 (72%) and a 740 (54%ile) = 18% diff (wooooooooooow) 5) 740 (54%) and a 700 (40%ile) = 14% diff (woow) and so onn... So what this really means is, the admission commitee should not significant difference (and therefore prefer or not) between canditates with CS GRE whose scaled socores differ by less then 42. So if you got a score of X, other canditates who got a score of X + 42 should be put in the same "CS-GRE-bin" as you because there is no real difference. That does not mean that scores 84 apart don't mean difference. YOU are the center of a circle with radius 42, i.e. comparing YOU against others, not others among others. I got a score of 790 (73%), which means that I have same chances of getting in (if GRE is used to break "ties" among all other criteria), as applicants with scores 750(60%) and above and applicants with socres 830 (87%) and below. So, after all does GRE help????????? No wander MIT does not use GRE scores at all. (I hope all the admission commitee use this guidelines to weight the CS GRE scores)

beanfootage, I was pissed at the time when I wrote because I just received the score by mail, and I thought that the penalizing policy was wrong. Regarding the 5 questions, I am disturbed by the fact that it was not mentioned anywhere. I other test like the general GRE, they metioned it in the sample test they send you as well as during the examination. The point you make about the possible correct answers stolen does not really convince me, because it still is not fair to some losing some right answers especially if one or two more right answers would increase/decrease the percentile by tens. The percentile rankings would be completely different if these questions were counted. They were never intended to be counted but to me it seems that they are using the penalizing technique that in 5 questions the probability that you get 0 points is 1 assuming pure guessing was taking place, but you, me and all the other test takers did their best not to make uneducated guesses. I still think it is unfair to all of us, from 99%-ile to 1%ile. But, now I am thinking that these questions probably had no right answer and they were probably trying to get 4 choice for which most of the testtakers would fall for and then use them in other tests. I would still like to hear (see it written somewhere in the test booklet) this from ETS though. Was your omit number correct????

beanfootage, your comment might make sense to you but I don't think it is well based. ETS has taken 5 questions off from computing the score and the percentile rankings. Now, if those questions were determined in advance, say 20-25, and I got them right and you did not, guess what? my score will be same or higher than yours. (assuming you got X questions correct and I got anywhere from X to X-5 correct) But, if ETS took out 5 questions wrong/right from everyone then it would not affect the score Now what really pisses me off is that nowhere in the test form there was mentioned that there was going to be questions that would not count toward your score. We all spent valuable time answering 5 questions that would not be counted towards our scores, and if some of us got all those questions right some of us are being screwed here. I think we should contact ETS about this. One even has to pay long distance to talk to ETS, not 1-800 number for questions about the test, ETS [heartbeat] $$$$$$$$$ The penalizing policy pisses me off too, there are 5 choices to choose from, i.e. there is a 20% probability that with pure guessing you would get it right and 80% to get it wrong. Now why penalise 1/4 th ? Was this policy never updated from the time (if any time) where there were only 4 choices? Has anyone received a score report with more omits than what you omitted. I am about 98% sure I did not omit any questions, but I am getting a report with 1 omit. ANYONE ???

BEST OF LUCK TO ALL OF YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is not much time now to improve your score by much. Get some rest and stay away from studying today, go out do some physical activities get your blood pumping for tomorrow. Most importantly get a good night sleep, I know it is hard but do what you can. You don't want to get drunk the night before so that you get to sleep. Anyways, tomorrow when entering the testing room be proud and confident, never loose the confidence, even if you cannot answer 2 3 or 4 questions in a row. My final advice: FOCUS !!!!!!!! BEST OF LUCK TO ALLL !!!!!!!!!

ozgulker, I cannot believe you got such a low score I wish I had rocked the CS GRE, but I am still in state of shock to accept my score, 790, 73%. I still cannot believe what I heard. I am going to talk to the schools that I am applying Stanford (does not require) and Berkeley to see how important the CS GRE score is. Wood, Don't think schools would "descriminate" on score, i.e. score is important for theory and not for AI or CG. The test that you took was probably different from the test that I and other people took. Yes, the test contains about 40% theory + math but the score does not indicate that you screwed up in that section, maybe you got all right in that section and messed up 1 + 2 :) Best of luck to ALLL

Wood, take some time to think about the score and the rest. Your activity in the forum clearly shows who you are and what kind of student you can be. I can see your dedication to this forum is not because of the CS GRE but because that's who you are. Make sure you CLEARLY show your dedication int your application, and I am sure the commitee will not miss it. Take some time for yourself (awayyyyy from bridges and high floors, the closer to the ground the better, you'll be surprised what gravity can do) and you'll feel better and reenergized to finish your applications and succeed.

Shoot admissions office an email and they will tell you what they are looking for, or a link that explains what they want. After they reply can you post the response in here so that other people benefit??

dionysus, I would recommend you go over all the threads posted in this forum, most of them contain good gre-style questions scatered from all the fields. I think almost all ("hard") practice questions are covered, and there is a lot of techniques for solving problems. My recommendation would be read thru the forum and study the topics covered in the threads, this will give you a full review of what you need to study, don't forget to follow the links posted thruought the forum and in the "sticky" threads they are REALLY helpful GOOD LUCK TO you AND ALL DEC 13 CS-GRE-TAKERS

Thanx guys. I only did what I could to help the CS GRE people as well as learn from them, I am lucky that I found this forum. It really helped me a lot, and I am glad that I was of such help. Special thanx to wood and Erin for creating the CS GRE forum. Keep up the great job guys