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[PROFILE EVALUATION POST] [TL:DR: Need suggestion on graduate school selection] Hello good people, Hope you are doing well. I have found the resources available in this site really helpful and am on the verge of applying to graduate schools for PhD in CS. I may have a below than the average profile due to a lack of publications or a slightly concerning GPA. I have prepared a VERY LONG list of programs that are aligned with my interest. However, most of the programs I found are from the top 50 universities and it seems their acceptance rates are very low. I will try to apply to some of those ambitious schools. But what I am stressing about is actually finding at least 2 or 3 safe or moderate programs. The deadlines are closing in and I would really appreciate it if anyone can give me any suggestion. My profile: CGPA: 3.48/4.00, (institution is in top 10 of my country) GRE: 324 (Q165, V159, A4.0), Toefl: 104 ( R30, L: 25, S20, W:29), Research experience: Undergrad thesis on phylogenetic trees( relevant to computational biology) Publication: NONE, Job: 2 years in the software industry, Research Interest: Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Advanced Algorithms, Theory of Computation. LoR: 2 from university professors, 1 from former employer Some universities I found aligned to my interest: (with their usnews ranking) 1. Rice University [20] 2. Johns Hopkins University [25] 3. Pennsylvania State University [30] 4. New York University [30] 5. University of California--Irvine [30] 6. University of Virginia [30] 7. Virginia Tech [40] 8. University of California--Davis [37] 9. University of Colorado--Boulder [40] 10. Stony Brook University--SUNY [40] 11. Michigan State University [55] 12. Indiana University--Bloomington [55] 13. Iowa State University [61] 14. University of California--Riverside [61] 15. Case Western Reserve University [68] 16. George Mason University [68] 17. Florida State University [82] 18. University of Central Florida [82] 19. CUNY Graduate School and University Center [82] 20. University of Connecticut [83] 21. University of Texas-San Antonio [119] I have got only a few generic replies from some professors of these schools. But could not decide any. Some programs ask for a Master's degree for PhD admission and I only have BSc. Also, TOEFL speaking score is making me omit some programs from this list too. My Queries: [1] What usnews ranking ranges could be considered as ambitious, moderate and safe based on this profile? [2] Could you suggest any safe schools for this profile?

Hi all, I wish that I had done this sooner! I never thought to ask the GradCafe, and everyone is so helpful here. I don't have much idea of which programs I should be targeting, so I'd like some advice based on my background. I graduated in 2018, so I spent a gap year after graduating without applying. I mention some of the things I did in here. Undergraduate Institution: UC San Diego (mid-tier university of california) Degree granted 2018: BS in Mathematics and Physics (double major), with department honors in Mathematics GPA: 3.59/4.0 (cumulative) Type of Student: Domestic Asian Male Relevant Upper Div Courses (quarter system): Math and Stats, Undergrad level Real analysis (lower level) (A, A-, A) Abstract Algebra (A-, A, Pass) Complex Analysis (A) Number Theory (A+) Mathematical Statistics (A-, A) Nonparametric Statistics (A-) Probability and Stochastic Processes (A, A-, A) Math and Stats, Graduate level Real analysis (A) Algebraic Topology (A-, A-) Probability (A-) Mathematical Statistics (A-, A) High Dimensional Statistics (A-) Physics, undergrad level: Classical Mechanics (B, A) Electromagnetism (B+, A-, A) Statistical Physics (A+) Quantum Physics (A-, B ) Mathematical Methods (A, A) Electronics (A-) Laboratory Projects (B) Physics, Graduate level: Special topics---Quantitative Physics (A-) Relevant Lower Div Courses (quarter system): Lower Division Physics (C, B+, B+, B+, A) Lower Division Physics Lab (B-, A-) Lower Division Honors Calculus/Linear Algebra (B+, B-, B+) GRE General: Verbal 167 (98%) / Quant 166 (89%) / Writing 5.0 (92%) GRE Math Subject: 760 (71%) Research Experience: Two summer REUs. I spent one summer working on improving facial recognition with neural nets. I spent the next summer on a theoretical math paper, basically using combinatorics. The revision is almost done, but we're not ready to submit it yet! My honors thesis was mostly expository, but I proved and explored one new thing, buried under all the surrounding context. Just that small result wasn't worth a publication though, I think. I spent the last year working part-time in a marine biology laboratory. I was mostly doing data engineering, organizing, and cleaning using bash, Python, R. I did train a neural net to recognize fish for the lab, and worked with a government biologist to fit some survival analysis models. That paper is also being written up, and is almost done, but we're not ready to submit yet! Work Experience: I was a TA for the Math department for nearly three years. Letters of Recommendation: Undergraduate honors thesis advisor (who also taught my grad mathematical statistics) High dimensional statistics prof Prof facial recognition REU Other: I read the Elements of Statistical Learning cover to cover this year very closely, and I have some detailed notes and problem solutions that I want to expand and post online but haven't done yet. Schools I'm Considering, Ranking from US News Stanford (1) Berkeley (2) UChicago (6) CMU (8) Duke (12) Columbia (16) Penn State (20) UCLA (27) UC Davis (31) UCI (50) UCSB (67) I've also applied for the NSF GRFP, if that matters. My main questions are: Am I targeting the right schools? Which ones of these are reach, match, safety? Should I try to cram in a retake of the general GRE? And should I submit my math subject GRE? I also have some other concerns... if anyone has time to lend an ear and donate a few cents. About my rec letters: I might have time to switch some of these around. The post-doc who led the combinatorics REU could also write a letter instead, or he could get the supervising professor to ultimately write it. Is that a better idea? And what about the government biologist? Honestly, we met somewhat infrequently, and it was mostly him asking me for advice on how to do a technique and generating plots for him. His training and credibility isn't in statistics. About my in-progress papers: Is there a good way to talk about these when they haven't been submitted yet and I'm not getting letters from anyone regarding them? It might be very important to get one of those letters, but I do think my high dimensional stats prof thinks very highly of me already, and I've known her longer... About my lower div grades: Those were all done in my freshman year, which has the lowest GPA of all my years. Is it worth explaining something about this? I think it was carryover from high school, where I also did not do very well, with plenty of C's and a few D's even, but I also had some family issues. About my Pass in Algebra: I accidentally signed up for pass no pass and didn't realize until the middle. The professor who taught that course acknowledges he would have assigned me an A, and he can let one of my letter writers know that. Is that appropriate? Should I mention it in my personal statement as well? Thanks so much for your input! You guys are such an awesome resource.

I am an International student completing Master's in an US institute. I am applying for Ph.D. programs in Biostatistics for Fall 2020. I have a good GPA, industrial and research experience and strong LORs. My main concern is my low GRE score and that I don't have any publications. I will be publishing my Master's thesis but not before I complete the applications. Undergrad Institution: International, one of the top universities, good reputation Major: Statistics GPA: 72% (converted using WES - 3.58 GPA) Grad Institution: Top 100 in USA Degree: MS. Applied Statistics 50% scholarship GPA: 3.89/4.0 Student: International, female Courses: Courses (Sem I, II, III and IV): Fundamentals of Statistical Theory (A), Regression Analysis (A), Statistical Software – R and SAS (A), Design of Experiments (A), Predictive Analytics (B+), Design & Analysis of Clinical Trials (A), Categorical Data Analysis (A), Non-parametric Statistics and Bootstrapping (A -). GRE: 160 Q, 150 V, 3.5 AW, scores are 3 years old TOEFL: 104 Research/Work Experience: 3 years as a Data Analyst in a global Fortune 500 Market research company (native country), during Masters in USA - 2 and half years as a Teaching Assistant with 6 professors, 1 year as Research Assistant with 2 professors, 6 months with a startup as a Statistical Analyst Intern. Currently working as a Clinical Research Assistant within an Analysis unit at a Medical Center of a reputed University. Judge and Mentor for a Datathon arranged for Undergrad students. Have attended a conference in 2019. Both events were associated with American Statistical Association. Two Awards of Excellence when I worked as Data Analyst before Master's. Won Best Teaching Assistant Award as well. Expecting strong Letters of Recommendation. Applying to: University of Rochester Ph.D. in Statistics - concentration in Bioinformatics & Computational Biology University of Maryland - Ph.D. in Statistics - Biostatistics and Bioinformatics concentration University of Buffalo - Ph.D. in Biostatistics University of California, Riverside - Ph.D. in Applied Statistics University of California, Davis - Ph.D. in Biostatistics Penn State - Ph.D. in Biostatistics University of Texas, Dallas Is my choice of Universities appropriate with my profile? Am I aiming too low considering my work experience, research experience and GPA. Which of the above Universities conduct an interview before giving an admit? Please suggest some top universities which might be a good fit with my profile.

Hello, I require advice shortlisting universities as ambitious/moderate/safe. Looking for universities mainly in the US. GRE : 331/340 (164V, 167Q) TOEFL : 118/120 Undergrad : B.Tech in CSE from NITK Surathkal, India. CGPA : 9.49 Internship : Software engineering intern Work Experience : 15 months as Software engineer. No research experience. One paper publication but the conference isn't well-reputed. My SOP will be moderate, and my LORs will be moderate as well. Taking all this into consideration, what universities would be ambitious/moderate/safe for me? I'm looking into MS in Computer Science, but my interest mainly lies in image processing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. Thank you for your time ^^

ECE undergrad from a top 20 university in India. 329 GRE, 9.32/10 GPA (ranked third by GPA in my major). Taken most of the basic and some advanced coursework in CS (around 12 courses), with a number of MOOCs to augment it. Two month-long software developer internships at startups, one research internship at my university in ML and Networks, one research internship in Germany working on state-of-the-art Neural Nets for combinatorial optimization. One semester research project submitted as a paper to a top Robotics conference, and one research project coming up with Mercedes Benz India working on autonomous driving. Do I stand a chance in the top 20/top 30 MS CS programs? My list: UIUC, UCLA, UCSD, Georgia Tech, Northeastern, Brown, USC, UMass Amherst/CU Boulder, UToronto

Grad degree aim: MS in Computer science in USAMy GRE scoresVerbal: 157 Quant: 164AWA: 5.0Undergraduation: B.Tech in Computer Science at PESIT, BangaloreUG CGPA: 9.83 (Topper 9.91)Field of interest: Algorithms, Networking, Cloud securityInternships: 1) UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN Partitioned Linux Containers based on Principle of Least Privilege and Principle of Privilege Separation. Achieved size reduction of around 96% in nginx Docker image, 87% in python image and 60% in appcontainers/mediawiki 2) PES UNIVERSITY Predicted perpetrator of terrorist attack based on target type, weapon type. Executed C4.5 and Factor Analysis of Mixed Data algorithms to analyze accuracy and achieved highest accuracy rate of 85% consistently in Scalable Vector Machines 3) MICROSOFT MOBILE INNOVATION LAB Developed a statistical web-based model using R that displayed a Steam Graph to represent the rate of severity of diseases in rural areas of India • Obtained an accuracy of 87% consistently in the rate of prediction Conferences and presentations1) INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR ADVANCES IN COMPUTING, COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATICS Presented poster on “Terrorism Analytics: To predict the perpetrator of a terrorist attack” 2)GRACE HOPPER CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN COMPUTING Presented poster on “Data Leakage detection using Cloud Computing” Achievements : • Recipient of Google Grace Hopper Scholarship for Women in Computing • Deloitte Cyber Threat Collegiate competition first runner-up • Microsoft Imagine Cup top 10 pitches • Smart India Hackathon Innovation Award • Rank 2 at ACM Intercollegiate Programming Competition 2015 Amritapuri Regionals Recommendations: 1 strong and 2 moderate.Please help me classify the following universities as safe, ambitious or moderate:1) University of Wisconsin Madison 2) Stanford University3) University of Southern California4) University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign5) Georgia Institute of Technology 6) Carnegie Mellon University Any suggestions for universities are also welcome. Thanks a lot!!

TOEFL: 108 (not important tbh as I will be having an MA degree from an American university, most schools waive this) GRE: 158 (V) - 166 (Q) - 3.5 (AWA) Publishing: 1 single author conference paper & presentation in my undergrad university (non-American), 1 co-authored conference paper in America, 2 single author papers under review in 2 journals, 1 co-authored paper under review in a journal LORs: 3 LORs all from American professors in my Master granting university, kinda known in their areas Undergrad GPA: 3.7/4.00 Grad GPA: 3.8/4.00 Undergrad Major: International Relations - lots of math classes (from the best university in my country) Grad Major: International Affairs - many math classes Grad School: Not in first 40, between 40-50 maybe 60 in America Aiming: MIT, Harvard, Brown, Boston University, Boston College, UMass Amherst

Undergraduate Institution: Cornell University Majors: Statistics Minor: Computer Science Cumulative GPA: 3.61 Student Type: Domestic Asian Male GRE General Test: Quant:169, Verbal: 166, AW: 4.0 Classes: Statistics: Statistical Methods I (A), Statistical Methods II (B+), Probability Models and Inference (A), Statistical Data Mining (B+), Stochastic Processes (A), Theory of Statistics (A), Linear Models with Matrices (B+) Mathematics: Linear Algebra (A), Calculus III (B+), Differential Equations (B) Computer Science: Machine Learning for Intelligent Systems (A), Artificial Intelligence (A), Discrete Mathematics (B+), Java Programming (B) Intern Experience: Two internships in risk and venture capital Teaching Experience: Teaching assistant for intro statistics, and also probability class Other Information: Took several online MOOCs, Officer of Actuarial Society (passed SOA Exam P), did several data science projects for class and in own time Letters of Recommendation: 3 from stats professors, one from machine learning professor Schools planning to apply: Stanford (M.S.), Penn (M.S.), Columbia (M.S.), NorthWestern(M.S.), NYU (M.S.) My Concern: Intern experience doesn't directly relate to data science analysis, GPA is a little bit low (although I believe our school is known for grade deflation?) Programming skill: Python, R, some experience with Java, C++, Matlab Thanks in advance

Undergrad Institution: My own state university in Computer Science Engineering GPA: 3.3 out of 4.0 scale Type of Student: International Male GRE General Test: Q: 162 V: 142AWA: 3.0 Programs Applying: MS - Applied mathematics and statistics Research Experience: 1. Undergrad final year project on unsupervised machine learning 2. Projects on XRD data prediction using supervised model 3. Projects on time series data prediction with neural network model Publications: No research paper published yet. I am interested in continuing research on statistical machine learning, hence opting for applied math as graduate major. Help me with suggesting universities I could apply for.

Industrial Engineer (Top 20 Engineering schools in country) GPA: 3.6/4 MBA Finance GPA: 3.8/4 MA Economics (Top 10 US Econ school) GPA: 3.2/4 3 solid recommendations from people who work in my field of interest. Relatively well known in their areas. Field of Interest: Labor & Development Econ + Climate Policy GRE : 164Q, 158V Publication - A chapter in a book on Intergenerational Mobility. I am wondering what chances do I stand for a decent PhD Econ program - Top 50 US departments. I am also giving some thought to Public Policy program. Any guidance would be helpful.

Hi guys, I'm from New Zealand and worked for Deloitte Consulting since graduation for the previous 2 years. Undergraduate Institution: University of Auckland (top 1 in NZ but around ~120 globally) Majors: Statistics, Economics and Finance Cumulative GPA: our GPA uses different scale I got 7.5 - 7 stands for A-; 8 for A and 9 for A+. I assumed it was around 3.8? Major GPA: 7.9 Student Type: Asian female GRE General Test: Quant:166, Verbal: 158, AW: 4.0 (will retake again next week as I dont think my GRE is higher enough to get me to top tier?) Classes: Statistics: Mathematical Statistics (A+), Statistical Modelling (A); Introduction to Statistical Inference (A), Stochastic Prcess (B+), Data Analysis for Commerce (A-); Statistical Programming and Modelling using SAS (B+) Mathematics: Differential Equations (A-), Advancing Mathematics 2 (A-), General Mathematics 2 (A+) Research Experience: Worked on a ICU discharge policy under information system departmenet - summer research scholarship, no publication Intern Experience: 1 - Group Strategy Analyst at a global dairy company doing market strategy, digital strategy etc project support 2- Consulting analyst at a leading consulting firm in market research doing market resarch projects Work Experience: Deloitte Consulting in Information & Data Analytics team for 2 years. Project involved: data strategy, data platform, data visualisation and other strategy projects Teaching Experience: Teaching assistant for stage 1 Statistics course Letters of Recommendation: 4 options - havent decided yet! Help please 1: Director of analytics team - strong recommend (team lead) 2: Director of digital team - strong recommend (my coach) 3: Senior lecturer in Economic Department - strong recommend & close; did a few ecnometrics paper with him 4: Profession in Stats - globally well known statistician however not very close; got A+ from one of his class. might be just strong? Schools planning to apply: Stanford (M.S.), Harvard (M.S.), MIT - business analytics (M.S.), Penn (M.S.), Columbia (M.S.), NorthWestern(M.S.), Duke (M.S.), CMU (M.S.), NYU (M.S.) My Concern: work experience doesn't directly relate to data science & data analysis. more relate to data management, strategy (i.e. data migration, data quality, data visualisatoin, overall strategy type of projects) Programming skill: R, SAS, SQL； self-learning Python at the moment Question: 1: any safe schools for recommendations? looking for 1.5 / 2 years programme for data science as I want to build my programming skills & career progression to a data scientist in consulting firm 2: am I over applying to top tier schools? Stanford would be dream! But I think I reached the bar for Columbia / Duke / Upenn - not too sure though 3: help for LOR selection Many thanks!! Appreciate your assitance in advance.

Hello, I have received my undergraduate degree in Materials and Metallurgical Engineering. However, currently I am working as a Research Assistant in the Biomedical Engineering department, working on biomaterials. I have seen both MSE and BME departments work on biomaterials in most of the universities. Is it possible for me to get admitted if I apply to Biomedical Engineering for PhD? Or should I stick to MSE and look for groups who work with biomaterials?

Hi, everybody. To be honest, I come from a rural community and don´t have the money to apply to several graduate programs. That is why I want help so I can narrow my choices and avoid spending money on application fees for universities I don´t even have a decent chance to get accepted at (I don´t know how my profile compares to average international students). Here is my profile: Major: Two at UNAM in México. One in Physics and other in Mathematics GPA: both 9.5/10 Research experience: Several posters, seminar talks and worked as associated student at various institutes TOEFL: 113 GRE: 163 V / 169 Q / 4.0 AWA Awards: Some summer schools, scholarships and finalist at math competitions I would really appreciate if anyone can have a look at my profile and give me some advice. Thank you very much in advance.

Brothers and Sisters, comrades and friends (if you get this reference, congratulations), I'm applying to PhD PS programs this upcoming fall and need a reality check. Here are my details: BA (2016, graduated early): Political Science and Economics w/ Public Policy from Private University in the T75 of USNews Rankings. Special Honors in PS. Also studied abroad briefly in the UK (one 4-credit political economy course, got an A for what that's worth...). GPA: 3.53 / Poli. Sci. GPA: 3.7 (had one bad semester that drags down my overall GPA. High school gf broke up with me...*insert cliche story here*). GRE: V: 163; Q: 160; AW: 5.5 (An aside, why don't these programs just administer a fluid IQ test? Will my newly rediscovered knowledge of basic trigonometry help me better understand the study of politics? Isn't IQ basically what they're trying to get at with this? I have questions...) LOR: One from a political scientist who reviewed my poli sci thesis, one from an economist who reviewed my econ thesis, and one from a think tank supervisor (who has a PhD in political science and I've worked with extremely closely over the course of the last few years). None are famous, if that's of any relevance. Brief Background: - Currently work as an RA at a think tank, have several published reports/blogs/other research products but virtually none are single author (Note: not published in academic journals).I know academics don't necessarily consider these types of publications as valuable/transferable experience but nonetheless. - My work has been featured prominently in various media publications and in policy deliberations, but I also know that this kind of thing isn't necessarily going to be weighed as valuable. - Lots of other experience interning around DC in various branches of government. What I want What I want is to pursue normative questions of the functions of government. I am thoroughly unconvinced by "off the shelf" political philosophies/ideologies. Would love to find a department where I could pursue questions regarding the role of government, and also the roots of political institutions/norms (along these lines, I have an interest in cultural evolution that I'd like to flesh out). I also have a laundry list of other eclectic interests that fall (at least somewhat) under the umbrella of PS. I also have a significant, if peripheral, interests in moral/analytic philosophy (almost had enough credits for the logic minor, but didn't have enough cash to add a semester) and also in evolutionary bio. So if I were to land in a department (or univ.) with a few faculty that focus on the philosophy of social science that would also be great. Thus, based on my characteristics/background. . . 1. What range of schools should I expect to get in to/aim for? 2. Are top 10's too significant a reach? 3. Should I bother applying to some back-up terminal masters programs? Or are these always a waste of time/money? (I've heard mixed advice) I've also considered a few combo MPP/PhD programs that might be more attracted to my background than pure PS programs, but haven't come to any strong conclusions about the utility of the dual-degree. Would welcome thoughts on this as well. I know I'm asking a few different questions here, so obviously feel free to respond as you see fit, to whatever pieces you feel qualified to answer, and thanks in advance for your help.

Profile evaluation request for Fall 2019: -------------------------------------------------- College/University awarding the degree: NIT Kurukshetra, India Branch: Mechanical Engineering Field of Interest: physics of fluids, microfluidics Degree Goal: MS(thesis)/PhD GPA/Percentage: 9.12/10 Topper's Percentage (or GPA): ~9.7 Your rank in your class: ~20/120 GRE: 319 (V 155 + Q 164 + AWA 4.0) Toefl:112 (R29 L29 S27 W27) --------------------------------------------------- Internships: 1) 2 months: IIT Guwahati, summer 2016 2) 2 months: IISc Bangalore, summer 2017 (IAS fellowship) Graduated May 2018, been working as Research Assistant at IISc since. --------------------------------------------------- Submitted or Accepted Publications: 1 - AIP's Applied Physics Letters --------------------------------------------------- Projects: 5 good ones! 3 of them relevant to the above mentioned field of interest. Other 2 not to explicitly related. --------------------------------------------------- Recommendations: 1) Associate Professor, IISc Bangalore : Strong~Moderate (idk) 2) Professor, NIT KKR (B.Tech. Project guide) : Strong 3) Professor, NIT KKR : Moderate --------------------------------------------------- Misc Achievements: none --------------------------------------------------- Tentative Universities (applying to Mech Engg/Applied Physics programs, mainly thesis based) : 1) TU-Delft 2) TU-Eindhoven 3) University of Twente 4) KTH Royal Institute of Technology 5) UToronto 6) UBC 7) Purdue ? UIUC --------------------------------------------------- I need help in shortlisting the universities. Please classify my choices as ambitious, moderate or safe. Any suggestions for addition or subtraction are welcome. Especially in adding safe ones to the list? I'm not hell-bent over MS in US. Especially due to my GRE. Funding/Assistantship matters to me! Again, aiming for thesis based courses for the same reason. Thanks!

Undergrad Institution: UK Top 5/6 (Although this is misleading as I believe 5th-8th are seen as interchangeable in the UK, if not (controversially) 3rd-8th) Major: Mathematics and Philosophy Concentration: Statistics, Pure math (mostly analysis) GPA: (Converted) 3.90~4.00/4.00 (4.00/4.00 according to the guideline of my UG institution. Also, only the upper division classes count towards the GPA) Graduated: 2018 Awards: Nothing besides Dean's list for the final 2 years Type of Student: International Asian (East Asian) Relevant Courses: (Grad classes) Measure & Probability theory (A+), Ergodic Theory (A+) Advanced Bayesian Inference (A+) (Undergrad classes) Functional Analysis (A+) Linear Algebra (A) Differential Eq (A+) Markov Chains/Processes (A+), Multivariate Analysis (A), Advanced Logic (A+) Dissertation (A+) GRE: (V)166 (97%)/(Q)177(97%)/(W)4.5(82%) GRE Subject Math: 820 (82%) - will retake as I ain't got much to do before applications Programs Applying: PhD Stats mostly Research Experience: - Year-long dissertation (mainly) on (Hilbert) Sobolev gradient flows and their applications in image processing (Applied math-PDE). This is tightly linked to my current research interest. - A project in the Advanced Bayesian inference module on MCMC approach to Bayesian network inference (mostly a survey of two main approaches) This is my biggest concern as I missed the opportunity to do undergraduate research internships partly due to personal complications but mostly because of my lack of focus and organization. There seem to be many who end up with publications and more with at least a meaningful experience of being part of serious mathematical/statistical research. The closest thing to an official recognition of research experience is a consolation letter for my dissertation for 'almost' winning the prize. I did go theoretically deep as I could with my dissertation but for the most part it was deciphering already published papers and deriving middle steps that's rarely mentioned only because people in the field all would know without having to spell it out. Recommendation Letters: Two from professors of the pure math grad classes. One should be close to very good and the other probably at least good . Another from my dissertation supervisor (Applied math) which would be close to very good and the last from statistics professor for the grad class in bayesian stats (cannot gauge the quality of the letter but he's a very nice person). Pure math professors are senior while appliedmath/stats are junior faculty members. Research Interests: Intersection of the Wasserstein space and Bayesian inference (In particular, Approximate Bayesian inference such as Variational Bayes, Monte Carlo methods). Miscellaneous -I switched from Political science & Philosophy to Math & Philosophy before going into honours (upper division). My grades in the first two years are inconsistent especially in philosophy & poli sci as I had quite strong opinions in social science back then. My math grades are less inconsistent but have a pity-pass (D) in 2nd year introductory statistics and a B in upper division real&abstract analysis which I took in my 2nd year (sad but no regrets as that allowed me to take grad classes later). -Took a couple years of leave of absence due to personal matters. Applying to (probably) PhD Statistics: UW-Madison Harvard Chicago Iowa Duke Berkeley UNC Chapel Hill Michigan Phd Math: CMU ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Remark: Although I'm personally not very comfortable with big-name universities, the above were pretty much the only ones I could find (after reading papers in spare time) with researchers in the field I hope to go into. Application of optimal transport theory/Wasserstein space in statistical inference seems to be pretty big in France (which is a shame because the only french I know is 'can I get the bill please') but not so much in the States, especially outside the top 20. That is one of my concerns as I don't feel like any program in the list is even close to being a safety for me, and I've realized how difficult admissions can be in the last application cycle. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hello, I've been reading posts in this form in the last application cycle which turned out very badly, so I posted desperately looking for an advice on this forum. Last year I've applied to 5 PhD programs in the range of Chicago~Northwestern (in terms of USNEWS ranking) and I was rejected at all programs, with only one waitlist (ironically) from Chicago (and the waitlist that year seemed fairly long). The possible reasons are inconsistent transcripts especially in the first two years, lack of research experience, and possibly not very strong letters of recommendations. Last year I applied after returning from a two-year-long leave of absence so I had to ask for letters only after 2 months of trying hard to make an impression. I was told by the professors that the letters were very strong, but they probably did not have that much to write even if they had the best intention. In terms of letters I think it is reasonable to expect significant improvement. Also, I bumped up my GPA +0.2-ish in my final year so the transcripts would seem more consistent. Funding is a very important factor which is why I'm (forced to) only look into PhD programs. It'd be nice if I could take more classes and get a real research experience from a Master's it is unlikely that I would be able to do so unless I get a stipend. I will apply to MS programs with generous funding (McGill, Bonn, BMS Phase I) but it seems the competition for scholarships is nearly as fierce as those for PhD programs Also I'm planning to write to professors working in the field of my interest asking if they are taking in new PhD students. Websites (of the professors) often refer to the department's page for prospective applicants, and I'm not sure if that's a kind way of saying 'don't email me unlesse you are admitted' or just 'don't email me if you are going to only read the abstract of my work and ask to weigh your chances'. I'd be very grateful to hear thoughts of anyone with similar experience/plans. Again, I am desperately looking for an advice, so any input will be much appreciated!

Hello Everyone, Present I am currently working as a Full Stack developer for a technology company. I have had hands on experience with recent .Net(MVC, WebAPI) and front end frameworks(AngularJS/Angular2/4/5). I started working with a startup right after my under-grad and have been with them for 3.5 years now. I got promoted from Software Engineer to Sr. Software Engineer and currently lead a team of 15 people on several projects. Simultaneously, I work for an international client (Director of Technology) on building their complex internal use software, for which I have designed the architecture, take requirements(Agile), develop and deploy its releases. I have a stack overflow reputation of ~4K. I am in top 5% users in AngularJs and top 20% in c# and always #SOreadytohelp. Past I graduated from Manipal University, Karantaka after completing my BE in computer science. I have had a tough time in my college as I could manage a mere 5.73/10 cgpa with over 15 backlogs. I self taught myself different languages(c#, javascript, python, PHP, etc..) and worked on small and enterprise projects when i entered the real world. Future Now, I believe I have gained enough knowledge that I could have from my current role and wish to explore further on my potential by doing masters in either MIS/DataScience/ML/AI. Another reason is that I really wish to taste proper education by studying in a good school. GRE/TOEFL I would be giving the standardized tests by end of August and very certain to score 320-323 in GRE and 105-107 in TOEFL (got this data by analyzing mock tests I have given). LOR I can manage 4 recommendations 1 from either my java or maths professor in college. 1 from my ex-manager who recently quit. 1 from the CEO of my current company with whom I have worked on php projects. 1 from the client based in USA for whom I have worked closely in developing internal software. SOP I believe that I can write a convincing statement about my potential to work for the program, defend my low grades and other relevant things. Funding I have gathered some to self-fund my tuition fees and rest would be a bank loan depending on the tuition cost (15K-25K per annum) Need clarification on the below queries : What if I could not manage a LOR from any of my professors since its been 4 years now, would a professor LOR really be required? How do I go about shortlisting universities(Ambi, Mod, Safe) which are not GPA centric yet can offer competitive computer science programs? Which universities of Canada can offer similar programs with my profile? What are my chances of scholarship in these universities? Are my chances better if i apply early to these programs?

Profile School: UT Austin Major: Government (Political Science) GRE: Just started prep but first diagnostic test put me at 165 V, 160 Q GPA: 3.4 (cumulative) 3.7 (Government) (This is my main concern) Letters of rec: All 3from tenure track professors, one from a 'star' professor who I've been working in close approximation with since 2016 and who recommended doing a PhD to me. Research experience: I have plenty of research experience including a research assistant internship with an organization affiliated with the school on which I worked on several projects, both quantitative and qualitative. This included tracking banking fraud, geopolitical consequences of mines and natural resources (used STATA extensively on this) and corruption in Honduras. I have also conducted quantitative research with two professors and two of my quant own research projects. I have also presented this research at three conferences and one those was the MPSA. This is all quantitative research over a course of 2 years. Teaching experience: None, undergrads can't TA at my school Foreign language: Hindi and Urdu along with basic Spanish and French. I also have internships with various gender violence NGOs (I want to concentrate on conflict in gender for my PhD research and my current Thesis focuses on that) Do you guys think I have realistic chances of getting into a good PhD programs?

Hey all I’m a rising undergrad senior who’s been lurking on the forum for a while. I’m a little overwhelmed with the process and was hoping to get a sober appraisal of my odds and more importantly, some actions points for going into my senior year. Type of Undergrad Institution: Top 30 Liberal Arts Major(s)/Minor(s): Public Policy & Business Analytics double with a concentration in Data Science Undergrad GPA: 3.60 GRE: Taking in mid July, I’m in my 5th week of studying and getting high 320’s (169V, 159Q) on diagnostics Any Special Courses: Some data science and advanced econometrics Letters of Recommendation: One from thesis advisor, unclear on others Research Experience: Honors thesis in the works, working with advisor who is relatively well known in the subfield Subfield/Research Interests: American Politics/ Legislative Theory Obviously I have a low GPA but I think I can put up some good numbers on the GRE. I have a few broad questions: What should I be doing to “pimp out” my thesis. Should I be trying to get published/look at awards? (Obviously easier said than done) Should I even bother applying for the next cycle? My thesis won’t be done by December and I won’t have Spring 2019 grades which will hopefully be raising my GPA What range of schools should I be looking at? I need to get some additional recommenders. I’ve seen advice on here along the lines of “just ask to be an RA for free” but I don’t think there’s much opportunity for that at my school. Should I cold call professors to ask to work with them? I haven’t cultivated many good contacts in my dept. other than my thesis advisor. If you’re still reading this, thank you. I’d appreciate any thoughts you have. I haven’t gotten to talk to many mentors at school so it’s extremely helpful.

Hi everyone, longtime lurker here. I've trawled through tons of posts but haven't found any on exactly my situation, so I'd really appreciate any advice you can offer. I'm aiming to apply for PhD programs in the upcoming cycle, and my math training/grades are a serious weak link in my application. Profile with the usual suspects: School: Large public R1, top 25 USNWR Subfield: Comparative GRE: 170 V, 160 Q (5.5 AW, though I'm told no one cares) GPA: 3.7ish overall and 3.85ish major, depending on how my final classes go Letters of rec: 1 truly excellent from a thesis advisor well-known in my subfield, 2 passable Research experience: 2 research projects (ethnographic independent study + thesis that used basic statistics), local conference presentations, think tank internships. No publications Teaching experience: If you count leadership in some student clubs I can spin as academic Foreign language: Professional proficiency in Spanish and Mandarin, both of which I've used in research Here's the problem: Math courses: Single and multivariable calc (all C's). 1 introductory statistics course (A+), if that helps. Would it be enough just to say that I'm working through Simon and Blume's "Mathematics for Economists" + Moore and Siegel's "A Mathematics Course for Political and Social Research?" I'd love to get into a Top 20 program or Georgetown/George Washington. How could I improve my chances? I have some ideas, though I'm not sure which to prioritize: - Should I try to wrangle my research projects into something publishable? - Should I lobby hard / get down on my knees before my letter writers? - Should I contact prospective advisors with a charm offensive? - Should I retake the GRE and aim for a 165+ score? (I think I know the answer lol.) - Should I take a calc/linear algebra course online from a CC? (This would be costly.) Last option: - Should I just expect not to suceed this round and plan to attend an MA program like MAPSS? Thanks a ton.

Hey guys, I am planning for doing MS in Computer Science. Please suggest me ambitious, moderate and safe universities based on my profile. GRE - 308 TOEFL - 90 Academics - B.Tech. in IT (8.27 CGPA) Work Experience - 6 years as an Android Developer

I saw a nice thread in the Biology forum that inspired me. Please feel free to add to this post with your own profiles, or experiences thus far in the 2018/2019 entry phase. I could not find anything similar here, so I wanted to do my best to establish a thread that can stand the test of time throughout 2018. Please feel free to copy the text I use as a template for your post. Here is my profile for evaluation. I am hoping for a Tier 1 research university with full funding. Obviously I won't be attempting to apply to anything in the top 30-40 because of my undergrad school and "not incredible" test scores & GPA. I have some solid recommendation letters from tenured professors; however, my school is not a research school, and I am not a published researcher. I have a lot working for me in terms of work experience, interpersonal & writing skills, and have focused my desires into contributing to academia in a meaningful way. I know that I would be welcomed at a Tier 2 university; however, I would like to hear whether or not you folks think I am aiming too high or too low with my choices as stated below for the Tier 1 selections. Undergrad Institution: Private-For Profit (lowly regarded, not online) Major(s): Business Minor(s): Accounting GPA in Major: 3.9 Overall GPA: 3.89 Position in Class: Top Type of Student: Domestic, White Male, Adult/Professional Graduate Institution: Southern Region Jesuit University Major(s): MBA Minor(s): Finance Overall GPA: 3.80 Position in Class: Top GRE Scores (revised/old version): Q: 161 (78th) V: 159 (83rd) W: 4.5 (82nd) Research Experience: Low-medium; Independent research study during MBA, focused on predicting outcomes based on statistical analysis using STATA. Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Honor society undergrad. Endowed scholarship recipient during MBA. Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Significant professional experience and related skills Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: Professional certifications from globally recognized entities Special Bonus Points: Strong recommendations, chosen to represent the University in various ways. Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: Pre-doc candidate at the 2017 Southern Management Association, should have some connections within (safe choice) target universities Applying to Where (I would like to think I could be a strong applicant for this group): University of California San Diego – PhD. – Business – Management George Mason University – PhD. – Communications or Public Policy George Washington University – PhD. – International Business | Management & Strategy (Several school within the SMA conference region as well that would be straight PhD. Business – Management (HR/OB/Entrepreneurship), but I will pretty much know if I would be accepted based on my conversations with the faculty at the 2018 SMA conference.)

Hi all! I have my GRE in a month and I am having a freakout in terms of my preparation. On the test day they give you an option to send your scores to 4 universities for free. I have been trying to figure out 4 safe universities for my profile, but all options I considered earlier have very low acceptance rate. Can you please help me find out some safe universities for my profile, or point me in the correct direction? Thanks so much in advance. Here's my profile: GRE practice tests - 322 manhattan, 320 (3.5 awa) princeton review I national conference paper 1 year experience (will be 2 at time of joining - fall 2019) at fortune 500 company internships in all 3 years - 1st yr at startup, 2nd yr at ngo, 3rd year at above company ~80-82% undergrad Did some relevant nanodegree courses with scholarship, and another relevant professional course from a top 5 college in India. Anything else I forgot to mention? I'll add in comments... Looking for masters program in computer science.

Applying for Masters in Computer Science Fall 2018 Profile: Education: IIT Bombay Computer Science B.Tech 2014 CPI: 7.1 TOEFL: 110 GRE: 316 (I am trying again for a better score) ( 149 VR + 163 Q + 4 AW) Research: A Btech project in compilers LOR: 1 from BTP guide (strong) 1 from college prof (decent) 1 from CTO (strong) Work ex: 1 year in Samsung Electronics, Noida as a software developer 1 year in Amazon Bangalore as a software developer Currently working for 1+ years as a senior developer in Rivigo, a startup in Gurgaon I will be applying for a generic masters program and hope to find a univ with strong research culture. Please suggest me some universities

I am applying for MS CS for the fall 2018 session. I am confused about which university I should choose from these four options - Columbia, Gatech, USC and Pennsylvania. My primary interest is in the are of machine learning and AI. Here are my stats - University - JIIT Noida Sector 62 CGPA - 6.8/10 (My mother was admitted due to some illness for 3 years during my college, so there is a steady decline in grades, and the trend is apparent in my transcripts. Amounts to approx 74%) GRE - 323(Q:165, V:158, AWA: 4.0) TOEFL - 107 Resume - RESUME_Final.pdf Can somebody guide me and give me some realistic chances of acceptance. I am leaning towards Columbia and Gatech, but I don't have any knowledge of their acceptance rates. Regards, Piyush Kathuria