MS CS Fall'21 GRE Advice and Profile Evaluation

[hunzzzz]

I completed my undergraduate studies in Computer Science Honors this year.

My GPA is 3.88/4.00 (First Division) -- Also I am an international student!

My profile :

- Currently working as a SWE at a UK based startup (1 year work ex)

- Co-Founded a tech startup 2 years ago (Shipped and dealt with various clients)

- 2 Research Internships at research labs in my university + co-authored 2 research papers published at International Conferences (IEEE, Springer)

- 3 Internships as a SWE

- International + National Awards in some leading competitions and hackathons + Student of the year award - Dept. of CS 

- Founded and leading a Technical Club in my university, conducted hands-on workshops and mentored students + contributed to open-source + Tech communities volunteering

- Built multiple impactful software projects

- 3 Strong LOR's (2 from my professors who taught me + I conducted & published research with them and 1 from the CEO of my current work place)

 

I aim to target some of the top schools in the US & UK. Where do y'all suggest me to apply to based on my profile?

I haven't taken the GRE exam yet. Do you suggest me to take it or leave it? The earliest I can appear for it would be around 10th Dec though (I have been preparing for a while), but the COVID situation is terrible in my country at present - so I'm worried about this too. I won't take the home-based GRE at all.

 

Will I be at any disadvantage if I do not submit GRE scores to universities that have only made GRE 'optional' like Columbia, UPenn, CMU, Princeton etc??

 

Help and guidance would really be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[filmic]

As the schools say, I imagine you're fine without them, and your profile looks strong enough that they wont make a speck of a difference.  Don't waste the 200$+ imo.

I've heard that in CS adm committees/individual professors tend to use them to make sure that a student has the bare minimum . But this year bc of covid as you say that isnt applying, so i have no idea what they'd be used for at all.

If you're really worried, just write in a sentence about why you can't take the GRE due to the situation in your country, but i think even that's unnecessary. Sounds like you're a shoe-in. Good luck.

[Carrie Park]

Hey!

I would highly recommend to talk to admissions officers from different universities! You might want to check out this free virtual graduate school event to explore universities and ask questions regarding admission processes etc! https://bit.ly/3cjFbfU