What does it take to get into a top CS program?

[arcadefire1027]

So, I'm currently a 3rd year at UCLA. I'm pretty new to graduate school admissions (I might be here until a 5th year so it's not super imminent for me). Here's my story so far...am I on track to getting into a top program? I'm only aiming for a Masters degree.

Me:

I transferred into UCLA this year from UCR.

Cum. GPA: 3.86

Bunch of academic awards from UCR such as:

Dean's Academic Distinction Award

Chancellor's Honors List

etc.

Currently doing software engineering based research for the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA (two quarters so far, though I may do it all year or more)

Accepted an internship for Qualcomm this next summer

I reckon I can get a good score on the GRE's since I've historically done very well with standardized testing (I got a 2260 on the SATs)

So I am on track? Is GPA very important to graduate schools? As in, is it super important that I keep up my GPA or if it fell to 3.7 would I still be on safe ground? Is more internship/research experience necessary to have a good shot at a good school? Basically, what are the most important factors to Masters admissions?

Thank you ahead of time.

Edited January 28, 2011 by arcadefire1027

[newms]

Is it a terminal Master's that you would be applying to?

Your GPA looks ok and obviously the higher it is the better. However, the more important thing that adcomms consider if your research experience and potential. Your research experience will help you a lot. Now, if it's a terminal master's then perhaps this won't be such an important factor, and other factors such as your Statement of Purpose and your letters of recommendation will be more important. I would definitely encourage you to get more internship and research experience that will lead to strong recommendation letters. Applications at top schools are competitive, but I think you're on your way.

Here's a document from a Stanford MS (I believe that Stanford's MS is terminal), that highlights the admissions process:

http://nlp.stanford....rthik/DAGAP.pdf

All the best!

Edited January 28, 2011 by newms

[arcadefire1027]

Is it a terminal Master's that you would be applying to?

Your GPA looks ok and obviously the higher it is the better. However, the more important thing that adcomms consider if your research experience and potential. Your research experience will help you a lot. Now, if it's a terminal master's then perhaps this won't be such an important factor, and other factors such as your Statement of Purpose and your letters of recommendation will be more important. I would definitely encourage you to get more internship and research experience that will lead to strong recommendation letters. Applications at top schools are competitive, but I think you're on your way.

Here's a document from a Stanford MS (I believe that Stanford's MS is terminal), that highlights the admissions process:

http://nlp.stanford....rthik/DAGAP.pdf

All the best!

It is a terminal Master's I'm after. Thanks for that link: that's very helpful. It seems like it would probably take more to get into a school like Stanford than what I've got right now. I wonder what the difference in competition is between schools say in the top 10. Would I have a significantly better chance at Princeton than at Stanford, for example? I'm struggling to find any information about admissions percentage and all that.

[newms]

It is a terminal Master's I'm after. Thanks for that link: that's very helpful. It seems like it would probably take more to get into a school like Stanford than what I've got right now. I wonder what the difference in competition is between schools say in the top 10. Would I have a significantly better chance at Princeton than at Stanford, for example? I'm struggling to find any information about admissions percentage and all that.

You can check Peterson's for admissions percentages. I'm not 100% sure that they are accurate, but at least it's a guide. Just search for the school and the program. The one thing though is that they don't seem to separate the MS students from PhD students - they just have one rate for the grad program. Here's the profile for Stanford CS. http://www.petersons...9538_10088.aspx

I actually think you have a pretty good profile so far and that you'd stand a fair chance at a school like Stanford from what you've posted. Just make sure to apply to a mix of schools, including a couple top ones and then a couple that aren't as highly rated, but still very good in the area you're interested in.

Edited January 28, 2011 by newms

[Azazel]

So, I'm currently a 3rd year at UCLA. I'm pretty new to graduate school admissions (I might be here until a 5th year so it's not super imminent for me). Here's my story so far...am I on track to getting into a top program? I'm only aiming for a Masters degree.

Me:

I transferred into UCLA this year from UCR.

Cum. GPA: 3.86

Bunch of academic awards from UCR such as:

Dean's Academic Distinction Award

Chancellor's Honors List

etc.

Currently doing software engineering based research for the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA (two quarters so far, though I may do it all year or more)

Accepted an internship for Qualcomm this next summer

I reckon I can get a good score on the GRE's since I've historically done very well with standardized testing (I got a 2260 on the SATs)

So I am on track? Is GPA very important to graduate schools? As in, is it super important that I keep up my GPA or if it fell to 3.7 would I still be on safe ground? Is more internship/research experience necessary to have a good shot at a good school? Basically, what are the most important factors to Masters admissions?

Thank you ahead of time.

I'd say that you have an excellent chance for a masters at top schools.

My advice would be to focus on research experience (try for publication, perhaps) above anything else. The great thing about research experience is that, in addition to the research itself, you will usually get great recommendation letters out of it. Such letters are perhaps the most important part of your application. And I don't think a 3.7 GPA would be at all terrible, but all else equal, you are of course better off if it remains in the 3.8s.

Don't worry about the GRE too much. As long as you do reasonably well, top programs don't really care about it.