Pls evaluate my profile (Fall 2012|MS|CS (Security)|GRE 1290(800Q, 490V)|TOEFL 108|UG Acads 9.63/10 | DAIICT)

[vivek_goswami]

I would be glad if someone could evaluate my profile:

I am planning to apply for Masters program in Computer Science , provided I get a call from a Top 20 university.

Currently, I am working as Security Researcher at McAfee Labs, India(joined in May 2011). My areas of interest are computer and network security.

My profile is as follow:

Undergraduate: DAIICT ( a 2-tier univ in India), GPA - 9.63 /10 OR 3.85/4, Class Rank 3/240.

Research Experience :

Summer Research Internship : Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad (Area: Software Reliability Engineering)

Visiting Students' Research Programme: Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai (Area: Malware Analysis)

B.Tech Thesis (6 months project): Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai (Area: Malware Analysis)

First Days (ICTD Project, UC Berkeley): I was associated with this project for about one and half year as Undergrad researcher and developer.( published one paper out of this work ar ICTD 2010 (Tier 1 conference).

Security Researcher: McAfee Labs, India (from past 6 months, submitted a paper in Tier-2 conference out of a research project undertaken at McAfee).

Publications :

1 journal publication

5 International conference publications ( one student Paper (Tier 2 conference - ISSRE) on Software Reliability Engineering , one on Malware Analysis(Tier 2 Conference ) , one Tier I conference (ICTD) , and one in international conference ( Tier III), one submitted at Tier-2 conference )

Services:

Teaching Assistant for Intro to Programming course at DAIICT.

Invited Reviewer - Software Quality Journal, Springer

Recommendations:(will choose 3)

One from a senior prof at DAIICT (strong)

one from a senior prof at TIFR (moderate)

also from a senior engineer(but he is a Phd) at PRL.(strong)

one from a alumni of UC, Berkeley(she completed her Phd(CS) last year).(strong)

GRE Score : Quant; 800 Verbal 490 = 1290

TOEFL Score : 108 (Reading: 27, Writing: 28, Listening: 29, Speaking 24)

I am looking into applying to the following universities, I am uncertain about my chances here as well as the funding scenario in these universities(keeping in mind the aforementioned profile):

University of Wisconsin, Madison

University of Maryland, College Park

Washington University in St. Louis

Purdue University

University of Texas, Austin

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

University of California, Los Angeles

University of Toronto, Canada

Is there any particularly good university I might have missed which I should consider applying to ?

Thanks

[edvolkov]

I'm not sure if conferences you listed are good in security.

But anyway, drop UCLA, Toronto - they are nothing in security. Add CMU, Gatech

[vivek_goswami]

Hi edvolkov,

Thanks a ton for your suggestions, during my undergrad I worked on variety of subjects hence different conferences.

What might help me is working at McAfee Labs and my B.Tech Thesis in security.

Can you sort of rate my chances for above listed universities.

Thanks

Edited November 13, 2011 by vivek_goswami

[edvolkov]

Also add UIUC.

In fact, I'm not too familiar with masters admissions. But if you applied to PhD, I woulds say that you have very good shot at UMich, Purdue, Wisc, UMCP. And pretty good chances to get into UTexas, Gatech, CMU or UIUC.

As far as I know, UIUC funds masters students.

[vivek_goswami]

I applied to UIUC last year, that is my dream school...but was rejected..PhD is a long term commitment...I am not sure if I am ready for that...

[Satybarole]

Hi,

I think you have good career in Security but If your interest on Masters program in Computer Science then go for it. WUSTL and Michigan are great universities.