Choosing a Computer Science PhD program that is realistic given my credentials

[sinerged]

Hello all,

My name is Luis, this is my first time posting here. Nice to meet you all!

I'm applying for a PhD in Computer Science, specifically in Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence,

and Robotics. My plan is to apply to two top-tier schools (e.g., MIT, Stanford, Berkeley), three or four

schools where I have a realistic chance of getting in given my credentials, and one or two safe

schools. However, I'm having a though time assessing which tier of schools is the "right" one for me.

At the moment I'm looking into Top 20-50 schools such as GeorgiaTech, Michigan (Ann Arbor),

Washington, North Carolina (Chapel Hill), UCSD, UCLA, among others. However, I'm not sure if those

ones are a little bit far-fetched for me. Anyone care to give a hand?

For those interested, here is a summary of my credentials. Thanks for any help!

Edited November 14, 2011 by sinerged

[starmaker]

Remember to pick programs not just based on ranking but based on how well your research interests match up with theirs. If you are really into neural networks, for instance, you might want to look at UT Austin as one of your "reach" schools.

I think your three-tiered approach (reach, match, safety) is a good one. I certainly think that you have nothing to lose except application costs from applying to a few top places.