Stanford/MIT CS

[jwang511]

Hi All,

I am currently a (first year) PhD student at CMU ECE (not CS). I am not exactly interested in the research I am doing and I am looking to switch (either schools or advisor and stay at CMU). I do not have my masters yet. I am estimating my graduate GPA to be around 3.8 to 3.9. I have one first authored paper (at a 2nd tier conference). Do you think I stand a good chance for Stanford/MIT CS? (just due to the fact I want to live in a big city). Or do you think it isn't worth the hassle / effort for reapplying?

If I do apply, it would be F2013 admissions... so I also potentially loose 2 years of my life (depending on how credits transfer over...)

Thanks.

[jjsakurai]

Easiest way would be to talk to a prof at either university who is willing to fund you. Then you won't have to go through the whole app process. I know someone who switched to UDub CS mid-year via that route. Barring that, your chances really depend on a lot of factors - what kind of students are applying, whether a prof in the area you're looking to work in has funding, etc. Can you get a rec from someone at CMU? That could help your prospects.

You should also check out Berkeley and UDub CS. Both are excellent programs in big cities.

[jwang511]

I was under the impression that it is useless to contact professors. You need to be accepted into the school before they can do anything.... Yes, I can get recommendation letters from CMU...

[jjsakurai]

It's possible that this student previously knew the prof from a conference or something...