Where should I be aiming?

[cs0223]

I'm looking at applying for PhD in CS and trying to narrow down which schools to apply to. My profile:

Undergrad at a fairly good state university, double major in math and CS.

GPA: 4.0

GRE: 170Q, 168V, 4.5AW

Two semesters of research experience (in graphics), and one internship at a large engineering company in software research and development.

Recommendation letters will be from my research advisor and other professors, none of whom are particularly famous as far as I know.

Do I have a reasonable chance of getting into a top 5 (MIT, Carnegie Mellon), top 10-5 (U Washington, Princeton), or 20-10 (Columbia, UCLA) school? Or should I stick to mainly lower than that? I know it probably varies by school, but I'd like to narrow my aim down a bit.

Thanks!

[ssk2]

Do you have any publications? From the research I've done so far, I think that's what distinguishes successful top tier applicants.

Your GPA and GRE score look great. Will the recommendation letters be strong?

Also, what area do you want to do your PhD in? Computer graphics?

Edited August 31, 2012 by ssk2

[cs0223]

I don't have any publications, which is one reason I am unsure. I also cannot guarantee my recommendation letters will be extraordinarily strong - I've been a top student and good worker, so they will certainly strongly recommend me, but there is nothing very personal or meaningful beyond that.

I will probably go for something related to computer graphics, but I would be open to other areas as well.

Thanks; I appreciate any advice!

[victor.s.andrei]

I've been a top student and good worker, so they will certainly strongly recommend me, but there is nothing very personal or meaningful beyond that.

Ph.D. programs are very different from undergraduate programs and most master's programs. Adcoms will look for potential to do research, not just complete more coursework. Make sure those recommendations demonstrate that you can and want to do research.