Evaluate my chances at a top 25-50 MS in Comp Sci program

[washington]

Hi all, so I'm in a bit of a strange situation. I feel as though I have a very strong application to a top 25-50 MS program in Comp Sci except for one point. Let me know what you think my chances are or what I can do.

 

First the good,

Research:

15 abstracts/presentations at medical/statistics conferences

4 journal articles in great to very very good journals on medicine/statistics

 

GRE:

>90th percentile verbal, quantitative, analytical writing

 

GRE subject test:

90th percentile

 

Recent non-degree student courses:

I took 4 core courses at the program that I'm applying to, and my average GPA in those courses was 3.9.

 

Undergrad degree:

At a top 5 public university

 

Job Experience:

Four years in research and programming at a university

 

Recommendations:

One from my current PI who is a big name and will write me an incredible letter.

One from a professor whose graduate CS course I had the 2nd highest grade will be solid.

One from a professor whose graduate CS course who will write me a great rec and whom I will do research with if I get in.

 

The bad:

My GPA is low, but it is the average in my major, which is 2.5. However, the level of my coursework is all very high -- I have over 30 hours in graduate coursework alone in undergrad. My GPA didn't improve over time, but it also didn't decrease. I took the four courses at the school in which I want to apply for an MS program in (top 25-50 school), and as I said above, I have a 3.9 GPA in those courses.

 

 

Okay -- let me have it. What do you think?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ab2013]

Did you go to MIT or Berkeley? I hear that they do have deflated grades there (my school has this problem too, though the average is higher than a 2.5).

 

The 90th percentile on the GRE CS (I presume this is what you meant by "subject test") is exceptionally strong; that is a very difficult test. I actually remember reading somewhere that the Top 10 looks for the 85th percentile or higher.  

 

The non-degree classes should help. I'm not sure about the research, because I'm not sure how relevant they are to CS and how much MS admissions factors it in.

 

I think you have a pretty good shot. I can't say for sure; grad admissions is pretty unpredictable. For example, as you may have noticed in my other thread, I got rejected from Purdue, which I thought was a safer school for me.

Edited January 17, 2013 by ab2013

[washington]

Thanks! 

 

I went to a top 5 public university. The average GPA in my major was 2.5 as well, although the average GPA at my school is 3.0. 

[codejunkie]

Is your four years of research experience full-time?

 

I think you should be ok if you can give a reasonable explanation for the low GPA in your SoP. You've done quite a bit to make up for it.

[josefchung]

The low GPA is a shame, because you have an amazing profile otherwise. If you had exceptional circumstances that led to your low GPA, make sure to explain that in your SOP. 

 

Unfortunately, the GPA matters a lot, and from my limited experience, it matters more for Masters than it does for PhD programs. Also, your graduate credits won't help much, because grades below B- are usually considered failing in graduate courses. 

 

I think another good option for you would be to leverage the relationships with your professors, and try to get into the Master's program at your school. 

 

I do think that the 3.9 GPA you mentioned and the exceptional subject GRE does make up for the low GPA - enough at least for the 25-50th ranked MS programs. My biggest worry is that the admission committee might not even get a chance to properly review your application, because it doesn't meet some minimum university/department GPA threshold. So it won't hurt to contact professors/admin committee, and let them know of your situation.