GRE 315 | GPA 8.6 | 3 years work at Cisco. Evaluate Profile

[sdfisfnijngf]

Hi,

here is my profile. Pls evaluate

GRE 315 ( Q 161, V 154 )

Toefl yet to give

3 years work at Cisco on decent projects

UG 8.6/10 from RV College of Engineering, Bangalore, under VTU

1 International Paper Presentation at Cisco ( Internal to Cisco )

1 Patent applied at US PTO. ( Issue is still pending )

I am not sure on what subjects (most likely networks )  to take yet and have no idea about which subjects are good in which colleges.

I want to apply for fallowing universities. Please evaluate my profile and let me know the chances of getting into these universities.

1) University of Wisconsin Madison

2) Texas A&M, College Station

3) NCSU

4) University of Florida

5) WashU

Any other good universities which I can look on.

Thanks in advance.

[Crucial BBQ]

Uh, "chancing" graduate programs is not the same as chancing undergrad as graduate programs tend to be more about research and not straight academics. It's really al over the place.  People who appear to have "no chance" on paper get into top programs and people who appear to be shoe-ins are denied.  There is really no way of knowing.  

 

However, before you apply anywhere, I would figure out which "subjects" you want to take...and then narrow it down to best fit. 

[danieleWrites]

As crucialBBQ says, it's impossible for anyone to tell you your chances. In fact, even if you sent this information to the director of graduate studies in the departments you're interested in and the DGS actually responded, you won't get a good probability figure. You can't predict who will evaluate your materials and how it will be done.

GRE 315 ( Q 161, V 154 )

UG 8.6/10 from RV College of Engineering, Bangalore, under VTU

Toefl yet to give

This stuff matters because it's what the graduate school uses to separate the wheat from the chaff, as the saying goes. They've decided that these numbers are a cutoff so they can narrow down the number of candidates. Logically speaking, the acceptance decision first begins by choosing who to reject and who to consider later. That's where numbers come in, actually. They have little meaning beyond a very general idea of aptitude in basic things, and a solid idea of aptitude in ability to take the particular test.

3 years work at Cisco on decent projects

.....RV College of Engineering, Bangalore, under VTU

1 International Paper Presentation at Cisco ( Internal to Cisco )

1 Patent applied at US PTO. ( Issue is still pending )

This is where you're going to "sell" yourself to the people who select graduate students. What they are looking for is your scholarship. You've presented at a conference. You have a patent pending. You clearly are doing research in the field. Your work at Cisco reflects the same. I have no idea what VTU is, but you included it as important, so I'm assuming that it is shows your scholarship and ability in the field.

Do not think of it as "are my numbers good enough"; think of your application in terms of how you can show them what you've done that makes you a student they should not only admit, but should also offer a good funding package. Figure out what each school wants in a graduate student and how you can fill that want. Most of them want pretty much the same thing. They want someone who will do exciting scholarship, complete the program in a decent time frame, and then go on to do fabulous work/scholarship in a great place. They want to name-drop you just as much as you want to name-drop them.

I am not sure on what subjects (most likely networks )  to take yet and have no idea about which subjects are good in which colleges.

This is your primary problem, actually. You're thinking like an undergraduate, trying to figure out which courses to take. Graduate programs are about independent research. Yes, the research will be guided, and yes, they will grade the research. However, the ultimate aim is for the graduate student to present a thesis or dissertation that is the culmination of the research that they've done during their entire graduate program. You get more education not through courses (though that does occur), but through your own research, which is expected to add to the body of human knowledge.

The question you should ask isn't what subjects are good, but what your research interests are and which schools have a programs that will allow you to do that research. It does you no good to go to a school that does very little with networks and a lot with game design if you're into networks. Graduate application materials (also known as the argument you will make that will explain to the school why they should admit you) generally focus on what research the apply student wants to do.

I want to apply for fallowing universities:

Why? What is it about the programs these universities do that you're interested in? No one can offer you any suggestions without knowing what you want to do, not even you.

The application process is an algorithm that begins with you knowing what you want to do. From there, it moves on to finding schools that are compatible with those goals. And then, it is a matter of formulating the materials they require in order to show the department that you're the best applicant.

[TexasGuy]

hey just APPLY....

if ppl on here tell you that you have no chance at the schools then you will either 1) not apply at all(in which case you'll have no chance of getting in ) or 2) apply but have a miserable 4 months of waiting and thinking you wont get in

 

if people tell you that you have a great chance then you'll be overconfident...and then you'll be crushed IF you dont get admitted

[TexasGuy]

by the way your scores and experience are great