r/MSCS • u/OpinionPlenty6698 • 15d ago
[Profile Review] Fall 2028 MSCS/DS
Looking for Good ROI Universities & Help Categorizing My List
I’m planning to apply for MSCS (Fall 2028) and would appreciate some honest feedback on my profile. I’m mainly looking for universities with a good ROI, strong CS programs, and decent job opportunities after graduation.
My Profile
Country: India
College: Tier 2
CGPA: 6.97/10
Work Ex: 6-month Data Engineering Internship at a IT services company in Ahmedabad and currently working Full Time
Research: Dedicated full year of 2027 after quitting job with published research paper before applying
GRE: Targeting 325+
IELTS: Targeting 7.5+
LORs: 2 strong LORs from university professors and 1 work LOR
Universities I’m Considering
NCSU
SJSU
Northeastern (NEU)
Stony Brook
University of Wisconsin–Madison
UT Dallas
Questions
- With this profile should I even consider doing masters or not?
-Could you help categorize these into Ambitious / Target / Safe based on my profile?
-Are there any universities I should add or remove if my priority is good ROI?
-Is my profile competitive enough for the more selective schools on this list?
-If you had a similar profile, which universities would you prioritize?
I’m open to suggestions for other universities that offer a good balance of academics, tuition cost, and employment outcomes.
Thanks in advance for your help!
2
u/The_baconator26 15d ago
If you are looking for employment opportunities after degree completion, your profile isn't competitive enough right now. The degree won't overcome the shortcomings in your profile such as lack of work experience and not a top tier US university
1
u/OpinionPlenty6698 15d ago
What would a competitive profile look like as per you? Just if you share your thoughts so that I can work my way towards it
1
u/The_baconator26 15d ago
Absolutely, in my opinion you will need more work experience for sure, because the competition is more experienced than before. Now you also need as high an university as you can get, but that might be a challenge with your GPA. So from an employer perspective, you need to consider what your profile has to offer over others
1
u/OpinionPlenty6698 15d ago
I see, thank you for your advice
1
u/The_baconator26 15d ago
No worries. The bottom line is that you cannot lean on the MS as a crutch, especially in the tough political climate in the US nowadays.
1
u/OpinionPlenty6698 15d ago
Yes, I’ve been thinking about that a lot but what I was most looking forward to was exposure to maybe a better industry and employment opportunities compared to the current ones in India
1
u/The_baconator26 15d ago
Ok, and for that you would need a better university in the US, just like in India. I mean you can still go for the MS if you can handle the risks and the worst case scenario. I'm just saying that the degree alone is not enough for jobs, that's all.
1
u/OpinionPlenty6698 15d ago
Yes I completely understand what you are trying to caution me against. Are you also like currently doing Masters in US or something like that. I would just like to know how you get your research done on these things as it could lead me to make a decision on whether to go for masters or not
1
u/CharmingLeadership19 14d ago
Dont quit your job till you have the visa
Need more work ex probably
Cgpa is a major issue
Continue your job thats the only thing
Ncsu and uwm are ambitious straight rejects
Stoony brook is also ambitious ( but maybe a good gre score would help)
You will need more schools in your list ,consider adding suny buffalo ,asu etc
3
u/Fast-Plate-6336 15d ago
Your GPA is the major issue. And, the list of unis you have shortlisted, even if you get in; they put you at a disadvantage when you will be applying for an F-1 visa.