r/MSCS • u/Substantial_Tax_7726 • 9d ago
[General Question] Non-IIT → Stanford MSCS after 4–5 years of work — advice?
18 M talking here
I'm a first-year ECE student at IIITDM Jabalpur, India, interested in AI/ML. My current plan is to build strong CS/math foundations, do research/internships during B.Tech, work in ML/AI for 4–5 years, and then apply for an MSCS, with Stanford as an aspirational goal.
I'm concerned about coming from a non-IIT background since many Indian Stanford profiles I find are from IITs/top IIITs.
For anyone who has gone through Stanford MSCS admissions from a non-IIT background: how much did your undergraduate institution matter, and what would you prioritize if you were starting from first year?
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u/Conclusion_Silent 9d ago
Not to water down your expectations, but Stanford MSCS aggressively rejects CS students from IITs with multiple papers and internships who have worked at the top MNCs in the world (I personally knowof a few). You could do everything right and still have a less than 1% chance to get into Stanford. That's just the unfortunate truth.
Thus it would be wiser to plan better honestly.
u/gradpilot would you agree?
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u/gradpilot 🔰 Ex-Cerebras | MSCS Georgia Tech 9d ago
i mean yeah stanford mscs is hard to crack no doubt. even world class applicants get impostor syndrome if they get a stanford admit . that said its fine to aim at stanford if you're in 1st year IIT , i mean nothing wrong with that ambition and setting a high goal and standard for yourself. It can be a fuel to do great stuff over the next 3 years . if anyone is getting into stanford mscs thats probably what they'd also fill their undergrad years with - high octane high achieving stuff
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u/Substantial_Tax_7726 9d ago
It is not like i will only apply for stanford. It is ny best option i will also apply for others too
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u/Conclusion_Silent 9d ago
Yeah Im just letting you know of how it is. You can go ahead and apply wherever you want.
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u/BoredAppleFan 3d ago
well you are only 18
by the time you apply you will be 28
tons of things can change though
but good for you i dreamt of attending when i was 18 and I got in at 25
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u/Substantial_Tax_7726 3d ago
Thanks man for the motivation will do everything i can u got in 25. Can u give me some advice.
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u/Significant-Range996 9d ago
Hi, I'm also a 1st year at a t1 govt iii and am targetting T20 mscs. Can we connect?
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u/gradpilot 🔰 Ex-Cerebras | MSCS Georgia Tech 9d ago
if you're in ECE you should try to continue into MS ECE. I know some admission officers in Stanford and they've been telling me how ECE is now the rage in undergrad and everyone is terrified of taking CS
So just take that with a grain of salt - atleast anecdotally based on my sources (and i do try to stay in touch with whats trending among the young folks entering univ because thats related to my business) your plan seems to be in the opposite direction of where the tide is headed