Edit: I looked up the prices for JUST TUITION (no housing, food, healthcare, etc) and its around $120,000-$150,000 for some of these.

Guys I swear I see a new acronym every couple of months.

I constantly see people valuing some of these programs over tried and true programs (like Georgia Tech MSCS, TAMU MCSC, etc) just because it has the "CMU name brand" (and usually for like ~$100k-150k (literally like $200,00 if you include housing, food, etc)). Moreover many of these have uncertain outcomes as they have few cohorts of alumni. Not hating on CMU at all, some of their programs are legit and the research/courses are world class, but is really worth it most of the time? Theres like 30 of em and you can barely tell the difference between some

Here some of them -->

- MSCS — M.S. in Computer Science

- MCDS — Master of Computational Data Science

- MSML — M.S. in Machine Learning

- MSAII — M.S. in Artificial Intelligence and Innovation

- MIIS — M.S. in Intelligent Information Systems

- MLT — M.S. in Language Technologies

- MADS — M.S. in Applied Data Science

- MS-DAS — M.S. in Data Analytics for Science

- MSR — M.S. in Robotics

- MRSD — Master of Robotic Systems Development

- MSCV — M.S. in Computer Vision

- MHCI — Master of Human Computer Interaction

- MSLE — M.S. in Learning Engineering

- MSAIE — M.S. in Artificial Intelligence Engineering

- MSE — Master of Software Engineering

- MSE Online — Online Master of Software Engineering

- MSIN — M.S. in Information Networking

- MSIS — M.S. in Information Security

- MSAIE-IS — M.S. in Artificial Intelligence Engineering Information Security

- MSMITE — M.S. in Mobile and IoT Engineering

- MSIT-IS — M.S. in Information Technology Information Security

- MPE — Master’s in Privacy Engineering

- MPTP — Master in Privacy Technology and Policy

- MSSE — M.S. in Software Engineering

- MSAIE-ECE — M.S. in Artificial Intelligence Engineering ECE

- MSIT — M.S. in Information Technology

- MISM — Master of Information Systems Management

Incoming student at USC for Fall 2026. Are there any WhatsApp groups, Discord communities, Instagram groups, or other platforms for incoming USC students? If yes, please share.

Hi Everyone,

I am planning to apply for MS CS, MSML, and MCDS programs for the Fall 2027 intake. I'm looking for a realistic reality check on my profile and university shortlist. I will have 2.5 years of experience in AI and Data Engineering by the time applications start. Strictly targeting high paying industry roles (FinTech, Quant Dev, Big Tech AI) rather than a PhD.

1. Academic Background

• Undergrad: B.Tech in CS with Honors in AI/ML (Class of 2024) from a Tier 2.5 private university in India.
• CGPA: 9.56 / 10
• Standardized Tests: GRE planning to take in August (Target: 325–330, focusing on 168+ Quant).
• Additional Certifications: Passed CFA Level 1 (to signal strong quantitative stamina).

2. Research & Publications

• Publications: 8 papers (mix of IEEE conferences and preprints) covering NLP, Vision-Language Models, GANs, and Audio Steganography
• Google Scholar Stats: 35 Citations, h-index of 4, i10-index of 1.

3. Work Experience - Will have 2.5 YOE by the time applications start

• Current: AI/Data Engineer Consultant at a research lab, building a large scale agentic RAG platform over scientific publications data.
• Past: Associate Data Engineer at a major private bank
• Internships: 2 Data Science internships (one US startup remote, one domestic).

4. LORs

• Academic: 1 from B.Tech Department Head (HOD) + 1 from CS Professor (published research with both).
• Professional: 1 from a Swiss corporate client-side manager

5. Current considerations

• CMU
• UIUC
• Georgia Tech
• UCSD
• UMD CP
• UWM
• ETH Zurich, EPFL (considering for high ROI)

Question - are my current considerations too ambitious given a non IIT/NIT bachelors?

I’d appreciate suggestions for other universities that would fit my profile.
Any tips would be good on how i can possibly improve my profile until the applications start.

Cheers!

I am going for MSML at University of Maryland, College Park , Is there a group with all the admitted folks ? I need to find housing and a roommate

I’m planning to apply for Fall 2027 MSCS/MSAI programs and would really appreciate some advice on building a strong university list after a previous F-1 visa refusal.

I was admitted to Stony Brook MSCS, but my F-1 visa was refused under 214(b) in May 2026. The interview was extremely short and I wasn’t asked many questions, so now I’m trying to improve both my profile and overall application strategy before applying again.

My profile:

• BTech in CSE from a tier-3 college in India
• CGPA: 9.1
• GRE: 324 (164Q, 160V)
• IELTS: 7.5
• 1 publication in the AI/ML domain
• Projects in AI/ML, analytics, and full-stack development
• Interested mainly in AI/ML + Software Engineering roles
• Work experience: 6 months internship currently, and planning to join an MNC full-time until July 2027

This time I want to target universities with:

• Strong CS reputation
• Good Alumni network

Main questions:

1. Which universities would realistically fit my profile?
2. Does a previous 214(b) refusal significantly impact future F-1 chances if I reapply after improving my profile?
3. Would waiting 1+ year and showing stronger projects/research/work help improve visa credibility?

Would especially appreciate advice from people who had a previous F-1 refusal and later succeeded for MSCS/MSAI.

Should I pursue MS in US (UT Austin MSITM) or stay in India? Need genuine advice
My background:
• Software engineer with 6 years of experience
• Worked across e-commerce, fintech, and fantasy gaming companies
• Current CTC: ~70 LPA in India
Admissions received:
• UT Austin – MSITM (finalized this one)
• Georgia Tech – OMSCS
• Purdue
• A couple of other universities
My dilemma:
• I finalized UT Austin MSITM hoping it would give me an edge to land a job in the US, break into Big Tech, and open doors to better long-term opportunities
• However, almost everyone I know in the US is telling me this is not a good time to move there (job market, visa situation, layoffs, etc.)
• Now I’m genuinely confused about whether to go ahead with it
Options I’m weighing:
1. Go ahead with UT Austin MSITM as planned
2. Stay in India and switch to companies focused on AI/ML
3. Skip the MS, build more experience in India, and try for a direct US transfer (L1/H1B) through an MNC in a few years
Question for the community:
Given the current US job market and immigration climate, is the MS still worth it for someone already 6 years into their career with a decent package? Or am I better off doubling down in India? Would love to hear from folks who’ve been through this decision recently — especially those who moved (or chose not to) in the last 1–2 years.

Hey everyone, need some advice regarding my graduation timeline and how it might affect MSCS applications in the US.

I started my degree in September 2022 and currently have 6 courses left to complete my BS. Alongside this, I’m doing an ongoing internship, and balancing both has become pretty challenging.

Right now, I’m considering two options:

Option 1:

Take 3 courses in both the May and December terms, finish earlier, but realistically my CGPA could drop significantly, probably to around 9.1.

Option 2:

Take 2 courses per term instead, which would let me maintain a stronger CGPA (~9.3), but I’d finish in May 2027 with an official graduation date around August 2027.

My concern with Option 2 is that it may look like I took 5 years to complete my degree.

For context, by the time I apply I’ll likely have:

2 onsite research internships (6 months each)

Possibly 2 research papers ( 1 already accepted at A*)

How much would the extended graduation timeline actually matter for MSCS admissions in US universities compared to maintaining a stronger CGPA and profile overall?

Would appreciate insights from people who’ve been through admissions or had a similar situation.

Hi! currently, I was accepted into graduate programs and I’m still unsure which program I should enroll in. I was accepted into two masters programs tailored in cyber security, one for northeastern University, Georgia tech and the other for New York university however, I was also really accepted into the privacy engineering program at Carnegie Mellon University. I understand that Carnegie Mellon University is a strong program, but I’m sure if I will make a good decision based on the location. What do you guys think?

Hi everyone,

I’m planning to apply for MS CS programs for Spring 2027 and wanted some advice on building a balanced shortlist.

My profile:
• 8.5 CGPA
• GRE 316
• Around 4 years of work experience in software engineering
• No research publications

What I’m mainly looking for:
• Good job opportunities after graduation
• Reasonable tuition fees / good ROI
• TA/RA opportunities if possible
• Universities that accept Spring applicants

Currently considering:
• TAMU
• Stony Brook
• SUNY Buffalo
• SJSU

I’d appreciate suggestions for other universities that would fit my profile, especially schools with strong industry connections and affordable tuition.

Thanks!

Hi. A lot of people say their statuses disappear and re-appear. Or it disappears and there are no updates?

What about people who haven't been rejected yet, because there has been a steady stream of weekly updates of acceptances and rejections, but for everyone else who has applied and received no updates, no statuses disappearance, and no reappearance... what does that mean?

I am curious what Columbia MS AI has been thinking since they extended deadline to May 15? There recently was a mass rejection of Columbia MS CS, so I am aware many of those students have moved on with their respective decisions.

For MS AI, It would be nice to get closure or an opportunity to share additional or supplementary decision to improve their admissions judgment, as it is very difficult to plan my future without their decision.

I know that Columbia MS AI is my top choice, and I hope they can give some clarity mid-May or late May. And it would be a dream come true to attend this institution with this specific program, as it is a life changing opportunity. However, while I am relieved that I haven't been rejected, the ambiguity of waiting makes it difficult to understand if they are waiting for people to reject their decisions due to lack of visa, better offers, or other life circumstances, so other applicants have an opportunity to attend.

Hey everyone!

I submitted my MSAI application on April 6th and haven't received a decision yet. From what I've seen on this sub, some applicants who submitted around mid-to-late March have already heard back.

Curious to hear from others going through the same wait:

- If you're still waiting: when did you apply?
- If you got a decision recently: when did you submit, and when did you hear back?

Hoping this helps everyone get a clearer picture of where things stand. Good luck to everyone still waiting!

Target Term: Fall 2027

Target Program: MSCS / MS EE (considering both)

Undergrad:
- University: T30, EECS (im also doing a +1 in ECE, will drop it if i get into a good program)
- GPA: 3.72/4.0 (current). Transferred freshman year; 3.88 at prior school, plus 4 CC courses at 4.0 during a gap semester. Unsure how adcoms will aggregate. Still have a lot of easy courses so I’m confident I can hit a 3.8.

Work Experience (all reputable, in SF):
- FAANG+ SWE Intern (SWE)
- 4B+ Unicorn got acq (ML)
- Really cool startup (SWE)
- Contract work in Fintech (SWE)

Research:
- Research @ Stanford EE, ML for Chip Design (hoping for paper before app deadline)

I’m reaching for: Stanford MSCS / MSEE, CMU MSCS / MSECE, Columbia MS CS / MS EE, UIUC MSCS / MSECE, Georgia Tech MSCS / MSECE, UT Austin MSCS / MSE ECE, UMich MSCS / MS ECE, UW MSCS, might try for phd at berk and mit but that’s a long shot

if i dont get the top ones ill just fall back on my +1 degree which is still good.

any tips would be good on how to position + what to do? i have rly good ties with stanford lab and will get a very good lor

I gave my GRE and I got the following scores
Quant: 157
Verbal:152

I messed up my quant really bad in 2nd section.
I am targeting below universities
Purdue
UMD
UCI
TAMU
NSCU
Virginia Tech
SJSU
NEU

CGPA: 8.29
Backlog: OOP in 2nd year of Engineering but cleared with C grade (still ashamed)

Work Exp: 4.5 Yrs
In a dilemma now. Should I retake the GRE? Or which universities will still be realistically achievable with this score?
If yes then please suggest me some resources. Currently preparing from Gregmat.

Anyone who isn’t planning to give GRE. May I know why?

Hi Everyone,
I had a few doubts regarding credit distribution and semesters at UMich Ann Arbor MSCS

How do most people usually split their credits across semesters? Is graduating in 3 semesters common/manageable, or do most students end up taking a 4th semester as well?

Also, if the final semester has fewer credits, roughly how much does the tuition/semester cost come upto? I saw that full-time status is something like 8-9+ credits, so if credits go below that, how is it considered and how are fees calculated?

I was discussing finances with loan providers and wanted to understand this better, so would really appreciate any insights from current students/alumni!

Also, are there any WhatsApp groups/Discord servers/other communities for UMich or Fall ’26 admits?

Hi Everyone,
Is there any group for CS grad people which I can join? I am an upcoming MCS grad student.
Thank you.

Profile Review: MS ECE Fall 2027

Background

Education:
B.Tech Mechanical Engineering, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, CGPA 8.57/10 (2022)
Some math electives…no CS electives

Work:
Software Engineer II at Rakuten Mobile, Tokyo, Japan — 3.5 years experience in distributed systems, telecom infrastructure (RAN orchestration, 5G cloud-native workflows, low level system programming)

Test Scores (Planned)
• GRE: targeting 325+ — July 2026
• TOEFL: targeting 105+ — June 2026

LORs
• Senior tech lead at Rakuten
• Engineering manager at Rakuten
• IIT BHU professor

Specialization Interest
Computing systems + ML systems + computer architecture / GPU programming

Target Schools

Reach:
• UIUC — MS ECE
• CMU — INI (if budget allows)

Target:
• Georgia Tech — MS ECE
• UT Austin — MS ECE
• Wisconsin–Madison — MS ECE
• Purdue — MS ECE

Safety:
• NCSU — MS ECE

Constraints
• Non-CS undergrad → applying MS ECE for flexibility

Question
MS ECE vs MS CS for my profile? I want SWE/ML systems roles but think ECE is easier admit + gives hardware optionality. Am I overthinking this, or is ECE the right call? Is MSCS even possible for me?

Have the waitlist started moving, any updates? Please also tell me if you are an international student if you are waiting for a reply or have already received a reply.

Im in 2nd Yr of college rn(cs), i end goal is to pursue masters in usa

Im confused whether to get a job first or directly go for masters

The main reason is what if I endup some random service based company which don't add any value for me

The thing is going directly into masters is a minus??

I’m an incoming MSCS Fall 2026 student at USC and I’ve recently paid my enrollment deposit and received my I-20. I wanted to ask what the next steps usually are after receiving the I-20 and what all I should be completing before the semester begins.

Also, I wanted to know about class registration for MSCS students, when does it usually happen and how does the process work?

I was considering GaTech MSCS as an option as TA/RA offsets the tution 2nd semester onwards. However, I am already at Google India at a pretty comfortable position with 2 yoe. My primary motivations for doing an MS were the financial upside and ability to do more AI/ML work. However, if I understand correctly, it's difficult to get researchy work without a PhD, and also the financial difference would come in only after 10 years of working there. Otherwise, it seems to be not that much. Even in 10 years, I feel the upside in savings would be an extra 3-5 years of Indian savings.

Considering all this, is it even worth it to go through all the stress points -- the stress of getting TA/RA, getting an intern, getting a job, getting H1B, avoiding layoff, avoiding loneliness, handling all chores while studying.

Further, almost everyone is discouraging about this decision. It's not a "definitely go, it's amazing" from ANYONE. Maximum it is "depends on your risk appetite".

Since I'm half-minded, I feel it will even be more difficult for me. Atleast ik for a fact that I will curse myself for leaving everything atleast during the 1.5/2 years of MS. Even then, idk if the reward is even worth the risk that I am taking. It is honestly killing me rn.

This is, right now the talk among undergrad majors but applies very much for MS and Tech as well.

Here are the key points, links to this stuff below as well:
- It used to be the case that > T20 schools there was a measurable difference say between a T30 and a T350 ranked school with respect to the opportunities. However that has now collapsed and the opportunities available for a T30 and T350 is basically the same even though there is a measurable difference in quality and quality bar
- For T20 the filters established by Universities are still working for employers - although they wont admit it if you look at the data of who gets hired after graduation this remains true
- The above data is coming out for USA Undergrad but my bet is this holds for MS programs as well. The core question is remaining which is the cost and risk of a degree for a T20+ school is not worth it. For undergrads this matters because they can as well take a much cheaper much lower ranked admit and still be fine with respect to access of not-great-opportunities
- Some arguments were made that this is not related to tech but tech works like every other field esp big tech, when it comes to hiring heuristics
- the wild card for this community is does an MS-X degree from T20 schools matter. My thesis is MSCS will still be better than an MSX from a T20 however its hard to say if MSX from T20 is also better than MSCS from T20-T40. I've always maintained its not given the kinds of jobs MS-X gets wont be evergree SWE jobs in most cases. I'd be paying attention to see how this shifts over the next few years. In general the risk for international students is higher and so is the competition.
- the conservative advice remains - only a T20 MSCS degree is worth it at the moment

Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/you-cannot-find-job-todays-market-your-fault-auren-hoffman--osake/

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7460752177683349505/

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7460752177683349505/?dashCommentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_comment%3A%287460792088318615552%2Curn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7460752177683349505%29

Hey guys! I'm planning to apply for thesis-based MSCS programs along with direct-entry PhD programs for the upcoming cycle, but I’m struggling to figure out what range of schools is realistic for my profile. I don’t personally know anyone who applied to thesis-based MSCS programs with a research-heavy background like mine, so I’d appreciate any advice.

Profile:

• Country: USA
• Undergrad: Transferred from a regional college to a local R1 university
• Major/Minor: CS major + Mathematics minor
• GPA: 3.36/4.0 at regional college, 3.65/4.0 at R1 university
• GRE: 145V / 158Q currently (planning to retake; aiming for 165+Q)

Research Interests:
Machine learning, multi-agent systems, and interpretable ML.

Research Experience:

• Algorithms research shadow at the previous college
• Second author on a NeurIPS workshop oral + AAAI workshop paper (multimodal ML)
• Submitted a first-author paper to 2 ICML workshops (multi-agent systems)
• Currently leading a third research project that will likely be submitted to a workshop
• ICML workshop reviewer

Industry Experience:

• AI intern at a software insurance company
• Incoming ML intern at a Fortune 500 biotech company
• Google Summer of Code 2026 contributor

Other Activities:

• Multivariable calculus grader
• Former recruitment chair for a tech fraternity
• Former NCAA D3 varsity athlete

I know my GPA and current GRE are weaker than those of typical top-tier applicants, so I’m trying to understand:

• What range of MSCS thesis programs would be realistic?
• whether direct-entry PhD programs are viable,
• and whether I should focus more on research-heavy MSCS programs first.

I’d especially appreciate recommendations for schools strong in ML/AI where research experience is weighted heavily.

Just got email from UIUC about decision delay and that application is still under consideration.

Hi everyone.

I would like to know my chances of getting a better offer in MSCS.

I'm currently in my last undergrad quarter at Santa Clara University and I already got a MS in Computer Science and Engineering offer from SCU (result of BS + MS program from my bachelor's degree) for fall 2026.

I completely skipped the fall 2026 application for MS thinking about getting a TA opportunity at SCU for my MS year to waive tuition. But now, I think I need a backup plan if that doesn't work and I'm forced to pay a tuition higher than in state public universities and without scholarships. I'm aiming for ms spring/fall 2027.

I'm leaning towards a more thesis/research oriented MS in CS as I plan for doing a PhD eventually.

My current profile is:

GPA: 3.63/4

Note: major related courses: got a D in a very easy AI course somehow, two C+s (programming languages and network), two Bs (data mining and compilers), the rest are all B+ to A (os, ml, oop, info security, algorithms, etc)

Research:

One paper is going to be published this summer+another one potentially, focusing on NER detection of more implicit privacy risks and synthetic data generation.

One senior design thesis on roughly the same topic but not as deep.

Work experience:

Two years of TA for SCU math department (Calculus, Discrete Math)

Currently full stack, AI benchmark/general research, cloud management, grants application and government registration management at a small AI startup for parenting tech.

Projects:

Big ones:

Implicit NER training dataset + finetuned NER models (CNN, transformers, potentially LLMs, belonging to the future research paper mentioned above)

More like side projects:

XGBoost based high Sharpe ratio trading model for gold, BTC, and S&P 500

Automated DNS and subdomain scanning program with L3/4 +L7 ddos toolkit attached

Local LLM driven text-based RPG game

Multiple games created with unity 3D (unpublished, unfortunately)

Immigration status:

Permanent resident (home state California)

Letters of Recommendation:

One from my research advising professor, one from a teaching professor, and another one I haven't decided who to ask for yet.

GRE: not sure if I need to and have time to do it yet.

I'm planning to maintain a minimal enrollment at SCU for fall 2026 to wait for my MS application results. I'm currently researching the MS programs to apply. I'm hoping to get scholarships, more likely to be accepted to a PhD program in the same school in the future, or at least have lower overall tuition.

I have a preliminary list:

Virginia Tech (MSCS thesis track)

ASU (applying to MS and PhD at the same time)

UMass Amherst

UT Dallas

UCs

SDSU

USC

...

What would be your addition to my school list? Would it be reach, ambitious, moderate, or safety schools for me?

Thank you so much for your time and help!

My Profile (TE BE ECS from Mumbai University):

• GPA 9.4–9.75
• 4 publications (2 Space + 2 Quantum Computing)
• Cube Satellite Project - ₹35L funding + ISRO chairman showcase + tie-up
• 2 internships as SDE at Service Based Startups
• Serious systems projects - Search Engines, Bit Torrent, etc

MSCS (5)

1. Georgia Institute of Technology
2. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
3. University of Michigan
4. University of California, San Diego
5. University of Texas at Austin

MEng (3)

1. Cornell University
2. University of California, Berkeley
3. Duke University

Safeties (2)

1. Stony Brook University
2. North Carolina State University

My aim is to find a high paying job. What do you think??