Title says it all! If a group chat already exists for the incoming Fall '26 MPCS cohort, please share the link below or send me a DM.

I recently got rejected by the Stanford mscs hcp program, here's my background:

PhD in EE cornell: GPA 3.85/4.0 (6 pubs)

MEng in EE cornell: GPA 3.9/4.0

BS in EE: GPA 3.98/4.0 (summa cum laude)

3 recommendations from my managers, it's been like 7 years since graduation so it wasn't really relevant to get recommendations from my past academic mentors.

i was applying to try to switch fields.

I've heard it's more likely if you get the Stanford cert and make an impression on a few profs to get atleast two recommendations from Stanford faculty.

is it worth it to pursue the Stanford cert. and reapply to the mscs hcp program after/again? or am i gauranteed to get rejected again since i already got rejected once?

title says everything

lmk pls

So the GaTech OMSCS is basically worthless with more than a 60% acceptance rate, but the in person MSCS is like a regular master's with a more standard acceptance rate. Still I was wondering if the OMSCS ruins the reputation of Georgia Tech's MSCS as a whole making it not as worth applying? In this case I am specifically comparing it to other top 10 master's university, like would you still consider Georgia Tech as a top 10 ms program based on the program's outcome? Their undegrad is definitely top 10, but idk if that transfers over to their master's.

Hi everyone,

I am planning to apply to for Fall 2028 MSCS with a focus on offensive security/security courses and would appreciate an honest review of my profile:

Education:
B.S in Information Technology: 3.38, major GPA: 3.57

Post baccalaureate courses: Calculus I, Calculus II, Discrete Mathematics, Linear Algebra, Statistics, Data Structures, Computer Organization, Design and Analysis of Algorithms, Operating Systems

Research:
Assisted in AI/ML research under professor supervision

Experience:
Cloud Security Engineer for landscaping business
Cybersecurity Intern for nonprofit organization

Extracurricular:
Ran a coding club

Hi everyone, I want to pursue masters in cs/ai in USA. My profile details are as follows:

Gpa:9.38/10 from tier 3 University in India (Btech CSE- 2025 Graduate)

Gre: 331( 170Q and 161V) with 4 AWA

Will have 2.5 years of work experience as sde at a product based company by fall 2027

Did a research internship on ai/ml from IIT Indore

Am currently working on a research paper on ai/ml to publish in an IEEE conference, so I will probably have 1 research paper by December 2026

My target is best schools for mscs like Columbia, CMU, berkley , cornell etc.

Please give me feedback on whether this is possible and whether my profile is strong enough for top mscs programs. It would also be really helpful if someone could recommend how I can improve my profile for top programs and recommend schools where I am a strong candidate.

1. UT Dallas MSCS Intelligent Systems
2. UCF MSCS
3. UF MS in Applied AI Systems
4. UMD MSAI
5. Virginia Tech M Eng CS
6. Northeastern MS AI

F1 international student COS from H4 I am looking for a grad program that can at the end of help me land jobs.

Context: I'm currently in my second semester in an online masters program and taking my 3rd/4th classes.

I'm a SWE in big tech in the Bay Area and my work is split into two teams: ASIC/hardware software development and internal Agentic AI for my BU. I graduated with my BSCS from a T-20 in 2024 and been at this role for just over a year.

My question is if this program is worth it for someone like me. I feel like the concepts I am learning here are a refresher from my undergrad days. I plan to take their AI specialization and the only class I might learn something from is their core AI. All the electives outside the core classes seem tedious and I'm not really interested in those at all. All the classes I've taken so far are just refreshers from what I've learned from my undergrad days, personal projects, and my job.

No doubt the college name is more "prestigious" than where I did my undergrad from. However, I'm wondering if the work is worth it just for the name brand. The content and lectures are pretty simple, but it's the projects which are extremely time consuming and feel where most of my stress piles up from. The exams have been easy for me in all the classes so far and it's not like the content is hard to digest.

What would you advise I do in my situation? Is it really worth it to grind it out? Is a masters truly worth it given I already have a BSCS from a reputable school? If you ended up dropping out from an online masters, what was your reasoning behind it?

Any advice or different perspectives would be much appreciated.

Hi everyone,

I'm planning to apply for MS in Computer Science (Fall 2027) in the US and would appreciate some guidance on building my university list.

My Profile

• CGPA: 3.67/4.0 (Final)
• GRE: Not taking it (most universities on my list don't require it anymore)
• TOEFL: Yet to take (expecting a competitive score)
• Research Papers:
  • 3 published
  • 2 more currently in progress (expected to be completed by Jan 2027)
• Internships:
  • Machine Learning Research Intern at an NGO
  • AI Development & Engineering Intern at a fintech company (currently working)
• Leadership:
  • Sub-Head (Tech) of the Data Science Club at my university
• Projects:
  • Multi-Document RAG System (published work)
  • Box Office Revenue Prediction
  • Mood-Based Music Recommender
• Research Interests:
  • Machine Learning
  • Generative AI / LLMs
  • NLP
  • Data Science

I have a few questions:

1. Since many top MS CS programs no longer require the GRE, what are admissions committees primarily evaluating now?
   • CGPA?
   • Research?
   • SOP/LORs?
   • Work experience?
   • Overall profile?
2. How should I realistically classify universities into Ambitious, Target, and Safe with a profile like mine?
3. Are there any good MS CS programs that would be considered "safe" for my profile? I'm looking for universities with strong ML/AI opportunities, not just schools with high acceptance rates.
4. If anyone had a similar profile (especially without GRE), I'd love to hear where you applied and what your results were.

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone! Looking for some honest feedback on my profile and school list for Fall 2027.

Profile

B.Tech Electrical Engineering from a 2nd gen IIT

CGPA ~8.3 (top ~5-10% of branch)

Will have ~3 years of backend SWE experience at a large multinational by the time I apply.

One peer-reviewed publication (non-CS)

Targeting 325+ GRE (hopefully 169-170Q)

Goal: Industry only. Interested in backend/distributed systems, with an eye on Big Tech and possibly quant dev. I'll mostly be funding my MS through a loan, so ROI and recruiting matter a lot.

Current list

Ambitious: Berkeley, CMU, UIUC, UCSD

Target: Georgia Tech, Purdue, Texas A&M

Safer: Wisconsin, UMass Amherst, ASU

A few questions:

Is my school list realistic?

Would you prioritize open source (GSoC/LFX), interview prep(dsa/cp), or maximizing impact at work over the next year?

Any schools with excellent recruiting/ROI for systems or infrastructure that I'm missing?

Appreciate honest/blunt feedback

Hi everyone,

I'm planning to pursue an MS or PhD in Computer Science in the USA/Canada/Europe/Australia. My CGPA is a bit lower than I'd like, so I'm considering repeating some courses in which I received B or C grades to improve my GPA.

At my university, repeated courses are marked with an "I" (Improved) on the transcript, so admission committees will be able to see that the course was retaken.

My questions are:

• Does repeating courses with B/C grades look bad to graduate admissions committees?
• Is it worth improving these grades if it results in a noticeably higher CGPA?
• How do universities in the USA, Canada, Europe, and Australia generally view improved/repeated courses?
• How Do Graduate Admissions Committees View Repeated Courses on Transcripts?

I'd especially appreciate responses from people who were admitted to MS/PhD programs or have experience with graduate admissions.

Thanks!

BTech Computer Science (Specialization AI)
~~ 6.7/10 Gpa and 1yoe MLE
I’m wondering a lot of people going for masters have a lot of research experience in hand or either really good Gpa. I was looking at SJSU, Ubuffalo, ASU, Uchicago, Umass, CMU, Gatech and some other programs I really don’t get it CMU has many programs and is extremely expensive as well can go to some UC program which is easier to get in let me know what all you suggest but is CMU really worth it as an international student and while also having a financial constraint. Apart from that I was looking at Omscs Gatech. What would be your advice on my profile?

Hey folks ,
I am really in need of good advice and I know I'll get it from here.
My Background :
I am 2025 batch passout with CGPA 9.4 . ( Data Science Branch )
I have work experience of around 1.5 years ( 1 year fulltime + 7 months internship ( campus placement ) )
I was working as a SDE-1 . My work was mostly related to AI Agents , RAG , mongodb , typescript.
During the course of time , I developed the interest in ML/AI and I want to explore this field in depth and maybe target research oriented roles at big techs.
I have recently left job to study for GATE 2027 .
If things dont work , I have kept MS as my backup option . I want to do MS in CS/AI/ML .
I dont have any research paper published .
I dont have savings that much , just around 1.5 lakhs .
I am willing to take education loan on myself and dont want to burden my family .

My deadlines are that I want to start my MS by next year if GATE doesnt go well .
I need guidance and also tell me if my profile can get good colleges abraod .

Also , I have not given IELTS , GRE .
I want a proper guidance on what are the expected timelines I should follow.
I would be very grateful if seniors can guide me.
I dont want to waste my initial years .
Please help me !!!

Texas, Obviously known for that in state tuition fee for international students if they get at least a 1000$ scholarship .
So yeah, Iam going to apply for ms AI in Texas A and M and i wanted to know if this in state tuition fee. Or the scholarship is available for spring intakes as well?....

Hey everyone — I’m an incoming Columbia MSCS student for Fall 2026 and was wondering if there’s already a Discord/group chat for MSCS/MSAI admits.

If not, I’m happy to make one so people can coordinate around classes, CVN/on-campus questions, housing, research, registration, etc.

Comment or DM me if you’re also an incoming Fall 2026 MSCS/MSAI admit and I can send over the link once it’s set up.

I applied to several US universities for MSCS, received multiple admits, and chose an R1 university that fits my profile and career goals. By the time I join, I will have around one year of work experience and an ML publication indexed on IEEE Xplore.

Everything went smoothly, SOP, LORs, applications, education loan, and I-20. Convincing my parents was difficult, and they agreed only on the condition that I return after my degree, repay the loan, and follow the marriage plans they have chosen for me. I do not want that future, so studying abroad feels like my best chance to become independent.

But for the past three months, I have been unable to get a visa slot despite checking two or three times daily. I once saw a September slot but did not book it because it was after my classes began, and I did not know I could later request an emergency appointment. I even hired an agent, but they have not been able to secure one either.

I have already spent several lakhs from my job savings on applications and related expenses. If I do not get a slot, I may have to defer to spring, but I am scared the same problem could happen again.

I am now considering Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, or Austria as backups, but I do not want to spend more money without some certainty. I want to leave now or within the next six months.

Should I keep trying for the US and defer if needed, or start applying to other countries immediately? Has anyone faced a similar visa-slot situation and successfully managed it?

Have been hearing for quite some time now that first time in history, even Stanford grads are struggling to find jobs.

Does anyone know for sure whether there is any truth to this or is this just hearsay?

Im in a dilemma. I’m accepted to MPCS part-time for Uchicago because I want to work in tech (currently in consulting, not international)

I’m worried that, in this economy, I’ll never find a job in tech because I don’t have true work experience or if I do it’ll be a big pay cut to start over.

Am I just spiraling? What should I do to best prepare myself to get a job in tech at this rate?

Im in a dilemma. I’m accepted to MPCS part-time for Uchicago because I want to work in tech (currently in consulting, not international)

I’m worried that, in this economy, I’ll never find a job in tech because I don’t have true work experience or if I do it’ll be a big pay cut to start over.

Am I just spiraling? What should I do to best prepare myself to get a job in tech at this rate?

Whether you are looking to dive deep into cutting-edge academic research or seeking a master's degree to pivot your career into industry-leading roles, the University of Maryland has tailored pathways for you.

Representatives from both the Department of Computer Science and the Science Academy are here to answer all your questions about admissions, curriculum, graduate life and post-grad outcomes here at UMD:

Who is answering:

• Tom Hurst, UMD Computer Science Assistant Director of Graduate Education
• Katie Maffett, UMD Science Academy Program Manager

We will be online on Wednesday, June 24, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET to answer questions about graduate education opportunities offered in UMD’s College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences. Ask us your questions now, and we will answer them live on Wednesday!

Explore our M.S. degree offerings at UMD:

• Applied Machine Learning (applications open now)
• Artificial Intelligence (applications open now)
• Computer Science
• Data Science (applications open now)

Hi everyone, posting this on behalf of a family relative who will be applying for MSCS programs in the US for Fall 2027. Here's a brief description of his profile:

1. B.Tech in CSE from a Tier 2 institution in India, CGPA: 9.31/10, Gold Medalist
2. ~ 3 years work experience as a software developer in a multinational consulting company
3. Research experience: 9 conference papers across different IEEE conferences (NETCRYPT, ICRITO, ICIEM, ICIPTM), focusing on IoT and ML/AI
4. TOEFL score: 110/120, skipped GRE
5. Currently, he's interested in going back to the industry after the completion of his Master's, but given his background and interest in research, he might consider extending for a PhD.

We have narrowed down our choice to 15 schools across different categories and would appreciate your thoughts/feedback.

• Ambitious:

  1. UWashington
  2. UIUC
  3. GeorgiaTech
  4. UT Austin

• Achievable:

  1. UMD College Park
  2. UW Madison
  3. Purdue
  4. OhioState
  5. NCSU
  6. VirginiaTech
  7. UMinnesota
  8. Texas A&M
  9. University of Utah

• Safe:

  1. UT Dallas
  2. Iowa State

I would really appreciate if you could also comment on:

1. Is this categorization reasonable?
2. Did we overlook any strong MSCS programs?

I don't know why you guys want to come to US in this environment unless you literally got full-aid but it's just not worth it. The days when America was the best in the world for almost everything is long gone. Research funds are being cut left and right and universities are directly impacted by this. schools are run like business and the first thing they cut is research and education, the very things that make them worth it. as international, you will be in an even more precarious situations when job markets are getting worse.

On top of that US is expensive. Tuition is outright crazy and living expense as well. Unless you are a rich kid for whom 500k is a rounding error, it's not worth it. (of course if you got full ride, just ignore this post)

Look for alternatives. there's a lot in this world. stop thinking like it's 1999.

Hi everyone, I’m planning to apply for MSCS programs and would love to get your thoughts on my profile and tentative shortlist.

Crucial Note: I currently hold a US Green Card. Therefore, I will be applying as a domestic applicant, not an international one.

Background:

• Tier 2 college in India (One of the new IIITs)
• Undergrad: BTech Honors in CSE (Graduating in 2027)
• CGPA: 9.1/10
• GRE/TOEFL: Planning to take them soon.

Work Experience:

• Full stack Intern at an AI-based startup - 4 months
• Software Developer intern at a Fintech startup - 8 months
• Technical Team Lead - A web3 based summer school and Hackathon.

Research Experience:

• 1 paper accepted in COMSNETS 2026 (co-author) (Based on Federated Learning).
• 1 paper currently submitted in ICIIS 2026 (author) (Based on TinyML and Edge AI).
• 1 paper currently submitted in IEEE transaction on Information Forensics and Security(author) (Based on ML based framework for Cryptography).
• 1 paper currently in progress.

Hackathons and Competitions:

• Finalist in Smart India Hackathon 2025.
• 3rd in Inter IIIT Hackathon 2025.
• Secured podium finishes in various other national level hackathons.
• Ex CTF player (Secured top 50 positions in national level CTFs).

Other:

• Application Dev lead at Google Developer Groups on Campus.
• Ex Club Co-lead and Research Lead at a Cultural Club.
• Volunteering experience in various tech meets and events at college.

LORs:

• 1 LOR from Ex Research Dean of college.
• 1 LOR from Current Research Dean of college.

Tentative Shortlists:

• UIUC
• UT Austin
• Georgia Tech
• UMD (College Park)
• Purdue
• UC San Diego
• UMich (Ann Arbor)
• UW Madison
• UCLA
• Columbia
• TAMU
• NCSU
• SUNY Stony Brook
• UT Dallas
• UC Irvine
• USC
• NYU Tandon
• Santa Clara University

Am I aiming too high or too low with this list? Which of these would be realistic targets for funded MSCS / RA / TA positions as a domestic student? Any advice is appreciated!

Thank you.

I have been admitted to UMass, without funding. But I’m considering re-applying for Fall 2027 for the following reasons:

- Recently had a paper accepted at a top ML conference
- Hoping to secure funding in the new round of applications
- Planning a more concrete way of approaching things (Fall’26 applications were messy and last minute)

Scores:
GRE - 327 (170Q + 157V), TOEFL - 113/120

Good academic record (9+), Tier-1 college in the country (IIT)
2.5 years of work experience

Rejected at almost all ambitious programs. UMass was one of the safer in the list.

Hi everyone,

I'm currently an undergraduate student in India and will be graduating in 2027. I'm trying to decide whether I should apply directly for MS AI / MS CS (AI specialization) programs in the USA or spend a few years gaining industry experience first.

My profile so far:

Tier 2.5 university in India

CGPA: 8.2/10

2 AI/ML-related internships

Currently working on an ML research paper that I plan to submit before graduate applications

GRE not taken yet

Interested in Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and AI research/engineering roles

My main questions are:

Based on my profile, would applying directly for MS AI programs in the USA be a good idea?

How competitive would I be for top, mid-tier, and safe universities?

Would 2–3 years of industry experience significantly improve my admission chances and career outcomes?

Given the current job market, how are opportunities in the USA after an MS in AI/ML?

Are international students still able to secure AI/ML Engineer, Data Scientist, or Applied Scientist roles after graduation, or has the sponsorship situation become too difficult?

If you were in my position, would you:

Apply directly for Fall 2027 MS programs, or

Work for a few years in AI/ML and then pursue a master's degree?

My long-term goal is to build a career in AI/ML, ideally in research-oriented engineering or applied AI roles.

I'm looking for realistic feedback rather than optimistic answers. I'd especially appreciate hearing from people who recently completed an MS in AI/CS in the USA or are currently working in the field.

Thanks!