Fall 16
Chemical
Name Kevin Branch Chemical CGPA 6.8 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 331(170 161 4) TOEFL/IELTS 112 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) usc ms Suny buffallo ms Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) long list ncsu asu delaware penn state upenn Any specific reasons for admit/reject pointer I guess Internships/Projects intern at total summer project at NITK Funding options/Scholarships nil Tips on writing SoP keep it to the point list your achievements list your interests mention how the uni and the state can help u further ypur achievement
6.8
Fall 16
Chemical
Further tips to juniors and contact details Do your best for gre it can make up for the whatever deficit u think you have. if u focus its pretty easy to do well in quant
6.8
Fall 16
Chemical
7.2
Name Faraz Amjad Branch Chemical CGPA 7.2 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 340 TOEFL/IELTS 114 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) Cornell (M. Eng) University of Florida (MS) Rutgers (MS) University of Southern California (MS) Northeastern University (MS) UC Irvine (MS) Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) TAMU (M. Eng) Ohio State University (MS) Arizona State University (MS) Any specific reasons for admit/reject Reject - No prior research experience except for the final year major project, GPA on the lower side Admits - Constantly improving grades (8.5 avg in 3rd year), GRE score Internships/Projects Only industrial internships, No projects except final year major project Funding options/Scholarships Little funding (4k per annum). But usually very difficult to get funding options before joining the college. Tips on writing SoP Make your own SOP before reading others. For this, just have an idea of the general format Don't list off your achievements (that's for CVs) Just talk about your interests and the work and effort you
Fall 16
Chemical
7.2
have been putting in for the past 4 years and why you are choosing that particular college. Keep it short and simple Don't start with the generic "I was a child prodigy at math so I chose engineering". Come up with a very brief reason for choosing engineering even if it's not true. Further tips to juniors and contact details
[email protected]
Fall 16
Chemical
9.67
Name Shreya Shetty Branch Chemical CGPA 9.67 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 325 ( 165+ 160, 4) TOEFL/IELTS 114 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) Pennsylvania State University (PhD) Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) Rice university, Ohio State university, university of Notre Dame (All PhD) Any specific reasons for admit/reject Research topics and professors available Internships/Projects Two internships in Chemical Engineering Department of Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore Funding options/Scholarships Fully funded PhD Tips on writing SoP Keep it simple but proof read it properly and convey your ideas clearly but concisely. Spend quite sometime with it and keep revising it. Further tips to juniors and contact details
[email protected]
Fall 16
Chemical
9.79
Name Aprameya G Branch Chemical CGPA 9.79 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 170+162,4.5 TOEFL/IELTS 111 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) Rutgers University (PhD in chemical engineering-pharmaceutical engg. track) Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (PhD in chemical engineering) TAMU, College Station (MS in chemical engineering) Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) OSU (PhD in chemical engineering) GaTech (PhD in chemical engineering) Any specific reasons for admit/reject Reasons for admit: Good GPA, GRE; strong recommendation letters, foreign research internship. Reasons for reject: OSU- Just one matching faculty, GaTech- Very ambitious Internships/Projects SN Bose fellowship- Interned at Purdue University IAS fellowship- Interned at NCBS, Bangalore Funding options/Scholarships PhD program is fully funded Tips on writing SoP It's the hardest part of the application. Start preparing the draft in the summer and jot down points you would like to include every time something occurs to your mind. The final SOP should be around 1000 words long. Check the specific limit of each school. If the initial draft is around 2000 words long, you can cut it short by removing less important stuff. The SOP should be coherent and should read like a terse story. Do not fake anything in the SOP/CV. Be crisp. Restrict yourself to the word limit. Proofread it as many times as possible and take suggestions
Fall 16
Chemical
9.79
from seniors and make the necessary corrections. For a PhD SOP, be as technical as possible. Further tips to juniors and contact details GRE: Quant: It is high school math. Target 170 and take the mock tests seriously. Don't neglect this section as Indian students are expected to do well in this. Verbal: Magoosh vocab app is pretty good. Be sure to do all the tests/drills in ETS/Kaplan/Barron's GRE books. Better way of improving the vocabulary is by reading novels. If you don't like that, read short articles on New York Times/ The Atlantic journal/ Guardian app. The latter two are excellent sources of quality English and are free! AWA: It is important to score 4 or more in this section. Do not skip this part in your mock tests as it will set the tone for the rest of the exam. Finish the GRE by August. If you are not really confident, take it in the sixth sem itself or in the summer. You can retake it in August/September if necessary. Recommendation letters: Most of the schools require three letters. If you have done two research internships, take two from those guides and one from the major project guide at NIT-K. If you have done a single internship outside, you will have to take two from NIT-K. Letters from professors are generally valued higher than assistant professors. Request the prof to write a customised letter. If needed, give them your CV and a list of important things you would like to be highlighted in the letter. Other notes: Shortlist the colleges you would like to apply to latest by June. Following the GRE in August, you will have sufficient time to finish the applications by November end/ mid December depending on the deadline. Apply to colleges earlier as some may have rolling admissions. GRE and GPA are the two major criteria. If one of these is not very impressive, you will have to compensate with excellent projects/internships (which translates to good recommendation letters and/or publications) Contact details: e-mail:
[email protected] Mobile: 9535215017 Facebook profile: Aprameya Prasad
Fall 16
chemical
Name Srikar Branch chemical CGPA 6.01 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 323(167+156,3.5) TOEFL/IELTS Toefl 113 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) New jersey institute of technology University of Pittsburgh University Illinois Chicago University of South Florida Ms-chemical engineering Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) Georgia tech UCLA Any specific reasons for admit/reject Strong LOR and good reco Internships/Projects 2 internships at dr.reddys laboratories ltd. Funding options/Scholarships Self funded Tips on writing SoP Be clear about everything u write Further tips to juniors and contact details
[email protected] 8500851783
6.01
Fall 16
Chemical Engineering
7.7
Name Pushkar Kulkarni Branch Chemical Engineering CGPA 7.7 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) (163+159), 4.0 TOEFL/IELTS 110 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) MS in economics: UWisc Madison, UT Austin Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) MS/MA in economics: Columbia U, Boston U, Utoronto, UCambridge Any specific reasons for admit/reject Reason for admit: Relevant math and eco courses, a summer school course at LSE, relevant internships. Recos,SOP were nothing extraordinary, pretty simple. Also in the two admits I got, only four year undergraduate students can apply so I faced less competition as BSc economics students in India couldn't apply Reason for rejects: Columbia and Cambridge are extremely reputed difficult for econ. Toronto had a pointer cutoff yet I applied. Boston U I'm not sure why. Also some of these unis(Columbia, Toronto) allowed three year bsc students to apply, hence competition would have been higher. Internships/Projects IISc, Selco foundation, LSE summer school, Janaagraha. Funding options/Scholarships None Tips on writing SoP Keep it simple. Write only about your background and what you aim to do during grad school.Don't start off your SOP with a clichéd opening of how you were inspired to be a mechanical engineering after watching an aircraft take off or playing with cars. Admission committee members will roll their eyes and form a negative impression. Write only relevant details and try and maintain a flow. Further tips to juniors and contact details
Fall 16 E-mail:
[email protected]
Chemical Engineering
7.7
Fall 16
Civil Engineering
8.87
Name Anupama Mohanlal Branch Civil Engineering CGPA 8.87 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 160+154, 3.5 TOEFL/IELTS 110 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) MS in environmental engineering- UIUC, UC BOULDER, IOWA STATE, ASU, RUTGERS (NCSU AND U WISC MADISON are still pending) Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) GATECH- MS in environmental engineering Any specific reasons for admit/reject They did not mention any Internships/Projects 1 Research internship in Spain, 3 projects in the department of civil Funding options/Scholarships no funding as of now Tips on writing SoP Do not try copy pasting anything from the web or from any senior's SOP. The college authorities have various software to figure that out. Get your SOP reviewed by at least 5-6 people (seniors preferably). Make your SOP short and precise as possible- a max of 700-800 words will be more than sufficient. Do not brag a lot in your SOP. Be honest and simple. Start writing your SOP at least 2 months before your date of applying so as to give enough time to edit and modify your draft. Further tips to juniors and contact details Select your university based on the courses available and excellency in your area of interest. Do not just go by ranking. Make sure that you get recommendation letters from the professors who knows you. All the best!!! Contact -
[email protected]
Fall 16
Civil Engineering
8.2
Name Samar D. Kenkre Branch Civil Engineering CGPA 8.2 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) (164 + 152 , 4) TOEFL/IELTS 109 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) All MS in Strcutural Engineering University of Washington, Seattle UCLA UC Davis SUNY Buffalo Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) All MS in Structural Engineering UIUC Virginia Tech TAMU Any specific reasons for admit/reject Admit - Strong SoP centred around a specific field of interest. Relevant projects, internships. Took M.Tech course in structural engineering, structural subjects GPA 9+ Rejects - Low CGPA compared to the other applicants. Low math grades in particular, low GPA score. Internships/Projects 3rd year - IIT Guwahati 2nd year - IIIT Hyderabad (Earthquake Engineering Research Centre) Mini/Major Project in relevant field. No Papers
Fall 16
Civil Engineering
8.2
Funding options/Scholarships None. UWash has in-state tuition for all non-thesis graduate students. UCx mostly opens funding from the second quarter on wards. Tips on writing SoP Be honest. Don't open with quotes. Start preparing a draft as soon as your GRE/Internship is done. Don't throw in fancy GRE words, write a story and relate your work to your ambitions. Get your draft reviewed by people (professors, friends proficient in english, seniors) who will be extremely critical. And don't take everything everyone says into consideration. Make changes which you feel are important. Don't push your SoP past 2 pages at any cost, and stick to any mentioned word limits. Further tips to juniors and contact details Look up universities and professors thoroughly. Apply to a good mix of universities. Don't just apply to the best, or the extremely safe ones. Civil doesn't have as much competition as the circuit branches, so throw in a few ambitious universities. That being said, don't apply to more than 10 schools, because the application process itself costs ~10k per university! Always make sure you have back up schools or a job in case something (even Visa process can get messed up) goes wrong. Apply wisely, speak to seniors and don't solely rely on online rankings. All the best! Contact -
[email protected] / Samar Kenkre on FB
Fall 16
Civil Engineering
Name Murthy G K Branch Civil Engineering CGPA 8.96 (While applying) GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 167 + 153, 4.0 TOEFL/IELTS 115 (TOEFL) Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) UT Austin (MS + choice of PhD) Georgia Tech (PhD) UIUC (MS - Non Thesis) Texas A&M; (MS) Penn State (PhD) Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) University of California - Berkeley (MS) Purdue University (MS) Any specific reasons for admit/reject International Paper in well-known conference Recommendation from popular professor in the field known worldwide Internships/Projects Summer Internship - IITB (3rd Year Summer) Funding options/Scholarships Fully funded MS Tips on writing SoP Keep it original Don't use extremely flowery language just because you can. Mention your future goals precisely without ambiguity. Further tips to juniors and contact details
8.96 (While applying)
Fall 16
Civil Engineering
[email protected] Email me and I will be more than happy to help!
8.96 (While applying)
Fall 16
Civil Engineering
8.6
Name Jade Pereira Branch Civil Engineering CGPA 8.6 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 325(160,165,4) TOEFL/IELTS 115 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) University of Illinois Urbana Champaign (Water Resources Engg) (MS) University of North Carolina Chapel Hill University of Southern California Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) Arizona State University (still under review) Columbia University Any specific reasons for admit/reject I have no idea why I got the admits I did. If anything, it might be a decent SOP, good references and a few relevant projects. The rejects are probably because I didn't fit with the department well. Internships/Projects Interned at a construction company - Summer 2014 Interned at an environmental consultancy - Summer 2015 Mini project - Water audit Major Project - Wastewater analysis and Treatment Funding options/Scholarships Funding options are limited. There are opportunities for RA/TA once you get there. Tips on writing SoP Think really long and hard about what you want to do and why you want to do it. Don't wait for inspiration to hit you, you may never be satisfied. Start writing a draft SOP early. It need
Fall 16
Civil Engineering
8.6
not be coherent. Even scattered points you may want to include are a good start. Once you begin the process, you will find yourself thinking about ways to improve it from time to time. Revise it regularly. Aside from writing about your past projects and ability to excel in the program, allot as many or even more words for your interest in the subject and your goals. It is a statement of 'Purpose' after all. Further tips to juniors and contact details Do not be disheartened by the fancy internships and projects your peers may have completed. Sincerity and interest can go a long way. Make sure that shows in your application. Also, applying to niche areas will give you a better chance at admission as there's less competition. At the same time, there may also be fewer seats. Feel free to send me an email if you have any questions.
[email protected]
Fall 16
Civil engineering
Name Neha Madhulika Branch Civil engineering CGPA 9.14/10 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 162,150,4 TOEFL/IELTS 102 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) MS in Civil Enginnering. UCSD, UBC (Canada), TAMU, uwash, Virginia Tech, SUNY Buffalo Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) MS in civil engineering. UCB, UIUC Any specific reasons for admit/reject reject: gre, TOEFL Admit: probably a good gpa and interns Internships/Projects Internship: IISc, MITACS Papers: presented at a conference in Japan Projects : Major project and mini project in the same field. Funding options/Scholarships Mitacs grad scholarship for ubc, Canada Tips on writing SoP Start early. Write edit rewrite. Further tips to juniors and contact details
[email protected]
9.14/10
Fall 16
Computer Engineering
9.55
Name Pranav T Bhat Branch Computer Engineering CGPA 9.55 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 164 + 163, 4.5 TOEFL/IELTS 118 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) UCLA, UCSD, UPenn, USC, NCSU (all MS CS) Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) CMU , UMich, UWisc, GaTech Any specific reasons for admit/reject Low GRE score, no research and poor recos probably Internships/Projects 3rd year internship at Amazon Funding options/Scholarships RAships open up in the second quarter Tips on writing SoP In my experience, SOPs aren't very important for MS admissions. Don't spend too much time on this. An excellent SOP won't do you much good, but a bad one (if you're rude or cocky) can really hurt you. Avoid cliches and keep it short (1-1.5 pages) Further tips to juniors and contact details Most of my advice will be restricted to non-thesis M.S in CS. The M.S admissions process is best described as a stochastic process. You can only guess at what the admissions committee wants: 1. GPA - Definitely the most important component. The NIT brand value is almost non-existent abroad, so you'll have to produce grades to match Bangalore and Pune college applicants (Applicants from colleges like PESIT for example have GPAs well over 9.5). 2. GRE - A lot of colleges (including CMU) use this to rank applicants. Make sure your Quant score is over 168 and your verbal is over 155. AWA should be 4+ as well. An overall score of 330+ will provide a
Fall 16
Computer Engineering
9.55
substantial advantage. 3. Research - Make sure that any research you do is in the area of your interest. Publications in low tier conferences/journals won't help your cause at all. A good research internship would be one that gives you a reco from a professor well known in his/her field. 4. Work Experience - Seriously underrated. Two years of work-ex in a well known MNC can really help, especially if the work is in your area of interest. 5. Recommendation Letters: A reco letter is most useful when its written by someone the admissions committee actually knows. A foreign research internship will really help you get good recos. I don't think letters from the industry have much impact. Make sure your profs write positive things about you. It also helps to approach them early. Applying to the right colleges is probably more important than working on your profile. Here are some basics: 1. Apply to ~10 colleges. M.S admissions are really random (especially in Computer Science) so apply to 3 Ambitious, 4 Moderate and 3 Safe colleges (or something like that). 2. Some colleges won't even look at your application unless you have solid research experience and excellent recommendations from well known professors. Don't apply to these universities unless you really know what you're doing: MIT, UCB, UIUC, CalTech, Princeton, UWisc, UMD, UWash, UMich, UCSB etc. These universities generally have low intakes and offer fully funded degrees. Naturally they are very hard to get. 3. Make sure you do your research on intake before applying. For example, Cornell's M.S program has an intake of 5. Applying there would be foolish. Also, an intake of 250+ is usually too much, and can affect your funding and placement opportunities. The application process can be very tiring, and can take several months. But if you do everything right and your luck holds, you can expect to get multiple offers. I can be reached at
[email protected]. Good luck!
Fall 16
Computer Engineering
8.76
Name Doshi Chintan Ketankumar Branch Computer Engineering CGPA 8.76 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 168 + 155, 4 TOEFL/IELTS 111 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) No admits. Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) UCSD, CMU, UIUC, UMCP, GaTech(All MS in Computer Science) UMich Ann Arbor(Phd in Artificial Intelligence) Any specific reasons for admit/reject -> Low CGPA. What_I_think(){ -> Applied to only competitive/funded programs. -> Number of admits decreased this year. -> No open-source work -> No certifications for on-line coursework } Internships/Projects Summer and Winter Internship at IISc, Summer at D E Shaw and Co, One month Internship at BHEL-EDN, 4 publications(All in normal IEEE, Springer, Elsevier Conferences) Decent projects Funding options/Scholarships NA Tips on writing SoP -> Make it university specific. Generic won't work. -> If short, best. If one page and covers everything, godly. -> If you have collaborated, then talk about exactly what you did in your SoP.
Fall 16
Computer Engineering
8.76
-> If applying for PhD, describe all the novel things you have done in the projects/papers. -> Mention names of few professor with whom your research interests clearly align. -> If you have an idea/dream about your masters thesis, mention that. -> If you are writing your recommendations, validate the facts of your SoP in the letters. -> Get it reviewed by technical and non-technical people/ seniors/ profs in our college. -> For each university, in the application portal it will be mentioned what are they looking for in the SoP. Some are looking for what inspired you and some are only interested in your journey during B.Tech. Some ask for a separate personal statement which should have all the "Since childhood...." things. It clearly implies they want a pure technical SoP. Further tips to juniors and contact details -> If you're looking to settle down in US and you just want a job Apply to any college. Don't be very selective. Everyone gets a job. Try TAMU, U Waterloo, UCx (x=Irvine, Riverside, SD, SB). They are cheap and have great on-campus employment opportunities. For computer science UMCP is too tough for MS. It is easier to get a PhD there. -> If you just want to do crazy things/PhD, don't settle down for normal colleges. But always have a backup. -> Don't submit industry recommendations, they are pointless.(Try not to) -> Order the transcripts and finalize the recommendations provider in September. Because if you don't, others will and you will end up with a recommendation from someone mediocre. And if you end up with all reject and pissed about the admission process mailto:
[email protected] All the best.
Fall 16
Computer Science
8.5
Name Kiran Yalasangi Branch Computer Science CGPA 8.5 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 319 TOEFL/IELTS 109 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) Texas A&M; University (MS), North Carolina State University (MS),New York University GSAS(MS), Carnegie Mellon University (MSIT SE), University of Southern California (MS) Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) UCSD(MS), Georgia Tech (MS), CMU(CDS MS), UCI(MS) Any specific reasons for admit/reject Nothing in particular. Internships/Projects Internship and work experience at Oracle. Internship at IIIT Hyderabad. Funding options/Scholarships None Tips on writing SoP 1. Keep it short and simple (Under 2 pages). Any person from that field should understand your SOP. 2. For every project/research write: What you did and what you learnt from it. 3. Get it reviews by a LOT of people. I mean like 10+ people at least. Further tips to juniors and contact details Recommendations play an important role. Try to get recommendations from people who know you personally and can write something personal and not generic. More than the position of the recommender the content matter is what I feel.
Fall 16
Computer Science and Engineering
Name Akshay Atul Deshmukh Branch Computer Science and Engineering CGPA 9.06 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 166 + 153, 4.5 TOEFL/IELTS 112 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) University of Southern California (MS in CS) Arizona State University (MCS - Non Thesis) Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) Stanford UIUC GaTech UCLA UC Berkeley UT Austin CMU UCSD Any specific reasons for admit/reject Reasons for admits: 1. Good CGPA 2. 2 conference presentations Reasons for rejections: 1. Average GRE. Could have done better. 2. No research internship 3. A very straightforward SOP which might have been uninteresting. 4. LORs (I wouldn't know about it) 5. Lack of substantial projects. 6. Erratic CGPA in UG. No consistency in performance. 7. No work experience. 8. Poor research profile. 9. Lack of projects in areas of interest (Systems)
9.06
Fall 16
Computer Science and Engineering
9.06
Internships/Projects 1. Internship at Myntra 2. Major Project (Cannot give details...professor's orders) 3. Developed a C Compiler. 4. Co-developed an asset management system. Funding options/Scholarships None Tips on writing SoP 1. Write crisp and clear statements. 2. DON'T LIE! 3. Don't overestimate or underestimate your abilities. 4. Don't write about your life's struggles. 5. Don't brag about your achievements. 6. Always write a paragraph dedicated to a faculty member and the university. 7. Be clear in your purpose (areas of interests). 8. Generate interest but don't turn the SOP into a story. 9. State your objectives clearly. Give proofs of your abilities. Further tips to juniors and contact details 1. Try hard for GRE. A score of 325+ should be your target. 2. Although TOEFL is much easier than GRE, do not prepare insufficiently for the exam. 3. Start searching for universities in your 1st or 2nd years. Read the requirements and work towards improving your profile. Concentrate on maintaining your CGPA and ensure consistent performance. 4. Build a rapport with your professors before you ask a question. Perform well in their subjects. 5. Aggressively pursue projects in your areas of interest. Always opt for a research internship. Try for IISc, MITACS and DAAD (international internships from renowned universities are more preferable). 6. Don't waste your summers in enjoyment. Pursue internships which offer substantial projects. 7. Don't procrastinate. It will ruin you completely. Finally, keep working continuously. Remember that there is no gain with no pain. Invest your energies in developing your profile and improve constantly. Do not be averse to self-improvement as the only person who stands to gain is you alone.
Fall 16
CSE
8.33
Name Rohit Varkey Thankachan Branch CSE CGPA 8.33 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 168 + 165, 5.0 TOEFL/IELTS TOEFL - 114 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) Georgia Tech(CS)(MS), Virginia Tech(CS)(MS), USC(CS)(MS) Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) MIT(CS)(PhD), CMU(CS)(MS), UCLA(CS)(MS), UPenn(CS)(MS), UWisc(CS)(MS) Any specific reasons for admit/reject Not that I know of. Internships/Projects Julia Summer of Code, Lots of open source contributions, projects via Technites in college, http://healthizen.org/ Funding options/Scholarships Virginia Tech offered me a TA with a full tuition waiver and $1856 as stipend. Tips on writing SoP Get a first draft done by November. Show it to people, get feedback and rewrite. Keep only relevant projects. Do your research on the profs research interests and tailor it depending on each University. Further tips to juniors and contact details Do apply to safe universities which have decent intakes rather than just ambi/mod ones. You can mail me at
[email protected] if you need any help!
Fall 16
CSE
7.57
Name Shramona Dey Branch CSE CGPA 7.57 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) GMAT690(Q49, V35, AWA5, IR5) TOEFL/IELTS TOEFL:118 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) London Business School (Masters in Management) Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) Any specific reasons for admit/reject Internships/Projects ICT Health- Bangalore Funding options/Scholarships Tips on writing SoP Make sure to include all your strengths- languages you speak, how you overcame problems, global exposure, personal experiences. Don't assume that things are understood or obvious. Further tips to juniors and contact details MiM is a really good course for fresh graduates as compared to an MBA which is for people who are at a more mature level in their professional careers. Don't get pushed into choosing an MBA just because it seems cool or looks good on your resume. Contact:
[email protected]
Fall 16
CSE
Name Mintu Jothish Branch CSE CGPA 8.96 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) (168+159,3.5) TOEFL/IELTS 116 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) (ECE)CMU(networks is in ECE dept :P) (CSE networks)USC Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) UCB GaTech UCSD Any specific reasons for admit/reject Lack of projects,pointer Internships/Projects 2nd year: VisualIQ at Kochi 3rd year: Amazon Hyd Projects: nothing great Papers:4 Funding options/Scholarships Tips on writing SoP Further tips to juniors and contact details -
8.96
Fall 16
CSE
9.39 (as of 6th sem)
Name Sunil S Nayak Branch CSE CGPA 9.39 (as of 6th sem) GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 327 (Q 168 ; V 159), 4.0 TOEFL/IELTS 112 / Didn't take IELTS Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) CMU (MET (Master of Entertainment Technology)), SFU Surrey (Canada) (MSc - Interactive Arts and Technology), USC (MS - CS Game Development), GeorgiaTech (MS - CS Graphics) Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) MIT Media Lab (Master of Science) (had to request for IELTS Waiver) UWM (MS in CS Graphics) Any specific reasons for admit/reject MIT Media Lab (MAS) - Too many amazing profiles and portfolios among which mine was probably outmatched in every possible way (It's the best place for research in the world). Also, I didn't know about this while applying, but it turns out that some teams in MAS weren't admitting Masters students for the upcoming year. UWM - No idea. Maybe because my focus seemed a little farther from Graphics and closer to VR and Interactive Arts. Admits: CMU - Most probably because of my rich portfolio (Music Production + Music Club + Programming + Summer internship which gave me experience with the Oculus Rift AND Unity3D) - I thought I messed up the interview. (Tips - DON'T DEPEND ON COLLEGE INTERNET FOR SKYPE INTERVIEWS). GaTech - No clue. SFU - I'd interned there under a Prof the previous summer and the Prof knew me well and he was also on the selection committee. All set. USC - Maybe because of that ^ internship. Internships/Projects
Fall 16
CSE
9.39 (as of 6th sem)
Take a look at my online portfolio (and probably also make one for yourself) http://sunilnayak133.portfoliobox.io Funding options/Scholarships Mitacs funding could've been possible for SFU (because it's in Canada), but didn't apply for it because CMU took priority. Also was offered TA/RAship at SFU separate from Mitacs funding. No other funding. Tips on writing SoP Be concise, get to the point, they don't have enough time to read through 3 pages about your glory days. You need to stand out and you need to do it fast. I wrote a 1.5 page SOP, with bold parts for emphasis and linked them to some of my work. Apparently it worked. Try to avoid being too sappy (but a pinch of Bollywood never hurt anyone). Find a unique selling point to focus on and milk it. Mine was my Mitacs program. It took up about 35% of my SOP. I did write about extra curriculars, but idk if it's useful for Masters. Write it anyway, but be mindful about the amount of text you put in there. Further tips to juniors and contact details Contact me on Facebook if you need anything else.
Fall 16
ECE
9
Name Naveen John Branch ECE CGPA 9 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 168 + 157, 4.5 TOEFL/IELTS 109 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) TAMU (MSCE), UWash (MSEE), NCSU (MSCE), ASU (MSCE) Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) GaTech, UCSD, Purdue Any specific reasons for admit/reject The rejected Universities were ambitious for a reason :P. Internships/Projects 5-6 projects (2 in the relevant field), 1 research internship (Uni Paderborn, Germany) Funding options/Scholarships Zilch Tips on writing SoP Start writing the SOP real early. Maybe during the summer itself. Keep it as simple as possible and get it reviewed from as many people as possible and incorporate changes only if you think it is actually going to make a difference. Further tips to juniors and contact details Recommendation letters are more important that what most people assume it is. Further, get recos from people who know you really well and can write a personalised one, rather than a generic reco. I'd recommend taking 1 from the Dept. and 2 from your internship (assuming 2 internships). For any queries email me -
[email protected] P.S My specialisation is VLSI and Comp Architecture
Fall 16
ECE
Name Pradyumna B S Branch ECE CGPA 9.72 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 168+154, 4.5 TOEFL/IELTS 107 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) Georgia Tech (Signal processing and machine learning) (PhD) Purdue University (SPML) (PhD) University of southern California (ECE) (MS) Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) UC Berkeley (EECS) (PhD) UIUC (ECE) (MS) UCSD (Signal and Image processing) (MS) Any specific reasons for admit/reject Admit - 1 Journal publication, CGPA Reject - Lower Verbal in GRE Internships/Projects IAS summer research intern at IISc Qualcomm India Funding options/Scholarships No Funding yet. Tips on writing SoP Always write the truth. Proof read it multiple times Further tips to juniors and contact details Start preparations in early summer to apply to next fall. Contact :
[email protected]
9.72
Fall 16
ECE
6.8
Name Krishna Harshith Dhulipati Branch ECE CGPA 6.8 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 167+168, 5.0 TOEFL/IELTS 119 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) Duke University, Northeastern University, Dartmouth (waitlist) (Master's in Engineering Management) Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) USC, UC Irvine, Cornell, Columbia Any specific reasons for admit/reject Low CGPA if anything Internships/Projects One internship, several projects in the delartment Funding options/Scholarships $20000/yr scholarship at Northeastern University Tips on writing SoP Do not commit any errors of grammar, or spelling whatsoever. Be precise and concise in your language. Your SoP is supposed to explain the journey that led you to your program and college choice. It's not the document where you restate your CV. They already have that document. It's called your CV. Further tips to juniors and contact details Peace out. Something will come through. Just don't mess up. Your recos are very important and most profs at NITK will allow you to write them yourself. Capitalize on that. Phone: +9172595353
Fall 16
ECE
9.21
Name Abhinav Roy Burman Branch ECE CGPA 9.21 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 168+165, 4 TOEFL/IELTS 116 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) Georgia Tech (ECE)(MS), CMU (ECE)(MS) Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) Stanford, Berkeley, UIUC, UCLA (MS), Cornell (PHD) Any specific reasons for admit/reject Decent Gre score, Cgpa, good projects, strong recommendations, extra curriculars Internships/Projects TI, Sclumberger Funding options/Scholarships None Tips on writing SoP Take your time, keep at least 3 weeks between first draft and last. Be genuine. Use impeccable grammar. Non flowery, straightforward sentences. Sound friendly and humble. Further tips to juniors and contact details
[email protected]
Fall 16
ECE
9.38
Name Varun Reddy Branch ECE CGPA 9.38 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 170+154, 5.0 TOEFL/IELTS 115 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) Georgia Tech (MS), ETH Zurich (MS), USC (MS) Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) Stanford (MS), UCB (MS/PhD), UT Austin (MS), UIUC (MS) Any specific reasons for admit/reject Admits - Good GPA, 2 research projects (1 abroad), good letters of recommendation. Rejects - No relevant research publications, probably this is something required to obtain admission into tier-1 institutes. Additionally, securing admission into colleges such as Stanford and UCB generally requires an LOR from a Professor who is well known to the admission committees over there. This is something I didn't have. Internships/Projects After 2nd year - IAS scholarship at Chennai Mathematical Institute (2.5 months) After 3rd year - Charpak Scholarship at Eurecom, Sophia Antipolis (2.5 months) Funding options/Scholarships Secured none. Tips on writing SoP Be crisp and to the point. Remember that the main focus of the SoP must be why you would like to take up an MS/PhD, and not simply a detailed Resume. There's not much use in elaborating irrelevant achievements. Further tips to juniors and contact details
Fall 16
ECE
9.38
Make sure to work with a Professor in your area of interest, and to obtain a great LOR from him/her. This will greatly boost your chances. I can be reached at
[email protected]
Fall 16
ECE
9.55
Name Pranav Channakeshava Branch ECE CGPA 9.55 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 331 (170,161,5) TOEFL/IELTS 115 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) UT Austin (Comp arch and Embedded processors) Pudue University University of Southern California ETH Zurich (All MS applications for Electrical and Computer Engineering) Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) Stanford UC Berkeley Gatech Any specific reasons for admit/reject Strong profile overall with good scores along with relevant projects and internships. Having a couple of research publications including an IEEE one also helped Internships/Projects Internships1. Indian Academy of Sciences -Summer Research Fellowship - Bangalore (2nd year) 2. University of Tuebingen, Germany - End-to-Display Encryption(E2DE) Research Project (3rd year) I had several relevant projects from courses and otherwise. I also continued to work with my German professor for my major project Funding options/Scholarships I didn't apply for funding in any of my applications
Fall 16
ECE
9.55
Tips on writing SoP It's important to keep the SOP concise and not add content for the sake of it. You would want to string together all the projects, internships and research experience which are relevant to the field that you're applying for. A brief discussion of what research work you want to do and how your experience can help you pursue it, is also a crucial aspect in order to build a convincing case as a potential MS student. Do mention how the program and university will specifically help you realise your aspirations and research interests so tailoring the SOP for each application is vital. Further tips to juniors and contact details Apart from looking at rankings, it is very essential that you evaluate how the program that you're applying to, suits your interests. There is little point in applying for an university that does not have much research work in your area. Also, get recommendations from professors who know you well. It's good to get 1 from a prof who has taught you several courses, 1 whom you've worked under in college and 1 from your internship guide. Email Id:
[email protected] You can also ping me on Fb.
Fall 16
ECE
7.9
Name Aparna Velampudi Branch ECE CGPA 7.9 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 320 TOEFL/IELTS 118 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) MS Computer Engineering - NCSU, CU Boulder Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) UT Austin, University of Michigan, TAMU, USC, UMass Any specific reasons for admit/reject The colleges I chose were very research oriented colleges (UT Austin, UMich, TAMU) and I didn't have any of it. Plus my grades are slightly lower on the acads scale. Internships/Projects Make sure all the work you do/have done can be put under the same umbrella or adds to the area you're applying to. It's vital to have a single focus, because as an MS applicant, they're looking for your potential as a research student as well as the degree of your interest. All of my work fit pretty comfortably under the Computer Engineering area. Internship Third year summer, with the innovation team at Visteon (a company that works with electronics in cars) worked in the internet of things area and dabbled in some other slightly relevant stuff. Projects 1. Microprocessors & Embedded systems - a mini project with the LPC1768 where we created a basic home air monitoring system. 2. VLSI Design - a mini project where we created static and quasi-adiabatic logic based 3 bit carry look
Fall 16
ECE
7.9
ahead adder on NGSPICE 3. Internet of Things and Embedded Systems - My major project was essentially building a full fledged prototype of a remote air quality monitoring system connected through the internet so data could be made available publicly. Funding options/Scholarships I didn't get any funding but I really recommend you get in touch with professors as soon as you get admits to explore options. Also, apply to any and all scholarships you can. Easy advice to give, hard to follow through on. Tips on writing SoP Be sure of what you want to do and make sure that comes across in your SOP. Don't try to be pretentious and say crap, keep it to the point. Your SOP is NOT the place for creative writing, it's the only 1000 (or less) words you get to talk about why you want to spend the next 2-5 years of your life, and your career in this area. Make use of it. (Don't have a long SOP, I'd say the ideal length is about 1- 1.5 pages. If you can, write it on Latex. Looks so much more professional, and I've read enough to know that profs read more into it when it's done like that.) At the same time, make sure it flows. Even if all of your projects and internships don't fall under the same umbrella, there's always a way to show that it has constructively helped you get to where you are. Don't dump your resume on your SOP either, talk about why you want to do what you want to do. What specific area do you wish to work in during/after your MS, that kind of stuff. How you got interested in your area. How each of your experiences shaped what you want to do. Also, please research your colleges well in advance. That's a process that should take AT LEAST one month, if you want to do it properly. Read papers of the professors you mention in your SOP and why you like their work/why you think you'd like to try a different approach to their work. Be analytical in the way you write, but let your SOP flow. If you want to talk about your extra currics, please make sure they are relevant. Nobody reading your SOP cares if you've played a sport for 4 years unless you are talking about your dedication to the things you enjoy. Everything you have done can be a reason as to why you want to pursue a postgrad degree, it's up to you to choose to show what you want. Get people to proofread your work. But make the changes you want only. Don't have long, runny sentences. Make sure your grammar is on point. The little things go a long way. Writing an SOP is difficult. It's a craft that I don't think most people get right. IF you are the slightest bit normal, you will never be happy with yours. But you should be satisfied. The most generic piece of advice, but the truest, is to start early. If not, you're going to end up feeling less than satisfied. Have a good hook cause your SOP probably gets a skim of about 2 mins, so make sure the grad committee isn't wasting their time. Get their attention. Further tips to juniors and contact details Please email only :
[email protected]
Fall 16
ECE
9.4
Name Sagnik Dam Branch ECE CGPA 9.4 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 167 + 165 TOEFL/IELTS TOEFL - 119 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) MS with specialization in Computer Architecture(fr everything) Purdue UMich Ann Arbor TAMU Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) Betkeley Stanford UIUC UCLA GaTech Any specific reasons for admit/reject I dont think my SOP was upto scratch. Also, I dont think I did enough research work in this field to justify my interests Plus, there's the lack of an internship in second year Internships/Projects One foreign intern at Hepia, Switzerland on a relevant topic related to Comp Arch Funding options/Scholarships None. Its really hard to get funding for an MS Tips on writing SoP Always be honest about your work and keep it simple. It should not be a replica of your CV. It should have content about your motivation to pursue the program that you're applying for(something I
Fall 16
ECE
neglected I think) Further tips to juniors and contact details
[email protected]
9.4
Fall 16
EEE
Name Shankar Suresh Kartha Branch EEE CGPA 6.91 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 167 + 156, 4 TOEFL/IELTS 106 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) Cornell University (Systems Engg) (MEng), NYU (Electrical Engg) (MS) Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) U Mich (Electrical Engg.) ( MS), ASU (EECE) (MEng), UCSD (ECE) (MS) Any specific reasons for admit/reject Reject: No research paper, average GRE score and low pointer. Internships/Projects RBEI Bangalore, Philips development center Noida, Schlumberger Doha Funding options/Scholarships Received scholarship for NYU. Tips on writing SoP Keep it real. Further tips to juniors and contact details Shankar Suresh (fb profile name)
6.91
Fall 16
EEE
7.89
Name Aditi Chalisgaonkar Branch EEE CGPA 7.89 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 336 (170 + 166, 5) TOEFL/IELTS TOEFL - 117 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) CMU (Product and Service Design) (MII-PS = Master of Integrated Innovation - Products and Services), Georgia Tech (Industrial Design) (MID = Master of Industrial Design) Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) Delft (Integrated Product Design) (MS), Art Center College of Design (Product Design) (MS), Royal College of Art + Imperial College London (Global Innovation Design) (MSc + MA), Pratt (Industrial Design) (MID), Rochester (Industrial Design) (MFA), RISD (Industrial Design) (MID) Any specific reasons for admit/reject Delft - not from a Mech background and portfolio was not good enough. Others were generic reasons. Internships/Projects Summer after 2nd year - 4 weeks at Cadence. I learned to use their software. Summer after 3rd year - 4 weeks at Fractal Analytics where I worked in natural language processing. Funding options/Scholarships No funding for the CMU program. Very little and competitive funding for Georgia Tech. Tips on writing SoP Really get down to why you want to do it. Have an understanding of how it is the perfect next step in your life (should understand what the program will offer you for that). Have many people read it over. Expect to go through many drafts. Further tips to juniors and contact details Spend enough time and effort. Plan ahead. Try to apply as early as possible, preferably much before the deadline. To contact, email me at
[email protected]
Fall 16
EEE
8.52
Name Abhilash V R Branch EEE CGPA 8.52 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 170 + 155, 4.0 TOEFL/IELTS 114 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) TAMU (MS) NCSU (MS) University of Colorado (MS) Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) GaTech (MS) UCIrvine (MS) - Still waiting Any specific reasons for admit/reject I guess having my SOP reviewed by Masters students helped, the LORs (which I wrote) clearly showcased my talents. No idea what my Profs wrote though ... Rejects were likely due to not having any publications and research experience . Also my GPA was not high enough when you consider that ~40% students have 9 pointers in some colleges. Internships/Projects Robert Bosch - Worked on Wireless Power Transfer after my 2nd year 2 years work exp - Worked on Lambda Sensors at Bosch Funding options/Scholarships TA/RA and Scholarship are available but I haven't gotten anything though. Tips on writing SoP Start as early as possible, write an initial version completely by yourself, read other SOPs to get some ideas, get it reviewed by as many people as possible. Make sure that you write an SOP based on the college rather than a general one for all (having a general template is alright though). Your SOP should talk about what you will do if you get an admit (keep it technical) and also the reasons why you are pursuing a MS/PhD degree.
Fall 16
EEE
8.52
Further tips to juniors and contact details Some words regarding my job experience, I got placed in Robert Bosch and was under the impression that the work will be satisfying. However, this was not the case at all since the team I was assigned to mainly provided a software service to the German counterparts. It is very likely that this is not true for the placement offers you have received. But my advice would be that you don't stop trying just because you got placed. Try to research your options as thoroughly as possible. Think about your career goals and decide if a MS degree will help you get there. Having a clear idea about why you want to do your MS will help you write a better SOP and also remain focused through the long procedure. email :
[email protected]
Fall 16
EEE
9.1
Name Supriya N Branch EEE CGPA 9.1 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 315,4 TOEFL/IELTS 106 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) Georgia Tech (PhD) Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) UIUC, RICE, USC Any specific reasons for admit/reject A strong statement of purpose Recommendation letters Internships/Projects 2nd year - IISc, department of mathematics 3rd year - IISc, department of electrical engineering Funding options/Scholarships Teaching assistantship Tips on writing SoP Do not have a cliché beginning. SoP should have a good flow. Build a story, it should not be a verbose resume. Further tips to juniors and contact details Emailing professors while applying helps in the case of PhD. For further details, send me a mail at
[email protected]
Fall 16
Electrical and Electronics
9.13
Name Akanksha Periwal Branch Electrical and Electronics CGPA 9.13 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 334 (170 + 164, 4.5) TOEFL/IELTS 117 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) CMU (MS in ECE) USC (MS) Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) GaTech UT Austin UCSD Any specific reasons for admit/reject Didn't have a stellar CGPA. And my projects were a little spread out. Internships/Projects 2nd year internship at IISc (on an unrelated topic) Mini projects in college and outside that were more related to the field I applied for (Embedded systems and Comp Architecture) Funding options/Scholarships None as of now Tips on writing SoP Some say your SoP is the most essential part of your application. They already have your resume, so make your SoP convey what your resume couldn't. Keep it simple and maintain a flow of thought. Start writing early, I started mine in July. And finalized one only in October. Ask a lot of seniors to review it, they will suggest a lot of changes from their experience which will make it a lot better. Further tips to juniors and contact details
Fall 16
Electrical and Electronics
9.13
Plan out the application process so that you aren't rushing through it at the end. All the best. Mail me if you need any help :)
[email protected]
Fall 16
Electronics and Communication
8.44
Name Sharang Kulkarni Branch Electronics and Communication CGPA 8.44 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 325 (170+155, 4) TOEFL/IELTS 109 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) George Washington University Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) NYU, Columbia, Northwestern, CMU Any specific reasons for admit/reject Most likely reasons for rejects: Not much relevant coursework (E&C;), no research papers and no work experience Internships/Projects 2 internships in data analytics, multiple projects in machine learning and data analytics, multiple online courses completed Funding options/Scholarships None Tips on writing SoP Keep it crisp. Don't bullshit too much. Try and remove redundancies as much as possible. Further tips to juniors and contact details Try to write research papers if you intend to enter data science. +91 9742688939
[email protected]
Fall 16
Information Technology
9.62
Name Karthik S Branch Information Technology CGPA 9.62 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 317 (Q: 167, V: 150, AWA: 4) TOEFL/IELTS 116 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) 1. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign - MS in Computer Science 2. University of Texas, Austin - MS in Computer Science 3. University of California, San Diego - MS in Computer Science and Engineering 4. University of Wisconsin, Madison - MS in Computer Science 5. University of Southern California - MS in Computer Science Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) University of California, Berkeley - MS/PhD in Computer Science Carnegie Mellon University - MS and PhD in Computer Science Georgia Institute of Technology - MS in Computer Science University of Maryland, College Park - MS in Computer Science Any specific reasons for admit/reject Reasons for admits : 1. Relevant projects and internships in area of interest. 2. Student paper in top conference in field of interest. 3. Strong and positive LoRs from professors. Reason for rejects: 1. PhD is completely different ball-game from MS. Research interests should match very accurately. 2. Maybe low GRE score too. Internships/Projects 1. Summer Internship 2015 at University of Geneva, Switzerland Area of work : high performance computing, scientific computing 2. Google Summer of Code 2015 Area of work : functional logic programming languages, compilers
Fall 16
Information Technology
9.62
3. Google Summer of Code 2014 Area of work : finite state machines, web application development Funding options/Scholarships Have applied for T.A. and R.A. Tips on writing SoP Keep it original and technical. Always write the first draft without looking at some other SoP. Revisions can be made based on reading other SoPs. Get it reveiewed from seniors pursuing PhD(atleast for MS by research) or MS in the same university you're applying to. Further tips to juniors and contact details Good luck and start early. Keeping to timeline in final year is hard :P Email :
[email protected]
Fall 16
IT
Name S Ashish Bharadwaj Branch IT CGPA 8.81 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 325(167 + 158, 5.0) TOEFL/IELTS 116 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) University of Southern California MS in CS Data Science SUNY Stony Brook MS in CS Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) CMU LTI MIIS Georgia Tech MS in CS UCSD MS in CS UCLA MS in CS UMass Amherst MS in CS Data Science Any specific reasons for admit/reject Reason for rejects: Low GPA. No research internship. Recommendations. Reason for admits: Not that low a GPA. :P One publication. Lots of relevant projects. I believe my SoP was decent too. As a wise man once said - "GPA is God." Internships/Projects Fidelity Investments. Lots of projects in the field of ML, NLP and IR.
8.81
Fall 16
IT
8.81
Funding options/Scholarships None. Tips on writing SoP I typed with the flow and edited it multiple times while applying to different colleges. Worked for me. Points to remember : 1. There is no perfect opening line. No point wasting a lot of time finding one. 2. Make a list of all the projects you want to include. Your SoP should sell yourself as best as possible to the admissions committee. 3. Club similar projects together. Your paragraphs should have a smooth flow. So avoid any abrupt changes in style or content. 4. Write one paragraph about why you want to pursue master's. 5. Write one paragraph about why you have picked that specific school. You can include research work and names of Professors at that school to strengthen your argument. Further tips to juniors and contact details Hit me up on Facebook or drop an email at
[email protected].
Fall 16
Mechanical
8.59
Name Akshay Ramani Branch Mechanical CGPA 8.59 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 328 (159+169, 4.5) TOEFL/IELTS 113 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) Specialisation :Heat Transfer Fluid Mechanics and Energy Program: MS in Mechanical Engineering University of Pennsylvania (Destination ) Carnegie Mellon University University of Washington Seattle Texas A&M; University University of Southern California (pending) Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign North Carolina State University Any specific reasons for admit/reject Admits I guess I could credit to my decent GRE score, GPA and SOP. Rejects dont really come with a reason and are often erratic (depending on the number of seats they have for international students, your research interests, etc) but if I had to point out a weakness in my profile it would be the lack of papers, publications and research internships. You dont really need them but can give you an edge over other people applying. Internships/Projects Three Internships. First one was quite pointless and can be at best called an "Industrial Training". All of them were in Dubai :P . Quite a few projects in my field of Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Energy which boosted my profile. Funding options/Scholarships Almost all my colleges give RA/TA options except Carnegie Mellon. Upenn offers them depending on your performance in the first semester.
Fall 16
Mechanical
8.59
Tips on writing SoP You will hear this from almost everyone because this cannot be stressed on enough. Spend almost 3-4 months on this. Do NOT copy this. Focus on your academic interests and profile rather than your personal life. Your SOP is a techno personal essay when you apply for Masters. avoid talking about family experiences outside academia. This is one of the more crucial aspects of your profile and you should get it checked, double checked, triple checked and so on by as many seniors as you can till you think its the best you can give. Further tips to juniors and contact details Apply to as many Stellar colleges as you can, (but do keep atleast 1 each of safe and reach colleges) you are applying once make it count. Apply to 7-8 colleges. Inform your recommendors early, choose proffs based on how well they know you and not on how senior they are. Dont forget, you are applying for the college not your proffs :P Choose proffs who have taught you atleast 2 courses or been your Major Project guide. Recommendors need to be able to judge how well you are doing at their courses or how well you work in a team. I didn't expect to get into any of the colleges I got into. Dont get bogged down by a less than average GRE score or GPA. Do keep a few sure shot safe colleges if you are sure of pursuing MS. Contact me anytime on Facebook, or by email at
[email protected], Ill be happy to help. Good luck!
Fall 16
Mechanical
8.4
Name Rohan Prabhu Branch Mechanical CGPA 8.4 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 165+155, 4.5 TOEFL/IELTS 115 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) Penn State (Engineering Design), TU Denmark(Engineering design and Applied Mechanics), KTH-Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden(Engineering Design), Politecnico di Milano(Design and Engineering). Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) UW Madison, UT Austin, Purdue, ETH, CMU, Maryland College Park. (All MS in Mechanical) Any specific reasons for admit/reject Admits: Decent profile, relevant courses and internships, decent design portfolio. Rejects: Got rejects to Mechanical Engineering programs and accepted to design programs. Should've applied to design only. (Speculation) Internships/Projects Interns: 1. FIAT Pune - Industrial 2. Stanley Black and Decker - Technical Product Marketing 3. Incredible Technologies (credr.com) - Mechanical Product Design and Research Projects: 1. Baja (3 years + Team captain) 2. Mini projects in different courses 3. Elective in consumer marketing by HSM department (Yes, choose your electives wisely) Funding options/Scholarships Nothing yet. Still awaiting Tips on writing SoP PUT RELEVANT STUFF ONLY. Stick to things that are required for your course. Do not try to include everything you've done in college.
Fall 16
Mechanical
Further tips to juniors and contact details Preferred communication medium: Facebook
8.4
Fall 16
Mechanical
9.73/10
Name Robin Singh Branch Mechanical CGPA 9.73/10 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 168+152, 4.0 TOEFL/IELTS 115 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) MIT (MS+PhD), Stanford University (MS), Cornell University (PhD), University of Michigan (PhD), CMU (MS) Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) Purdue University (PhD), UC Berkeley (PhD) Any specific reasons for admit/reject Coherent research work for 2 years, good recommendations from my internships and NITK, Good CGPA, good publications Internships/Projects Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE), IISc Bangalore- Summer 2014 Department of EE, Stanford University ( SN Bose Scholars Program)- Summer 2015 Funding options/Scholarships Yes, ( except CMU and Stanford) Tips on writing SoP Be specific, technical, no bragging on your achievements, chronological way of presentation in SOP. Repetitive proof reading to check grammar and flow. A good SOP needs a lot of time. Further tips to juniors and contact details Pls contact me on robinsinghme@gmail or
[email protected] for any kind of help. I will try to help in the best possible way in my potential. Good luck!
Fall 16
Mechanical
8.06
Name Savio Norbert D Souza Branch Mechanical CGPA 8.06 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 168+170, 6 TOEFL/IELTS 120 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) TU Delft, Columbia, University of Washington Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) None Any specific reasons for admit/reject My third year internship was very relevant to the field I intend to pursue, under a guide who is quite reputed. Also, the Professor was kind of enough to give me sufficient LOR's for my applications. Internships/Projects Two: Industrial Training at Larsen and Toubro Heavy Engineering, Powai. Research Internship at ICAMS, RUB. Funding options/Scholarships U Wash offered me a partial waiver on my tuition. Tips on writing SoP It would be a good idea to write about what you intend to do after a graduate program and what your degree will help you achieve; in detail. This would be more effective than a SoP which is just a detailed bio-data. Further tips to juniors and contact details I'd suggest you to spend plenty of time researching universities, professors, labs and the opportunities that you would have on graduation and give these areas more thought than pure rankings. Feel free to contact me at :
[email protected]
Fall 16
Mechanical
7.7
Name Karan Suresh Narayan Branch Mechanical CGPA 7.7 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 333 (168 + 165, 4.5) TOEFL/IELTS 114 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) TU Delft (MSc, Sustainable Energy Technologies) Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) Georgia Tech (MSME) Any specific reasons for admit/reject Gatech does NOT admit students for the terminal MS program in the Mech dept. This has been confirmed in an email with them. I do not know why they still choose to keep the portal open. If you apply, it must be for a PhD. Note - this is only for Mech. Internships/Projects GE Oil & Gas - Coimbatore (7 weeks). Summer after 2nd year. Worked in lean manufacturing. Got so bored I was nearly brain dead. That's just me - fellow interns loved it, and those who made it to the prestigious OMLP (I was a year younger and so not eligible, but not deserving either) are having a ball. GE Power & Water, JFWTC, Bangalore (5 weeks). Summer after 3rd year. Worked on gas turbine fuel delivery systems, specifically the filtration module. Beautiful work environment, and got extremely lucky with a terrific mentor. The work I did here and the reco it led to probably clinched my admit. Highly recommend it to anyone keen on tech. Work to get the EEDP - the engineering equivalent of OMLP. Major project is in renewable energy - my description of the project was much more impressive than the work we actually did. Funding options/Scholarships Did not qualify for the TUD Excellence Scholarship (8+ GPA reqd). May still get a dept (Applied Sciences) scholarship. Highly unlikely with my grades.
Fall 16
Mechanical
7.7
Tips on writing SoP The generic advice holds - flowery language without substance is about as appealing as mess food. Make multiple drafts - leave spontaneity to dates. And most usefully, grab hold of a senior who is in that field/college, or is just somehow willing to tolerate your requests. The help I got after nagging one of them is about 90% of the reason why I got a better college than I should have hoped for. Further tips to juniors and contact details Email:
[email protected] Phone: +918123451205/ +971555518364 Any further tips I may have will depend on what you're looking for. In general, don't apply to more than 10 - if you do, you're not applying for the right reasons. Do your research - courses, projects, professors, jobs, social scene, weather, food. Everything counts, but establish priorities. Don't follow the herd, but don't be unique if the only benefit is that you're unique.
Fall 16
Mechanical
Name Daniel Isaac Branch Mechanical CGPA 8.61 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 325 (165+160, 4,5) TOEFL/IELTS 114 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) University of Michigan Ann Arbor (MS Mechanical specializing in Manufacturing) Penn State University Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) Berkley Georgia Tech Any specific reasons for admit/reject For admits: Above average pointer Decent GRE score Internships were in the same field Strong letters of recommendation Interest in MP topic For rejects: Not in top 3 of class No publications or papers Internships/Projects Madina Gulf WLL Qatar (2014) Festo GPC Bangalore (2015) Funding options/Scholarships
8.61
Fall 16
Mechanical
8.61
Applied for RA/TA but at UMICH the chances of getting one are less likely as compared to other universities. Tips on writing SoP When it comes to your Sop just be as straight forward as you can. There's no need for long emotional stories as long as you have content to back you up in your statement. Main criteria I was told they look into are : Areas of research interested in. Academics in college(especially if you have a strong GPA/papers to back it up). Major project if it's sort of relevant. Professors with which you wish to work under and why. Why choose this college over others. You can add in more if needed but these are most of the major areas which they look at in your SOP Further tips to juniors and contact details If you really want to get into a great University I'd suggest the following : At least a 320+ in GRE(For ivy leagues like Stanford Berkley you can assume 330+) At least 105+ in Toefl for mostly all Universities Start preparing and getting familiar with the GRE exam as soon as possible(preferably do the exam during your 3rd year summer) Also get your recommendation letters from the professors/mentors you have in mind, by about November, as that's when the first few deadlines begin. Most profs usually will let you write your own LOR so use the opportunity wisely. PS I really hope I'm not making someone wary about pursuing an MS, but the truth is you'll need to slog it off for a short while and keep concentrated on your applications and SoPs and LORs if you want to better your chances of beating the competition.
Fall 16
Mechanical Engineering
7.83
Name Shreyas Suresh Shenoy Branch Mechanical Engineering CGPA 7.83 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 320 (164 + 156, 4.5) TOEFL/IELTS 110 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) 1)Carnegie Mellon University - Destination (M.S in Mechanical Engineering (MEMS), Research option) 2)TU Delft (M.S in Mechanical Engineering. Track: Precision and Micro-systems Engineering) 3)Arizona State University (M.S in Mechanical Engineering) University of Southern California, University of Florida (Probably. Application is still under review) Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) 1) University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 2) University of Pennsylvania. 3) University of California, Davis. All of them being M.S in Mechanical. Any specific reasons for admit/reject Reason for admits: Combination of a pretty decent SOP, LORs and projects in the area of MEMS. My undergraduate thesis was also in the same field. So I'm guessing that helped a lot. Also, good extra-curricular activities were certainly plus points. Reason for rejects: The programs at UIUC and UPenn were extremely competitive this year I suppose. A higher GPA would have definitely helped. Also, no papers published yet - one under review now. UC Davis - It was a safe school. I don't know why I didn't make the cut. Internships/Projects 1)Industrial training at Virgo Valves and Controls, Pune in the summer after my second year. 2)Summer Internship at Indian Institute of Science after my third year. I worked at the computational intelligence laboratory in the Aerospace Department.
Fall 16
Mechanical Engineering
7.83
Funding options/Scholarships CMU doesn't offer RA/TA positions to it's M.S students. Tips on writing SoP I'd suggest you start making a bullet point list of all the things that you want to include in your SOP by at least July-August. Once you're done with that, you can start making a rough draft around September. Writing a statement of purpose is a very tedious process. First, try structuring your SOP by filling in the details without caring for the word limit. After you're satisfied with the content, try trimming your word count. Emphasize more on how the projects/internships helped you gain skills etc rather than describing the project in detail (you would anyway include that in your resume). Also, be sure to stress more on your future goals and how that particular program would be the best for you. Most importantly, don't bullshit. Be direct and keep it simple. Get your SOP reviewed by as many people as you can. Further tips to juniors and contact details Feel free to contact me on Facebook if you have any queries. Good Luck!
Fall 16
Mechanical Engineering
8.81
Name Anurag Singh Branch Mechanical Engineering CGPA 8.81 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 165+152, 5.0 TOEFL/IELTS 104 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) TAMU, NUS, USC, UFL, NEU, ASU, SUNY BUFFALO, RIT, USF, MS&T;,UTA (All MS Industrial Engineering) Got calls from IIMs and admitted to Symbiosis in India in MBA(not relevant :P) Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) Gatech (MS Industrial Engineering) Any specific reasons for admit/reject Admits- profile was matching related program- I had multiple internships and coursework related to the field Reject- was initially waitlisted- so I was considered for the program- was rejected only in the end due to lack of seats- was encouraged to apply later Internships/Projects 3- industrial internships 1- international research internship (though in field of aerospace) Multiple projects during coursework in college (including major project) Funding options/Scholarships Didn't specifically apply for funding But still ended up getting scholarships based on my profile Tips on writing SoP Understand what you want to do in the program and be honest and be clear in the SOP. It should clearly reflect your goals and aspirations Evaluators really take it seriously and you must work hard on it
Fall 16
Mechanical Engineering
Further tips to juniors and contact details Choose a program which really interests you The admission process would be a breeze if you know what you want to do Contact: +971-50-8594461/ +91-9740251169
8.81
Fall 16
Metallurgical and Materials
9.68
Name Ajay Krishnan Branch Metallurgical and Materials CGPA 9.68 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 166/162/4.0 TOEFL/IELTS 119 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) Cornell, UIUC, CMU Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) UC Berkeley, Stanford Any specific reasons for admit/reject My admits were all for Masters degrees. Branch topper, GRE, research experience via projects and internships/recommendations and a pretty solid SoP got me my admits. I reckon my rejects are because I don't have any publications/papers(you need those to crack Stanford and Berkeley). I'm pretty sure that all the other boxes were ticked though. Internships/Projects Second year Internship in IISc. Active member of NITKRacing Third year in the University of Toronto via Mitacs Globalink. Also got DAAD-Wise and could have interned in Germany at Hochschule Karlsruhe Funding options/Scholarships $14,000 scholarship, going towards a tuition fee reduction. Tips on writing SoP It's supposed to talk about your journey. What your interests are, how you developed them and how they've changed. Talk about your projects and internships and how they've helped you come to a decision about what you want to do. Tell them why you feel you'll be a good fit for their program and how their program will benefit you, which prof you'd like to work with etc. Write, re-write, re-write till you pull your hair out. Don't forget to ask your family members/seniors/friends for an opinion! :D
Fall 16
Metallurgical and Materials
Further tips to juniors and contact details Ping me anytime! +91-9449681719(whatsapp) You can contact me via Facebook or email too.
[email protected] Enjoy your time in NITK and all the very best for your applications! :)
9.68
Fall 16
Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
8.86
Name Eureka Pai K Branch Metallurgical and Materials Engineering CGPA 8.86 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 319(164+155) TOEFL/IELTS 110 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) Michigan State University, Materials Science, PhD Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) Northwestern University, MSE, PhD Georgia Institute of Technology, MSE, PhD Pennsylvania State University, MSE, PhD University of Michigan, MSE, PhD Any specific reasons for admit/reject Admits: Summer internship in the same university Rejects: They did not mention any specific reason, but my CGPA and GRE weren't good enough for the universities I applied. Internships/Projects Summer research internship in IISc (May-July 2014) Internship in Global Engineering and Advanced Research-Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science- Michigan State University (May-July 2015) Funding options/Scholarships Engineering Distinguished Fellowship (Fully funded with RA) Tips on writing SoP Start early and make a good number of revisions Further tips to juniors and contact details All the best. Feel free to send me an email with any questions.
[email protected]
Fall 16
Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
9.36
Name Nathan Harold Pereira Branch Metallurgical and Materials Engineering CGPA 9.36 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 320 (165,155,4) TOEFL/IELTS 115 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) ASU, Materials Science and Engineering (MS) Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) Many: UIUC, UMN, UT-Austin, CMU, Penn State, NCSU [All Materials Science and Engineering (MS)] Any specific reasons for admit/reject For Admit: A good CGPA, recommendations and a decent GRE score definitely helped. Couple of seniors from NITK are presently studying at ASU so that may have helped. For rejects: It's harder to say about the rejects. I may have lost out mostly because of my GRE Score. Some of the colleges I applied to may not be knowing of NITK. My profile was quite decent though. One thing to keep in mind is that your profile will be evaluated in a holistic manner. They look at everything and then make a decision. The more strengths, the better. However, if you stand out among other applicants in some way (for example, a good publication despite your not so good GPA), you still have a good chance. Internships/Projects 1. IIT Bombay 2. NML Jamshedpur Funding options/Scholarships My program itself doesn't have but there are a lot of scholarships that are given out like: 1. Narotham Sekhsaria Foundation's Scholarship 2. J.N. Tata Endowment 3. Aga Khan Foundation's Scholarship
Fall 16
Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
9.36
Tips on writing SoP Be very specific and write to the point. Read through the requirements of the program carefully and write accordingly. If you have contacts of family/friends already studying abroad, take their help as they can provide a good insight. It is useful to look up about the ongoing research done by some of the professors and mention how your interests and work align with theirs. This was they know that you have done your research and are not simply applying for the sake of it. An SOP is like a virtual interview. You have to convince the department to accept you and give proper reasons as in an interview. This is done through your essay. Make sure you stick to their word/page limit. Further tips to juniors and contact details Start applying as soon as possible. Shortlist a set of 8-10 colleges by looking carefully at their programs which you want to do. Make sure that you have understood all the requirements and procedures carefully and that you actually like the program. Inform your profs about the recommendations well in advance. It always works to your advantage if you apply well within the deadlines. Do have a look at the fees as well before applying to see if it is feasible. I don't mean to discourage you but no point in applying to a college which will simply cause extra tension with regards to funding. However, if you really like an expensive program go ahead and apply and plan for how you will pay. You could apply for RA/TA or the scholarships I mentioned. But make sure all programs are not like that. Try to apply to a mix of colleges and not just only top tier. You would not like it if you don't get a single admit. Plus, it would be a waste of money. Be ready to shell out a lot of money, as the process till getting the visa is itself expensive. ($200 for GRE, $175 for TOEFL, About $70 dollars on an average per college you apply to) So keep that in mind. Contact: +919663305118 [going to change :)]
[email protected]
Fall 16
Metallurgical and Materials Enineering
Name Murari Ramkumar Branch Metallurgical and Materials Enineering CGPA 8.9 GRE (Quant + Verbal, AWA) 324,4 TOEFL/IELTS 115 Universities admitted to in order of preference (Specialization) (MS/PhD) MS - UPenn , CMU MEng - Cornell Universities Rejected by (Specialization)(MS/PhD) MS - UMichigan-AnnArbour Purdue GeorgiaTech MEng - UCBerkley Any specific reasons for admit/reject SOP - reason for admit and strong Reco Internships/Projects 3M -R&D; Labs Thermax -R&D; labs Funding options/Scholarships Nome Tips on writing SoP Be original Further tips to juniors and contact details
[email protected]
8.9
