I just completed my first year out of 3 of computer science and engineering in Europe to get my bachelors degree. I’m a very average student with a GPA in the 3.6 region, i’m not involved in any research or interesting side projects. I expect to score “average” on the GRE test when i take it eventually, I also expect 2 average prof letters and maybe a good one. I want to take an CS MS degree over in the USA but I don’t know which schools I should target. I’m thinking that I should go for big state schools only. The schools I have in mind right now are ASU, U of A, VT, penn state, Kansas state, SJSU, Cal poly SLO???, TAMU, FSU and U of F. I’m very interested in NCSU.
I can afford anything that costs under $30k a year in tuition. Are the schools I just listed a reach for me or are they OK?
Would you apply as a transfer student to finish your BS (followed by two years OPT)? Or are you planning to apply for a terminal master’s? (Or maybe you’re not interesting OPT at all?)
I don’t think you’d find many terminal Master’s for under 30k tuition. That’s your biggest obstacle. 3.6 is quite respectable especially in engineering and neither did the terminal masters nor the transfer to a bs program. Research woukd be expected for a master’s degree enroute to a PhD, which would likely cover tuition .
Also look at Iowa state, UDel. UMN may be within reach.
@MYOS1634 I’m gonna finish my BS degree over here in Europe and apply for MS programs in the US during my final year. I am interested in OPT, my plan is to utilize OPT after I have finished my MS degree in the USA. That would be 4 years from now so I guess a lot could happen in term of politics and such things but I hope the OPT stays as it is right now. So I would be able to afford $30k in tuition cost each year, in total $60k for just tuition. I have another $15k budgeted towards living costs and insurance for each year, in total $30k. I’m definitely not interested in a PhD program, I would probably not stand a chance with my stats anyways. Thank you for naming those schools, I will check them out!
@MYOS1634 I’m gonna finish my BS degree over here in Europe and apply for MS programs in the US during my final year. I am interested in OPT, my plan is to utilize OPT after I have finished my MS degree in the USA. That would be 4 years from now so I guess a lot could happen in term of politics and such things but I hope the OPT stays as it is right now. So I would be able to afford $30k in tuition cost each year, in total $60k for just tuition. I have another $15k budgeted towards living costs and insurance for each year, in total $30k. I’m definitely not interested in a PhD program, I would probably not stand a chance with my stats anyways. Thank you for naming those schools, I will check them out!