<p>Thought I'd sworn off this admissions stress/standardized testing/hanging my hopes on my GPA for good, but here I am for another grind. I'm an undergrad senior at RPI (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) and I'm really hoping to go to the University of Texas for a master's in Computer Science. Applying elsewhere in the area (Georgia Tech plus safer schools near my home) but I'm reeeeeeeally wishing and hoping for UT. Stats:</p>
<p>GPA: 3.72
GRE: 760Q/670V/ Still waiting on writing, but it should be good.
AGRE-Computer Science: 730 (54th percentile, tears and shame)</p>
<p>Other info:</p>
<p>Last summer I did an REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates, sponsored by NSF) working on some medical image processing. My concentration is tentatively AI; this doesn't really relate. I don't know if that shows that I'm versatile or all over the place.</p>
<p>I'm graduating in three years. Good thing or bad thing?</p>
<p>I'm female.</p>
<p>I'm native to Texas.</p>
<p>I have no official extracurriculars. Do grad schools care? I certainly have hobbies but none that require me to sign up for weekly meetings. My transcript demonstrates that I'm interested in art and cognitive science.</p>
<p>I'm worried about my stats; GPA and GRE general are all right around their released "average scores of recent successful applicants," (theirs are 3.74 and 776Q to my 3.72 and 760Q) but the GRE subject test is horrendous. I don't have time to retake it and even if I did, I don't know how I could improve on what I did. :( Their average is 840; it was 795 before they updated. Mine is 730. They must have literally just averaged the scores though, because that 840 for the masters program is higher than the 830 for PhD applicants. So I have no idea if these are the kinds of scores they expect from everyone or if they're more holistic. </p>
<p>About the statement of intent:
My honest intention for graduate school (other than getting out of NY) is to go to another institution and take some better classes. I'm really regretting that I didn't just choose to go to UT as an undergrad; I feel like the culture at my current school hasn't really helped me. I've talked to people over there and their classes have forced them to learn things much better than I have. This leaves me a little miffed about the statement of intent; I don't think this is quite what graduate schools want to hear. I wouldn't mind doing some research but I don't have any grand aspirations to do lots of research and stay in academia. How can I phrase this in a positive way?</p>
<p>Many thanks for your time.
-Stacy</p>