I need help in choosing the suitable Computer Science PhD program :)

Graduate School
1

<p>I have made a list of suitable Computer Science programs and I need opinions from you guys.. I need to narrow down the list and if anyone have any suggestions it will be more than welcome :)</p>

<p>I am a Saudi waman, I work as a lecturer in King Saud University in Riyadh :) and I will apply to several computer science PhD programs for next fall.. I had my masters and becholers degree from the same university with 4.75 and 4.29 GPAs, respectively.</p>

<p>I have two IEEE published papers, first one was presenting my undergrad project. The second presented my masters thesis work and I'm currently working on extending the work in order to publish it in a journal. Also I have one more research work (but not published), i was chosen (with other students) immediatly after finishing my becholers by my undergrad project supervisor to work under her supervision in a research project with a big Saudi institution for two months.</p>

<p>My research interest is in transmitting haptic data (my masters thesis was a study about applying some QOS techniques when transmitting haptics data and I gave recommondations at the end), it was successful and my supervisor gave me a very positive and good feedback and he said it was a real research.. I really liked it and I want to complete my PhD in the same field, but I'm still flexeble if I find any better chances :) if anyone knows a good research opportunity, a potential supervisor or a not suitable program in my list, please tell me anythink you know..</p>

<p>I worked in the third biggest IT services and solutions company in Saudi Arabia as a system developer for 5 months before beginning my masters (only to try non-academic world.. But I always wanted to work in a university).
I will have been working as a lecturer for 2 years next fall..</p>

<p>I think I will have a good LoRs.
Still not done with GRE.
And I had 7 in ielts..
I will have a full scholarship from my university (do you think that this will give me a better chance to be admitted?)</p>

<p>I need a highly ranked CS PhD program, but I'm limited in time (I can't spend more than 4 years abroad). I searched for an appropriate program and I have made this list:</p>

<p>Caltech
Yale
U of Massachusetts. Amherts
Virgenia Tech
UC santa barbara
NC state university
New jersey Institute of Technology
Drexel
George mason
TAMU
Georgia state university
Tufts</p>

<p>It is mensioned in all their websites that it can be achievable in four years! But I don't know if this is easy or not?</p>

<p>Also me as a wife and a mother of a five years old dauther, I need to be able to have some free time for my familys responsibilities and leasure time, do you think this is possible in these universities?</p>

<p>And can you please chance me in these universities and anyone who know anything about how hard or intense these programs are, please give me any info.. It will be really appreciated :)</p>

<p>My kindest regards,,</p>

2

<p>Nobody can chance you or tell you how “suitable” you are.</p>

<p>What you need to do is look for professors who are doing research similar to your particular research interests. Look at university faculty listings and read their CVs.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>You certainly wouldn’t be the only one, but do understand the challenge - pursuing a Ph.D is a full-time job and more. There will not be much leisure time.</p>

3

<p>chancers are getting creative. “suitable” haha</p>

4

<p>Thanks polarscribe for your Reply :)</p>

<p>What you need to do is look for professors who are doing research similar to your particular research interests. Look at university faculty listings and read their CVs.</p>

<p>I already did an extensive search as you said and I have came to this list after doing this… I asked for more than what I can find in the websites… May be a personnal or a more experienced opinion :)</p>

<p>Regarding the other point, Of course I know how hard and full time it will be, but definitly there are some differences in the intensity between different programs. And for my family not for me I need to have some leisure time with them, especially for my dauther :slight_smile: even though it will be really hard to manage the time to balance…</p>

<p>Again thank you very much for giving me your valuable opinion…</p>

5

<p>And regarding the word suitable, I didnt mean how suitable I am to the program :slight_smile: I meant how suitable is the program for my preferences… sorry may be it is a second language problem :)</p>

6

<p>

</p>

<p>Doing your Ph.D is not the time to look for “less intense” programs, at least in my opinion. Your future academic career does, in large part, depend on the work you do as a doctoral student.</p>