I know this topic seems a bit ridiculous but I was very busy doing research this year and taking some upper level courses that I didn’t commit too much time to take my GRE. On my first attempt I got Q: 159 V: 154 and W: 5. I really want to get into a CS masters such as the UPenn MCIT program or the one at UChicago, specifically targeted to those without a background in CS. However I do believe that they look at GRE scores because a bulk of their applicants come from non quantitative areas like the liberal arts. Hence the reported GRE average is quite high (at 165 Q and 160 V) and they admit roughly 20% of applicants out of 300 or so every year. How badly are my chances wrecked for admissions?
I have a high 3.7 GPA, I studied math at England and achieved 2.i in my exams during junior year. I did some aircraft construction research at NASA, development economics research in England, worked in an aerodynamics lab and wrote my senior thesis there and am also conducting research on financial signaling and modeling currency swaps through alternate means from economics.
How would admissions think of this scenario where a student comes in with a strong quantitative background built over 4 years but just screwed up on test day?
No offense but any math major should be able to get an 800/170 on the Math part with no more than a couple days of preparation. They would probably think the school you went to was weak. You should also have at least a little CS background.
Well these programs are designed for people who don’t have CS backgrounds. Like you can literally walk in with no CS experience and they’ll take you, assuming other factors of course. Can they reject me simply due to my GRE scores?
Of course they could reject you because of your GRE scores. We have no idea whether they will or won’t, of course, but they could if they wanted to.
Why don’t you retake it? I agree, it looks a little weird for a math and economics major to come in with a 159 Q. My first inclination would also be what @mathandcs said - that your undergrad college prep was weak.
If you’re talking about cash cow programs with no MS thesis and you just take classes for a year, I have no idea. Don’t you think at UPenn and Chicago, they’d have applicants with at least some CS background? Why not just take the necessary courses as a non-degree CS student elsewhere and apply for a variety of M.S. programs?
Anyway, retake the GRE IMO. If you get a 170 on Math, that doesn’t get you in, but a bad score can keep you out.
Well I have a few research projects that are ongoing right now and are targeted for publication in the next few months. The app is due in less than a month and simply put, time isn’t in my favor at the moment.
additionally if i don’t have time to study now and change my strategies wouldn’t it end up working against me instead? My hands are full at the moment.
It sounds like you don’t have any options so I’m not really sure what you’re asking. Anyway, take a good look and see if it’s right for your career trajectory.
On their job placement page, it doesn’t look too impressive. A bunch of nearby PA jobs. A few got into Ph.D. programs, but half of them at places like Drexel or UDelaware. Those schools are major downgrades from Penn.
How do you know you even want a CS career if you’ve never taken as much as a programming class?
UPenn has tons of cash cow programs that aren’t likely to land you a good job, or maybe even no job at all. This looks like one of those programs. I would consider taking some CS classes as a nondegree student somewhere to see if you like it and also to get a background for real Master’s programs. If you’re near Philly, you can take classes without being a degree student at West Chester and Delaware, maybe other places too.
Now you should probably still finish up your applications and see what happens, but just something to think about.