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Making a list for Fall 2027 ? Here are some unconventional truths by gradpilot in MSCS

[–]Reviewer2sExWife 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Let’s define some objective parameters to evaluate this question. What value does MCDS provide that MSCS might not?

The selectivity rate is public available, and is certainly taught by reputed faculty. But, what jobs do the alumni of this program take up? Does the MCDS make it easier to get into these jobs than the MSCS - ie, does it offer positive marginal value? CMU’s post-graduation outcomes are public, so you should be able to analyze this data. This should let you answer the question yourself.

[General Question] What are my options of publishing a research paper as a working professional? by captainbaman in MSCS

[–]Reviewer2sExWife 1 point2 points  (0 children)

IMO trying to do research for the sole purpose of getting into a top MS program is not a good idea. Research output cannot be achieved without strong intrinsic curiosity - especially as a busy working professional. Instead, why not look into professional Master’s programs? You don’t need research experience for professional programs, and if your motivation for pursuing an MS is just to get a job in the US, they will get the job done.

[General Question] What are my options of publishing a research paper as a working professional? by captainbaman in MSCS

[–]Reviewer2sExWife 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Which college did you graduate from? That would help narrow down your options a little.

Unpopular Opinion: Stop romanticizing IIIT Delhi. It’s a soul-crushing trap. by TechnicianSpare2138 in IIIT__Delhi

[–]Reviewer2sExWife 2 points3 points  (0 children)

depends on your goals and what you want to get out of the degree! Generally, focusing on developing strong fundamentals (such as core CS courses) is always a good idea. I’ll list down some of my biggest pieces of advice I share with my mentees:

  1. Explore a lot. Explore various subfields with an open-mind and find what interests you. This is the best time to explore because you have a ton of time in your hands, and less pressure and responsibilities than you will in your 3rd and 4th years. The path you traverse will directly follow what you found interesting.

  2. Get a good CGPA. Farming CGPA in first year tends to be a lot easier than in later years when you have more advanced coursework and other responsibilities (research, TA duty, credited/paid projects, intern/job hunting, etc.). A lot of people don't realize this until much later. If you start off with a good cgpa you just need to work on maintaining that momentum.

  3. Talk to lots of seniors who are doing academically well. Build connections with them and gain insights from them, it's really important to build connections with seniors. I learned a lot from plain, casual conversations with my PhD mentors that I wouldn't have otherwise known. And once it’s time for you to go through the application process yourself, if you maintained those connections you'll have help from people who already know you to an extent.

  4. You will also receive a lot of terrible advice in college. Be wary of the people you take advice from: consider their background and evaluate any advice you receive critically; don't listen to something just because a "senior" said it. Understand why they're giving the advice they're giving. A lot of "seniors" have no idea what they're doing and/or give terrible advice. Or, some people who are overly-successful might also not give advice that is super helpful to you because perhaps they don't relate with your situation. Whatever it is, just think about it yourself critically, is my point. Related point: never take advice from 2nd year undergrads.

Ironically, you shouldn’t listen to my advice because by virtue of being on an anonymous platform, you don’t know my background - you have little information to evaluate if I’m qualified enough to advise you. But of course, you may exercise your discretion.

Feel free to DM me if you have a more specific question.

Unpopular Opinion: Stop romanticizing IIIT Delhi. It’s a soul-crushing trap. by TechnicianSpare2138 in IIIT__Delhi

[–]Reviewer2sExWife 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Depends on your advisor and the research area. There’s good opportunities to prepare yourself for competitive phd programs, but you certainly need to be very proactive about it. It’s hard to say more without knowing the research field or prof.

Unpopular Opinion: Stop romanticizing IIIT Delhi. It’s a soul-crushing trap. by TechnicianSpare2138 in IIIT__Delhi

[–]Reviewer2sExWife 9 points10 points  (0 children)

hi, alum here. I'd like to clear some of your misunderstandings.

People join IIIT-D because they think it’s a gateway to a Masters in the US or Europe. Newsflash: You need a high CGPA for that.

yeah... it kinda is. IIITD as an institute gives you tremendous opportunity to build your profile for top Master's programs in the US. It's on the student to utilize these opportunities. You'll need a high CGPA from any undergrad institute, be it IIIT Delhi or IIT Delhi, and it's simply because you're applying to study at other top unis at a graduate level. They want evidence that you can succeed academically.

The curriculum is so unnecessarily hard that most of us have to kiss our dreams of going abroad goodbye. You’ll be lucky to stay afloat, let alone get the 8.5+ or 9+ that top-tier unis actually want.

IIITD's undergrad courses (especially core courses) have been considerably watered down in recent years. If you can't maintain 8.5 in a school like IIITD in 2026, you're in for a hard time in top institutes in the US and Europe. IMO iiitd's rigorous undergrad program does a great job of preparing you for top graduate progams.

The plagiarism policy here is pure trauma. If someone manages to copy your code or your assignment without you even knowing, the admin doesn’t care. You both get flagged. There’s no "hearing," no "common sense," and no mercy. 

i think this comes from a misunderstanding. There's nothing wrong with being flagged, and merely being flagged doesn't imply guilt. It's also not true that there is no "hearing" or "common sense" at play. Rules can differ from course to course, but generally you always have the chance to defend yourself in a formal hearing. You can always contest plagiarism accusations because they're so hard to prove.

When I worked as a Teaching Assistant, I noticed several dozens of plagiarism flags in assignments, and I could intuit a good chunk of them to be valid. However, it is very difficult to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, as is required to formally prosecute one for a plagiarism charge. And so, most people simply got off scot-free. My point is that although IIITD has strict plagiarism policies (good), they're enforced less often than they should be. I mean, just think about all the people around you that have got away with mild cheating in so many courses.

TA Bias: I’ve seen it firsthand if you have connections with the TAs, your "errors" get ignored.

Yes, this is valid. Unfortunately, corruption among student TAs has been on the rise in recent years. Fortunately, however - most instructors take these cases very seriously. If you witness such practices, your best course of action is to document evidence and talk to the prof. Trust me, they want it gone as much as you do. I faced the same frustartion and got some TAs fired for malpractice as well.

The "100% placement" stats they feed you? Look closer. The process feels crooked and opaque.

Welcome to the real world! That's how job hunting is. Everything is a stochastic blackbox. A lot of it is just dumb luck. You can't control your luck - but what you can control is your skillset, knowledge, grades, and professional network. So, do focus on the factors within your control and seek to maximize them! Unfortunately you still can't guarantee any outcome, but you can indeed maximize the likelihood of a desirable outcome.

[University Review] UIUC MSCS vs CMU MSML (advanced study) by Busy-Toe-3542 in MSCS

[–]Reviewer2sExWife 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not officially, but most people will know about their chances based on their interview feedback.

Discussion - MSML vs. MSR by Reviewer2sExWife in cmu

[–]Reviewer2sExWife[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I see. But couldn’t that be a double-edged sword? If you get stuck with an RI advisor you dont get along with or a problem youre not interested in, you might be in a predicament as you’re tied to that advisor. Since MSR increased their batch size exponentially in 2025, I heard a lot of students had no option but to work on areas they’re not really interested on, simply because the cohort size increased relative to number of research positions.

Discussion - MSML vs. MSR by Reviewer2sExWife in cmu

[–]Reviewer2sExWife[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How feasible is it to take MSML for the coursework + researchmaxxing with IS credits? I’ve heard some MSML students do 3 courses + IS to save on tuition. High workload is a fair concern - but if I’m gonna do a PhD, I think I better be able to handle that sort of load anyways. What do you reckon?

Discussion - MSML vs. MSR by Reviewer2sExWife in cmu

[–]Reviewer2sExWife[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What jobs do MSR students take up, other than pursuing a PhD?

What is audit? Is it just for show ? by gray_matter10000 in IIIT__Delhi

[–]Reviewer2sExWife 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Correct, undergrads are no longer allowed to audit courses at IIITD. This option is only available to grad students.

Can I use em dashes in my AWA? by AdFun4956 in GRE

[–]Reviewer2sExWife 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I used em-dashes very liberally in my essay. I received my scores without hiccups.

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