As my search for universities to complete a masters degree starts winding down, I find that most schools for Computer Science require 2-3 letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, grades of 3.0 or better and a composite GRE of 1000 or better. Whenever a school lists a higher minimum (i.e. grades or GRE) I assume that this school is more competitive than schools with lower standards. Is this (generally) a good assumption? Also, some schools (I'm thinking of one in particular) don't require letters of recommendations or a statement of purpose! While on the surface their program (in terms of course coverage) seems strong, I can't help but wonder whether not requiring rec letters or essay says something negative about the program. Anyone have any thoughts about this?
I think the opposite might be true, but I don't see their is a coorlation. For example, a very prestegous school may require some hard numbers (like GPA, testing, etc.) just to minimize the number of applicants. They have thousands and only accept one or two. Usually, there is a personal interview at the end of these, so there may not be a need to recommendations. The MBA and Doctorate required them in my case..... Interesting, I had not really thought about it before.
JoAnn, while I have no issue with any standards I think you must look at the content of the program and decide which is most in line with your future goals. Once this is done then meet the standards for that school. The higher requirements do not always guarantee a better school, look at the faculty. Many schools have these standards because of accreditation (AACSB, etc...). I have more of a problem with the letters of recommendation than the other requirements. I think a statement of purpose is very useful and an indicator of thought process and writing skills. I don't think the requirement or lack of requirement is any indicator of the quality of the program or the school. I picked a program that fit me and my interests/career. You, and the school, will know if the fit is working out and the grades you receive will demonstrate your ability to perform. Your ability to ply your trade will demonstrate whether your education has any value in the job market. Good luck.
My not very helpful thought is that those rec letters don't have a flippin' frog of meaning. I'm not sure why businesses bother with them, either.
Re: Re: Re: Admissions Policies Sounds right. Think of the people you work with: the thief, the drunk, the doper, the bigot, the idiot, the slacker... Those people all managed to get rec letters just as you did. And if you subtracted all of those people the remainder would be just you.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Admissions Policies No offense decimon, but these might be the people that you work with but they're not the people I (or many others) work with. Jack
The school that granted my Masters degree did not require the GRE but it did require letters of recommendation and a substantial essay related to interest/purpose of pursuing the degree. While I've no corroboration of this, my take on this was: 1) general disbelief that the GRE predicts success of MSW students. 2) the need to verify a persons work experience and general suitability for the field. 3) recognition that the program (and later employment) stresses the ability to express one's thoughts in writing. In some fields this may not mean the same thing but, to me, this made sense as entrance criteria for a school of Social Work. Jack
