cs phd essay

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Expectations, Policies, and Procedures

PhD in Computer Science

Our doctoral program is a full-time program: Admitted doctoral students have only the Ph.D. as their degree objective, and they have guaranteed funding for up to five years.

GRE Required for the Fall 2024 cycle

Please note: students applying to graduate programs in Fall 2024 are required to take the GRE. However, students applying for the 4+1 programs do not need to take the GRE.

Applying to the PhD Program

2024 admission requirements.

Questions about our PhD program should be directed by email to [email protected] .

The required components of your application are:

The online application form
Three (3) letters of recommendation
All applicants should upload a scanned copy of their transcripts. Applicants should not send an official transcript to the Graduate Office unless they are admitted and accept our offer of Admission.
All applicants may self report GRE and TOEFL scores. Official test scores are not required unless you are offered admission into the program, and you accept our offer of admission.
TOEFL or IELTS scores (required for non-native English speakers, photocopy accepted, original required upon admission)
The $40 application fee

These items must reach us by December 15, 2023 in order for your application to receive full consideration.

If English is not your native language, we require that you take the TOEFL (Test Of English as a Foreign Language) or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System exam). An IELTS band score of 7.0 or above is required for Dartmouth Programs, but we have no specific test score requirements for the TOEFL or GRE. If you are transferring from a U.S. university, we may waive the language test. As with the GRE, we will accept a photocopy until the official report is available, but the photocopy must reach us by December 15, 2023 .

We prefer that your recommenders provide their recommendations online. Once you have listed their names on the application, an email will be sent to them with a link to the application site. If necessary, we will also accept recommendations in sealed envelopes through the mail.

We require a $40.00 application fee, to be paid by credit card online. The fee helps to cover the cost of processing your application and is non-refundable. The application fee will not be waived.

Like many graduate programs, we base our admissions decisions primarily on the information requested above. We have no minimum test scores. We recognize that you may have talents and experience that do not shine through the forms and test scores.

Use the Application Essay section of the online application to give additional information. Do you have a specific reason for coming to Dartmouth? Specific goals for your study? Significant work experience? Why do you want to do advanced training in computer science? Include any publications you have authored.

In the Computer Science Supplement section of the online application, attach examples of your work. This is also the place where you can attach a resume.

At the discretion of the admissions committee, we award stipends as well as tuition grants without stipend. The stipend awards cover tuition waiver and a payment for living expenses for nine months of each year for five years, as long as satisfactory progress is made toward the Ph.D. The stipend for 2023-2024 is $3,333.33 per month, and it generally increases every year. Health insurance cost for the academic year is covered by the college for full-time students. Graduate students who receive support contribute to the program by teaching or grading undergraduate courses, assisting with advanced courses, and participating in research projects. Additional stipend is provided for the summer months if the student performs research or teaching assistance during that period.

There is no separate application for financial aid. Every applicant is considered for financial aid, unless you say that you do not need financial support. If you do not need support, please indicate this on the application form, and tell us how you expect to be supported.

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to additional FAQs about grad admissions, including how to obtain a fee waiver, update an application, and waive TOEFL based on a degree from an English institution, are available at the grad school site .

Q. What are the institution and department codes for the GRE?

The GRE institution code is 3351, and the GRE department code is 0402.

Q. What are the institution and department codes for the TOEFL?

The TOEFL institution code is 3351, and the TOEFL department code is 78.

Q. If my GRE scores are low, but I have good grades, can I still get admission?

Our decision takes into account all components of your application. Therefore, it is usually impossible to predict the outcome until you apply and the admissions committee goes over your entire application.

Q. Can I be admitted for the Winter term?

No. We only admit one class each year, matriculating in the Fall term.

Q. Where should I have the transcripts and scores sent?

Send to: Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies Dartmouth College Attn: Computer Science Graduate Admissions Anonymous Hall 64 College St, Suite 6062, Room 102 Hanover NH 03755 Phone: (603) 646-8193

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CS Statement of Purpose Guide

This page provides advice on writing your “statement of purpose” and other graduate school and fellowship essays. Many programs may ask for several essays.

Keep in mind that your essay (and all of your application materials), will be read by professors of computer science and not by admissions officers. You should assume that your readers are very well-trained in computer science.

What are they looking for?

In general, your statement of purpose should convey the following:

You are genuinely interested in research;
You have an idea of the subdiscipline(s) that you would like to do research in graduate school and you can speak about them with some level of sophistication;
You’ve had some research experience(s);
You understand the research process from selecting a problem to solving it to presenting your results;
You’ve done your homework about this particular school and have some ideas of which faculty members and/or research groups you’d like to work with.

Organization of the Essay

There are many ways to write a good statement of purpose essay, but here’s one possible structure that works well:

In the first paragraph, describe the area or areas of computer science that you plan to study in computer science. The more specific you can be, the better. This is not a contract that forces you to study that subdiscipline and you might change your mind later. However, most graduate schools are more more inclined to accept students who have a good idea of an area that they plan to study. After describing the area, give a summary of your prior research experiences and an overview of the contents of the rest of your statement.
In the next several paragraphs, describe the research projects that you’ve worked on, the challenges, the approach, and your contributions to the project. A typical situation for a Mudder applying to graduate school is one summer of research, one summer of an internship at a company, and a clinic project (which you will just be starting as you write your statement of purpose). Your summer research is the most relevant part for graduate school and should come first; It merits at least one substantial paragraph. Your clinic project is likely to have enough of a research component to merit a second paragraph. If your summer internship had some aspect of research, that can be a third paragraph. We encourage you to consult with your adviser in developing the structure for your essay based on your own experiences.
Next, one paragraph can be devoted to describing the research that you would like to conduct in graduate school in some detail and your long-term career ambitions.
The last paragraph should be customized to indicate why you want to go to this particular graduate school. You should spend some time looking at the web pages and publications of researchers at that university and mention the faculty and the research projects that you would be interested in joining. Generally, it’s wise to mention at least a few faculty members and projects.

Ph.D. Admissions: How to Apply

Apply online.

All PhD application materials are submitted electronically through the online application portal and must be received by December 15th at 11:59pm, Pacific Time. We recommend leaving yourself enough time to completely navigate the submission process (e.g., 1 hour). There is only one admission cycle each year . Decisions come out in late February with students expected to enroll in the following autumn quarter.

Application Materials

The information below describes the materials required for your application to the Ph.D. Program in Computer Science. All materials are submitted electronically and prospective students are encouraged to review the program’s eligibility requirements for computing background carefully before applying.

The GRE is not required and any scores received will not be used for evaluation. There is no benefit to providing GRE scores during the application process as any scores that are received will not be referenced during application reviews.

Application checklist

Applicant profile and program information

Academic history

Research Interests and Faculty Advising

Recommendation letters

Resume or cv, personal statement, proof of english proficiency, application fee.

Submit application
Profile Information
Research Interests and Faculty

Create your applicant profile and start your application

The application for graduate study at UW is hosted by the UW Graduate School. Create an application account and fill out your applicant profile. Complete the "Profile Information," "Contact Information," and "Ethnicity Information."

Official transcripts are not required during the application process; you will only have to submit official documents to the UW Graduate School if you accept an admission offer. At that time, you should provide your documents according to the Graduate School's official transcript requirements .

Research Interests & Faculty Advising

Applicants are given the opportunity to indicate up to 3 interest areas our research areas of expertise .

If you are confident that you'd like to work with any particular faculty member(s), you may indicate their name(s) in the supplemental question. This question is optional but is strongly encouraged to make sure your application is reviewed by the appropriate reviewers during the admissions process. For a list of faculty and a description of their research, see our faculty directory . You do not need to contact faculty prior to applying, nor is it expected.

When you designate someone as a recommender, the application system will automatically send them an email with a link to follow to upload their letter. The email will indicate the application deadline of your desired entry quarter and specify that letters need to be received by that date.

Upload a current copy of your CV that provides detailed descriptions of your research accomplishments and other technical skills. There are no requirements for length or formatting; you may be as descriptive as you would like and may utilize more than one page.

Submit a personal statement of that includes: a) how you became interested in doing research, b) a relevant project or research experience that shows your technical knowledge and skill, and c) your plans for the future in computer science. You may wish to include information about what you feel are the strengths of your application, such as special interests and abilities, or give explanations for what you feel are any weaknesses in your academic record. If you have background that might particularly contribute to the intellectual and social enrichment of the program, please describe it. Examples include unique educational or cultural opportunities (or lack of them), social and economic disadvantages that you may have had to overcome, and interesting or unusual influences on your intellectual development.

Having earned a degree in the United States in which English was the language of instruction; or, having earned a degree in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, or certain other countries specified in Policy 3.2 and where English was the language of instruction.
Documentation from your undergraduate degree-granting institution, if outside the US or one of the countries specified in Policy 3.2 , verifying that all instruction is in English (for example, transcript notation or attested document issued by the institution).
TOEFL scores showing a minimum total score or MyBest score of 92 or higher. UW's ETS institution code is 4854 .
Academic IELTS scores showing a total score of 7.0 or higher. Applicants using IELTS test scores must submit official scores electronically via the IELTS system (E-TRF), using the University of Washington’s organization ID 365 .

Application fee waivers are available from the UW Graduate School to some domestic students who demonstrate financial need. The PhD does not offer fee waivers at the program/department level.

Submit your application

Both steps - making payment and then submitting the application - must be completed in order for your application to be finalized and viewable to application reviewers .

After You Apply

Admitted students.

At any time, feel free to contact us at grad-advising [at] cs [dot] washington [dot] edu with questions.

Writing a Statement of Purpose

Tips on writing an sop - by arun vasan.

Universities in the US appear to believe that the logical end of education is enabling an individual to think on her own. This is why they ask you for a "personal" statement to give an account of experiences which you believe helped you decide to apply, your expectations from graduate school, what you propose to do in school.... Of course, the typical personal statement is not so personal, and is usually edited by half a dozen people at least.

The main idea behind this exercise is to give the admissions committee an idea of what to expect from a prospective student apart from her scores, GPA, and letters of recommendation. Who would've thought that actually asking a student to tell what he thinks of himself was a good idea ? The SOP, though it sounds unparliamentary, is a crucial part of the application process and needs a lot of time and effort.

I have put a few points down with my tongue firmly in my cheek. These are CS specific, but may apply to other disciplines as well. There are sharp differences of opinion among the graduate student/ professor community as to what makes an SOP tick. I take responsibility for neither the grammar nor the contents of this page. Use these tips at your own risk.

In case you are wondering, NO, I am not jobless. Yeah, I know, my soul just cries out to be blessed. Now, now, wipe the tears of gratitude, and prepare for the most enlightening sermon you will hear about grad school admissions.

Algorithm S

0. RTFAF: Read The Fine Application Form. Don't write a one-size-fits-all-univs SOP.
1. State upfront who you are and what you want. One should not have to search using a word processor whether you want an MS or a Ph.D.
2. Tell what you intend doing with your degree. Inevitably, this boils down to a suitable permutation of words from the set {creative, career, industry, academia, research, professor, university, lab,startup}.
3. Avoid hot air. Adjectives like thrill, passion, excitement, joy, etc., should be avoided like the plague. Explain what you expect from grad school. Of course, we all want a job, but try putting it down as politically correctly as you can.
4. Avoid quotations. You may have "miles to go before you sleep", "chosen the road less travelled", or "your-favourite-cliche-quote-from-high-school-here", but it ain't a personal statement unless you are quoting yourself, is it ?
5. Use simple English. Resist the temptation to use your new-found vocabulary from the GRE word lists.
6.Describe your experience. Don't say you were introduced to CS as a suckling infant, you started speaking in Python before your mother tongue, yada, yada, yada... No one actually cares for your experience as a kid, so keep it brief.
7. The most important experience you would've had would be your undergrad. Of course, I mean academic work. As an aside, I firmly believe that the day you really graduate is the day you realise you wasted four years. Describe your coursework tersely.
8. Explain a select few projects you did in gory detail and why that got you interested in research. This is a point of much debate. Personally, I like explaining things in detail while many people prefer "high level" stuff. The catch with my way is that you could say something blatantly wrong and possibly screw up your chances completely. Again, I feel that if someone knows what the hell she is talking about, she should be confident enough to sell what she did. I suggest you show your SOP to profs, preferably those who are writing your letters, to make sure you are not shooting yourself in the foot with amazing accuracy.
9. Articulate why you choose to work in the area you want to work on. For example, kernel hacking gives you the high, your best buddy is the memory allocator, etc., so you want to work in O/S. Or, you increase your treadmill speed like TCP increases its cwnd , you do a packet sniff to find out protocols used instead of chatting in a messenger, your concept of networking is making computers talk, so you want to work in networks. In particular, it will be ideal if it was something you did best. I've heard of a case where someone said the thing she did best was cooking. The story goes she baked a cake and sent it to the admissions committee. Harvard, rumour has it, fell hook, line, and sinker for this. The professors in CS@UM most likely don't care for your culinary expertise, in case this gives you ideas.
9.1 You could possibly angle for more than one area. If you can show some prior work, or what you can do, in more than one area, you are good. However, you should avoid things like "I like theory, systems, AI, and NC very much. Graphics and Software, a little less".
10. Once you've explained why you like some area(s), explain how you will fit in with work being done in *that* univ. Say how you, Prof.Foo, and Prof.Bar can attain the holy grail of networking together. You should appear in awe of them, yet appear indispensable to their work. Avoid mentioning persons alone, i.e., qualify a professor by the group he leads/is part of. You can rest assured any CS prof will be part of some group with what she thinks is a cool abbreviated name. This way you won't antagonise a rival professor in the same area who actually sits on the committee.
11. Market yourself with concrete statistics. I won't believe it myself if you claim you are the second coming of Knuth. It is very unlikely that the profs of a dept. will. After all, it is their fate to have seen a billion SOPs before yours and see many more after yours. That said, mention things like "I was ranked in the top 0.123% of the FOO exam conducted by the BARs." exactly once.
12. Try being humorous without sounding like a clown. Wit is something which really can't be forced into writing. So it is perfectly fine if you write something totally serious as long as it is cogent and forceful. Finally, finish off with a flourish.
13. If (you aren't sick and tired) goto step 0.
14. Stop reading this page this minute and go work on your application.

I most definitely assert my rights to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with all known, unknown, and yet-to-be-framed copyright laws of this planet. Any resemblance to work produced by a certain Don of the west coast is entirely intended. © Arunchandar Vasan.

Writing the Statement of Purpose

The statement of purpose should convince the admissions committee that your achievements show promise for your success in graduate study. Think of the statement of purpose as a composition with four different parts.

Make sure to check on the appropriate departmental website to find out if your statement should include additional or specific information.

Part 1: Introduce yourself, your interests and motivations

Tell them what you’re interested in, and perhaps, what sparked your desire for graduate study. This should be short and to the point; don’t spend a great deal of time on autobiography.

Part 2: Summarize your undergraduate and previous graduate career

a) Research you conducted. Indicate with whom, the title of the project, what your responsibilities were, and the outcome. Write technically, or in the style of your discipline. Faculty are the people who read these statements.

b) Important paper or thesis project you completed, as well as anything scholarly beyond your curricular requirements.

c) Work experience, especially if you had any kind of responsibility for testing, designing, researching or interning in an area similar to what you wish to study in graduate school.

Part 3: Discuss the relevance of your recent and current activities

If you graduated and worked prior to returning to graduate school, indicate what you’ve been doing: company or non-profit, your work/design team, responsibilities, what you learned. You can also indicate here how this helped you focus your graduate studies.

Part 4: Elaborate on your academic interests

Here you indicate what you would like to study in graduate school in enough detail to convince the faculty that you understand the scope of research in their discipline, and are engaged with current research themes.

a) Indicate the area of your interests. Ideally, pose a question, define a problem, or indicate a theme that you would like to address, and questions that arise from contemporary research. This should be an ample paragraph!

b) Look on the web for information about departments you’re interested in, including professors and their research. Are there professors whose research interests parallel yours? If so, indicate this. Check the specific program; many may require you to name a professor or professors with whom you might work.

c) End your statement in a positive manner, indicating your excitement and readiness for the challenges ahead of you.

Essential Tips

1. What the admissions committee will read between the lines: self-motivation, competence, potential as a graduate student.

2. Emphasize everything from a positive perspective and write in an active, not a passive voice.

3. Demonstrate everything by example; don’t say directly that you’re a persistent person, show it.

4. If there is something important that happened to you that affected your grades, such as poverty, illness, or excessive work, state it. Write it affirmatively, showing your perseverance despite obstacles. You can elaborate more in your personal statement.

5. Make sure everything is linked with continuity and focus.

6. Unless the specific program says otherwise, be concise; an ideal essay should say everything it needs to with brevity. Approximately 500 to 1000 well-selected words (1-2 single space pages in 12 point font) is better than more words with less clarity and poor organization.

Whether, why, and how to get a Ph.D. in CS

"Applying to Ph.D. Programs in Computer Science" by Mor Harchol-Balter

Mor Harchol-Balter ’s essay “Applying to Ph.D. Programs in Computer Science” is one of the most often-cited documents about applying getting into a CS Ph.D. programs. It’s a classic of the genre and full of good advice. It’s definitely worth a read.

Ask Your Question!

If you have a question about this topic (or anything else about getting a Ph.D. in CS), ask below. We will answer!

Should i get a ph.d. in computer science 21 apr 2021, applying to cs ph.d. programs 21 apr 2021, what is research 13 apr 2021.

Tips to Become a Better (Computer Science) Ph.D. Student

Why does the world need another blog post.

There are already a lot of great blogs posts about the computer science Ph.D. experience, each approaching it from a different angle (the whole process of a Ph.D., how to choose your research topic, etc.). However, the ideas presented in most of these blog post come from the experience of one person while this blog is a condensed summary of in-depth talks with more than five professors and three Ph.D. student during the YArch workshop at HPCA’19. During these conversations, we discussed topics that are important for early year computer science Ph.D. students . We chose ten ideas we found most impactful to us, and explain five of them in detail and present the other five as short tips.

Research > Courses

Be professional, read a lot and read broadly, impact humankind, don’t give up on your research topic easily, aim for top-tier conferences.

Use existing resources in your groups

You are powerful!

Focus on publishing.

If you have more ideas, please comment at the bottom of this post!

Other amazing blogs out there:

The Ph.D. Grind
Tips: How to Do Research
So long, and thanks for the Ph.D.!
Graduate School Survival Guide
Tips for a New Computer Architecture PhD Student

Young Ph.D. students tend to spend too much time on courses. However, research outweighs courses.

Take courses with a grain of salt

Courses are not as important as they seem to be. The priority of a Ph.D. student is to do research – the earlier you start your research, the better off you’ll be in the long run.

However, don’t go to extremes ! A poor grade can also be a huge problem. You should always be familiar with the requirement of qualification exams or generals and meet all the standards about the courses.

Remember the main ideas of courses

Trapping ourselves in trivial details of a course is easy. However, most of the specifics are not important to our research even if the topic is related to our area.

A good approach is to use what you’ve learned from one course and apply it to a different field (e.g., taking an analysis tool from a compiler course and applying it in computer networks).

Treat your Ph.D. as a job. You get paid (albeit not much) for being a Ph.D. candidate, so make your work worth the money. This professional mindset should also be apparent to your advisor. Some advisors take on a more hands-off approach, for instance letting you work from home, but this is no reason for slacking; you should be responsible for your research schedule, such as reminding your advisor of plans from previous group meetings. Your status is not that of a student but rather that of a peer in the research community.

Though it can be very daunting starting out, reading papers is an essential part of the Ph.D. life. Previously, you may have read papers when it was necessary for a class or a project. However, you should put reading papers in your daily routine. Doing so allows you to draw inspiration from a sea of knowledge and prevents yourself from reinventing the wheel. Besides, it’s a great way to be productive on a slow day.

Make a plan to read

When scheduling your day, assign one period just for reading papers. You can read one paper in depth or compare several papers; regardless of your choice, allotting time to this task is the key.

Read broadly

Reading papers from different subfields of computer science is a great way to learn the jargon, the method, and the mindset of researchers in each field. This can be the first step towards discovering opportunities for collaboration.

It is not uncommon for a Ph.D. student to spend several years building a system that turns out to be fundamentally flawed or not as applicable as expected. Don’t worry! There is nothing wrong with failing, and perhaps we should even expect failure to be part of the journey. But we should aim to fail early in order to have time to work on another project (and graduate!).

Perform a limit study

Perform a quick limit study before sticking with a project. A limit study includes in-depth analyses of implicit assumptions we make when coming up with an idea, a related works search, and the potential of the work if everything goes well. A great limit study can itself be a publishable paper. An example can be found here .

Hacky implementation can be useful

Being a researcher, your work is to develop proof-of-concepts. Nevertheless, you need to demonstrate that your concept is sound for the simplest of cases before continuing to the full-blown system. Hack in the minimum set to show that your idea is possible while resisting the temptation to build a robust infrastructure – if your idea fails, you will know to stop earlier.

Impacting humankind may sound too ambitious, but it should be the ultimate reason why we embark on this journey.

Choose an impactful research topic

In terms of how our Ph.D. research could impact human knowledge, I would like to refer to The Illustrated Guide to a Ph.D. by Matt Might. All we will do in five years is pushing the boundary of human knowledge by a minute margin. Choose a topic that you are able to contribute to, feel passionate about, and can explain the importance of to a layman in a 3-min talk.

Check out why Matt Might changed his research focus from programming languages to precise medicine.

How can our research actually impact people from other fields?

A survey paper by the Liberty Research Group sheds light on how the improvement of programming tools impacts ( computational scientists ) all scientists. Thinking about how your research affects people from other fields can help you define the scope of your contribution.

At some point, we will get bored with our research topic and find something else interesting. Think twice before switching topics. You must differentiate between your project heading nowhere and you getting tired of being stuck.

You should focus on publishing at only top-tier conferences. Don’t consider second-tier venues unless the work has been rejected several times by top-tier conferences. This can prevent you from doing incremental work to make your publication list look better.

Use existing resources in your group

For many fields in computer science, a mature infrastructure requires several years of development by multiple graduate students. Think about how to make use of the infrastructure and resources in the group to boost your research progress.

Even though we are just junior graduate students, we can have a massive impact on ourselves, our group, and even our department. For example, if there is no reading group for your field in your department, start one!

Needless to say, publications are essential since those are what people look at once we graduate.

Acknowledgment

All the ideas in this blog originate from the talks with mentors of the YArch’19 workshop. Thanks to Prof. Boris Grot from the University of Edinburgh, Prof. Thomas Wenisch from the University of Michigan, Prof. Vijay Janapa Reddi from Harvard University, Prof. Luis Ceze from the University of Washington, and Prof. Kevin Skadron from the University of Virginia.

Thanks to two chairs of the YArch’19 workshop, Shaizeen Aga from AMD Research and Prof. Aasheesh Kolli from Pennsylvania State University, for making this possible.

Greg Chan and Bhargav Godala from the Liberty Research Group were at most of these talks and helped me write down some ideas.

6th year Ph.D. student @ Liberty Research Group, Princeton University

Graduated Master @ Liberty Research Group, Princeton University

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How to Write a Bad Statement for a Computer Science Ph.D. Admissions Application

Posted on Thursday October 01, 2015 at 09:46 AM

The 2016 Ph.D. admissions season is almost upon us. CMU's application deadline is December 15. Like a lot of new faculty members, I volunteered to be on the admissions committee because I wanted to see how the sausage was made. I have probably reviewed over 500 applications in the last two years, and there is one particular aspect of them that I want to discuss.

This post is not about how to get admitted to a Ph.D. program. Mor Harchol-Balter already has a great essay that I strongly encourage anyone applying this year to look at. This post is also not about what goes on with the admissions committee during the review process. Dave Andersen (aka "Dunks" ) has already covered this on his blog.

Instead, I want to provide some examples of bad statement of purpose essays that I read in the last two years. In Mor's guide , she warns you that should not write an essay that starts with an opening paragraph that talks about being the "boy genius" (i.e., a precocious child that has a long desire to get a Ph.D. in computer science). The example that she uses is emblematic of this issue:

When I was born, my mother gave me a glass ball to play with. I would lay and look at the prisms of light shining through my ball. At age 3, my father brought home our first computer and I disassembled it and then put it back together. It was then that I knew I wanted to become a computer scientist.

The problem with this type of opening is that it is completely irrelevant to why we should admit you to our Ph.D. program. Professors don't care that you got the first computer on your street and started messing with it when you were really young. We don't believe you either. It also makes you seem really boring because you had to reach back to your childhood to find something interesting to say about yourself. Nobody wants to work with somebody like that. Do you want to know what I was doing when I was young? Flushing things down the toilet (e.g., money, car keys, cosmetics, food). Habitually. Does that make you a better researcher than me? Maybe, but probably not.

I read Mor's guide when I was applying to graduate schools and I made sure to avoid this same pattern in my statement of purpose. Surely I thought others would heed the same warning when I joined CMU's admissions committee in 2013. But I was surprised at the number of essays that did start off with this "boy genius" opening. To give an idea of just how pervasive this problem is, I am sharing a sample of essays (anonymized, modified, and paraphrased) from the last two years. There were at least another two dozen essays that were similar. I also have a couple of unscientific observations about the type person that submits an essay with this kind of opening:

Disclaimer: I am not sharing these examples to belittle or shame these people. Nobody was rejected from CMU's Ph.D. program solely on the basis of their application essay. We take each application seriously and spend a lot of time thinking about whether the potential student would be a good fit for our program. I am providing these examples as a cautionary warning to those that are applying in the future to avoid this same trope.

Elementary School

Here are some people that were dying to tell us about how smart they were before they hit puberty:

When I was 6, my father bought a computer for me. This fostered my inquisitive mind regarding computer science.
The most impressive memories in my life relate to the progression of my knowledge of computers. For example, I remember my father helping me debug my first program when I was 10.
Coming from a educated and respectable family, when I was 7 I established my enthusiasm and dedication towards acquiring knowledge.
Computer science has never bored me. From since I was 10, I was fascinated by the beauty of computer systems.

Middle School

Then we had people tell us about they had discovered the mysteries of computer science in middle school. Some of them had this epiphany while programming, while one person got it while watching a movie:

I started programming when I was a middle school student and this kindled my interest in computer science.
When I first started writing programs in middle school, I was fascinated by the simplicity and flexibility of computer science.
In middle school, I got in touch with programming by chance. I was fascinated by various subtle algorithms and quickly became a crazy coder.
I watched the movie "A Beautiful Mind" in middle school, and it made me want to get a Ph.D. in computer science.

High School

Finally, we have people that could not help themselves but to write about how they were either inspired by something or were ripping it up in high school:

I began participating in mathematics and computer science competitions when I was 15. I told my friends that I wanted to become a computer scientist on the first day of the high school.
The first time I was really excited by computer science research was when I read about Huffman codes in high school.
As a huge fan of computer games and animation, I have been determined to contribute to the field of computer games and animation since I was 14 years old.
I have been fascinated by electronic gadgets since my teenage years. I enjoyed exploring their internal construction and solving relevant problems.

What About College?

You may be wondering whether it's okay if you start your essay with talking about some life changing experience that you had while an undergraduate. The answer is "yes" but only if it is about something other than when you took a class. If your essay starts off with talking about how you took a class that you really liked and it made you want to get a Ph.D., then you're doing it wrong. If instead your essay starts off with talking about how you broke up with your girlfriend/boyfriend because they smelled like they always ate at the Golden Corral so then you went off and worked on this amazing idea that ended up as an open-source project or a research publication, then you're doing it right. Ask yourself which of those two essays would you want to read?

My Essay from 2007

Lest you think that I am projecting or hypocritical, I would like to present the opening to my graduate school application from 2007:

A distinguishing characteristic of distributed computing research is that it incorporates facets from many other fields in computer science. This broad encapsulation, as well as the problem domain itself, arouses my interest the most.

I will be the first to admit that this is a bit ostentatious and dry. But it is better than all of the "boy genius" examples from above. It starts off with immediately telling the reader what I want I am interested in working on. The next sentences in the same paragraph talks about things I've done in professional and research career that is related to this statement. If you don't have something colorful to say, then your essay should start off with something like this.

Writing a statement of purpose is hard because you have to write about yourself and try to convince others that you are as smart or as hardworking as you think you are. It's a good way for the admissions committee to determine whether you can organize your thoughts succinctly and whether you are mature enough for a Ph.D. program. Hence, I implore those of you that are applying this year to do yourself a big favor and be more creative in your essay openings. Don't do what these other people did and write a bad essay. If you find yourself writing something like the above examples, stop and change it. Especially if you are applying to be my student because now I will know that you didn't read my website.

Word is bond.

CS PhD Course Guidelines

The following program guidelines (a.k.a model pogram) serve as a starting point for a discussion with the faculty about areas of interest. This description of the Computer Science PhD course guidelines augments the school-wide PhD course requirements . Students should make themselves familiar with both.

Course Guidelines for Ph.D. Students in Computer Science

We expect students to obtain broad knowledge of computer science by taking graduate level courses in a variety of sub-areas in computer science, such as systems, networking, databases, algorithms, complexity, hardware, human-computer interaction, graphics, or programming languages.

Within our school, CS courses are roughly organized according to sub-area by their middle digit, so we expect students to take courses in a minimum of three distinct sub-areas, one of which should be theory (denoted by the middle digit of 2, or CS 231). Theory is specifically required as we expect all students to obtain some background in the mathematical foundations that underlie computer science. The intention is not only to give breadth to students, but to ensure cross-fertilization across different sub-disciplines in Computer Science.

Just as we expect all students obtaining a Ph.D. to have experience with the theoretical foundations of computer science, we expect all students to have some knowledge of how to build large software or hardware systems , on the order of thousands of lines of code, or the equivalent complexity in hardware. That experience may be evidenced by coursework or by a project submitted to the CHD for examination. In almost all cases a course numbered CS 26x or CS 24x will satisfy the requirement (exceptions will be noted in the course description on my.harvard). Students may also petition to use CS 161 for this requirement. For projects in other courses, research projects, or projects done in internships the student is expected to write a note explaining the project, include a link to any relevant artifacts or outcomes, describe the student's individual contribution, and where appropriate obtain a note from their advisor, their class instructor, or their supervisors confirming their contributions. The project must include learning about systems concepts, and not just writing many lines of code. Students hoping to invoke the non-CS24x/26x/161 option must consult with Prof. Mickens , Prof, Kung, or Prof. Idreos well in advance of submitting their Program Plan to the CHD.

Computer science is an applied science, with connections to many fields. Learning about and connecting computer science to other fields is a key part of an advanced education in computer science. These connections may introduce relevant background, or they may provide an outlet for developing new applications.

For example, mathematics courses may be appropriate for someone working in theory, linguistics courses may be appropriate for someone working in computational linguistics, economics courses may be appropriate for those working in algorithmic economics, electrical engineering courses may be appropriate for those working in circuit design, and design courses may be appropriate for someone working in user interfaces.

Requirements

The Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (GSAS) requires all Ph.D. students to complete 16 half-courses (“courses”, i.e., for 4 units of credit) to complete their degree. Of those 16 courses, a Ph.D. in Computer Science requires 10 letter-graded courses. (The remaining 6 courses are often 300-level research courses or other undergraduate or graduate coursework beyond the 10 required courses.)

The requirements for the 10 letter-graded courses are as follows:

Of the 7 technical courses, at least 3 must be 200-level Computer Science courses, with 3 different middle digits (from the set 2,3,4,5,6,7,8), and with one of these three courses either having a middle digit of 2 or being CS 231 (i.e., a “theory” course). Note that CS courses with a middle digit of 0 are valid technical courses, but do not contribute to the breadth requirement.
At least 5 of the 8 disciplinary courses must be SEAS or SEAS-equivalent 200-level courses. A “SEAS equivalent” course is a course taught by a SEAS faculty member in another FAS department.
For any MIT course taken, the student must provide justification why the MIT course is necessary (i.e. SEAS does not offer the topic, the SEAS course has not been offered in recent years, etc.). MIT courses do not count as part of the 5 200-level SEAS/SEAS-equivalent courses.
2 of the 10 courses must constitute an external minor (referred to as "breadth" courses in the SEAS “ Policies of the Committee on Higher Degrees [CHD] ”) in an area outside of computer science. These courses should be clearly related; generally, this will mean the two courses are in the same discipline, although this is not mandatory. These courses must be distinct from the 8 disciplinary courses referenced above.
Students must demonstrate practical competence by building a large software or hardware system during the course of their graduate studies. This requirement will generally be met through a class project, but it can also be met through work done in the course of a summer internship, or in the course of research.
In particular, for Computer Science graduate degrees, Applied Computation courses may be counted as 100-level courses, not 200-level courses.
Up to 2 of the 10 courses can be 299r courses, but only 1 of the up to 2 allowed 299r courses can count toward the 8 disciplinary courses. 299r courses do not count toward the 5 200-level SEAS/SEAS-equivalent courses. If two 299r’s are taken, they can be with the same faculty but the topics must be sufficiently different.
A maximum of 3 graduate-level transfer classes are allowed to count towards the 10 course requirement.
All CS Ph.D. program plans must adhere to the SEAS-wide Ph.D. requirements, which are stated in the SEAS Policies of the Committee on Higher Degrees (CHD) . These SEAS-wide requirements are included in the items listed above, though students are encouraged to read the CHD document if there are questions, as the CHD document provides further explanation/detail on several of the items above.
All program plans must be approved by the CHD. Exceptions to any of these requirements require a detailed written explanation of the reasoning for the exception from the student and the student’s research advisor. Exceptions can only be approved by the CHD, and generally exceptions will only be given for unusual circumstances specific to the student’s research program.

Requirement Notes

Courses below the 100-level are not suitable for graduate credit.
For students who were required to take it, CS 2091/2092 (formerly CS 290a/b or 290hfa/hfb may be included as one of the 10 courses but it does not count toward the 200-level CS or SEAS/SEAS-equivalent course requirements nor toward the SM en route to the PhD.

Your program plan must always comply with both our school's General Requirements, in addition to complying with the specific requirements for Computer Science. All program plans must be approved by the Committee on Higher Degrees [CHD]. Exceptions to the requirements can only be approved by the CHD, and generally will only be given for unusual circumstances specific to the student’s research program

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Statement of Purpose

A statement of purpose describes your study interests, goals, and program fit

How to write a strong Statement Of Purpose

Your statement of purpose should assure readers—primarily the faculty on the selection committee—that your background and experience will support your success in graduate study. Think of the statement of purpose as a composition with five key parts:

Share your interests — what sparked your desire for graduate study? This should be short and to the point; you don’t need to spend a great deal of time on your autobiography. You can elaborate on your areas of academic interest later in the statement.

Include details such as:

Research you have conducted. Indicate with whom, the title of the project, what your responsibilities were, and the outcome. The graduate admissions committee is composed of faculty so write technically, or in the style of your discipline.
Important papers or thesis projects you’ve completed, as well as related extracurricular activities.
Awards or recognitions you’ve received for the scholarly achievements discussed.
Related internship experience, especially if you’ve had any responsibility for testing, designing, researching or interning in an area similar to what you wish to study in graduate school.

If you have ongoing projects or work experience, indicate the scope of that work. Whether for a company, non-profit, design team, etc, include your responsibilities, what you learned, etc. You can also indicate how this will help you focus your graduate studies. Cyber Fellows applicants: You can skip this portion for brevity!

Use this part of your statement to indicate what you would like to study in graduate school in enough detail to show the graduate admissions committee that you understand the scope of research in a specified discipline. This can include engagement with current research themes, and/or reasons why this specific program would be a good fit for you. Indicate your area(s) of interest. Ideally, pose a question, define a problem, or indicate a theme that you would like to address and questions that arise from contemporary research that you would like to investigate. This is a key paragraph!

End your statement in a positive manner, indicating your excitement and readiness for the challenges ahead.

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Statement of Purpose, Personal History, Diversity

Found a good Computer Science example SoP. (Accepted to MIT, Princeton, Washington)

By zep December 1, 2011 in Statement of Purpose, Personal History, Diversity

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Am I the only person who doesn't like this SoP? I find it very impersonal and uninteresting. All I know about Mihai from reading this is that he was an exceptional researcher and earned many awards. I could have found that out by looking at his C.V. I assume...

Good to know. How would you make it better? Would you add more about the motivation for pursuing research and why the research is enjoyable?

I mean, I think he got into all of those schools based on his excellent research experience. If I were on the adcom for those schools, I would have like to been able to get to know him on a personal level through his SoP. I feel like it's difficult to get an idea of what his personality is like and what it would be like to work with him through his SoP.

1 year later...

aakritisrikanth

I found what I think is a good example computer science PhD Statement of Purpose. Using this Statement of Purpose , Mihai Patrascu was accepted to MIT, Princeton, and U Washington. I hope this is helpful to others who are applying to CS PhD programs. I think this SoP is "pretty good." It uses good grammar to tell a coherent story. The author's admission to some really good schools suggests that this is a good SoP. However, I have a few questions about this SoP... 1. This SoP begins by discussing the Romanian National Olympiad. Winning this competition several times is very impressive, but I wonder if it would be better to begin the essay with 2-3 sentences about research goals. My rationale is that, if the introduction doesn't discuss research, the reviewer might not finish reading the SoP. What do other people think? 2. I've been fortunate to have had the opportunity meet with with a department head at Stanford. She told me that, despite the typical 2 to 3 page SoP space limitation, I should make sure to limit my SoP to one page. The rationale is that reviewers are busy, and they probably won't read the SoP carefully if it's very long. Does Mihai Patrascu's SoP strike other people as being too long? 3. This SoP talks a lot about past and current research, which is good. However, no potential graduate advisors or research groups are discussed. Is this a problem? Also, if anyone has found successful (e.g. admitted) computer science statements of purpose, feel free to share them here!

plz can you post this sop

plz can you post this sop - Mihai Patrascu was accepted to MIT, Princeton, and U Washington. I hope this is helpful to others who are applying to CS PhD programs.

The SOP is way too long... I mean : typically graduate schools will limit the amount of words/characters in SOPs, this is almost 3 pages long ! I can't believe an admission committee read the whole thing...

His research experience is pretty strong though, perhaps his publications were read by professors before they even read his SoP and needed his experience.

3 weeks later...

OMG... Pătraşcu died in 2012 after suffering from brian cancer for a year and a half. He was only 30. RIP

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The PhD is designed to prepare students for academic careers and careers in government and industry research labs. Computer science is a vigorous and exciting field of research and study that continues to grow in importance.

Departmental research strengths include:

Artificial Intelligence (machine learning, multiagent systems, planning and problem solving),
Bioinformatics,
Computational Theory (computational learning theory, design and analysis of algorithms, computability theory),
Compiler Optimization and Compilation for Parallel Machines,
Natural-Language Processing, (discourse and dialogue, generation, information extraction, summarization),
Systems (parallel and distributed computing, grid and volunteer computing, algorithm and architecture design for massive parallelism),
Networks (distributed computing, transport layer protocols, mobile and wireless networks, algorithm and architecture design for massive parallelism, networks management, security performance modeling, simulation),
Graphics and Computer Vision,
Rehabilitation Engineering (augmentative communication, speech recognition and enhancement),
Software Engineering (program analysis and testing),
Symbolic Mathematical Computation (algebraic algorithms, parallelization), and

The CIS graduate program provides a solid foundation in the fundamental areas of computer science and provides numerous advanced courses and seminars to acquaint the student with current computer science research.

Degree Requirements

In addition to satisfying the general requirements of the University, candidates for the Doctor of Philosophy degree must satisfy several departmental requirements. One objective of these requirements is to provide flexibility in designing an appropriate plan of study. The PhD is an individualistic degree. As soon as possible in the program, each candidate should find a faculty member to act as adviser and be in charge of the candidate’s research.

The candidate and advisor design a plan of study that satisfies the University and Department requirements. The Department requirements as listed below specify a minimum amount of necessary work. It is expected that additional course work will normally be required by the adviser. A minimum set of requirements provides a large degree of flexibility for each individual candidate.

A. Departmental General Requirements

A minimum grade average of 3.0 is required in the graduate courses used to satisfy the degree requirements. The University also requires a minimum GPA of 3.0 in all graduate courses taken including any not used towards the degree requirements. Students are encouraged to explore graduate courses (600 level or higher) in other areas such as electrical engineering, mathematics, linguistics, statistics, and business and economics. Graduate courses outside of Computer and Information Sciences to be used towards meeting degree requirements require written approval of the Graduate Committee.
Each semester all graduate students must explicitly register for CISC 890 – Colloquium and sign up and satisfactorily participate in one of the Department’s special research interest groups. One faculty member for each group will be responsible for overseeing satisfactory participation for each student on an individual basis (e.g., simply attending, giving a presentation) and will assign a pass/fail grade accordingly.

The Department requires the following:

Each candidate must complete all requirements of a University of Delaware MS degree in Computer and Information Sciences. A candidate with a master’s degree in a related field (e.g., EE, Math) must put together a program that meets the CIS Graduate Committee’s approval. Using courses taken for the related graduate degree plus courses taken at Delaware, the candidate must satisfy the Computer Science course requirements for the MS degree, and show the equivalent of the 30 credit MS degree offered by the CIS Department.
Each candidate is required to complete a minimum of 6 additional credits beyond the master’s degree. At least 3 of the 6 additional credits must be in 800-level CISC courses. The 6 additional credits do not include the following courses: CISC 666, CISC 866, CISC 868, CISC 969. Normally, in meeting the University’s requirement for a major area, a candidate will be required by the adviser to complete more than 6 credits. (Note that the University requires a candidate to complete 9 credits of CISC969 after admission to candidacy.)
Research Ability . PhD candidates are strongly encouraged to get involved in research as early as possible in their program. As part of the process of finding an adviser, and as early as possible, candidates must demonstrate the potential to perform research. Demonstration may be in the form of independent study ( CISC 666 , CISC 866 ), research ( CISC 868 ), working as a research assistant, or writing an MS thesis.
Preliminary Requirements . These requirements ensure that each Ph.D. candidate (1) has significant breadth of knowledge in core areas of computer science, and (2) has demonstrated the ability to perform research in a specific computer science area. The breadth requirement is met by taking 5 breadth courses, which may include the 4 breadth courses from the breadth requirement of the MS degree, and obtaining a minimum 3.5 GPA on these breadth courses. See Prelim Course Selection Process for detail. The research requirement is met by working with a committee of 2 CIS faculty members on a research project, culminating in a written report and presentation/oral exam. A pass or fail decision for the preliminary exam will be made by the faculty in a faculty meeting that will take place after the end of each semester. Candidates must fulfill the Preliminary Requirements within 2 years, counted from the date the student enters the graduate program. Candidates may request an extension in exceptional circumstances (such as serious illness or injury) subject to approval by the Faculty. The student will be dismissed from the Ph.D. program if the Preliminary Requirements are not satisfied within the allowed time period. ( further information )
Advisory Committee . Each candidate, with the advice of the PhD advisor, needs to establish an advisory committee (usually following the successful completion of the preliminary exam). In accordance with the University requirements, the committee consists of 4-6 members nominated and approved by the CIS Department faculty. The committee chair is the candidate’s PhD advisor in charge of the candidate’s research and dissertation and must be a member of the CIS faculty. The candidate may have a co- advisor who must be a UD faculty, possibly from another department. A co-advisor is a member of the advisory committee. At least two members represent the area of proposed research. The committee must also include at least one member of the CIS faculty working outside the main area of the proposed research. At least one member must be from outside the CIS Department. The proposed advisory committee must be submitted to the Graduate Committee for approval. It must then be approved by the CIS faculty. In the above, CIS faculty means tenure-track faculty whose primary appointment is in the CIS Department or who have a joint appointment in CIS, but not including continuing track faculty, research faculty, affiliated faculty, visiting faculty, secondary faculty, or adjunct faculty.
Qualifying Examination . Each candidate must pass a qualifying exam. The advisory committee prepares an examination (oral and/or written) testing a candidate’s knowledge in the area of proposed research. Part of the examination includes an oral presentation of a candidate’s proposed dissertation research. A student passes the qualifying exam as long as there is no more than one negative vote. Prior to taking the qualifying exam, candidates must submit a dissertation proposal and a written plan describing their background and research interests. The proposal and plan are submitted to the advisory committee and are considered as input to the qualifying examination. Copies of “Discussion on PhD Thesis Proposals in Computing Science” are available in the CIS Department Office. The qualifying exam is normally taken one year after passing the preliminary exam. During this year a student should actively investigate research possibilities and select a dissertation topic.
Dissertation . Each candidate must complete a dissertation demonstrating results of original and significant research written in a scholarly and competent manner worthy of publication. Upon completion of the dissertation, a final oral public examination must be passed, consisting of a defense of the dissertation and a test of the mastery of a candidate’s research area. The final oral examination is directed and evaluated by the student’s advisory committee.
Facility of Expression in English . As part of satisfying the University’s requirement that PhD graduates demonstrate an ability to orally express themselves clearly and forcefully, each candidate must present his or her research results in a departmental colloquium, or one of the Department’s special research interest groups within six months of the defense.
Foreign Language . There is no foreign language requirement.

Graduate Recruitment Contacts

Li Liao Email: cis [email protected] Phone : 302-831-2783

Chiamesha Carey Graduate Academic Advisor II Email: [email protected] Phone : 302-831-4467

UD Graduate Admissions Email : [email protected] Phone : 302-831-2129

Email forwarding for @cs.stanford.edu is changing. Updates and details here . Looking for your W-2 form? Read Here . CS Commencement Ceremony June 16, 2024. Learn More .

PhD | Qualifying Examination

Main navigation.

The qualifying examination tests a student's depth of knowledge and familiarity in their area of specialization. Qualifying exams are generally offered in all areas covered by the written comprehensive exam. It is possible for a student to request a qualifying exam in an area not already offered, such as one that cuts across current divisions. The feasibility of this request is determined on a case-by-case basis by the PhD program committee. A student should pass a qualifying exam no later than the end of their third year.

A student may take the qualifying exams only twice. In some cases a conditional pass is awarded. When the designated conditions have been met (such as CAing for a certain class, taking a course, or reading additional material in a specific area), the student is credited with the pass. If a student fails the qualifying exam a second time, the PhD program committee is contacted because its an indication that the student is not "making reasonable progress". This is cause for dismissal by default from the PhD program. The qualifying exams are a University requirement and are taken very seriously. Therefore, sufficient time and in-depth preparation must be given to the quals area that the student chooses, to ensure success.

The format of the qualifying exams varies from year-to-year and area-to-area, depending on the faculty member or quals chair in charge of each specific exam. Examples are in-class written exams, "take-home" written exams, oral exams, written assignments and/or a combination of the above. The quals chair administers the exams and the results must be submitted to the PhD program officer, as they will enter the information into the University's Axess (PeopleSoft) and Departmental database systems. Passing the qualifying exam certifies that the student is ready to begin dissertation work in the chosen area. If a student wishes to do dissertation work in an area other than their qualifying exam area, the student's advisor and/or the faculty in the new area will determine whether an additional exam is required.

Information about the Qualifying Examination

The student's advisor needs to email [email protected] (and cc faculty who were on the Quals committee) the qual results.

The candidate student must form a committee of 3 faculty members. A committee needs to have (at least) 2 core AI faculty on it. Upon request, we can consider having 1 core AI and (at least) 1 AI-affiliated faculty. In all cases, at least 1 core AI faculty must be present.
The student is asked to prepare a 30-minute presentation on a research project the student is working on.
The student supplies to each committee member a short report summarizing the student’s research project and a list of references that is related to such a project. Report and list of references are due to the committee members 3 days before the exam.
During the first half hour the student presents the research project.
The second half hour comprises a 30min QA session related to the research project by the committee. During such sessions committee members can (but are not necessarily committed to) ask questions related to any of the papers in the list of references. This gives the opportunity to committee members to assess general mastery of the area the student is working on.
Statistical Machine Learning (Percy Liang)
Natural Language Processing (Dan Jurafsky)
The candidate’s advisor/s should be a member/s.
At least one member must be a Stanford CS faculty.
Two members must be working in Computational Biology.
One member will be non-computational from an affected field of biomedicine.
At least two members must be doing work directly relevant to the candidate’s work.
30 minutes presentation on their research.
30 minutes presentation on 3 papers which are jointly picked by the quals committee and the student, relating to the student’s current and future research directions.
After the exam has been taken, the candidate will email the CS PhD Student Services Admin, cc’ing all members of their quals committee, with the exam’s outcome.
HCI (Michael Bernstein)
InfoQual (Jure Leskovec)
The physiqual will now consist of exams with faculty in 5 areas: vision, geometry, math, graphics and robotics .
The second part of the physiqual (which consists of a talk on a few selected papers) will no longer be part of the physiqual, given that there is requisites for the thesis proposal .
For students who have already taken the second oral portion of the physiqual, we suggest that their advisors exempt them through the thesis proposal requirement. As the current language of the thesis proposal requirement would seem to allow this.
Form a panel of 3 professors (CS systems faculty). Select 3-4 papers, in consultation with the panel, in an area not identical to your thesis work for you to read, review and synthesize over a period of 3 weeks. Depending on the panel's advice, you may need to execute a small implementation project. For example, a project might answer a related research question, reproduce or compare results in a novel setting, or quantitatively investigate the implications of certain design decisions.
The exam has a written and an oral component. Three weeks after selecting the papers, turn in a 5-10 page report (not counting references) as well as pointers to any software or hardware artifacts created as part of the project (if any). Approximately one week after submitting the report, make an oral presentation to the panel, followed by questions.
Analysis of Algorithms
Form a panel of three professors, select 3-4 papers in an area related (but usually not identical) to your thesis work for you to read, review and synthesize over a period of a month (30 days). Write a report on your review/synthesis, give it to the committee, and also make an oral presentation to the committee, followed by questions.
The candidate student must form a committee of 2-3 faculty members, where at least one is a Visual Computing faculty member.
The student and the committee agree on a list of at least 5 papers in the student’s research area of interest.
During the first half hour, the student presents a lecture on the topics in the said papers and any relevant background.
The second half hour comprises a 30min Q&A session where committee members can ask questions related to the lecture and any of the said papers. This gives the committee an opportunity to assess the general mastery of the research area the student is working on.

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PhD Program

In many ways, the PhD program is the cornerstone of Computer Science at Boston University. Our PhD students serve some of the most central roles of our department, from pursuing sponsored research together with supervising faculty members as Research Assistants, to serving as Teaching Fellows in support of our undergraduate and graduate curriculum.

Pursuing the PhD degree enables you to become an expert in a technical subfield of Computer Science and advance the state of the art by contributing original research in that discipline. Most PhD students also gain practical experience in the classroom, as well as, becoming a visible member of the research community by publishing research and delivering oral presentations at conferences and research seminars.

Upon completing your PhD degree, you will be able to set your own research direction, teach and advise students, and work at the forefront of cutting-edge research in academia or at an industrial laboratory.

Learning Outcomes

Produce and defend original research in the field of Computer Science.
Master broad knowledge of Computer Science across algorithms, software, systems, theory of computation, and in one of the areas of artificial intelligence, computer graphics, cryptography & security, and data science .
Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of a particular subject area within Computer Science.
Actively participate in the Computer Science research community, for example by attending academic conferences and submitting research results for publication in professional conferences and journals.
Be able to effectively communicate the results of research.

We invite you to learn more about our program through the links below.

PhD Program Information

Program Milestones
Breadth Requirements
Subject Exams
Specimen Curriculum

Fellowships & Awards

Computer Science Fellowship Opportunities
Research Excellence Award
Teaching Excellence Award
Teaching Fellow Expectations

More Information

PhD in Computer Science – Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (GRS) Bulletin
Graduate School of the College of Arts and Sciences (GRS) PhD Requirements
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PhD Profile for Computer Science

Apply Today

To apply to the Ph.D. program, please fill out an online application .

Deadline: December 15 for Fall admission.

With questions about admissions, please contact us at [email protected] .

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Graduate Women In Computer Science (GWiCS)

Working with faculty who are leaders in the field, our PhD students conduct research with real-world impact. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values for Brown CS, and we’ve integrated societal and ethical issues across our graduate and undergraduate curricula. Our new faculty positions focus on both core computer science and emerging CS + X areas.

This page is for prospective PhD students. Current students, go here .

After graduation, our alums contribute widely to science, learning, culture, and their communities. In the last year alone, our PhD alums were named an ACM Fellow and an IEEE Fellow and received a CCS Test-of-Time Award . Click the links that follow for recent news stories about our PhD students and alums .

"The breadth, depth, and the easy camaraderie of the computer science department made my stay at Brown for a PhD both a joy and an intellectually rewarding experience. I am also incredibly proud that both my sons also did computer science at Brown and have gone on to become amazing software engineers and entrepreneurs." – Sridhar Ramaswamy , SVP of AI at Snowflake, former SVP of Ads and Commerce at Google (for more testimonials, click here )

We offer world-class research and education in an interdisciplinary environment (for more detail on the below, click here ):

A lower PhD student/faculty ratio than many of our peers

Full financial support while completing the degree: full tuition, health insurance, and a generous stipend

Teaching assistantships and course instructor opportunities for students who want to hone their teaching skills

Shared offices that overlook Brown's scenic campus

Opportunities to serve on important committees and organize seminars and other events

Students can take courses from Harvard, MIT, RISD, and other institutions without additional cost (see here for details and restrictions)

"Attending Brown was an extraordinary and transformative experience for many reasons: the close-knit community of graduate students that led to the strongest friendships I ever made, the approachable faculty, the generous mentorship by professors, the remarkable undergraduate students I had the opportunity to teach and work with, and the department and university resources that provided a comfortable living in beautiful Providence and connections with industry and academia." – Alexandra Papoutsaki , Associate Professor in Computer Science, Pomona College (for more testimonials, click here )

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How to Write the “Why Computer Science?” Essay

What’s covered:, what is the purpose of the “why computer science” essay, elements of a good computer science essay, computer science essay example, where to get your essay edited.

You will encounter many essay prompts as you start applying to schools, but if you are intent on majoring in computer science or a related field, you will come across the “ Why Computer Science? ” essay archetype. It’s important that you know the importance behind this prompt and what constitutes a good response in order to make your essay stand out.

For more information on writing essays, check out CollegeVine’s extensive essay guides that include everything from general tips, to essay examples, to essay breakdowns that will help you write the essays for over 100 schools.

Colleges ask you to write a “ Why Computer Science? ” essay so you may communicate your passion for computer science, and demonstrate how it aligns with your personal and professional goals. Admissions committees want to see that you have a deep interest and commitment to the field, and that you have a vision for how a degree in computer science will propel your future aspirations.

The essay provides an opportunity to distinguish yourself from other applicants. It’s your chance to showcase your understanding of the discipline, your experiences that sparked or deepened your interest in the field, and your ambitions for future study and career. You can detail how a computer science degree will equip you with the skills and knowledge you need to make a meaningful contribution in this rapidly evolving field.

A well-crafted “ Why Computer Science? ” essay not only convinces the admissions committee of your enthusiasm and commitment to computer science, but also provides a glimpse of your ability to think critically, solve problems, and communicate effectively—essential skills for a computer scientist.

The essay also gives you an opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of the specific computer science program at the college or university you are applying to. You can discuss how the program’s resources, faculty, curriculum, and culture align with your academic interests and career goals. A strong “ Why Computer Science? ” essay shows that you have done your research, and that you are applying to the program not just because you want to study computer science, but because you believe that this particular program is the best fit for you.

Writing an effective “ Why Computer Science ?” essay often requires a blend of two popular college essay archetypes: “ Why This Major? ” and “ Why This College? “.

Explain “Why This Major?”

The “ Why This Major? ” essay is an opportunity for you to dig deep into your motivations and passions for studying Computer Science. It’s about sharing your ‘origin story’ of how your interest in Computer Science took root and blossomed. This part of your essay could recount an early experience with coding, a compelling Computer Science class you took, or a personal project that sparked your fascination.

What was the journey that led you to this major? Was it a particular incident, or did your interest evolve over time? Did you participate in related activities, like coding clubs, online courses, hackathons, or internships?

Importantly, this essay should also shed light on your future aspirations. How does your interest in Computer Science connect to your career goals? What kind of problems do you hope to solve with your degree?

The key for a strong “ Why This Major? ” essay is to make the reader understand your connection to the subject. This is done through explaining your fascination and love for computer science. What emotions do you feel when you are coding? How does it make you feel when you figure out the solution after hours of trying? What aspects of your personality shine when you are coding?

By addressing these questions, you can effectively demonstrate a deep, personal, and genuine connection with the major.

Emphasize “Why This College?”

The “ Why This College? ” component of the essay demonstrates your understanding of the specific university and its Computer Science program. This is where you show that you’ve done your homework about the college, and you know what resources it has to support your academic journey.

What unique opportunities does the university offer for Computer Science students? Are there particular courses, professors, research opportunities, or clubs that align with your interests? Perhaps there’s a study abroad program or an industry partnership that could give you a unique learning experience. Maybe the university has a particular teaching methodology that resonates with you.

Also, think about the larger university community. What aspects of the campus culture, community, location, or extracurricular opportunities enhance your interest in this college? Remember, this is not about general praises but about specific features that align with your goals. How will these resources and opportunities help you explore your interests further and achieve your career goals? How does the university’s vision and mission resonate with your own values and career aspirations?

It’s important when discussing the school’s resources that you always draw a connection between the opportunity and yourself. For example, don’t tell us you want to work with X professor because of their work pioneering regenerative AI. Go a step further and say because of your goal to develop AI surgeons for remote communities, learning how to strengthen AI feedback loops from X professor would bring you one step closer to achieving your dream.

By articulating your thoughts on these aspects, you demonstrate a strong alignment between the college and your academic goals, enhancing your appeal as a prospective student.

Demonstrate a Deep Understanding of Computer Science

As with a traditional “ Why This Major? ” essay, you must exhibit a deep and clear understanding of computer science. Discuss specific areas within the field that pique your interest and why. This could range from artificial intelligence to software development, or from data science to cybersecurity.

What’s important is to not just boast and say “ I have a strong grasp on cybersecurity ”, but instead use your knowledge to show your readers your passion: “ After being bombarded with cyber attack after cyber attack, I explained to my grandparents the concept of end-to-end encryption and how phishing was not the same as a peaceful afternoon on a lake. ”

Make it Fun!

Students make the mistake of thinking their college essays have to be serious and hyper-professional. While you don’t want to be throwing around slang and want to present yourself in a positive light, you shouldn’t feel like you’re not allowed to have fun with your essay. Let your personality shine and crack a few jokes.

You can, and should, also get creative with your essay. A great way to do this in a computer science essay is to incorporate lines of code or write the essay like you are writing out code.

Now we will go over a real “ Why Computer Science? ” essay a student submitted and explore what the essay did well, and where there is room for improvement.

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized.

I held my breath and hit RUN. Yes! A plump white cat jumped out and began to catch the falling pizzas. Although my Fat Cat project seems simple now, it was the beginning of an enthusiastic passion for computer science. Four years and thousands of hours of programming later, that passion has grown into an intense desire to explore how computer science can serve society. Every day, surrounded by technology that can recognize my face and recommend scarily-specific ads, I’m reminded of Uncle Ben’s advice to a young Spiderman: “with great power comes great responsibility”. Likewise, the need to ensure digital equality has skyrocketed with AI’s far-reaching presence in society; and I believe that digital fairness starts with equality in education.

The unique use of threads at the College of Computing perfectly matches my interests in AI and its potential use in education; the path of combined threads on Intelligence and People gives me the rare opportunity to delve deep into both areas. I’m particularly intrigued by the rich sets of both knowledge-based and data-driven intelligence courses, as I believe AI should not only show correlation of events, but also provide insight for why they occur.

In my four years as an enthusiastic online English tutor, I’ve worked hard to help students overcome both financial and technological obstacles in hopes of bringing quality education to people from diverse backgrounds. For this reason, I’m extremely excited by the many courses in the People thread that focus on education and human-centered technology. I’d love to explore how to integrate AI technology into the teaching process to make education more available, affordable, and effective for people everywhere. And with the innumerable opportunities that Georgia Tech has to offer, I know that I will be able to go further here than anywhere else.

What the Essay Did Well

This essay perfectly accomplishes the two key parts of a “ Why Computer Science? ” essay: answering “ Why This Major? ” and “ Why This College? ”. Not to mention, we get a lot of insight into this student and what they care about beyond computer science, and a fun hook at the beginning.

Starting with the “ Why This Major? ” aspect of the response, this essay demonstrates what got the student into computer science, why they are passionate about the subject, and what their goals are. They show us their introduction to the world of CS with an engaging hook: “I held my breath and hit RUN. Yes! A plump white cat jumped out and began to catch the falling pizzas. ” We then see this is a core passion because they spent “ Four years and thousands of hours ,” coding.

The student shows us why they care about AI with the sentence, “ Every day, surrounded by technology that can recognize my face and recommend scarily-specific ads ,” which makes the topic personal by demonstrating their fear at AI’s capabilities. But, rather than let panic overwhelm them, the student calls upon Spiderman and tells us their goal of establishing digital equality through education. This provides a great basis for the rest of the essay, as it thoroughly explains the students motivations and goals, and demonstrates their appreciation for interdisciplinary topics.

Then, the essay shifts into answering “ Why This College? ”, which it does very well by honing in on a unique facet of Georgia Tech’s College of Computing: threads. This is a great example of how to provide depth to the school resources you mention. The student describes the two threads and not only why the combination is important to them, but how their previous experiences (i.e. online English tutor) correlate to the values of the thread: “ For this reason, I’m extremely excited by the many courses in the People thread that focus on education and human-centered technology. ”

What Could Be Improved

This essay does a good job covering the basics of the prompt, but it could be elevated with more nuance and detail. The biggest thing missing from this essay is a strong core to tie everything together. What do we mean by that? We want to see a common theme, anecdote, or motivation that is weaved throughout the entire essay to connect everything. Take the Spiderman quote for example. If this was expanded, it could have been the perfect core for this essay.

Underlying this student’s interest in AI is a passion for social justice, so they could have used the quote about power and responsibility to talk about existing injustices with AI and how once they have the power to create AI they will act responsibly and help affected communities. They are clearly passionate about equality of education, but there is a disconnect between education and AI that comes from a lack of detail. To strengthen the core of the essay, this student needs to include real-world examples of how AI is fostering inequities in education. This takes their essay from theoretical to practical.

Whether you’re a seasoned writer or a novice trying your hand at college application essays, the review and editing process is crucial. A fresh set of eyes can provide valuable insights into the clarity, coherence, and impact of your writing. Our free Peer Essay Review tool offers a unique platform to get your essay reviewed by another student. Peer reviews can often uncover gaps, provide new insights or enhance the clarity of your essay, making your arguments more compelling. The best part? You can return the favor by reviewing other students’ essays, which is a great way to hone your own writing and critical thinking skills.

For a more professional touch, consider getting your essay reviewed by a college admissions expert . CollegeVine advisors have years of experience helping students refine their writing and successfully apply to top-tier schools. They can provide specific advice on how to showcase your strengths, address any weaknesses, and generally present yourself in the best possible light.

How the SAT Changed My Life

An illustration of a man lying underneath a giant SAT prep book. The book makes a tent over him. He is smiling.

By Emi Nietfeld

Ms. Nietfeld is the author of the memoir “Acceptance.”

This month, the University of Texas, Austin, joined the wave of selective schools reversing Covid-era test-optional admissions policies, once again requiring applicants to submit ACT or SAT scores.

Many colleges have embraced the test-optional rule under the assumption that it bolsters equity and diversity, since higher scores are correlated with privilege. But it turns out that these policies harmed the teenagers they were supposed to help. Many low-income and minority applicants withheld scores that could have gotten them in, wrongly assuming that their scores were too low, according to an analysis by Dartmouth. More top universities are sure to join the reversal. This is a good thing.

I was one of the disadvantaged youths who are often failed by test-optional policies, striving to get into college while in foster care and homeless. We hear a lot about the efforts of these elite schools to attract diverse student bodies and about debates around the best way to assemble a class. What these conversations overlook is the hope these tests offer students who are in difficult situations.

For many of us, standardized tests provided our one shot to prove our potential, despite the obstacles in our lives or the untidy pasts we had. We found solace in the objectivity of a hard number and a process that — unlike many things in our lives — we could control. I will always feel tenderness toward the Scantron sheets that unlocked higher education and a better life.

Growing up, I fantasized about escaping the chaos of my family for the peace of a grassy quad. Both my parents had mental health issues. My adolescence was its own mess. Over two years I took a dozen psychiatric drugs while attending four different high school programs. At 14, I was sent to a locked facility where my education consisted of work sheets and reading aloud in an on-site classroom. In a life skills class, we learned how to get our G.E.D.s. My college dreams began to seem like delusions.

Then one afternoon a staff member handed me a library copy of “Barron’s Guide to the ACT .” I leafed through the onionskin pages and felt a thunderclap of possibility. I couldn’t go to the bathroom without permission, let alone take Advanced Placement Latin or play water polo or do something else that would impress elite colleges. But I could teach myself the years of math I’d missed while switching schools and improve my life in this one specific way.

After nine months in the institution, I entered foster care. I started my sophomore year at yet another high school, only to have my foster parents shuffle my course load at midyear, when they decided Advanced Placement classes were bad for me. In part because of academic instability like this, only 3 percent to 4 percent of former foster youth get a four-year college degree.

Later I bounced between friends’ sofas and the back seat of my rusty Corolla, using my new-to-me SAT prep book as a pillow. I had no idea when I’d next shower, but I could crack open practice problems and dip into a meditative trance. For those moments, everything was still, the terror of my daily life softened by the fantasy that my efforts might land me in a dorm room of my own, with endless hot water and an extra-long twin bed.

Standardized tests allowed me to look forward, even as every other part of college applications focused on the past. The song and dance of personal statements required me to demonstrate all the obstacles I’d overcome while I was still in the middle of them. When shilling my trauma left me gutted and raw, researching answer elimination strategies was a balm. I could focus on equations and readings, like the scholar I wanted to be, rather than the desperate teenager that I was.

Test-optional policies would have confounded me, but in the 2009-10 admissions cycle, I had to submit my scores; my fellow hopefuls and I were all in this together, slogging through multiple-choice questions until our backs ached and our eyes crossed.

The hope these exams instilled in me wasn’t abstract: It manifested in hundreds of glossy brochures. After I took the PSAT in my junior year, universities that had received my score flooded me with letters urging me to apply. For once, I felt wanted. These marketing materials informed me that the top universities offered generous financial aid that would allow me to attend free. I set my sights higher, despite my guidance counselor’s lack of faith.

When I took the actual SAT, I was ashamed of my score. Had submitting it been optional, I most likely wouldn’t have done it, because I suspected my score was lower than the prep-school applicants I was up against (exactly what Dartmouth found in the analysis that led it to reinstate testing requirements). When you grow up the way I did, it’s difficult to believe that you are ever good enough.

When I got into Harvard, it felt like a miracle splitting my life into a before and after. My exam preparation paid off on campus — it was the only reason I knew geometry or grammar — and it motivated me to tackle new, difficult topics. I majored in computer science, having never written a line of code. Though a career as a software engineer seemed far-fetched, I used my SAT study strategies to prepare for technical interviews (in which you’re given one or more problems to solve) that landed me the stable, lucrative Google job that catapulted me out of financial insecurity.

I’m not the only one who feels affection for these tests. At Harvard, I met other students who saw these exams as the one door they could unlock that opened into a new future. I was lucky that the tests offered me hope all along, that I could cling to the promise that one day I could bubble in a test form and find myself transported into a better life — the one I lead today.

Emi Nietfeld is the author of the memoir “ Acceptance .” Previously, she was a software engineer at Google and Facebook.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

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Graduate School Statement of Purpose : EECS Communication Lab
The graduate school statement of purpose should strengthen your chance of acceptance into a graduate program by demonstrating that you are a good match for the particular department or program. ... Close your essay with a 2-3 sentence discussion of your career interests. ... Computer science students can discuss projects from software ...
PhD in Computer Science
Attn: Computer Science Graduate Admissions. Anonymous Hall. 64 College St, Suite 6062, Room 102. Hanover NH 03755. Phone: (603) 646-8193. PhD in Computer Science is a postgraduate degree for those who want to pursue a research career in computer science.
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professor. Earning a Ph.D. in Computer Science at MIT would allow me to pursue my research interests and give me new opportunities to contribute to the field. My past research experiences have helped me discover new ways of thinking and pinpoint my interests. In Spring and Fall of 2014, I joined Prof.
CS Statement of Purpose Guide
There are many ways to write a good statement of purpose essay, but here's one possible structure that works well: In the first paragraph, describe the area or areas of computer science that you plan to study in computer science. The more specific you can be, the better. This is not a contract that forces you to study that subdiscipline and ...
Ph.D. Admissions: How to Apply
Apply online. All PhD application materials are submitted electronically through the online application portal and must be received by December 15th at 11:59pm, Pacific Time. We recommend leaving yourself enough time to completely navigate the submission process (e.g., 1 hour). There is only one admission cycle each year.
Writing a Statement of Purpose
3. Avoid hot air. Adjectives like thrill, passion, excitement, joy, etc., should be avoided like the plague. Explain what you expect from grad school. Of course, we all want a job, but try putting it down as politically correctly as you can. 4.
Statement of Purpose for Grad School I Stanford Online
A statement of purpose (SOP) is a critical component of most graduate school applications, and are often required for various types of graduate level programs, including Graduate Certificates and Master's Degrees. An SOP offers you the opportunity to showcase your motivations, qualifications, and aspirations to a school's Office of Admissions.
Writing the Statement of Purpose
Essential Tips. 1. What the admissions committee will read between the lines: self-motivation, competence, potential as a graduate student. 2. Emphasize everything from a positive perspective and write in an active, not a passive voice. 3. Demonstrate everything by example; don't say directly that you're a persistent person, show it. 4.
"Applying to Ph.D. Programs in Computer Science" by Mor ...
14 Mar 2021 • Resources. Mor Harchol-Balter 's essay "Applying to Ph.D. Programs in Computer Science" is one of the most often-cited documents about applying getting into a CS Ph.D. programs. It's a classic of the genre and full of good advice. It's definitely worth a read. resource.
Tips to Become a Better (Computer Science) Ph.D. Student
The priority of a Ph.D. student is to do research - the earlier you start your research, the better off you'll be in the long run. However, don't go to extremes! A poor grade can also be a huge problem. You should always be familiar with the requirement of qualification exams or generals and meet all the standards about the courses.
How to Write a Bad Statement for a Computer Science Ph.D. Admissions
Instead, I want to provide some examples of bad statement of purpose essays that I read in the last two years. In Mor's guide, she warns you that should not write an essay that starts with an opening paragraph that talks about being the "boy genius" (i.e., a precocious child that has a long desire to get a Ph.D. in computer science). The ...
Brown CS: PhD Theses
Executable Examples: Empowering Students to Hone Their Problem Comprehension (2.4 MB) • Shriram Krishnamurthi, advisor. Yang, Fumeng. Fusing visualization, virtual reality, and vision science for scientific thinking (16.0 MB) • David Laidlaw, advisor.
CS PhD Course Guidelines
8 of the 10 courses must be disciplinary, and at least 7 of those must be technical courses drawn from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, FAS or MIT. Of the 7 technical courses, at least 3 must be 200-level Computer Science courses, with 3 different middle digits (from the set 2,3,4,5,6,7,8), and with one of ...
Statement of Purpose
Your statement of purpose should assure readers—primarily the faculty on the selection committee—that your background and experience will support your success in graduate study. Think of the statement of purpose as a composition with five key parts: Part 1: Introduce yourself, your interests and motivations. Part 2: Summarize your ...
Found a good Computer Science example SoP ...
I found what I think is a good example computer science PhD Statement of Purpose. Using this Statement of Purpose, Mihai Patrascu was accepted to MIT, Princeton, and U Washington. I hope this is helpful to others who are applying to CS PhD programs. I think this SoP is "pretty good." It uses good grammar to tell a coherent story.
PhD in Computer Science
The PhD is designed to prepare students for academic careers and careers in government and industry research labs. Computer science is a vigorous and exciting field of research and study that continues to grow in importance. Robotics. The CIS graduate program provides a solid foundation in the fundamental areas of computer science and provides ...
PhD
30 minutes presentation on 3 papers which are jointly picked by the quals committee and the student, relating to the student's current and future research directions. After the exam has been taken, the candidate will email the CS PhD Student Services Admin, cc'ing all members of their quals committee, with the exam's outcome.
Computer Science Library Research Guide
How to search for Harvard dissertations. DASH, Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard, is the university's central, open-access repository for the scholarly output of faculty and the broader research community at Harvard.Most Ph.D. dissertations submitted from March 2012 forward are available online in DASH.; Check HOLLIS, the Library Catalog, and refine your results by using the Advanced ...
Notes On The PhD Degree
The Basics. A Doctor of Philosophy degree, abbreviated Ph.D., is the highest academic degree anyone can earn. Because earning a Ph.D. requires extended study and intense intellectual effort, less than one percent of the population attains the degree. Society shows respect for a person who holds a Ph.D. by addressing them with the title ``Doctor''.
PhD Program
In many ways, the PhD program is the cornerstone of Computer Science at Boston University. Our PhD students serve some of the most central roles of our department, from pursuing sponsored research together with supervising faculty members as Research Assistants, to serving as Teaching Fellows in support of our undergraduate and graduate curriculum.
Brown CS: Our PhD Program
Our PhD Program. Working with faculty who are leaders in the field, our PhD students conduct research with real-world impact. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values for Brown CS, and we've integrated societal and ethical issues across our graduate and undergraduate curricula. Our new faculty positions focus on both core computer ...
How to Write the "Why Computer Science?" Essay
Computer Science Essay Example ... Varun is a recent graduate from Arizona State University, Tempe, with a degree in Computer Science. He aims to share his knowledge of computer science, the IB Diploma Program, and all things college-related with high school students. In his free time, he can be found performing DJ sets or cooking!
Where To Earn A Ph.D. In Computer Science Online In 2024
The high cost of a graduate degree can make postsecondary education seem out of reach for many. Total tuition for the programs on this list costs $57,000 at Capital Tech and around $59,000 at NU ...
Opinion
How the SAT Changed My Life. Ms. Nietfeld is the author of the memoir "Acceptance.". This month, the University of Texas, Austin, joined the wave of selective schools reversing Covid-era test ...

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Writing a Statement of Purpose

Algorithm S

Writing the Statement of Purpose

Part 1: Introduce yourself, your interests and motivations

Part 2: Summarize your undergraduate and previous graduate career

Part 3: Discuss the relevance of your recent and current activities

Part 4: Elaborate on your academic interests

Essential Tips

"Applying to Ph.D. Programs in Computer Science" by Mor Harchol-Balter

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How to Write a Bad Statement for a Computer Science Ph.D. Admissions Application

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How to write a strong Statement Of Purpose

Found a good Computer Science example SoP. (Accepted to MIT, Princeton, Washington)

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PhD in Computer Science

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