I’m interested in applying to UCLA’s Master’s in CS program. What kind of academic and professional experience do successful applicants usually have?
Yeah, it is tough! From what I’ve heard, they look at a range of things. Academically, a high GPA is important, especially in your core CS courses. Like, ideally above 3.5, and even higher in your upper-division classes.
Definitely. And it’s not just the overall GPA. They really scrutinize your transcripts. If you had a rough start but showed improvement later on, that can be a positive. They want to see a strong foundation in fundamental CS areas like data structures, algorithms, operating systems, and computer architecture.
Okay, that makes sense. I’ve been focusing on those. What about the GRE? Is that still a big deal?