I’ve been reading a lot about computer science and software lately and got super interested in doing MS in CS in the US, mainly in software engineering. But there are so many unis bro 
like which are the actually top ones? And what GRE or TOEFL scores do I need to even get in? Anyone already looked into this?
Okay, if you’re talking strictly about software engineering under MS CS then some of the top universities in usa for MS in CS are:
Carnegie Mellon (esp for SE… they have a separate MS-SE too)
Stanford
MIT
UC Berkeley
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
All of these are super competitive though. GRE score above 320 is kinda safe zone for them, but some are test-optional now. TOEFL above 100 is a must pretty much anywhere. CMU prefers 105+.
Hey @ojas_sinha for MS in CS in the US, some of the top universities are MIT, Stanford, Carnegie Mellon, UC Berkeley, Georgia Tech, and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. But there are also many solid options like UT Austin, UC San Diego, University of Washington, and Purdue that are slightly more flexible with admissions.
For competitive unis, aim for a GRE score of 320+ (especially Quant above 165) and TOEFL score above 100. Some universities have waived GRE post-COVID, so check each uni’s latest requirement. Focus on building a strong SOP, LORs, and project portfolio too – it really makes a difference. If you want help shortlisting unis based on your profile.
Hey @ojas_sinha If you’re aiming for MS in CS with a software engineering focus, you don’t have to only think about the super elite places like MIT or Stanford those are crazy competitive. There are plenty of Tier-1 universities in the US that are still excellent and a lot more achievable. Schools like UC San Diego, University of Washington, UIUC, Georgia Tech, Purdue, and UC Irvine have really strong CS programs, good research, and strong ties with the industry, so placements and opportunities are solid.
About scores a lot of universities have made GRE optional, but if you’re giving it, something in the 310–320 range keeps you in a good spot for Tier-1 schools. For English tests, aim for TOEFL 95+ or IELTS 7+. But honestly, along with scores, your projects, internships, and SOP carry huge weight. If you can show real coding work or solid experience, you’ll have a strong chance at these universities.