Hitarth Shah's experience at UMD

I chose University of Maryland College park because of its strong academic reputations, high national ranking and industry oriented curriculum. The U.S offers world class research opportunities and practical learning experiences, which aligns perfectly with my career goals. UMD stood out for its well designed courses in software and data science, hands on projects and close proximity to Washington D.C providing access to leading companies, networking events and internships. My overall experience has been exceptional the professors are supportive, the coursework is challenging yet rewarding and the diverse student community encourages collaboration and global perspectives. Beyond academics, I've enjoyed engaging in campus events, student clubs and social activities that foster both personal and professional growth. The vibrant campus life, combined with opportunities for assistantships and tuition remission makes UMD a truly enriching and fulfilling place tot study....Read More

I chose to study in the US because it has some of the best cybersecurity companies. The country is filled with tech companies that hire candidates on a large scale. UMD is respected for its cybersecurity program and often ranks among the top schools . The teachers are experienced, so I know I am learning from experts. The course has many subjects that interest me, like DFIR, Cloud security, Pen testing, and Secure coding. etc. These subjects are important.  Washington, DC, is a prime location for tech companies. It gives me a chance to connect with recruiters. The connections that I have made have helped me find internship and full-time job opportunities. Overall experience: My time at UMD has been rewarding. The classes are interesting, pushing me to learn more...Read More

Very good experience, good tuition fees, good curriculum, alumni network Is decent...Read More

I chose this university as this university is a public Ivy League school and is well reputed, plus the course it offered was among the top 10 schools in the USA. As stated earlier the program was a perfect blend of technical and non-technical subjects, something that I was looking for....Read More

The universities I applied to and their status: University of Washington, Seattle ( rejected ) University Of California, Irvine ( rejected ) New York University ( rejected ) Northeastern University ( admitted ) Columbia University ( rejected ) University of California, San Diego ( rejected ) University of Michigan, Ann Arbor ( rejected ) University of San Francisco ( admitted ) Texas A&M College Station ( rejected ) Indiana University Bloomington (admitted ) University of Southern California ( rejected ) University of Pennsylvania ( rejected ) University of Maryland, College Park ( admitted ) I confirmed my admission from the University of Maryland, College Park. I think I was rejected from the other universities because there was a lot of competition for the university. I think most of the universities were looking for people with work experience and if there was no work experience then a CGPA of 9.0. I chose the University of Maryland, College Park, because of its reputation in the computer science field, its extensive coursework, and its research-based university. The application process for UMD was pretty basic. I had to fill out an application form (which was around $70). The university asked for a SOP, three letters of recommendation, and a write-up on community involvement, engagement in leadership roles, facilitating change, and overcoming social, economic, educational, and physical barriers. The university did not ask for GRE scores; however, they did ask for the IELTS score. The GRE was waived off by the university. However, they required an English proficiency exam. I submitted my IELTS. The minimum requirement for IELTS is listening (7.0), reading (7.0), speaking (6.5), and writing (7.0). The overall admission experience was pretty easy; once you filled out the application form, they would email you about the decision. The university does not ask for deposits once you get admitted, unlike some universities, which helped me a lot. Apart from the regular SOP and LOR, the admission required three essays (a write-up on community involvement, engagement in leadership roles, facilitating change, and overcoming social, economic, educational, and physical barriers), which took some time. But overall, the admission was a very smooth process. I applied for the Fall 2024 intake. UMD has rolling admissions, and I applied on March 14, 2023, and got my decision late April. I got accepted into UMD in late April and they provided me with an offer letter. UMD does not ask for deposit and you can just accept the offer and apply for the i20. This is what I did. They had asked me certain details for the i20 process and once provided, I got my i20 in two weeks....Read More

I applied to the following universities: Columbia University—Rejected (They only take students from IIT or BITS nowadays.) University of Michigan - Ann Arbor - Rejected (Only 75 people in course so selective.) University of California, San Diego—Rejected (Small cohort) University of Maryland, College Park—accepted Arizona State University: Accepted with scholarship IUPUI: Accepted with scholarship Texas A&M: Rejected because i ticked only a specific stream, which is very competitive i) This was the best university that I got (and was a target university). The other universities I got were also good but the UMD computer science department is exceptional. ii) Attended info session, applied normally, Received decision letter, applied for I-20 iii) TOEFL minimum 105 to not be given english language requirement course, undergrad minimum 8 CGPa iv) It was the usual procedure; nothing stood out, quite simple steps I applied for the fall 2024 intake, and the deadline is usually February end. But I believe they are rolling decisions so it is better to apply as soon as you possibly can. They open applications in December so good to stay on the lookout. I applied in mid-January, which is a month after they began accepting applications. I received my decision in February or March first week. The I-20 form will come in a week's time....Read More

I applied to ASU data science(accepted), Northeastern data science (accepted),NYU data sc ience(accepted), University of washington data science(rejected), University of Maryland college park applied machine learning(accepted), i believe that my reason for rejection for university of washington is strong applicant pool, when i visited their website for the part admission demographics it displayed that more than 55% of them had 8 years or more work experience inspite of having good academics ,internships and research work there is no way i can beat the 8 or more years of work experience that too at FAANG settings.For anyone aiming for a top school check for their previous year admission to get the idea of the people they take in, or else you will be wasting your money, time, and effort on something not required. From the colleges I have been selected, I chose UMD because of many reasons, they are: less cost of living and tuition fee compared to other admissions, and brand value of UMD, like being named as public ivy in the forbes list and excellent for CS I first took my standard tests (IELTS; I did not take the GRE as it was optional) and then submitted my test scores and SOP and LOR's. I got my decision in 3 weeks when I applied at the end of February 2024. It accepts IELTS, GRE, TOFEL, etc. for IELTS, the overall cut-off is 6.5, with subsections above 7 and speaking above 6.5, If any section is higher than the cutoff, you will be given a conditional admit where you can resubmit new test scores to waive the conditional admit The admission was very challenging and tiresome, with so much uncertainty of being accepted or rejected into our dream schools. For anyone applying for this season, if any of the schools state GRE is optional, take it seriously and submit, as this makes a huge difference in the application. I applied for fall 2024; I decided for fall 2024 as my graduation was in spring 2024 and I decided to pursue masters continuously after my undergrad. The admission took 3 weeks after submission of all my test scores and lor's and sop. I applied around the last week of February for my program and I got my admit around the third week of March. I accepted it instantly...Read More

Other than accepting my offer at University of Maryland, College Park, I applied to Northeastern University (admitted), Arizona State University (Admitted), University of Southern California (Rejected) and New York University (NYU) (Rejected) There was no specific reason that was provided to me in regards to why I was rejected from these universities. The ranking of the course was a primary factor. Moreover, as an international student, the fees are relatively better than at other public and private universities in the US. In regards to the admission process, I had to submit my IELTS score, undergraduate transcripts, SOP, 3 LOR's and answer 2 out of 3 essay questions. Minimum score in IELTS: 7 (Individual bands: Minimum 7 and 6.5 is minimum for Speaking Section) Minimum CGPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 (According to the US grading scale for Graduate Students) There were no challenges that I have faced. Everything was smooth and there was no stress involved at any point in filling out the application form. I applied for Fall 2024. I always wanted to learn further and gain knowledge to upgrade my skills. The projects that I did during my undergraduate years resonate with the course that is being offered for Masters at my university. Moreover, Forbes has announced in 2024 that the University of Maryland, College Park, is a Public Ivy League. Hence, I took this decision after completing my undergraduate degree....Read More

I applied to these colleges: University of Maryland College Park (Admitted) George Washington University  (Admitted with 50% scholarship) Illinois Institute of Technology (Admitted with $12,000 scholarship) Rochester Institute of Technology (Admitted to a different course (ECE) with 40% scholarship) University of Alabama Birmingham (No update) NorthEastern University (rejected) I believe I was rejected in NEU because I had no work experience in cybersecurity domain and I was trying to shift directly my field from Electronics and Telecommunications which is not directly related.  Total fees: $38,020 (Tuition fees + other fees) Tuition:        $1,175.00 per credit hour Fees:        $692.50 for full-time (9 credits) (Tuition x Credit Hours + Fees) Three courses: $1,175.00 x 9 = $10,575 + $692.50 = $11,267.50 (Fees for 1 semester) Fees is charged semester-wise.  Monthly expenses: $1070 Rent: $750 (Including utilities) Groceries: $200 Eating out: $60 Transportation: $0 (It is free here; UMD public buses) Miscleanneous: $60 (Haircut $30, Shopping) Fall 2023. I wanted to directly do my master's after bachelor's.  Date applied: January 5, 2023 Admit Date: April 13, 2023 i20 received Date: May 14, 2023  Fly date: August 13th, 2023 Classes started on: August 21st, 2023...Read More

In the US: Applied: University of Maryland, Ohio State University, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Penn State, and Iowa State University Admitted: University of Maryland, Ohio State University, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Penn State, and Iowa State University In UK: Applied: University of Bristol, University of Nottingham, University of Birmingham, University of Leeds Accepted: University of Bristol, University of Nottingham, University of Birmingham, University of Leeds No rejections anywhere University of Maryland is a public ivy with solid economics and finance programs. Faculty teaching this major have immense experience in investment management and have several accreditations and papers to their name, which makes for a stellar learning experience. Additionally, it is about 25-30 minutes away from Washington D.C., which provides connectivity into the cultural and art hub of the United States. Additionally, it was the best university from the ones I had applied to. The admission process is on Common App, similar to most universities in the US. If I remember correctly, submission of SAT score was optional but highly recommended. There was no threshold but a quick google search shows that current students came in with a minimum SAT score of 1400. Nearly 45% of students are accepted, which makes the school fairly competitive. I also submitted my IELTS score to show proof of proficiency in English. I did not face any obstacles which applying and during my admission. The virtual orientation and registration for classes were smooth as well. In fact, the undergraduate admissions office is very helpful and is able to address most questions via email or on the phone. I applied Regular Decision and the factors mentioned in a previous answer were influential in my decision. University of Maryland is a public ivy with solid economics and finance programs. Faculty teaching this major have immense experience in investment management and have several accreditations and papers to their name, which makes for a stellar learning experience. Additionally, it is about 25-30 minutes away from Washington D.C., which provides connectivity into the cultural and art hub of the United States. Additionally, it was the best university from the ones I had applied to. I did not hear back from UMD for a while because my IELTS score was mixed up in the process by the admissions department, so I temporarily accepted admission at the Ohio State University. But once the admissions offer from UMD came through, I accepted it right away. The entire process took about four months. I applied in December and heard back in March....Read More