Admission related Questions & Answers
Should I do OMSCS/OMSA given my situation/goal ?
It's a personal decision with many variables. So I think the best advice is just try a course or two, and see if you want to commit to the entire degree program.
Can I get in with my background ?
[OMSCS] Can I get in without CS background ?
You don't need a CS bachelor's degree but you need to show accredited CS course work. They are quite unforgiving on this criteria, and the industry experience is no substitute, as explicitly stated in the official Q & A at https://omscs.gatech.edu/prospective-student-faqs
[OMSCS] How can I improve my chance of admission ?
Take accredited CS course work and earn As. Especially things like data structures and algorithms, object oriented programming, computer architecture and operating systems. Basically the admission committee wants to see you have CS fundamentals from accredited course work. I took some UMass (University of Massachusetts) courses online, and thought they were legit. You can see the list of courses here. But any other options are valid, as long as they are accredited by real universities. Other popular choices are WGU, Oakton & Foothill as well as GT edX MOOCs.
[OMSA] How can I improve my chance of admission ?
It's much easier for OMSA because there is edX MicroMasters (called MM) which anyone can enroll in. You just earn As in some (or all) of the 3 courses. There is no better and more explicit way to show the admission committee that you are capable of handling the actual courses work of the program. Furthermore, edX courses you complete can count as transfer credit once you enroll into OMSA (as long as you scored 80 or above).
Can I get in with GPA below 3 ?
Yes, it has happened. So it's not impossible. But ideally you want to address it in your application. Maybe you show GPA tanked earlier in your undergrad but the CS courses you took more recently are all As and Bs.
Can I get in with GPA only 2 LORs (letters of recommendation) ?
Yes, many have got in with 2 LORs. The admission committee has said they don't consider an application with less than 2 LORs. They start with applications with 3 LORs, and then consider applications with 2 LORs. So your application gets lower priority in the assessment queue.
[OMSA] Can I get in without coding background ?
Yes, some of the best performing OMSA students had no prior coding experience, although they usually have a STEM background. Some of the courses involve intensive coding, so you will have to play a lot of catchup once enrolled.
Can I get in with a 3 year degree ?
Yes, they used to be super strict about it, but in recent years, I see many applicants reporting they got in with a 3 year undergraduate degree (from Australia / Europe)
What is the minimum TOEFL score required ?
The general consensus is that the admission committee expects 100 (out of 120), but I've seen people get in with a score in the 90 ~ 100 range.
Does taking GRE help with admission ?
If you have good GRE score, I'm sure it's marginally benefitial, but I believe taking accredited courses on prereq subjects will be more helpful.
Is OMSCS a good idea if I want to pursue PhD ?
Generally no. Some have successfully joined PhD programs after OMSCS, but they are statistically outliers.
Which one of OMSCS or OMSA should I pursue ?
Having done both, I consider OMSCS is suitable for SWE, and OMSA is appropriate for Data Scientist. OMSCS has more coding focus while OMSA has more theory/math focus. But both programs have so much flexibility in the course selection, so ultimately you can customize your focus.
How does OMSCS compare with UT Austin online MSCS & MSAI ?
I don't think anyone has actually done both. So we can only look at and compare the curriculumns. OMSCS has a broad choice in terms of courses/specializations, while UT Austin programs are AI/ML theory focused. Both are reputable brand schools. OMSCS has more history and is more affordable. But I'm obviously biased in favor of OMSCS as an alumnus.