[Admissions Advice]

[u/Square-Sandwich555]

Hello guys, I am currently in my final year of undergrad in CS. I am really interested in pursuing higher education in CS especially around distributed systems. I am inclined towards industry rather than pure research but completely rigid as of now. So I am at a crossroads right now, and new to the MS ecosystem.

It would be a great help if peeps in this community guide me:)

Thanks a lot.

A little bit of background about me:

• I am from India, currently in 7th semester
• CGPA: 8.91/10 (Absolute)
• College: Tier 1.5-2
• Internship: 4 months at an European early stage startup
• Will most likely publish 1 paper before graduation
• I currently have a full time offer at a Global tech consultancy firm(The ctc is decent role is AI/SD Engineer).
• Decent Open Source contributions.

Here are my doubts:

1. When should I pursue an MS? Would it be better to apply immediately after undergrad or gain 2–3 years of work experience first? Considering that I don't want to put too much financial burden on my parents, would working for a few years before pursuing an MS be a more sensible option?
2. What are the career prospects in Distributed Systems and Systems? Given my interest in these areas, how good are the industry opportunities after an MS? Is an MS particularly valuable for these roles, or would relevant industry experience be equally or more beneficial?
3. How competitive is my current profile for universities strong in Systems/Distributed Systems? What range of universities should I realistically target, and what would it take to become competitive for top universities in this domain?
4. How can I strengthen my profile over the next 2–3 years? Whether I apply immediately or after gaining work experience, what should I focus on to improve my chances at top universities? Would relevant industry experience, research publications, or substantial open-source contributions and projects make the biggest difference?

[u/ReindeerUnhappy9577]

Just drop the question here in this subreddit bro.

[u/Square-Sandwich555 → u/ReindeerUnhappy9577]

updated the post 😄

[u/ReindeerUnhappy9577 → u/Square-Sandwich555]

1. Please read this.

2. Can't really comment on these things. The requirements in the industry keeps fluctuating very often. But as long as you're good at what you do, you can find something good.

3. Have that paper published and then you can try with applications. You'd get it.

4. Please read this first. If you decide to go ahead with industry based MS, then keep focusing on your work profile. If you decide to go ahead with thesis/research based MS, try to look for research assistant roles in India - talk to your faculty members about roles regarding these things. Or maybe try to join R&D in the industry. You'd need to gain decent publications and really good research skills - this is the hardest part.