How to Get Into a Top CS Program as an Indian Male Applicant

It is commonly believed that college admissions to certain majors is more difficult for certain demographic groups. While the Supreme Court’s ban on affirmative action may have impacted this, the belief persists, and with good reason. Some demographic groups are overrepresented in certain majors, and this can make admissions far more competitive for them.

In this article, we’re going to examine one such example, that of male students of Indian descent trying to enter computer science. We’re going to look at the potential challenges these students face, and why they exist. Then we’re going to see how this looks in practice, by examining how an Ivy Scholars student got into Carnegie Mellon University’s prestigious Computer Science program. Let’s get started!

Why it Can be Harder to Apply as an Indian Male

There are two factors at play here. The first is that colleges are looking for some diversity in their programs. This is not just racial or gender quotas, but a diversity of backgrounds, viewpoints, and experiences. Admissions officers often assume, correctly or not, that students from similar demographic backgrounds have similar views on the world, and similar experiences that shaped them.

Thus if they want to bring a diversity of viewpoints into a program, then some candidates from less common backgrounds are advantaged. If there are a lot of students from a single seemingly shared background, then each of them is slightly disadvantaged. 

This then leads into the second issue these applicants can face. Namely, that the more applications an admissions officer sees with similar themes, the less any one of them stands out. This is not to say that all Indian male applicants are identical, but many of them fall into the same trap of presenting what they believe admissions officers want to see, and in so doing accidentally decreasing their odds of acceptance. 

Admissions officers review thousands of applications each year; while being truly unique is quite hard, you should try to let your authentic voice come through, and represent yourself in a sincere manner. In the next section, we’ll examine what this can look like, and why it works. 

What an Activities List Should Look Like

The activities you do in high school signal to admissions officers where your interests and passions lie. Here are the activities Student A listed on his Common App: 

Analysis

This is all very nice, but what does it tell us about Student A, and what he did right?

First, and most importantly, Student A has a clear passion for computer science, and has a lot of experience in that field. His top four activities are all CS related, all fairly significant accomplishments, and all serve to demonstrate his intellectual vitality; his drive to learn and grow for the sake of discovery and joy of learning. 

This is the first thing universities check for on an activities list; whether you’ve really explored the subject you are interested in majoring in. This is especially true for subjects like computer science, where there are many avenues for high school students to get involved. Student A has not only taken advantage of these opportunities, but has done so consistently, and at a very high level. 

This initial spike is important, but it often is not enough on its own. Your activities list is an admissions officer’s first introduction to you as a person, and you want to show them your personality. You shouldn’t invent items, but you should show off the breadth of your interests. Student A does this, and in so doing also shows off character traits universities like to see; his skill at leadership, his devotion to his community, and just a hint of weirdness. 

Essay Examples

Carnegie Mellon University asks for three essays, each seeking to understand a different aspect of your character. We’ll go through each of Student A’s essays, and examine how they position him for CMU’s computer science program. 

Essay 1: Why Major

My mom put her hand in front of the cobra and it lunged forward. “It worked!” my little brother and I exclaimed in unison. Ten-year-old me was fascinated: how could a few lines of code make the robot snake I programmed “see” the motion of her hand?

Today, when I hold up my iPhone, the device’s sensors use highly optimized algorithms to reliably “see” my curly hair and dark brown eyes. Eager to learn more about this technology, I spent months completing DeepLearning.AI’s courses on everything from logistic regression to convolutional neural networks. I simultaneously worked on my first computer vision project at Emory University, training Google’s MediaPipe deep learning model to recognize 19 new gestures from the call sign to thumbs up. I spent long nights tuning hyperparameters until the computer recognized my fist, elated to see the dots on my screen marking the joints of my hand in real time. As I transfigured my fist into the shape of a peace sign, I envisioned how the same technology could be used in augmented reality glasses to help translate sign language and ease communication between deaf people and those who don’t sign.

As my project came to a close, I continued to explore the other applications of computer vision in collaboration with my Emory University mentor, working on Kaggle competitions related to medical imaging and botanical classification. At CMU, I hope to work with Professor Srinivasa Narasimhan on his research using light curtains to help robots navigate diverse terrains, and Professor Shubham Tulsiani, who has developed a method to allow robots to learn everyday tasks by watching videos of humans. From autonomous vehicles to diagnosing diseases, I foresee a future where computer vision is ubiquitous and I am eager to be part of making that vision a reality.

Analysis

The point of these essays is to demonstrate your past involvement with the substance of the major, and explain why you want to devote yourself to this course of study. Student A does this well, tracking a single theme from their initial interest to in depth research and mastery. 

Your own reasons for pursuing computer science should be personal, and come from a place of interest and passion. You should talk about past experiences, and any projects you have worked on which illustrate this passion and love of learning. There is a great realm of possibility in computer science, and you can explore any aspect of it in this essay. 

You should have some notes on how you want to explore these subjects at CMU specifically, but this is not the main thrust of the essay. That said, each school has their own perks, and if they do not ask for a “Why Us” essay, bringing some of them into your “Why Major” essay is a good idea. 

Essay 2: Many students pursue college for a specific degree, career opportunity or personal goal. Whichever it may be, learning will be critical to achieve your ultimate goal. As you think ahead to the process of learning during your college years, how will you define a successful college experience?

In The Gene, Siddhartha Mukherjee asks what makes humans different from chimpanzees, although we share about 99% of our DNA. From my work on machine learning, I have seen that computers are quickly approaching and even surpassing human levels of intelligence. So, what makes us human? I grapple with this question and try to find the answers in our complicated history, biology, and culture. I’ve played music from Vivaldi to John Williams, read about the history of cancer, and closely followed current events and political debates.

Through CMU’s expansive curriculum, I will combine computer science with the study of biology, music, and politics to continue exploring all the complexities of human expression. I plan to join the University Orchestra and take classes like Modern Biology, Music History I, and Non-Violent Conflict and Revolution to broaden my understanding of our shared humanity. I’m eager to discover the possibilities for machine learning to develop better diagnostic tools, compose original music, and fact-check our representatives.

As part of my journey to understand the human experience, I’ve dedicated myself to serving my community. One way I’ve done this is by leading my school’s Key Club as vice president. Beyond volunteering over 100 hours, I organized a Thanksgiving can drive, collecting 2000 cans to donate to the Atlanta Community Food Bank. At CMU, I will build on this experience by joining the Balance Boxes program while simultaneously using CS to acquire the tools to make hunger a thing of the past. I see a future where advanced machine learning and computer vision models can dictate the best times to plant crops and detect early signs of blights so that no one ever has to go hungry. I want to be a part of building this future.

Analysis

This is a weird prompt, mostly because it isn’t always clear to students what it’s asking. In this essay, Student A demonstrates their fit with CMU’s culture and campus, and in so doing shows how he will contribute as a student at the university. 

Colleges want to admit students who will fit in with their culture, and who will make campus a more interesting and enjoyable place to be. Student A touches on a number of his past activities, and ties them all directly to opportunities at CMU, showing how he and the school fit together perfectly. He never comes and says he’s a great fit for the campus, and he never has to; this essay clearly demonstrates that fact. 

It is good to be focused in your extracurriculars, but you should strive to tie different facets of your interests and personality to different offerings on campus. This is especially true for students who belong to a group that is often stereotyped or miscounted, such as Indian males. This helps set Student A apart from his peers, and shows the range of his interests and experiences. 

While colleges are not allowed to use race as a factor in admissions, unconscious biases do exist. Essays like this are a great way to combat or counteract them. You don’t have to be zany or strain to be something you aren’t, but instead authentically represent yourself, and show how you fit well with what a university is looking for in students.

Essay prompt 3 (300) Consider your application as a whole. What do you personally want to emphasize about your application for the admission committee’s consideration? Highlight something that’s important to you or something you haven’t had a chance to share. Tell us, don’t show us (no websites please).

People have always jokingly referred to me as a “third parent” to my younger brother. When my dad moved for work a few years ago, that joke became a reality. Because my mom had to leave early for work, it was my job to wake my brother up and get him ready for school. As I gradually assumed more responsibilities, I recognized that the care gap extended beyond housework; there were also intellectual roles to fill.

Since my dad used to tutor me, I helped my brother with math and computer science. When his eyes lit up as he finally got his first for-loop working, I realized I have the ability to help others reach their full potential.

Eager to put this ability to work, I joined CodePath, a national nonprofit dedicated to providing cost-free CS education to disadvantaged children. As a chapter head, I led several high school volunteers, mentoring them on their teaching styles and stepping in to teach when needed. From helping a shy student come out of her shell to choosing the volunteer with the right combination of patience and aptitude to teach a gifted blind student, I grew my chapter into the most successful in the Atlanta region.

Since then, I‘ve become a regional director, more than doubled the existing chapters near me to 11, and hosted four summer camps, teaching over 200 students and focusing expansion on less affluent areas. In addition to applying my experience in computer science to my degree, I hope to build upon my work at CodePath by creating a registered student organization that provides free advanced CS education to high schoolers in the Pittsburgh area and bring my leadership skills to student organizations like the Carnegie AI Safety Initiative and All University Orchestra.

Analysis

This essay prompt is remarkably open, even by the standards of college essays. CMU is inviting you to discuss anything at all, to highlight any traits you have which you have not had a chance to discuss elsewhere in your application. This is a gift, and we recommend you take advantage of it. 

In the example above, the student shares a story of his volunteering experience. This shows both his skills as a leader, and his dedication to his community. These are two traits all colleges look for, but which are especially key for students interested in computer science. 

There is a perhaps undeserved stereotype of CS students, where they would rather sit alone in a room coding than interact with others. While this is not true of the majority, the image persists in popular culture, and is a worry for admissions officers. After all, they want to admit students who will actively engage with the campus environment, not shun it. 

This essay is a great chance for you to demonstrate how you will actively engage with the campus community, by showcasing how you have done so where you are right now. After all, past performance is the best predictor for future action, and demonstrating you’ve actively engaged with your current community is the best sign you’ll do so going forward.

You can, of course, discuss anything with this essay, but Student A demonstrates his ability to care for his community and give back, something colleges are eager to see in all students, especially those studying computer science. His explicit desire to do so when he enters university is the cherry on top.

Our Results

You know already that Student A got into CMU; that’s why we’re using him as an example after all. Here’s what his parents had to say, after he got his admissions results: 

Ivy Scholars assisted my son in gaining admission to the country’s top-ranked computer science program! As immigrants from India, my wife and I were unfamiliar with the U.S. college admissions process, which differs significantly from India’s exam rank-based system. Initially, my son’s college essays focused heavily on academic achievements. However, Ivy Scholars helped him emphasize his personality and other interests in revised drafts. They also helped him with college selection and helped him stay organized while applying to several colleges. Of course, your child still has to do all the work and write all the essays, but having an expert review and provide feedback is invaluable. I would highly recommend Ivy Scholars for your child.

Whatever your own situation is, and whatever major you are pursuing, we can help. The deck often feels stacked against certain students, especially when they are already stereotyped into specific fields. Indian males going into computer science are often overlooked through no fault of their own. We help students demonstrate their intrinsic worth to admissions officers, and show off why they are worthy of a place in a top college. 

Schedule a free consultation today to learn how we can help you tell your story, and help you navigate the college admissions journey.