GRE Computer: Better than Stanford PhD #1

1982. Didn’t intend to study computer. Computers was hot in 1982. My roommate challenged my to study computer science because in his view being a MBA guy I was mentally-challenged to do computer science. I took IBM Assembler Language course, in Summer, with three more courses. Was not allowed to register because the maximum number of courses in Summer limit, so went to Prof. Varol, and he allowed me to take the course and he added free grading for the tests, assignment. 30-35 in the class. I got the highest in the course.

My roommate was a Roorkee guy. I think he had barely scrapped though the same Assembler course, and after his green card got a job at Bell Labs.

Professors had started talking about me. I was given admission to SIU-Carbondale’s computer MS program. I thought of taking GRE Advanced in computer science to know my level at the beginning of program and take it again at the end of program.

Before that I had exposure to computer courses as follows:

FORTRAN at IIT Bombay: Taught me variable name rules, simple DO loops, selected a program to invert a 2X2 matrix, the Russian computer MINSK 2 could not read the FORTRAN card, the faculty accepted my project.

Simulation project: It had only a few – 5, 6 simple constructs. Stood outside the local hospital counting patients etc. Not really a computer programming language but Dr. Varol was an excellent teacher and I enjoyed it.

The IBM Assemply language : Mentioned earlier. It gave me admission to the CS MS program.

I would have preferred to take my GRE test after these courses only to make before-after comparison better, but GRE is administered only a limited number of tiles a year, so had to wait 6-7 weeks(?) for the tests. Meanwhile had started the following Fall semester course:

Computer Architecture: Taught by a smart young Iranian professor, Mehdi (?). Enjoyed it.

Computer languages – C to Ada. Pascal. Very fascinating.

Operating Systems: Basics of operating systems.

I glanced at the sample test that the ETS had provided. Thought my coursework had covered about 40% of the material tested.

Actual exam: I answered about 40-42 questions. Perfect score was 80. 99 %ile was 60. (As far as I remember. One could research ETS’s CS ETS for actual numbers for Fall 1983.)

Note: I had gotten application to Stanford’s PhD program in computer science. I had realized by than applying to that program was just a waste of $50. But the application material was free then.

Result

Had about 20 admitted students to their prestigious PhD program. Median GRE advanced score was 710, 93%ile. About one of the admitted students had a MS, the rest MS in computer science. In comparison I had a just a few computer courses, about 2-3 and stored 710, a 93%ile, same as Stanford’s PhD program’s admitted students

I knew I won’t be admitted, that was the worst and normal expectation. The harassment became almost immediately. Department started harassing me on a made up charge, the department banned companies from recruitment on the campus, the mediocre school that hired me mainly gave me BASIC and COBOL programming to heach, immigration started harassing , my colleague has Sennator Sesser as a friend, otherwise immigration to ok 5 years to grant me Green Card, my computer science career was over and perhaps no greeen card. I didn’t give up and worked very hard maxing or almost maxing CFA, CFP, Actuarial exams, it made sure I don’t get a job in finance too. After my two months of green card, Mitsubishi chased me to take to Japan totally against my will and incessantly harass me there. Back to USA. A know-nothing Khalistani from MIT and his IIT friend started harassing me. and later countless Caucasians, they have mastered the art. Earlier a stupid as a Camel Egyptian professor blocked my passage to PhD at Univ of Illinois, Urbana- Champaign by lying and laughing laughly on his success while his friend, Dr. Ike Mathur from Pakistan was finding poor girls from Scadinarian counties who fell for his as soon as they saw him, and got their assistantships and tuition waived, and broke up on the day of departure. Didn’t know punishment for being the best would be so severe. Before I came to USA I prayed to God, show me REAL America, and later REAL Japan. I didn’t want anything else. Didn’t know God listens to prayers. America and Japan tried hard to make my wishes come true. Thanks sincerely.

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