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Astronomy/Astrophysics: Are my colleges reasonable for my profile?

Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2016 11:05 am
by varunchaturmutha
Please evaluate.

Major: B.Tech in Engineering Physics (expected 2017)
College: India Institute of Technology, Guwahati
CPI: 7.27/10
Intended Post-Graduation: Astronomy/Astrophysics (Also fine with Physics integrated Astronomy Departments)

Experiences:
1) Astronomy and Astrophysics summer school, organised by IUCAA Pune at CCSU Guwahati (Summer '15)

Research Projects:
1) ISRO Bengaluru - QPOs in Cataclysmic Variables (Summer '16)
2) Bachelor Thesis Project - 1: Accretion flows around black holes (Fall '16)

Astronomy Extra-Curriculars:
1) Secretary of Astronomy Club, IIT Guwahati (Aug '15 - Mar '16)
2) Bronze in Messier Marathon, IIT Kharagpur, Inter-IIT Tech Meet (Jan '15)
3) Head of Predefined Module, Techniche '15 (Techno-Management Festival of IIT Guwahati)

Standardized Tests:
1) GRE General: 153(V) + 167(Q) 4(W)
2) GRE Physics: 760 (63%ile)
3) TOEFL: 110 (W:29 R:28 L:27 S:26)

LORs:
1) Guide at ISRO
2) Bachelor Thesis Guide at IIT Guwahati
3) Course Instructor: Taught us two courses (8/10 in one course and 9/10 in the other)
4) Course Instructor: Taught one course (probably 10/10)

Universities Shortlisted

Final (USA):
1) University of California, Santa Barbara
2) University of Maryland, College Park
3) University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
4) Cornell University
5) University of Washington, Seattle

Not Final (USA):
1) UC Santa Cruz
2) UC San Diego
3) University of Rochester
4) University of Chicago
5) University of Virginia
6) Pennsylvania State University

Not Final (Europe):
1) University of Exeter, UK
2) Leiden University, Netherlands
3) KU Leuven, Belgium
4) Bonn-Cologne, Germany
5) University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Please suggest any new universities suitable for my profile.
Also, let me know if you have any suggestions for the above shortlisted universities.