University choosing in US

[aesopq122333]

I am a international student studying college in America.
The career I want to be are programmer for games/for systems/ for applications.
I want some advice about university transfer.
If I only have around 3.5 GPA what universities are best for me?
3.5 GPA is not high and I don't think I can get into MIT / Stanford or any others universities which needs 3.9~4.0 GPA to get in.
I don't mind the place and the weather.
Can you give me some advice which considering:
Do I have chance to get in?
Is the university support the subjects about creating game/system/application?
Thank you for the advice. :)

[dhayden]

A 3.5 GPA is on the low side but don't give up just because of that. Schools are looking for a well rounded class, not necessarily well rounded individuals. If you present an unusual talent then their decision changes from "will this student excel academically" to "will this student be able to handle the load?"

So is there something that makes you unusual? What country are you from? If it's one that is not currently represented or under-represented then they might like that. Do you have an unusual skill or interest? Anything that makes you stand out is helpful.

I don't mind the place and the weather.

Don't underestimate how much the environment (both physical and social) will affect your mood. If at all possible, I strongly recommend that you visit the schools you're interested in attending. You may find that people here are willing to help you with lodging and travel.

[Does] the university support the subjects about creating game/system/application?

I think you'll find that most University study is mostly generic information the field, with a few courses on specific aspects. So there will probably be lots of info on Computer Science and maybe a course or two in game programming or system design.

Hope this helps!

[htirwin]

I am a international student studying college in America.
The career I want to be are programmer for games/for systems/ for applications.
I want some advice about university transfer.
If I only have around 3.5 GPA what universities are best for me?
3.5 GPA is not high and I don't think I can get into MIT / Stanford or any others universities which needs 3.9~4.0 GPA to get in.
I don't mind the place and the weather.
Can you give me some advice which considering:
Do I have chance to get in?
Is the university support the subjects about creating game/system/application?
Thank you for the advice. :)

3.5 high school GPA? If you are set on getting into a top university, you can go to community college for a few years and get higher GPA; you wont even need to report high school GPA or SAT score then. Besides, you can save a lot of money by getting the first two years out of the way at a CC.

Consider that some universities just algorithmically filter people out by SAT's and GPA, while some actually take the time to review your application, or in some cases a few essays. Berkely, which is ranked top 3 in the world for CS (although I here that is for grad school, and undergrad there is poor), accepts people with low GPA's commonly, but usually because there is something extraordinary about them, or they write extremely good essays.

You can usually find statistics online that will break down GPA and SAT scores of admitted students.

There are a few good Universities in California that offer Game Programming Degrees. One is UC Santa Cruz, and the other is UC Irvine. But I think it's better to just get a regular CS or Software engineering degree.

If you are interested in research, or considering going to grad school in the future, then it's probably best to choose a research university.