Uni Shortlisting Target Program: MS in Data Science

Target Term: Fall 2027

Profile Summary:
CGPA: 8.95 / 10 (CS background)
Work Experience: 1+ Year as a Data Scientist at a leading AI-based company (Working on GenAI, custom LLM pipelines, and Agentic AI workflows)
Research & Projects: No formal journal publications, but extensive hands-on industry experience building production-grade LLM applications, custom ML pipelines, and personal project repositories.
GRE Status: Not Taken / In Dilemma (Currently deciding whether to skip GRE completely since many target universities have test-optional policies or waivers)

Query / Dilemma:
I am currently in a major dilemma regarding the GRE. I haven't taken the GRE yet, as my target universities (like UT Dallas) explicitly mention that the GRE is optional or waived for MS in Data Science / CS. Will skipping the GRE put me at a disadvantage?

Please suggest US universities for MS in DS (AI Track)