<p>Hello prospective students, parents and alumni.
I am currently an undergraduate student at CMU and from the past few years on the Carnegie Mellon forum I've noticed that a lot of threads and posts get repetitive, so I decided to compile a list of the most common questions (and basic answers) that are asked around here.
I divided the posts into parts, so feel free to ctrl + F (cmd + F) what you're looking for.
In addition, this is something that came off the top of my head, so I will keep updating it as I get new/more information. By all means please feel free to suggest any additions or corrections.
Hope this helps and best of luck!</p>
<p>*** General CMU Information ***
*** Academics ***
*** Financial Aid ***
*** Admission Process ***
*** Chance me ***
*** Additional Resources ***</p>
<p>** General CMU Information **
[quote]
*How prestigious is CMU? *
[/quote]
Although CMU is known for its technical programs, the fine arts, business, and architecture programs have a lot to offer. There are a bunch of schools that compare to these programs, but Computer Science related majors are more widely known amongst industry. In fact, many CMU graduates occupy Silicon Valley and are part of top engineering and technology companies around the globe. We have famous artists and successful businessmen come out representing the school. Basically, Carnegie Mellon name is as well known as Ivys, Stanford, Caltech, MIT in the career world. (So just because your high school friends never heard of it, does not mean your dream employers wouldn't.)</p>
<p>
[quote]
*Are there girls at CMU? *
[/quote]
Yes.
Yes, there are plenty of opportunities to meet and interact with girls, on a daily basis, regardless of your major.
No, they are not socially awkward.
Yes, they are ALL smart.
If you're looking to be surrounded by gorgeous models, you're looking in the wrong school. But if you want to be shallow about it, there are plenty of pretty girls/attractive guys around, you just have to look/try.</p>
<p>
[quote]
* What is the social scene like? *
[/quote]
- Dating: Yes, people, including those of different sexual orientations, date. Do you have time for a relationship? Depends on where your priorities are and how good you are at managing your time. It is in no way looked down upon and always worth it. Unlike what some may think, CS and engineering majors do date, be it within the major or outside, either one is likely.
- Partying: There are parties every weekend if you know where to look. The parties themselves aren't "state college" crazy and some are even labeled as dancing parties, or sit down social parties. Possibly, people hook up. If you would like to get wasted you can probably find a way, and most likely you won't be alone. However, that does NOT make the campus community dangerous in any way and there is no peer pressure whatsoever to participate in various illegal activities. (<- what I love/respect the CMU community for the most)
- Other: If you're not into that, there are a TON of options such as hanging around with friends, going to CMU sponsored events (concerts, shows, $1 movie nights, outdoor activities, etc)</p>
<p>
[quote]
* What is food like? *
[/quote]
Contrary to popular belief, there is no single cafeteria/dining hall with buffet style eating.
The campus food is not gourmet but for the most part, it's satisfying. A meal plan is mandatory for freshman year and the suggested one usually has enough, if not more than needed. If you are tired of campus food, you have an option to get off the meal plan starting sophomore year, as do a lot of students who end up eating off campus or making their own food.
The campus food has plenty of cuisines and there are healthy/vegetarian/gluten free/etc options as well. If you're wondering what meal plan to choose as a freshman look [here[/url</a>] and [url=<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/carnegie-mellon-university/1350303-cmu-food-options-how-good.html%5Dhere%5B/url">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/carnegie-mellon-university/1350303-cmu-food-options-how-good.html]here[/url</a>].</p>
<p>
[quote]
* What is dorm life like? *
[/quote]
Fun. Being a residential assistant (RA) is a competitive job and only the most amazing kids get them. As a result, your RAs are really helpful, entertaining and caring.
CMU offers co-ed (from by floor to mixed floor, not by room unless you're an upperclassman), all-girls and all-guys dorming, in addition to Greek housing. There are dorms that have standard rooms and suite rooms, and apartments for upperclassmen.
* Which one do I choose? * [url=<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/carnegie-mellon-university/1135080-housing-pros-cons.html">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/carnegie-mellon-university/1135080-housing-pros-cons.html</a>] This link](<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/carnegie-mellon-university/1510549-dining-plan.html%5Dhere%5B/url">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/carnegie-mellon-university/1510549-dining-plan.html) talks about the pros and cons of most on campus housing.
Can I get a single? it is VERY rare to get single rooms and those are only given to special circumstances that usually involve serious medical/health issues. A note from parents doesn't cut it: there is a process you have to go through with a bunch of doctor documentations. Besides, CMU does its best to pair you up with students who are of similar life styles as you, thus it is pretty uncommon to see crazy roommate drama.
* What if I get a terrible roommate/floormates and I can't concentrate on my work? * Honestly, people almost always work on campus libraries or buildings. With that being said, if you're still able to focus on work in your own room, all dorms have quiet hours and in general, if you ask your neighbors nicely, they will respect your study hours. Worst possible case scenario (pretty much never happens) you can ask to move out during the academic year.</p>
<p>
[quote]
* What about extra-curricular activities and sports? *
[/quote]
Please understand that CMU is not a state school that has nearly 80k fans show up to football or basketball games. However, it still has competitive options and our varsity teams compete in division III. Our men's and women's soccer teams are really good and thus admission is probably very competitive. * How competitive / time consuming? * I bet there are representatives from all CMU schools and nearly all majors in varsity teams, so it is very doable but puts stress on your schedule. Here is a more detailed discussion about various CMU athletics.
* If I don't want varsity, what can I do? * The university offers club sports which are less competitive but still have frequent practices (about 2-3 times a week, depending on the sport) and compete with neighboring universities. Finally there is Intramural sports which is just friends or organizations making teams and playing within the school for fun. It is pretty unofficial and games are usually about once a week.
* Extra stuff * There are 100s of clubs and organizations that anyone can join. For an accurate list in detail, check this out. Also, there's the school traditional Buggy Racing and Kiltie Band.</p>
<p>** Academics **
[quote]
* Does Carnegie Mellon use the credits system? *
[/quote]
No. We have something called units, which correspond to the average number of hours a student might spend on the course per week. That includes lectures, recitations, labs and (approximate) homework. So usually a course is 10 or 12 units. An average student takes about 48-52 units a semester = about 4-5 courses.
[quote]
* How does grading work? *
[/quote]
There is still a letter based system but there are no +/-'s. Starting freshman fall semester, you will receive letter grades (unlike some colleges that do pass/fail initially) and a corresponding GPA, which is a weighted average based on the number of units a course was. So if you have an A in a 8-unit course and a C in a 12-unit course, your GPA will not be a perfect average of 4.0 and 2.0, it will be weighted more towards the 12-unit course grade.
Most professors calculate and release mid-semester grades which DO contain +/- next to the letter grade, but these grades do not count towards your final grade. They are just there to tell you where you are approximately in the course.
[quote]
* What is the workload like? *
[/quote]
"My heart is in the work" -Andrew Carnegie.
Our motto.
So yes there is a lot of work. Nevertheless, it is not so unbearable that (god forbid) students commit suicide or something. If you feel like you're too pressured in your major, there are SO many ways to work around it: asking professors/coaches/instructors for extra time, extra help; dropping classes without consequences at any point in time during the semester; seeking CMU's professional counseling. Plus, it is <em>completely</em> acceptable to switch majors, schools, or even take gap years. People switch majors or drop out of their majors often and with great ease, because no GPA, no penny is worth the demolition of your health. Here's the breakdown by school/major:
** School of Computer Science : The difficulty of classes is immense, and most CS classes average out to about 15 hours a week of work. You would usually take about 2-3 CS courses each semester with some general education classes. It is doable and there is a ton of help offered from the best faculty and the brightest kids.
CS majors still participate in extra-curricular activities, hang out with friends and TA (teaching assistant) classes. However, the amount of free time you have in the end and what you spend it on is entirely up to you. People say they're always working, yet they still spend time with their friends, most of whom are probably working on the same thing. A</a> sample course requirement list.
** Carnegie Institute of Technology: Engineering is a tough field and it requires a certain type of thinking. Depending on the engineering major you will have more or less work. From what I hear and personal experiences, ECE[/url</a>] is the most difficult (and selective) engineering major, followed by [url=<a href="http://www.cheme.cmu.edu/current/undergrad/undergradcatalog.htm%5DChemE%5B/url%5D/%5Burl=http://www.materials.cmu.edu/ugrad/curriculum.html%5DMatSci%5B/url">http://www.cheme.cmu.edu/current/undergrad/undergradcatalog.htm]ChemE/[MatSci[/url</a>], [url=<a href="http://www.cmu.edu/me/undergraduate/degree-requirements.html%5DMechE%5B/url">http://www.cmu.edu/me/undergraduate/degree-requirements.html]MechE[/url</a>] and [url=<a href="http://www.ce.cmu.edu/undergraduate/cee-academics/degree-requirements.html%5DCivE%5B/url">http://www.ce.cmu.edu/undergraduate/cee-academics/degree-requirements.html]CivE[/url</a>]. The links are to sample schedules/curriculum of each major.
** Mellon College of Science*: Here is where I hear different stories based on majors. If it had to be rated, Math and Physics would have the highest workload, followed closely by Chemistry and then Biology[ul]
[<em>] Math: Depending whether you're going for a general or specialized degree the workload will be lighter for the former. Basically, the required math department courses would take you the same as or less than the amount of hours (units) of those courses. (i.e. a freshman math class rated at 12 units might require only 7 hours of work a week). However, a lot of kids double major (usually CS) or have minors, so most of their other time goes towards the courses of the respective double majors/minors.
[</em>] Physics: Very similar to math, but the courses tend to be more time consuming. Physics students tend to be in a bunch of clubs and organizations either way. Some of my acquaintances are going for computational physics and taking a lot of CS classes, so their workloads get as hard as double majoring. The Physics department courses are usually as time consuming as their ratings, but the difficulty of the material is very hard. One of the courses had an exam average of like 14/100 or something once.
[<em>] Chemistry: The amount of work is moderate if one looks only at chemistry classes. Typically, kids take about 50 units a semester of chemistry courses and most of them are manageable. The hardest and most time consuming class I heard was chem lab, which is mandatory for each semester, and even though it's rated at 12 units, a lot of kids spend ~18 hours on it each week. Aside from courses, what adds the most pressure is research, which is done on a side by about 95% of chemistry majors. Also, many of chem majors here are on a pre-med track, so they have to take extra courses and study for MCATS in order to prepare for med school. Even then, some people still participate in extra-curricular activities. So the workload is going to be the worst for those who are double-majoring/pre-meds, otherwise, it's hard but manageable.
[</em>] Biology: Depends. Some of my friends say that biology courses are rated at half the units they actually spend on them and that a lot of time and effort are being put into studying and doing homework. For others, biology comes easier (better memorization skills, a LOT of prior knowledge, better analyzation skills, etc). But for both about 50 units a semester is doable while also doing varsity sports/extra curriculars on a side.
[/ul]
* Tepper School of Business*: Comparing the workload of Tepper and the previously mentioned schools is like comparing oranges to apples. Tepper has a very unique curriculum and classes which have their own set of goals and requirements. Generally, the attitude towards the work is more relaxed with business majors, yet there are some who aim very high and are always busy either working on double majors, minors or actively looking for internships/jobs. The only business major friends I have are in fraternities, so they have time to be deeply involved in the frat and still do well in school. [url=<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/carnegie-mellon-university/1166347-tepper-thread-ask-anything-preferably-related-p.html%5DHere%5B/url">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/carnegie-mellon-university/1166347-tepper-thread-ask-anything-preferably-related-p.html]Here[/url</a>] is an interesting thread for some basic Tepper Q/A.
* College of Fine Arts (excluding Architecture): ** Similar to Tepper, it's hard to compare the workloads to other schools. However, the required classes don't take a lot of your time at all, so it's totally up to the students to decide whether they spend hours upon hours practicing (if music) or working on personal projects (if art). It's very open for one to try out a bunch of stuff (courses at other schools, study abroad, greek life/organizations). My music major friend was able to switch into SCS in his sophomore year with all the music requirements already completed. So yes, it is relatively more relaxed.
** Architecture*: on the other hand, is much more time consuming and semester schedules are not very flexible. Students receive a booklet in freshman year that pretty much plans out their schedules for the next 5 years (in case you weren't aware, architecture program is a 5 year program). In terms of arch-related work, you hear students always mention the all-nighters that they pulled and how people just live in the studio. However, that does not accurately reflect the whole population. I know archies who don't goof around and just focus on the work, manage their time and have frequent free evenings/weekends. But be prepared to work a lot.
* Dietrich College (H&SS)**: Probably the least demanding school judging by the required coursework. However, students usually still take the full ~50 units by filling their schedules with various electives from CMU's schools and maybe courses of double majors or minors. This is a nice [url=<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/12312736-post3.html%5Dpost%5B/url">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/12312736-post3.html]post[/url</a>] that goes into more detail about H&SS life.</p>
<p>
[quote]
* Do I need to know programming for SCS? *
[/quote]
No. It is recommended but it's not required. I'd say about 30% of kids in each graduating class come to the school without prior knowledge of programming. (By the way, programming =/= website design, so saying that you made some basic websites is not saying that you know programming). And those who have programmed before probably struggle as much as those who haven't, because the CS courses here are based on a completely different mindset from what you might have had before. Still, if you're deciding whether you should or shouldn't learn some language before applying and you have the time, the answer is you should.</p>
<p>
[quote]
* Can I double major in [insert major] and [insert major] with a minor in [insert minor]? *
[/quote]
Yes.
Is it really doable? Yes.
Really? Yes.
Nobody at CMU will ever say no to you if you want to reach higher. Your advisors might warn you against some things because of the increase in workload, but they will never stop you. So any combination of majors and minors that CMU offers is available for you. However, some departments have restrictions on double majors and minors (aka some don't offer them , GPA restrictions, unit restrictions) so you have to consult the actual department for specifics.
I'll be honest though: be careful about what responsibilities you put on yourself. If your dream job is in software engineering but you also love biology, taking just certain courses in software engineering as a biology major (or vise versa) might suffice rather than double majoring in CS + biology and taking a whole bunch of other unnecessary courses. In addition, some majors will have pretty much no overlap (overlap: a course that fulfills a requirement in both tracks, aka killing two birds with one stone) in courses and it will require you to either come in with a bunch of AP/college credit, overload (overload: taking more units/courses than maximum suggested by your primary department, usually >54) every semester, and/or spend extra money on summer semesters.
If you're worried about not getting a job in the industry because you don't have 3 majors and 5 minors, you're wrong. A lot of companies don't care what your diploma says and they care about what you actually know (crazy, isn't it?). So if you're a bio major who's applying for a programming job, you are more likely to get the job if you put on your resume all the programming courses you've taken/projects you might have done and answer technical questions correctly, rather than have a double major standing and not know what you're doing during the interviews.
For your convenience, I also included the double major requirements for each department:
** SCS:** [url=<a href="http://www.csd.cs.cmu.edu/education/bscs/second.html#major%5DCS%5B/url">http://www.csd.cs.cmu.edu/education/bscs/second.html#major]CS[/url</a>], [url=<a href="http://www.hcii.cmu.edu/applying-undergraduate-major%5DHCI%5B/url">http://www.hcii.cmu.edu/applying-undergraduate-major]HCI[/url</a>], [url=<a href="http://major.ri.cmu.edu/?q=node/8%5DRobotics%5B/url">http://major.ri.cmu.edu/?q=node/8]Robotics[/url</a>]
** CIT:** I'm not a 100% sure on this, but I believe you can only double major within CIT, and for minors there are certain ones that are offered for non-engineering students. Refer to [url=<a href="http://coursecatalog.web.cmu.edu/carnegieinstituteoftechnology/#additionalmajorsanddualdegreesincit%5Dthis%5B/url">http://coursecatalog.web.cmu.edu/carnegieinstituteoftechnology/#additionalmajorsanddualdegreesincit]this[/url</a>] description. So engineering cannot be declared as a secondary major if your primary major is not in CIT. If you want to double major in engineering and something else, engineering must be your primary department. (I will double check on this)
** MCS:** [url=<a href="http://coursecatalog.web.cmu.edu/melloncollegeofscience/departmentofchemistry/#curriculum-b.s.inchemistryandrequirementsforanadditionalmajorinchemistry%5DChemistry%5B/url">http://coursecatalog.web.cmu.edu/melloncollegeofscience/departmentofchemistry/#curriculum-b.s.inchemistryandrequirementsforanadditionalmajorinchemistry]Chemistry[/url</a>], [url=<a href="http://coursecatalog.web.cmu.edu/melloncollegeofscience/departmentofmathematicalsciences/#doublemajorrequirements%5DMath%5B/url">http://coursecatalog.web.cmu.edu/melloncollegeofscience/departmentofmathematicalsciences/#doublemajorrequirements]Math[/url</a>], [url=<a href="http://coursecatalog.web.cmu.edu/melloncollegeofscience/departmentofphysics/#doublemajororadualdegreeinphysicswithadegreeinanotherdepartment%5DPhysics%5B/url">http://coursecatalog.web.cmu.edu/melloncollegeofscience/departmentofphysics/#doublemajororadualdegreeinphysicswithadegreeinanotherdepartment]Physics[/url</a>], [url=<a href="http://coursecatalog.web.cmu.edu/melloncollegeofscience/departmentofbiologicalsciences/#minorinbiologicalsciences%5DBiology%5B/url">http://coursecatalog.web.cmu.edu/melloncollegeofscience/departmentofbiologicalsciences/#minorinbiologicalsciences]Biology[/url</a>]
** Tepper:** [url=<a href="http://tepper.cmu.edu/undergraduate-business/academics/additional-major-in-business-administration/index.aspx">http://tepper.cmu.edu/undergraduate-business/academics/additional-major-in-business-administration/index.aspx</a>] Business Administration](http://www.materials.cmu.edu/ugrad/curriculum.html), Economics, Computational Finance is not offered as a double major and is a very competitive program on its own.
** CFA:** Architecture is not offered as a double major but is offered as a minor. (Besides, double majoring in architectureÂ…who would do that to themselves?) I don't think Art has a double major program but it also has a minor., Music, Design is a competitive program so a minor is pretty much like a double major because it's a selective admission.
H&SS There are a lot of majors to be offered and majority offer double majors but you have to contact departments themselves. I just know that Information Systems is not offered as neither double major nor a minor.</p>
<p>
[quote]
* Are there courses offered during breaks? *
[/quote]
CMU does not have courses over winter break, but it has 2 summer sessions. Be aware that summer courses aren't cheap and I don't think it's as popular to take summer classes here as in other schools. I believe tuition is $300/unit (so if you take a regular core curriculum course, which is usually 12 units, you pay nearly 4 grand. That's not including cost of living and food). That's why I'm saying be very careful about how you plan out your double majors, minors and courseworks: summer classes might not always be the best option to catch up.</p>
<p>
[quote]
* Will I interact with kids outside my major/school? *
[/quote]
Yes. It's always up to you. The reason I'm able to answer questions about other schools so in depth is that my friend group of nearly 12 kids pretty much has no two people with the same major. The best way to meet people outside your major are in your dorm (my friend group was my dorm room floor), general education classes (electives), organizations, sports and clubs. There's actually a lot of interactions between schools and quite a lot of students tend to have two friend groups: friends outside their schools to hang out with and friends within their majors to do homework with.</p>
<p>
[quote]
* How easy is it to transfer between schools? *
[/quote]
It depends on the school but it's usually doable. For instance, nobody will stop you from switching but if you don't meet the new school's requirements, it gets very hard to impossible to transfer in.
The hardest one is probably SCS because it's the most popular and kids usually say "well I'm gonna go to CMU for H&SS because it's really easy to get into and then when I'm here I'll switch into SCS." Well, the requirements for transferring include taking 2 years of CS major courses (which are still extremely difficult) while still in your primary major, getting pretty much As in all of them, AND getting special permission from the department head. So usually students just decide to stick with their primary major and apply to CS double major or just minor.
Another program that is very competitive is ECE. Because there is already a high demand for the major within CIT, coming in from another school is a bit harder than applying from within. Usually, the required Introduction to ECE course "weeds out" a good number of people (approximately 250 people enroll in the course each semester in their freshman years, and each ECE class is ~150. So 500-150 = :) )
Information System has pretty strict requirements for transferring as it is not offered as a secondary major or a minor. Even though it's part of the Deitrich College, it's a very competitive program that encompasses business, design and CS together.
Design is also very competitive and popular major. Transfer applications are taken very seriously and about 10-15 kids get accepted as transfers every year. Even the courses that they offer require special application (I heard students camped outside the office the night before to hand in their applications because it was first come first serve basis)
Finally, Computational Finance is by far the hardest program to get into once you're here. They accept only 3-4 people each year, and legitimately you probably have to have a 4.0 when you apply.</p>
<p>Other that those listed above, transferring process might include talking to a bunch of counselors and department heads, and then you're pretty much in.
How common is transferring? Very. Nobody is holding you in shackles so whatever you're comfortable with or interested in, it's up to you. CMU is very lenient and accepting of that kind of stuff. If you wrote a passionate essay about your love for CS and how you want to do it for the rest of your life, and once you're here you decide you despise it, nobody is going to call you up and reproach you for wanting to transfer out.</p>
<p>** Financial Aid **
[quote]
* How much does CMU cost? *
[/quote]
Heh. This year's estimate was ~63,500. If you don't include thousands of dollars CMU estimates on books and supplies, it's about 59,500. After freshman year you can also cut off about 5k off the estimate for rooming and meal plan if you plan on living off campus and ditching the meal plan. Still, keep in mind that this is a private and a prestigious university, so don't expect tuition to be $15k. </p>
<p>
[quote]
* I'm an international student. Do I get aid? *
[/quote]
Unfortunately no. Unlike other schools who get a lot of funding, CMU cannot afford to offer financial aid to international students. The US government doesn't offer its aid to international students either. The foreign students whom I talked to said that their families can either afford the full cost or they are on some prestigious scholarships that were offered by their countries. So if you want to come to CMU, start looking for scholarships right away.</p>
<p>
[quote]
* I'm a US student. Do I get aid? *
[/quote]
You can. CMU is an amazing school in every aspectÂ…except its aid. You are either one of the students who gets nearly a full ride or you don't get much; there isn't really a common ground. </p>
<p>
[quote]
* What kind of aid is available to me? *
[/quote]
Grants: CMU has an undergraduate grant that is need-based. Once you and your parents fill out your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) CMU does its best to meet your Estimated Family Contribution (EFC). IMPORTANT: Financial Aid is a first-come-first-serve basis. ED students get pretty much 100% of their aid met, so from then it's a race to whoever hands in their deposit/Fin Aid application the fastest for RD students. I.e. I was torn between CMU (RD) and another university, so I handed in my deposit in late April, and now my family has to pay twice our EFC.
Aside from university grant, you might be eligible to apply for federal grants, but usually those require you to be in serious financial need and they top at around $5.5k.
Scholarships:: Unfortunately, CMU does not offer URM, sports, robotics, business, math, etc. scholarships. The only merit based one available through the university is the Carnegie Scholarship, which is ONLY offered to incoming freshmen. Trust me, I've learned that the hard way. Basically, you don't explicitly apply to it when you apply to the school so you are automatically considered for it if you submit your FAFSA. It's given out to students who have excelled academically in high school and who can't get a lot of need-based aid. No you can't promise them to get a 4.0 in your freshman semesters, join 20 clubs and become the president of your class if they promise to consider you for the scholarship after you came to CMU. Either you get it when you apply or you never do.
**** This is why I highly encourage you to look for outside scholarships and grants way in advance. ****
Loans: are offered to students at any point in time during the school year through the university but they are usually there to help kids who are in need of quick money for personal expenses/emergency situations. I.e. you need to buy a $150 textbook for a class but do not have the money, you may borrow from the university. </p>
<p>
[quote]
* What factors affect my financial aid package? *
[/quote]
Your financial package is not final. In other words, it will most likely change on a yearly basis. You must re-apply for the aid every year and depending on the new FAFSA information your package will be adjusted.
[ul]
[li] Change in income: if your family shows a decrease in income, your financial aid package is going to increase, and vise versa. [/li][li] Siblings in school: to whomever this might apply, your aid will be affected if any of your siblings are attending college ONLY. It is not affected if your siblings are attending private elementary/middle/high schools for which your parents are paying tuition.[/li][li] Outside scholarships/aid: if you receive any outside scholarships, the amount of your scholarship is deducted from your financial aid package. This means that you cannot have extra money in addition to the total amount of grant money you received from CMU.[/li][li] Full-time status: you must maintain a full-time student status (take over 36 units a semester) in order to keep your CMU grant or scholarship.[/li][li] GPA: I'm pretty sure you must maintain above a 2.0 GPA in order to keep your CMU scholarship but I'm not 100% sure whether that applies to the CMU grant. My best guess that it does, so it's always safe to attempt to do well in school :)[/li][li] Other colleges you've been accepted to: if you have been offered a spot at any of CMU's peer institutions, and it has offered you a better aid package that you received at CMU, you may request for a "matching" or re-calculation of the aid. It's just another way of CMU trying to win you over, and I heard that those who have been successful at matching with another school are pretty much going to CMU for free.[/li][li] URM: This isn't very explicitly known, but when I talked to my financial aid advisor here, she explained that whenever you get accepted here, CMU comes up with a certain percentage that corresponds to how much of your need it promises to meet with its aid. For example, after submitting the FAFSA, the government estimates that your need is 30k. If you were accepted with a percentage of 70%, you are guaranteed 21k from the university. When I asked how that percent is decided, she mentioned that it depends on "how much CMU wants you" (not her actual words). Basically, if you are a female in engineering or CS, you are likely to have a higher percentage than a male. Or if you are a hispanic -- same scenario.[/li][/ul]</p>
<p>
[quote]
* Well, thanks Selena731, now I don't want to go CMU anymore. *
[/quote]
Let me put it this way: CMU is an amazing school, great community, wonderful staff, plentiful of opportunities and if finances are the only things that are stopping you, you must realize the following:
1. Private colleges are expensive no matter where you go. The only private colleges that offer great aid are those who are funded very well, i.e. Ivys, MIT, Caltech, Stanford, so on. But they are also harder to get into. CMU's name is still up there, as mentioned in the "How prestigious is CMU" question earlier.
2. Looking at CMU's extremely high after college employment rate and the starting salaries of some majors, taking out loans to invest in your education will really pay off in the end. It's also a bit of a gamble: do not rely purely on the prestige of the school's name to get a job. As in, don't expect to be a lazy student and hope that putting "Carnegie Mellon graduate" on your resume will automatically get you a $80k job. [This[/url</a>] can still happen to you no matter where you go.
I chose this school over the Cooper Union in NYC (which used to be free tuition when I applied) and I have never regretted my decision.</p>
<p>** Admissions process **
[quote]
* Does CMU require SAT scores? *
[/quote]
No. You may send in ACT with Writing instead.</p>
<p>
[quote]
* I'm applying to [insert school]. What SAT IIs do I need to take? And do I reaaaaally really need them or can I be an exception? *
[/quote]
[url=<a href="http://admission.enrollment.cmu.edu/pages/standardized-test-requirements">http://admission.enrollment.cmu.edu/pages/standardized-test-requirements</a>] Look here](<a href="https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/7885843456/h5C78329E/%5DThis%5B/url">https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/7885843456/h5C78329E/) for per school subject tests requirements. And yes, you really really need them if they are listed on the required page. I'm not an admission officer however, so if you have some very special circumstances as to why you are not able to submit an SAT II score, contact the admission office at 412-268-2082, do NOT risk not submitting it and/or waiting until last minute to find out.</p>
<p>
[quote]
* Should I take Math I or Math II? *
[/quote]
Always go for Math II. Which one should you submit is a different story. I'd say that if you're applying to CS or CIT and your Math II score is below 780 for the former, and below 720 for the latter, either re-take it if you have the time, or submit Math I. (and hope that your Math I is 790-800).</p>
<p>
[quote]
* Should I submit [insert SAT/ACT/SAT II here]? *
[/quote]
In the last section of this post, I included admission statistics by school. If you want to know whether you need to submit your score or not, just go to the school you're applying to, and see whether your score falls within the range. If it doesn't, do NOT submit it, and look for better options (i.e. SAT is terrible, but ACT is good=>submit ACT; retake the test). If you have no better options, it's really a gamble to apply. If you're very set on applying either way, a warning: CMU puts a LOT of stress on standardized tests scores and grades, so you should really polish the rest of your application, have very impressive extra curriculars and honors, and have a moving/convincing essay.</p>
<p>
[quote]
* I just took the SAT but it will not be graded before the application deadline. Am I screwed? *
[/quote]
No, you should be fine as long as you indicated the grades to be sent straight to the university when you took the test. Just submit the rest of your application on time.</p>
<p>
[quote]
* I am re-taking my test now but I will not find out the results until after the application deadline. Should I send in my score without knowing the result, or should I just stick with the old one? *
[/quote]
This can be a tough decision, I understand. Here's my suggestion: I would again take your old score and compare it with the statistics at the end of this post. If you do fall within the range but are in the lowest 20% of the spectrum, I would say only send it if you consistently scored very well on (legitimately taken) practice exams. (I hope you have been doing practice exams). Otherwise, just stick with your old score.
If you are well up in the range, just stick with your old score (why are you even re-taking the test in the first place? A 780 vs. 800 in one test is really not that important in comparison to the rest of the application, and you will only waste time and money.)
If your old score not even in range, send it in no matter what.
Now in the case that you somehow do not send it, and after the deadline you realize that you have improved significantly, you should contact the admission office ASAP, explain your situation and ask about sending your score in. Most likely they will accept it if it's only a few weeks late. What do I mean by significant? Well, if you took the Physics SAT 5 times and scored 750, sent that in, and all of a sudden on your 6th try you get an 800, I still do not suggest you send the 800 in. Now if you were getting below 700 and get a 80+ pt increase, you should submit it.</p>
<p>
[quote]
* Does CMU superscore? *
[/quote]
Yes. CMU is an-score school: <a href="http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/sat-score-use-practices-list.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/sat-score-use-practices-list.pdf</a> so you must submit all your scores in order to be considered for that. </p>
<p>
[quote]
* I have been told that I must submit a TOEFL score. Why? *
[/quote]
Here are some cases:
1. You are an international student who has studied in a local high school, taught in the country's native language: You must take the and submit the TOEFL even if you speak English at home.
2. You are an international student who has studied in an international high school in your country, taught in English, or in a US high school: If you believe you're really fluent in English and you have above 700 CR and Writing on the SAT, you should contact the admission office and ask to get excused from the exam.
3. You are a US legal resident/citizen who has studied in a US school: that's unfortunate, but it has happened to me. When I was filling out either the FAFSA or some form of application, there was a question that asked what language I speak at home and I put my native language (non-English), and later I have been told I needed to take the TOEFL. I called them a bunch of times to try to get out of it with no luck. Although, granted that I did not do very well on CR, I took the TOEFL anyway and got pretty much a perfect score.
If you did very well on the CR, you should contact CMU and explain your situation, it might have just been a misunderstanding. Keep in mind that TOEFL is pretty expensive for an exam, so it's not a simple decision.</p>
<p>
[quote]
* Do my high school freshman grades count? *
[/quote]
According to this thread, they do not.</p>
<p>
[quote]
* Do my high school senior grades count? *
[/quote]
To some extent, yes. You have to submit your latest high school transcript depending on the date you apply (mid-semester should probably suffice). Your final year grades honestly don't matter if you're already in, unless you fail something or go from A to C/D's in most of your classes. They will matter if you're on a late waitlist. Nevertheless, it's ok to slack off a <em>little</em> towards the end, you will need some rest before you hit college bottom. :)</p>
<p>
[quote]
* How easy is it to transfer? What do I need to do? *
[/quote]
It's hard. All the transfer students I've met in SCS/CIT/MCS had 4.0s in their old colleges, published papers, took a year-long hike through the Amazon Forest (not kidding), etc. You don't have to build a nuclear detector or anything, but you should really have top notch grades and some impressive project to show off. Once you figured that out, refer to the transfer</a> information page.</p>
<p>
[quote]
* How important is the interview? What is the interview like? *
[/quote]
Personally, I don't think it's as important as grades. However if you are within close reach of an interviewer and you are just being lazy or afraid of chatting with someone, not taking the opportunity will not help you. It's not like CMU will know, but taking a few hours of your time and showing interest does factor in to the final decision.
If you want more information on interviews, refer to this thread.</p>
<p>
[quote]
* How important is the SAT? High School GPA? Recommendations? *
[/quote]
CMU released an interesting document that rates the importance of each admission requirement (Section C7)
<a href="http://www.cmu.edu/ira/CDS/pdf/cds_2012_13/c-first-time-first-year-admission.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.cmu.edu/ira/CDS/pdf/cds_2012_13/c-first-time-first-year-admission.pdf</a>
So anything numerical, i.e. grades, is VERY important. The rest is just bonuses to cover for low grades or to support your outstanding self.</p>
<p>
[quote]
* Should I apply ED or RD? *
[/quote]
Ask yourself how much you love CMU. If you are not very hyped about it, or it's not really your first choice school: apply RD. Other than that, there is no harm in applying early. If you get rejected ED, you would've probably gotten rejected RD. You can also get deferred.
If you have some special circumstance, i.e. offered a scholarship that doesn't allow you to apply ED to any school, applying to another school that doesn't allow you to apply ED anywhere else, missing important grades, etc, then you should probably apply RD to avoid the unnecessary hassle. In any case, here are some things you should know about ED:
1. If you just meet the requirements (ie. you're a mediocre student) then applying ED will increase your chances just by the amount of applicants considered and extra show of interest. At the same time, many bright kids will be applying ED as well, so your competition will be intense.
2. You are given certain privilege as an ED applicant that includes full aid coverage and first pick at dorms.
3. CMU has gotten rid of its Early Action and has only ED I. </p>
<p>
[quote]
* I have been waitlisted, what do I do? *
[/quote]
Relax because you still didn't get rejected. The best way to treat a waitlist is to do very well in your senior year and maybe do some projects on the side. If you do something significant and you believe it will be a big change in your application (winning USAMO or something), send the change in. Other than that, you should just hope for the best!</p>
<p>
[quote]
* How hard is it to get off the waitlist? *
[/quote]
Statistically speaking, hard. (Section C2.) </p>
<p>
[quote]
* Is there a limit to how much AP Credit I can get? *
[/quote]
Not at all. If you're up for taking all the possible APs out there, go for it. However, CMU accepts pretty much only 5s, and for the full list/exceptions you can look [here[/url</a>].</p>
<p>
[quote]
* I took a class at a local college. Can I transfer the credit to CMU? *
[/quote]
Usually yes. The catch is that the class has to be on the same level as the one you're getting credit for. For instance you can't take a beginner calculus course at your college and expect to get credit for advanced calculus course at CMU. Most of the time the credit gets counted toward Free Electives and it's more strict when it comes to getting credit for Core Curriculum requirements. You have to contact your advisor to find out what exactly you get. Also, if you did not take a class at any of the Pittsburgh universities, your grade from that class is not reported: you just get the credit with a " * ".
Look at [url=<a href="http://www.cmu.edu/hub/registration/undergraduates/ap.html">http://www.cmu.edu/hub/registration/undergraduates/ap.html</a>] this](<a href="http://www.cmu.edu/hub/registration/docs/ap-credit.pdf%5Dhere%5B/url">http://www.cmu.edu/hub/registration/docs/ap-credit.pdf) page.</p>
If you can look at it, make sure that whatever they write and whatever you wrote in your essays is not the same. Your recommendation should probably go into detail about some great achievements/ECs that you put on your application (this is where your research projects, awards, competitions should be described, not in your essays). Saying that you’re a wonderful student and a hard worker is kind of generic, so if you can, ask your teacher or whomever to talk about <em>how</em> you’re wonderful. A good person to ask for a recommendation is the one who knows you well enough to be that open with you about your recommendation letters, in my opinion. Another suggestion would be a research professor, but be careful with those because working on his project for a summer but seeing him only once during the 3 months isn’t good enough for a great recommendation. If the professor doesn’t decline, he/she would most likely write something cliche.
)</p>