Maybe both? Seriously unhappy? To each his own.
I agree with the "unhappy’ vs “serious” comment. They work the kids hard and kids that thrive on hard work will do well. They may not on the surface be bubbly happy skipping across the cut between classes. However when you talk to them they are indeed “serious” about their studies and are happy with the intensity and what they are learning.
The hard work does build up a shared experience that is hard to see in a tour walking between buildings. The environment is not cut-throat like a lot of schools (even for kids that are thinking about pre-med or getting into a prestigious PhD program). Kids help each other as it’s a shared experience. Professors and extra help are readily available. Most intro classes have either a Excell group or a SI team of undergrads that provide extra help. The big ugly intro CS courses have something like 50 undergraduate TAs that have lots of office hours to offer extra help. It’s not like a giant state school sink-or-swim with massively large weed-out classes and impersonal teachers. .
One thing as I’ve been following the thread is that you really need to think through AP credits. There is value in taking many of the courses at the college level. My D was unhappy that a 4 caused her to not get Chemistry credit after taking 3 years of HS Chemistry and never seeing a grade below 98. Then she took CMU Chemistry and discovered that there is a whole additional level of understanding of the topic that isn’t really on the AP tests. For some things it’s fine to dispose of a requirement that you don’t really care about but you need to think about what you might not be getting in understanding on the topic. Bio major D has decided to take the scary intro-CS course even though she has AP credit as she thinks she’ll benefit from the CMU level of understanding on the topic.
Thank you all!! Are you CMU offices are closed today? I have been calling admissions office to request extension of the 72 hours deadline (which ends today) till the weekend as D is busy with APs this week. Nobody is answering the phones and going to after hours voicemail.
Never mind, it seems they are in a strategy meeting during the morning session. I got a call back. They can’t extend the deadline.
I know it is hard. Just make a choice and don’t look back! you have two great options. good luck
“To the comment on UT admissions process VS CMU. I wouldn’t be that harsh, I agree the admissions process is not perfect. My D and I were baffled when UT wouldn’t give her any honors even though she is a Val from a TOP 3 public schools in TX, with scores like 1580(Sat), 800/800(Math-ii, Physics), NMF, 15 AP (with 4-5).” Compared with your D, my son’s test scores were 1550(Sat), 800/800(Math-ii, Physics), NMF, 13AP (most 5) before senor. Only difference was that my son got into Platitium of USACO and two summer paid research internships with one co-authored paper and many evidence of computer programing and competitions. He was ranked 18 in a very competitive high school. 3 MIT, two Stanford and one harvard were offered to his classmates this year. My son got both Turing and Dean Scholars after auto-admission. He was very happy about this and well-deserved. With AP credits, my son will be double-majored in computer science and molecular biology. However, he dreamt to get into CMU computational biology program and got rejections twice already (waitlisted to the summer). UT-Austin honor programs select students by professors based on merit. CMU and tops ridiculously depends on superficial factors. I wished CMU to reject him, it becomes true, saving at $200,000 CASH!
For you daughter, she still has the opportunity of getting in the honor programs if she can demonstrate with excellent grades.
Thank you all for your support during the last few days. I reached out to CMU yesterday to get an extension so that we could decide over the weekend. CMU couldn’t extend it and we understand it. We could have paid $800 and bought more time but, out of respect and courtesy to other students who would love to take that slot my D declined (with lot of gratitude towards CMU for giving her the offer) the admission last night. She is going to be a longhorn. Our decision was not impacted by financial reasons. As I said earlier: my D is a social girl and loves sports and college spirit etc… she wants to have fun while she is in college and do double major. Bottom line is: For her UT offers better college experience that matches her personality than CMU.
As a computer professional who had the opportunity to work with Jim Gray (a Turing awardee) I looked at both UG programs and UT is no pushover.
@prouddad2020 Thank you! Don’t look back is definitely our plan.
@KWZ2019 Your son is an accomplished student and I wish him the best. Kids choose different pathways in their quest to gain knowledge and those diverse pathways enrich us all.
warm regards y’all.
Hi HoustonTxDad, my response is delayed for your use but just posting it none the less as inputs for other parents/students. I can share my experience as a parent. My son is a senior in ECE (admitted 2015) and he got credits worth 75 units for his APs. With his credits he was able to complete his Undergrad requirements in 3 years and will graduate as planned in 2019 May (this month) with BS, in ECE with a minor in Business and at the same time also MS. The MS is part of integrated program called IMB available to kids with reasonably high QPA (similar to GPA of School kids).
He got internships every summer and had several job offers to choose from. He turned down an offer of $130k from Tier 1 semiconductor company in Bay Area to pick up higher offer closer to home in greater New York area. Fortunately he also gets to work in an area of his professional interest.
I know, you had “happy and smiling faces” as one key criteria. I felt that my son was fairly happy despite his very heavy work load. Several midnight assignment submissions and studies till 3 am were routine. For me this was not a key determinant - I expected him to get good education, good grades, good experience, good social exposure, a few good friends a high paying job at a well established startup/corporate and a solid foundation for his MBA from one of the top schools. “Well paying job” was one of my criteria so that he can pay conveniently for his MBA and I can stop footing the bill. I can say so far, I have not been let down!
I will be there in Pittsburgh next week for his commencement and will see what the future holds…
These are graduate programs, I believe.