<p>-Asian Male (the worst combo probably for CMU)
-competitive public in MA (way too many smart asians here)</p>
<p>Sat: 2200 (Math:780, CR:720, W:700), MathII:800, Chemistry:740
UW GPA: 3.83 (our school doesn't do weighted) lowest grade is B+, god i hate english
no rank (our school is too competitive for that)
Total of 9 AP's, although I took some easy courses in freshmen year</p>
<p>EC's:
-envirothon team (our team was number 1 last year, look up "massachusetts envirothon" on google, click the first result, and then click the "results" link to find the name of my school)
-member of the honors orchestra in my school (u have to take an audition to get in)
- member of the New England Conservatory Youth Orchestra
-took part of Junior District Festival freshmen year, Senior Festival 10th-12th grade (these are other orchestras that u have to audition for also)
- private violin lessons, have to perform twice a year at a local community college hosted by my teacher
- skipped Algebra 2 for freshmen year (took AP Calc BC junior year)
-chess team(our school's team is pretty darn good, not number 1 though)
-Commended STudent for PSAT (our 99th percentile is 224 for MA, holy ****)
-Semester long research program at MIT for genetics for 10th grade</p>
<p>have applied EDI with legacy status (my dad went to CMU for computer science, he was an international student), how big of a benefit will I really get with ED and legacy? anyone know?
i'd like to get into SCS. I know it's tough as hell to get in.</p>
<p>I haven't seen any statistics for either ED or legacy at CMU. But at some schools legacy will make it about twice as likely to get in, as will ED. Of course that might just boost an 18% chance to 36% which is not a sure bet. Your stats are fine, I assume the stats of most who apply are fine. Recommendations and essays are likely to be what tips one over the edge. You haven't said anything in your post that makes you look like a budding computer scientist. I don't see any ECs or activities that were computer related.</p>
<p>Looks like you're a well qualified applicant that'll be up against tons of other well qualified applicants. My guess is it'll come down to the typical "soft" factors like your essays, recommendation, and demonstrated passion for your subject (CMU is big on the last one).</p>
<p>so do the people who've been working at tech companies all their lives and mastered C++ when they were 10 have a huge advantage against me? I personally thought that colleges wanted a diverse range of interests. Guess i was wrong.</p>
<p>Every years SCS takes a few students who haven't had any real programming experience, but in general I'd say from my observations that CMU, and SCS in particular is not a place that puts a premium on diversity of interests. It's my impression that many of those students without computer inexperience provide diversity that SCS needs (female, URM). If you have no experience with computer programming - you are going to have to work harder to sell yourself.</p>
<p>IMO, DS likes to do many things, Computers is one but not games (has none, ever), Designing, music, design & architecture, touring and photography, and just having fun in school. Did HCI (SCS) as the double major with ME as the first major, masters CS-HCI, 4 internships (PT jobs) with computer software company or related, and has never taken a "computer or programming" class. He's really not into computers but into its uses, access and application.</p>
<p>Be specific but not to the exclusion of every thing else. There is a reason why CMU has a very strong Arts program along with its technology. One of his roommates was CMU's concertmaster for 3 years but a ME major, music was a passionate hobby.</p>
<p>I don't entirely agree with myself either. :) There's a reason SCS insists everyone have a minor. Computers are a tool that can be applied to other fields. So it's fine to have other interests, but you might want to tie them into why SCS is still the right school for you.</p>
<p>Ok, if we're so divided on that issue, the other question that I really want to the answer to is the ED and legacy status. I haven't really seen a topic around here that directly answers it well (concerning how big of a boost it gives me). Does it cancel out my lack of demonstrated interest in CS and/or being an asian male?</p>
<p>They ask this question for alumni that are performing interviews for the school.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Are there any reasons for special consideration by the admission committee?
(i.e. special accomplishments or awards, recognition on a state or national level, child of an undergraduate alumnus, other connections to Carnegie Mellon)
[/quote]
</p>
<p>So I imagine there's some sort of weighting, though I don't know how significant it is.</p>
<p>My S, currently freshman SCS at CMU, had poorer SAT scores than you, but got 35/36 in ACT, equivalent to mid 2300 SAT. Same issue - much stronger in Math/Sci relative to English. 2 Comp Sci APs, 2 Calc AP, One physics and one other - all 5s but CMU indicated they dont consider the actual scores in AP for admission which my S was hoping they did. The admissions officer indicated they valued APs as a measure of the student trying to take the hardest courses available (which with your 9 APs is great), and to satisfy pre-reqs after acceptance.
Also male Asian, FYI.</p>
<p>we have similar stats -- slightly higher SAT/SAT2 scores for me (2280, 770chem); similar UW gpa; fewer APs; fewer extracurriculars... similar strength in math/sci and weaker in english. no legacy for me. and very little demonstrated interested in compsci as well; i did take one "Intro to Programming in JAVA" course at CMU in summer 2007. </p>
<p>i dunno how much my post helps, but i'd say we're on equal grounds. i got in for EA, SCS of course. (i'm asian female btw)</p>
<p>good luck!</p>
<p>[sorry, rushed/disorganized typing because i'm in class. xD]</p>
<p>It can only be beneficial to be both a legacy and an ED applicant, I think it's common sense although I too can't find statistics backing it up. I think your chances are better than most because of this. It may help, but you don't need demonstrated mastery in CS to get into SCS.</p>
<p>Do you need financial aid? If not, that too would be a boost.</p>