Chance Me CMU CS!!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Carnegie Mellon University
1

<p>Hello, please chance me for Carnegie Mellon SCS, I am a High School Senior in September:</p>

<p>ACT:
Compostie: 29
English: 30
Math: 34
Reading: 24
Science: 26
*Kind of all over the place =( I am an amazing math student, and I will take the ACT again in September to stabilize my score, aiming for a solid 31/32, shouldn't be hard with a 34 math.</p>

<p>SAT II's:
Math II: 760
US History: 760</p>

<p>AP's:
World History: 4
US History: 5
Statistics: 4
(Senior Ap's):
Macroeconomics:<br>
US Government:<br>
BC Calculous:<br>
Comparative Government: </p>

<p>GPA:
Unweighted: 3.6
Weighted: 4.1</p>

<p>Extra-Circular's:
President School Mock Trial Team
After school math tutoring program (90+ community service hours)
1 year school Fencing Team</p>

<p>Awards:
AP Scholar
(Aiming for AP Scholar with Distinction by end of High School)
National Honors Society Member</p>

<p>Other:
State: New York
Ethnicity: White
Income Bracket: Low (1 working parent)
Employee at Dunkin Donuts (1 year total)</p>

<p>I am currently Interning at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, in which I have already put in 300+ hours (2 and a half month internship middle June - End of August), I am working in Computation Biology in the lab's Bioinformatics team, in which I have received hands-on comprehensive programming experience.</p>

<p>I am highly interested in CMU SCS, and I am visiting them in August, in which I have two interviews with both the Admissions office, and CS Department.
I am also planning on applying Early Decision.</p>

<p>Thank you for chancing me!</p>

2

<p>A 29 is too low - most people accepted are in the 33-34 range, with 800/36 math being extremely common.</p>

<p>Have you looked into submitting a research paper to Intel STS or Siemens? Getting recognition for your research is a great boost in college apps. A nice recommendation could also help.</p>

<p>ED is a good thing. If you’re female, that would also help.</p>

<p>Overall, IMO it’s a low reach at best.</p>

3

<p>Chances look extremely slim. GPA is too low, unless that places you in at least the top ~3% of the class? What is your class rank or percentile?</p>

4

<p>What are these extra-circular’s of which you speak?</p>

5

<p>Yes I know my chance are obviously not favorable, if not below average.
CMU is kind of a reach school for me,
But I am assuming obtaining a higher ACT score, in the CMU average of 32-34, would at least boost my chances to average.
There are those who are able to get into top colleges without jaw-dropping standardized test scores.
As long as you can make within the average 50th percentile range of scores, I would assume a college would be able to look at your APP holistically, and if they see you are really determined to get in,
your chances might be higher than slim.</p>

6

<p>I think the problem is that you’re looking at CMU in general and not SCS in particular. I’d agree that CMU in general is a reach, but SCS is huge reach, even if you do manage a 32. I don’t think boosting your ACT would be enough to give you an average chance for SCS. The good news is that you’re doing interviews, and CMU considers how much interest you’ve shown in the school.</p>