Chance me for SCS and CIT? How hard to transfer?

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>Because this subforum is way more active than the CMU one... (I know I made an identical thread but yea)</p>

<p>GPA: 3.1-3.2 UW (we don't weigh), f*cked up freshman year, I'll have an explanation behind it (a condition I'd rather not disclose on the Internet); there was a huge upward trajectory and now I'm at a 3.7-3.8 GPA.
SAT 2270 - 800 M 790 W 680 CR
SAT II Math 2 - 790 (will retake for that 800)
SAT Physics - 800
PSAT 202 - "National Merit Commended Student"
AP US History - 4
AP Calculus BC - 5 (self-studied this class)
Currently taking
AP Government
AP Chemistry
AP Physics C (taking it online via EPGY Mechanics)
Multivariate Calculus (I am doing very well in this course, perhaps that could be an edge as I'd demonstrate mathematical aptitude; also I will be taking Differential Equations in the spring term)</p>

<p>ECs:
- Red Cross Club, Honors Certificate of Completion
- APEX for Youth, an organization aimed at Asian-American outreach and serving Asian-American immigrants to smoothen their transition into the United States
- Investment Club member
- NextGenVest (NextGenVest is a mission centered start-up based in New York City that is providing the next generation with education to manage their money effectively so they can excel in the real world. We believe that all financial decisions should be "in plain English" and that the next generation of financial consumers should receive unbiased and trustworthy information that is easily accessible.)
(I'll probably write up articles about productivity that colleges might see when they look me up, or that I can refer them to)
- Yearbook team</p>

<p>Teacher Recommendations:
Precalculus (I did really well in the class probably top 1%, and my teacher knows me really well so this should be fine)
US History (Teacher is capable of writing great recs but I did not perform at the very top so we'll see)
GC (knows me very well, this rec should be amazing)</p>

<p>Essays:
It's going to be about immigrating here at the age of 7 and chess, should be decent.
I have a bit of research to do for the "Why CMU?" essay, though. Will mostly be about the innovative, ambitious, over-achieving nature of the school.</p>

<p>Demonstrated Interest:
Attended the info session at our school where a CMU rep visited
Attended Sleeping Night Weekend (actually just came back a day ago)</p>

<p>Ethnicity: Chinese (yes, this is going to hurt me, I know. No, I am not ashamed of being Asian because of this; I'm very proud of my race and that will probably even show up on one of the essays.)</p>

<p>I want to say that my life is a very unique story and my grades don't represent me, but everyone is unique and I'll just end up appearing show-offy anyways. Leave that kind of stuff to the art majors.</p>

<p>As you've probably conjured by the time you read this, I do not have very high chances for SCS. That said, I think I have a shot for CIT. That said, how hard is it to transfer from CIT ECE to SCS? Leave it up to me to take the CS courses and do my best to get the required 3.5 QPA on them (and if I don't then SCS was never meant for me anyways). If I don't transfer that's fine because I'd by happy in CIT but SCS is my biggest aspiration and so is working at Google, so please.</p>

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<p>bump</p>

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<p>I think you could get into CIT but not SCS. That said, to to a school in a major you’re interested in. It’s very difficult to transfer into SCS.</p>

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<p>@XCjunior2016‌ I’ll be happy in either one but I prefer SCS. If the transfer fails, that’s fine. That said, I still want to try transferring because it has been done before (about 30 kids or so) and going from the electrical engineering department of CIT to SCS is the easiest method (only relatively; I know by no means is it easy). </p>

<p>Does this mean I should give up on SCS and gear my “Why CMU” essay, etc. towards an interest in engineering only? I was planning to demonstrate interest in both so I’d have a shot at either but it seems like I might have to give up writing about CS to strengthen my CIT application. </p>

<p>Another reason why I really want SCS is that from a low-income family, CMU’s tuition is brutal but if I get into SCS I know for sure I can pay it back. </p>

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<p>Depends… are you ranked?</p>

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<p>How competitive is your school?</p>

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<p>@XCjunior2016‌ No, and VERY competitive. We sent 30something students to Cornell, 6 to Wharton, etc etc. We don’t rank because it’s a pretty big school.</p>

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<p>Because its so competitive… I’d say give it a shot. Hopefully someone else can comment. Do you have naviance?</p>

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<p>Yes, we have Naviance.</p>

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<p>bump</p>

<p>any tips for minimizing the impact of my GPA? Usually, high SAT + low GPA -> colleges assume you are a slacker right? Well, I will do everything I can to prove that’s false - because it is, and take my word for it. That kind of can be attributed to:

  1. being in a huge public, very competitive high school with not much support and a lot of bureaucracy
  2. medical condition</p>

<p>3) I overcame my struggles for the most part.</p>

<p>My ability to minimize the impact of my shameful, disgraceful 3.2 GPA will hold the key to admissions. </p>