Chances at Carnegie Mellon for ED?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>My chances at Carnegie Mellon?
I want to apply to Carnegie Institute of Technology, not SCS...</p>

<p>Ethnicity: Mexican-American
Gender: Male</p>

<p>From what I know from talking directly with admissions office, they do not superscore the ACT in any way so,</p>

<p>ACT
Composite: 31
English: 33
Math: 29
Reading: 32
Science: 28</p>

<p>SAT subject tests
Chemistry-600 (I am not even going to be a chemical engineer. I just took it since I was most familiar)
Math level I-620
Math level II-710</p>

<p>Extracirricular's:
Robotics
Future Business Leaders of America
Volunteer at city zoo
A math tutor
Attended Phillips Exeter Academy for summer school with courses in Calculus, Astrophysics, and Electronics
Play in school orchestra
Have been doing private lessons.
Cross country for school
Ambassador/member of a city organization for disadvantage but talented youth, which accepts approximately 100 students per year to send them to summer camps. I am pretty sure CMU recognises it because they receive students from them all the time
Have done programming classes and competitions</p>

<p>Recommendations: they are not from math/science teachers, but they speak highly of me</p>

<p>GPA:
Unweighted- 3.92
Weighted- 4.2</p>

<p>AP classes (my school doesn't have many because it is broke)
AP Calculus AB (score 1)
AP English and Composition (no score, my score is voided because an English teacher gave out the test, I explained this in my application)
AP Chemistry: current
AP Literature and Composition: current</p>

<p>I also visited the campus and did an interview with the admissions office too if that helps me at all since they take in demonstrated interest.</p>

<p>In my supplement essay, I spoke about how visiting the campus washed away all my doubts about the school and that I was sure I could benefit the most at the university.</p>

<p>Intended major: electrical and computer engineering</p>

<p>I know my scores are more on the low end and far from being competitive, but do I stand any chance at all?</p>

2

<p>Hooks (if any?): first-generation college student</p>

<p>bumppp</p>

3

<p>Honestly, it could go either way. Even with your hooks (ethnicity, ED, first-generation), ECE is still a reach because its such a competitive program. Your activities are excellent, but your test scores are really dragging you down. </p>

<p>According to the admissions statistics, 31 is the 25th percentile for the ACT at the entire school. The bigger problem however is that your math and science sub-scores are the weakest overall. Your SAT subject tests are also lacking (sorry for being blunt) and you haven’t taken many math or science AP’s. </p>

<p>IMO, your biggest weaknesses are your coursework and math/science test scores. Due to your excellent hooks however, ECE is still possible. Again, I feel like your decision will come down to your essays (especially the supplement), and, thus, could easily go either way. Just my $.02.</p>

<p>Also, can you chance me back? I also applied ED to Carnegie Mellon.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1407315-chances-carnegie-mellon-mcs-ed.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1407315-chances-carnegie-mellon-mcs-ed.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>Thanks. </p>

<p>Do low income and attending one of the lowest-performing schools in the entire district along with the inability to transfer to a better one count as hooks for me? The performance affects funding which affects courseload. I am pretty sure my recommendations got some of that across in their papers, and I tried hinting at it without sounding too negative.</p>

5

<p>I’d strongly suggest getting your counselor to explain your situation in her recommendation. While teachers can mention such problems in their letters, colleges would prefer to see that info in counselor recs. BTW, are you applying ED I or ED II?</p>