<p>I am trying to get some info for my child. Interested in Computer Science.
GPA 3.5,
AP Biology 4,
AP Computer Science (not back yet)
AP Spanish 3
SAT Math 690, Writing 660, Reading 630 Essay 11
Math level 2 640
Spanish Sat2 580
Biology sat2 700
National Honor Society
Lacrosse
Junior Statesman
Black Belt
Cello and Trumpet
Tons of volunteer hours
Will retake Sat and Sat2
Summer science courses taken mostly in Computer Programming (twice) and six weeks in Mexico school.
Thanks for any help</p>
<p>I think that your child has strong extracurriculars, and I believe that CMU likes to see students with an athletic background, even if they don't plan on continuing to play varsity sports. However, I'm not sure if anything falls in the category of 'leadership,' which may hurt him/her.</p>
<p>His/her SAT scores are significantly below the average for SCS (696 V, 751 M in 2004), so this may affect his/her chances. Though I'm not sure of the average on SAT Math2, I also think that his/her score probably falls below average.</p>
<p>The computer science program is fairly math-intensive. 15-251, generally considered the hardest class taken by computer science majors, is actually a math class taught by the computer science department. It has an emphasis on proof writing and finding the right way to approach a problem. I think this runs counter to the impression many high school students get that computer science is just programming (I was one of them). I would suggest that your child consults google to figure out what discrete math is, because many people don't know what they're getting into and have a tough time with computer science here because of its focus on big ideas and theory.</p>
<p>If you have any particular questions about the computer science program, I'd be happy to (try to) answer them. I'm a sophomore computer science major, with a possible double major in cognitive science. Sadly, I don't have a magic ball that will tell me what admissions decisions will be.</p>
<p>Is 15-251 really considered the hardest CS class a CS major takes, or did you mean the hardest CS class taken during freshman year? I dunno, from reading course descriptions on tcpulse.com, there were some pretty difficult(moreso than 251) sounding courses.</p>
<p>Actually, what I really like about CS at CMU is that it's not only programming focused, but also has alot of theoretical classes.</p>
<p>Computer science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes. -Dijkstra</p>
<p>A lot of CS majors also seem to complain about 15-211...</p>
<p>I like the theoretical basis, but some people don't- it's an issue of what CS program is best for a student's interests. I suggest reading about discrete math so that Futurehold's kid knows what a large portion of CMU's CS curriculum is. Other schools are better for a more computer-engineering focus, which you only get at CMU if you take classes in ECE and/or double major.</p>
<p>I didn't find 15-251 that bad (I was having more issues in physics), but it's the first class in which many people see low grades, and some aren't comfortable enough with the material from 21-127 to do well. By the time people get to harder classes, like OS (15-410), the ones that couldn't pass 15-251 have switched majors, people are used to seeing low grades, and students have enough of a background to do well.</p>
<p>The problems with 15-211 are, uh, administrative. Plus, last semester they tried out a new assignment on us that ended up being much more work than they thought it would be. Future classes won't be having fun with that assignment. Also, exam grades are low, but I think final grades get curved quite a bit.</p>
<p>Programming is such a small part of Computer Science. While I'm not a CS major, I know a good amount about it. (I read a lot, and I am considering a double major in CS). </p>
<p>After you learn the semantics of a language, CS has nothing to do with programming. The beauty of CS is the abstraction. For example: when you can turn a series of networks into "graphs" (not cartesian coordinate graphs, CS graphs). Graphs are basically dots (or nodes) which represent computers and lines which represent how they're connected. A mathematical algorithm is found to find the fastest way to get from dot A to dot B (or computer A to computer B) and is then translated into the programming language and used in a network to transfer data-packets. Abstraction is what CS is all about.</p>
<p>Computer Science has more to do with science than with computers.</p>
<p>Thanks for the information
He is going to work on the SAT 1 and 2 scores since those were taken Junior year. This fall he'll be in
AP CAlculus a/b
Honors Physics
AP Psychology
Bioethics
Expository Writing
Required PE
Government/Econ
probably local youth orchestra</p>
<p>I noticed that you posted the same on the Rice board. I don't know how familiar you and your child are with Rice and CMU, but some general information comparing the two. (I'm from Houston, decided to not go to Rice since it's close to home, but I'm here for summer research).</p>
<p>Rice is a much smaller school than CMU, with about half the undergrads, though the campus is physically a bit bigger. The CS program at Rice takes about 35 undergrads per year, while CMU takes 130-140. Both are good schools that encourage interdisciplinary research and are friendly to double majors outside of science and engineering. They have very similar locations, in my opinion- in the city but not downtown, surrounded by nice residential areas and with close by upscale shopping. I suggest taking the time to write a really strong essay for Rice, because they really do use a "holistic" process and don't consider SATs past a certain number (however, I have no idea what that number is).</p>
<p>And USC... is a very nice school (I considered going there, too). I think he definitely has a better chance of being accepted there. Make sure you don't miss the scholarship application deadline. To be considered for merit aid, you have to apply several months earlier. They actually look at the 'quick takes' part of the application. I don't know how much it matters, but they do read it.</p>
<p>All three have very different feels- if possible, visit before applying or after acceptance.</p>
<p>Edit: You might also want to consider Case Western Reserve. I know a bunch of people who applied there, but chose to go other places.</p>
<p>750's on all the SAT and SAT2 sections would help.... a lot.
Also, some people find the ACT easier, and CMU honors both.</p>
<p>Otherwise, I think that it might be unreasonable to shoot for CMU CS, considering it's the most difficult college to get into. A 3.5 GPA isn't exactly a selling point. He may have a better chance at CIT (engineering) if he's into that.</p>
<p>KrazyKow -- thanks for the additional info. That was very helpful to hear (even if I wasn't the OP-- sorry, I don't mean to hijack your thread). My son is also looking at Rice and CMU for ECE. He'll visit CMU in the fall for a sleeping bag weekend, but he's had a lot of exposure to Rice, as he's been doing research all summer for a CS professor at Rice. He loves it, but thinks it might be a little too close to home for him. Although he's not sure if he'd adjust to the Pittsburgh weather. [His stats: 2250 SAT (760 CR/750 Math/740 W) SAT II - Math 2:800; Physics 740; USH 720; Chem 700] We're also going to visit Stanford and USC in a few weeks. </p>
<p>How has your adjustment been to Pittsburgh? When I do college fairs for CMU I tell the Houston folks how CMU is situated similar to Rice -- close to downtown, but without an urban feel. It's funny you picked up on that too.</p>
<p>I've been fine with Pittsburgh, but when I was in elementary school I lived in Ohio, so I was sort of used to snow. Most people who aren't used to it seem to tough it out. Just make sure that he gets a nice, warm winter coat (which can be quite hard to buy in Houston). When I applied to Rice, I never seriously considered going to school there, just because I wanted to get out of Houston. Unlike at Rice, many of the students at CMU aren't from the area (a bunch from the Philadelphia suburbs and various places in New Jersey) so everyone is in the away-from-home thing together, which makes it easier.</p>
<p>It's very easy for undergrads to get involved in research at CMU. Generally, people find about 5 professors they'd be interested in working for, e-mail them all, and at least one responds. Most I know people work for credit or nothing during the year and get paid well enough during the summer that they can live on it. Sounds like that would please your son, blackeyedsusan.</p>
<p>I highly recommend sleeping bag weekend (and owl weekend, and USC's whatever-they're-called prospective student weekends). However, they're not very comparable. Rice invites all of their accepted students to two weekends (Friday-Sunday), which considerably increases the number of students on campus. Also, they make sure there's all sorts of things going on like concerts and plays and improv comedy shows. I found it to be a lot of fun, but it was a slightly misleading picture of Rice. In contrast, CMU has one a month for any seniors until April, when accepted students can spend any night of the week with a student. The sleeping bag weekends until April are all Sunday-Monday so visitors see a real night at CMU- a bunch of students studying, and very few organized activities. Tell your son to explore campus himself if he stays with someone who has to spend most of the evening studying. Sleeping bag weekends tend to come at bad times for current students.</p>
<p>To add:
Give me a private message if your son does come up to CMU for sleeping bag weekend. Being a sophomore in ECE I can take him to my ECE courses if he has the time.</p>