Chances for SCS

Colleges and Universities A-Z Carnegie Mellon University
1

<p>I'd appreciate if anybody with insight as to what CMU looks for can give me some feedback. Thanks.</p>

<p>GPA: 3.5 cumm.
(9th - 2.7, 10th - 3.7, 11th - 4.1)</p>

<p>SAT I: M-710, CR-690, W-650
(I'm taking this again in October, I expect the scores to improve as there were some extenuating circumstances when I took my last test. :-/)</p>

<p>I will take SAT Subject Tests in Math 2, Physics, and US History. I can probably expect over 700 in Math, 650+ in Physics, and 750+ in US History.</p>

<p>I've kept a pretty strenous set of classes in school. During 9th and 10th grade, I took almost all of the honors classes that were offered to me (6/8).</p>

<p>11th Grade
AP US History - 5
AP CompSci AB - 5
AP English Lang - 3
Physics, Trig/Math Analysis, French 3, Business Mgmt.</p>

<p>12th Grade (intended courses)
AP US Govt.
AP Eng Lit/Comp
AP Physics C
AP Calculus AB
AP Macro/Microeconomics
Computer Systems Tech (A+ cert class)</p>

<p>Not a whole lot of EC's.
Business Honor Society, Future Business Leaders of America, Programming/Computer Club.
Youth Group at church and a couple weeks of volunteer work during the summer.</p>

<p>I've got a few academic achievements as well.
Honor Roll (10th, 11th, 12th), AP Scholar (expected), Academic Letter (for over 3.8 GPA during prev. year, expected), Business Student of the Quarter (2x), Award for Academic Achievement in AP US History (highest grade point in the class).</p>

<p>If you think I have absolutely no chance at SCS, I'd be interested to hear what you think about my chances at CIT (CS vs CE). Thank you.</p>

2

<p>Your GPA will definitely hurt you and your SATs should be higher. Without your new scores, essays, or real E.C's (as you say you dont' have a lot) I can only say SCS and ECE will be a reach for you. Good luck though and raise those scores.</p>

3

<p>Hey tb2588, you can apply to multiple schools at CMU. So I'd recommend applying to both SCS and CIT. CIT is a little easier to get into than SCS, but I think both would be reaches for you. Your GPA (especially grades from freshman year) are going to raise eyebrows and your SAT scores would be in the bottom 25% for SCS. It is still worth applying however if you are interested; just make sure you have safeties you'd be happy with. If CMU is your #1 choice, consider applying early. That may help you though I believe you can apply early to only one school (so you'd have to choose between SCS and CIT).</p>

<p>Best of luck in the college process and feel free to ask any more questions you might have.</p>

4

<p>Im a current SCS student. One thing i can say to you is to work on SAT math. Not many SCS freshmen took and passed AP Computer Science Exam AB, but almost all of them are extremely good at math. For example, 1/3 or so incoming freshmen got perfects on SAT math. The hardest courses freshmen take are 21-127(fall) and 15-251(spring), which are proof based math courses; honestly, if you cannot handle SAT math, there is no way you will survive...</p>

5

<p>The AP score on the Computer Science exam will look impressive, but I still think that the GPA will really hurt (probably hurt more than the math SAT score).</p>

6

<p>I know my cumulative GPA is low by CMU standards; however, considering my GPA improved significantly in 10th and 11th grade while taking fairly difficult course loads, I hope that will offset the fact that it was only my 9th grade GPA that was low and caused my cumulative GPA to be so low.</p>

<p>Also, I definately think I'll see an improvement in my SAT math score. I took the three practice tests from the offical SAT book (through a SAT prep course) and scored 740-770.</p>

7

<p>You know that a 710 can mean missing as few as 3 questions... would you question someone's math ability based on that?</p>

8

<p>CMU might, yes. Also how do you get 3 questions? It changes every year and missing one or two questions usually still results in a 800 if I remember correctly from my practice tests.</p>

<p>For his SAT subject tests the op said "I can probably expect over 700 in Math". I don't know if the grading has changed but if it hasn't, there is no reason you should not get a 800 on the SAT II Math. You can miss quite a few questions on the SAT II Math and still get a 800. </p>

<p>Finally, this is 2006 and Carnegie Mellon is a rising top school that is ranked #1 Comp Sci. The University's OVERALL 20% increase in apps meant 18,000+ apps for over a thousand spots. "Competitive" is the key word in today's college applications and SCS should be selective. </p>

<p>With all that said, definitely apply and I think you have a shot. Like Mr. SCS said up there, 1/3 of SCS get 800s in math.</p>

9

<p>A friend of mine told me (who goes there) that SCS is by far the hardest school to get into in CMU. He himself had like a 3.6-3.7 GPA and got into CIT, but he said those who are in SCS have insane grades and SAT scores. However, I still think you get in (with better SATs). The rise in GPA can show them you can work hard, and the difficulty of your subjects is easily seen.</p>

10

<p>According to CMU's undergraduate admission page, the middle 50 % Math SAT score range for students accepted into SCS in 2006 was 720-800. The average GPA was 3.77.</p>

11

<p>I do think CMU may give some consideration to your gpa being a bit low mainly because of freshman grades. Still, even though your grades 10th and 11 and coursework are excellent, most SCS kids have top grades, plus higher SATs, and by your own admission your ECs don't stand out. I wouldn't say you have no chance, just you'd do best to consider SCS (and probably ECE) a reach even if you score upper 700's math. If you're female that would help (though standards are the same).</p>

12

<p>I did only get three wrong and ommitted one on the SAT-M.</p>

<p>I met with a represenative from CMU on Tuesday. He mentioned that CMU doesn't consider 9th grade GPA/grades in their GPA calculation. I assumed this meant they look at the transcript and calculate a GPA that is consistent for all students (i.e. look at the student's school's grading school and appropriate the proper scores). I'll have to look into this more.</p>

<p>collegefreak - SCS is the hardest in terms of the average GPA and SAT of accepted students, however Tepper (business) passed SCS in selectivity. Tepper accepted 17% of applicants this year versus SCS's 21% acceptance rate.
SCS recieved 1,912 applications, accepted 409 and enrolled 141 this year.</p>

13

<p>No, as much as I love Tepper I believe SCS was a bit more selective this year. The SAT range is higher and so is the GPA %. Also Tepper's web site says 19% was accepted. Either way, they're very competitive as well as scores/gpa goes.</p>

14

<p>Hey guys. Just got SAT scores back for OCT: </p>

<p>M-750
CR-740
W-650</p>

<p>I guess since CMU recalculates GPA w/o 9th grade, my GPA for 10th and 11th would actually be about 3.75 uw (just including core english, math, social studies, science grades.. if my two CS classes are included in that calculation it would probably be over a 3.8).</p>

<p>Also, my county's grading scale is a little bit stricter than others, so that might mean my real GPA is higher than someone with the same nominal GPA.</p>

<p>A (4.0) -- 93.5-100
B+ (3.5) -- 89.5-93.5
B (3.0) -- 83.5-89.5</p>

<p>So my GPA is realistically in the mid-90th percentile. Dunno, if that goes into consideration, I think it would help my chances.</p>

15

<p>Hey tb2588, congratulations on raising your SAT scores. I think that your chances seem strong now as long as CMU doesn't consider freshman year grades.</p>