Chances, yeah.

Colleges & Universities A-Z Carnegie Mellon University
1

<p>I'm throwing in an application somewhat late because my dad wants me to, and because I really like this place. :**)</p>

<p>GPA: I'm not sure. My high school sets it at 87 (we don't weight) but one of my acceptance letters included a scholarship for students with a GPA >3.5. So let's go with the 3.5, eh? My COLLEGE GPA, though, from all of my dual-credit classes, is a 3.8. I hope that means something.</p>

<p>Caucasian female, great essays and recommendations. I'm applying for the foreign language and biological science departments, got recs from both teachers and high grades in both of them. However, I don't have SAT II's due to circumstances out of my control. I took SUPA biology at college credit level and have six years' worth of languages. On the other hand, I have numerous C's on my transcript -- in gym, and math, and chemistry, because I am horrible at math and unathletic (but gym is usually removed for GPA recalculation, anyway). More than that, I want to minor in music. Does anybody know if that requires an audition?</p>

<p>SAT -- 1940. Ehhhhh. 660 CR, 730 W, 550 M. Trend, anyone?</p>

<p>Extracurricular activities
Art Club, 2006-2007
Concert Band, 2005-2009
>>Flute section leader, 2007-2009
Drama Club [stage crew], 2007 and 2009
Foreign Language Club [president], 2007-2008
Fulton County Music Education Association (FCMEA) All-County Symphonic Band, 2007-2009
Jazz Band, 2009
Key Club, 2006
Marching Band, 2005-2009
“Masterminds’” academic team, 2007-2009
>>Junior Varsity Co-Captain, 2007-2008
>>Varsity Co-Captain, 2008-2009
>>Vice President, 2008-2009
Media Center Club, 2005-2006
Mock Trial, 2009
New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) Solo Competition, 2007-2009
Pep Band, 2005-2009
Saratoga Springs Youth Wind Ensemble, 2008-2009
>> Second chair, 2008
Science Olympiad, 2005
Students of the World Pen Pal Program, 2007-2009
The Leader Herald “Teen Vox” Editorial [journalist], 2007-2009</p>

<p>Volunteer experience
Band pancake breakfast fundraiser, April 2008
Band pie sale fundraiser, November 2006-2007
Key Club’s Halloween Haunted House, October 2006
Kingsway Arms Retirement Community, 2008-2009
Media center organizing, 2005-6 school year
REACH Work Camp, July 2006
St. Joseph’s Church Festival, August 2008</p>

<p>Awards received
Foreign Language Student of the Month, December 2005
High honor roll, 2006-2007, 2008
Honor roll, 2005-2008
NYSSMA Solo Competition
>>83% (B-grade), level V, 2007
>>86%, (B-grade), level VI, 2008
Syracuse University Project Advance Certificate of Achievement
>>90+ average in Intro to Biology 123, 2008
>>Successful completion of Intro to Biology 121-123, 2008</p>

<p>Need anything else? Be brutally honest for my chances, please. :D</p>

2

<p>Aren’t two SAT subject tests required? Even if it’s not mandatory, one would imagine you’d be at a significant disadvantage.</p>

3

<p>I know. I’m hoping that if I contact them and explain my circumstances, they’ll let me send the scores in late. :/</p>

4

<p>Bring up my post?</p>

5

<p>You have a lot of Music credentials which really blends in well as a scientist during the decision process. </p>

<p>Your SAT scores are kind of low, but CMU doesn’t really stress it that much. They say, school grades first, then extras then standardized testing. They also are looking for students that have an appeal to them, started something no one else has done, etc.</p>

<p>Your GPA is also borderline, which is okay. I’ve seen statistics for CMU that go ALL over the place.</p>

<p>I predict maybe a 60% chance?</p>

6

<p>You know, 60% is good enough for me. If I put a ton of work into my essay, maybe it will help to prove that I am a motivated student (my grades were dung freshman year, but have generally improved and I take unweighted honors classes). I’m working in the “love of learning for learning’s sake” into my essay, yea or nay?</p>

<p>Thanks for the time. I appreciate your help!</p>

7

<p>Bring up my post, again? I like lots of opinions. :x</p>

8

<p><em>Prods thread persistently</em></p>

9

<p>I’m nervy! Bump!</p>

10

<p>Applying for HSS (thats where foreign languages are) I would give you probably a 50%</p>

<p>Applying for MCS I would give you a 30% based on the low math and chem scores (transcript Cs are going to raise a red flag with admissions at a school as selective as CMU, so have an explanation or a recovery). </p>

<p>Your music interests may help you since CMU loves the meshing of science and music, but no, you don’t need to audition now if you want to minor. I believe an audition may be required when you apply for the minor though.</p>

11

<p>yeah what school are you applying to?</p>

12

<p>I placed HSS as my first choice and MCS as my second. I figure, well, if I don’t get into MCS, I can always re-apply to transfer if I do get in to HSS. Do you know if one can dual major in both schools? My humanities grades have always, always been high – I’ve only ever gotten one B+ in a foreign language, and only a few in English, 96 in AP Psych, etc. I got recs from two humanities teachers and two science teachers. Where, potentially, could I place an explanation for my low math scores?</p>

<p>I also have extenuating circumstances for my low GPA: my mother had cancer freshman year, and then went and tried to kill herself repeatedly during junior year. I just don’t know where or how to work it in, and I’m almost positive that my guidance counselor didn’t mention it in her rec.</p>

13

<p>Thats really something your guidance counselor should have put in their letter, but if they didn’t you could probably include it in the ‘any extra info’ section of the writing part of the common app.</p>

<p>Thats definitely a valid reason for grade slips, so you should make sure CMU knows that.</p>

<p>

Modern Languages, at least, is in HSS. Bio Sciences is in MCS.</p>

14

<p>I can’t believe that I didn’t include that anywhere else. I’m definitely going to add a note about that. Should it be long or no?</p>

15

<p>I’d say as long as it needs to be, but not an essay.</p>

<p>Thats an intense struggle and theres no reason to sugarcoat it.</p>

16

<p>Since there is plenty of writing to analyze, I won’t be taking up too much of your time; I simply feel the need to explain the numerous grade-slips on my transcript. My grades, for freshman and junior years, are not truly representative of my intellect or work ethic. As a freshman in high school, my mother was dealing with (and survived!) breast cancer, and being fourteen and angsty, my work ability suffered. Again during my junior year, she was institutionalized for extended periods on two occasions, this time for attempted suicide, and while I had turned my act around considerably between the ninth and eleventh grades, her episodes often required going to the hospital for long periods of time in the evenings, so much so that even to pull all-nighters was very difficult to complete eight hours’ worth of assignments when this often entailed walking in the door at nine or ten at night. And what sort of person would not be worried by the status of her mother’s mental health, her potential life and death? I was shaken by these problems, but I hope that my grades at least reflect that I have tried my hardest to succeed in high school post-ninth grade. Learning is the one thing that I am indeed most passionate about in life, and after these hardships, I have learned to put my nose down and work, work, work!</p>

<p>Too much?</p>

17

<p>I think that sounds good, but I’m far from the best person to ask about how to phrase stuff like that on the application.</p>

<p>I think the important part is that you get the information to them, because the admissions officers are humans too.</p>

18

<p>Well, you did get in, and you have given me some good information, so I trust your opinion. I do try to appeal to their human side, so we’ll see how it goes.</p>

<p>Thanks for all of the help, I really appreciate it.</p>

19

<p>I’d skip the reference to all-nighters, but otherwise I think the explanation is fine.</p>

20

<p>Mathmom – that was the part I was concerned with, too. Okay, will do. Thank you.</p>