Cornell, Carnegie Mellon, MIT

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Well...I do have safety schools, but these three universities have pretty good computer stuff so I hope I could enter. Personally I would rather enter cornell than mit cos...mit seems so scary. plus cornell's college of art and science allows me to do all of my favorite subject at the same place.</p>

<p>Early Decision: Cornell</p>

<p>International student - HK - IB programme
Race: Asian
Major: Computer Science + Maths -> specifically pursuing computing theory and AI</p>

<p>SAT 2310
CR: 800
Math: 780
Writing: 730
SAT II
Physics 800
Math II 800</p>

<p>GPA: [school doesn't use GPA, so I converted myself]
9: 3.8
10: 4.0
11: 4.0
12: not yet</p>

<p>Class Rank:
9: 2/60
10: 2/50
11: [school doesn't use class rank after grade 10 because everyone has different subject combinations]</p>

<p>Stuff I took
[school doesn't offer computing]
IB - Math Higher Level - Predicted 7/7 - Rank 2nd in grade
IB - Physics Higher Level - Predicted 7/7 - Rank 1st in grade
IB - Music Higher Level - Predicted 7/7 (...not sure why i didn't take chem) - Rank 1st in grade</p>

<p>Not sure how IB system converts to honors...sorry</p>

<p>EC:
Leader in A'Cappella Vocal group of school
Leader in Camp Organizing group of school
Leader in Model UN group of school
Prizes and stuff:
Harvard Book Prize (my friend told me this is just a filler)
Piano ATCL diploma
Top in HK for Music IGCSE
Work exp:
Website design for company for two months during summer
Others:
took seven or eight courses on Coursera throughout the years, out of interest
typing software design for a needy school (not completed yet though)
design school's student card sensor for automatic signing in (not completed)
volunteer in sichuan for post-earthquake stuff - specifically, it's teaching children english
volunteer in needy school - taught them computer stuff</p>

<p>Sports:
Tennis 1 hour/week
Hiking 3 hours/week
both continued for 4 years
Gold Medal for 4x100 relay in 10th grade (school-wide) (but that's because the others pulled me up lol)
no team, no captain</p>

<p>I think it's good enough...Well I don't really have lots of prizes, and I'm not even part of the student council (cos in my school they do completely nothing), but I guess I'm ok. not sure what you guys think.</p>

<p>personally, i think, since cornell's early decision acceptance is around 25% (if i'm not wrong), my SAT scores and GPA should boost me to about 40%?</p>

<p>My guess:
MIT: 20%
Carnegie Mellon: 20%
Cornell (early): 35~40%</p>

<p>thanks :)</p>

2

<p>oh since carnegie mellon’s computer school is EXTREMELY tough, so I think it’s actually on the same level as MIT. yeah…</p>

3

<p>well, basically tbh I would like suggestions on whether I should focus on more varied activities, or focus on what I want to major in…</p>

<p>My essay topic…I guess I will talk about the challenges I faced when trying to make a camp for the students.
Basically, we decided to have a theme of Zombie Apocalypse for our camp. (lol) But because of various constraints we were limited quite a lot. From this, I learnt to hope high but not to expect too much from a thing.</p>

4

<p>You have a good shot just it’s chance , good luck . My son in same boat SAT is only 2249:(</p>

5

<p>2249…?</p>

<p>well, if you meant 2250, I definitely believe that’s more than sufficient. To be honest, to me, 2310 makes no difference from 2150. I just want to know if people could see my passion in computing and music from my ecs and so on.</p>

6

<p>“My guess:
MIT: 20%”</p>

<p>No! Less than 6-7%</p>

7

<p>Carnegie Mellon and Cornell definitely, I can see why you’d fit in and they’d love you! I don’t know anything about MIT, but my one teacher talks about the programs so I feel like you’d have a chance!</p>

8

<p>One thing that you have to look at as well is interviews, letters of recommendation, interest, exc.</p>

9

<p>@20more:</p>

<p>Well, don’t forget that the 93~94% includes people who don’t know their stuff. yeah…My counselor says that the 93~94% includes SAT 2100-, people who write their essay one-shot and send out, people who fail to submit on time. There’s also a luck factor because the applications are batch-processed. I’m sure my chances are raised because I have rather nice grades and scores and show profound interest in what I’m doing. However, the concern about MIT is that first: they are in an urban area which I’m sick and tired of (I really despise HK); second: although they promote their “all-roundedness”, friends from MIT still tell me they are still rather nerdy…well not to say I don’t like nerds, but I could never really fit in with nerds, cos I never read science fiction, never spent six hours just coding stuff…lol. All these will demote my chances.</p>

<p>@heatherian:</p>

<p>Thanks! Glad to know that people could easily see why I fit in their school! I guess that’s good for my application!</p>

<p>@Neumanme:
I’m not sure if interviews are essential. I’m planning to do an interview with a local alumni, but is that really essential?
For letter of recommendation, I’m planning to use Math and Physics. I’m pretty sure they’re gonna say that I’m the most enthusiastic student they have ever seen…(they said that in class), and has high potential. But on the downside they think that I’m a bit rash.
As for interest, I’m not too sure, but I do hope my interest in piano could help a bit. It’s a bit too generic, but I do compose piano music and have a degree…I really hope they wouldn’t just view my piano as another generic person stuff :frowning: I’m also interested in hiking…not sure how that helps.</p>

<p>Thanks all :)</p>

10

<p>bump.</p>

<p>Please give suggestions thanks :)</p>

11

<p>Hey, I think you have a very very good chance at Cornell especially ED…I would be surprised if they rejected you ED…I don’t know muh about CM, but MIT is a reach for anyone although I would say you are in the ballpark…good luck and do amazing on your essays :)</p>

12

<p>thanks for your encouragement! I really love Cornell not because it’s Ivy League but because it’s such a fit!</p>

13

<p>I think if you did ED to cornell, you’d prob get in
MIT is a crapshoot for everyone but you seem like a good candidate
CMU will be tricky depending on how much financial aid they need - if you can afford full tuition, if say it’s a low reach for you</p>

14

<p>There’s a big luck factor involved with MIT. Although you’re a good applicant, your main disadvantage is that you’re international. MIT is notorious for being nearly impossible to get into as an international student. I believe the admission rate for internationals is 3-4% with about 150 new freshman accepted each year from outside the US. Also, international students may be more serious about their applications than US students so your 93~94% argument doesn’t apply quite as much (fewer students not meeting deadlines, etc.). I just wanted to bring that to light, but I think you’re a great applicant. :slight_smile: I can see you getting accepted to Cornell and possibly Carnegie Mellon (although it’s still a reach for most CS applicants).</p>

15

<p>Yeah, I get that MIT doesn’t really “like” international applicants. That’s why I don’t really hold high hopes on it.</p>

<p>Thanks for your suggestions! :D</p>

16

<p>If you did ED Cornell i couldn’t see you getting rejected, maybe defered but it definitely looks like you got a good chance. (Your stats look great so id definitely say it comes down to your essays).</p>

<p>CMU is just strange, i’ve heard some weird decisions from them both ways.</p>

<p>As for MIT who knows, you either have to have something that makes you an incredible candidate (amazing hooks) or its just a lottery, academically your stats wont be a problem, yet neither are the majority of all the other applicants :/</p>

<p>Best of luck!</p>