<p>How difficult is it to get into the HCII? I know you have to apply and they only take so many from each school, so is it very difficult to get in?</p>
<p>Copy-pasting from the HCI admissions site with this year’s admission stats:</p>
<p>"In 2012 we admitted ony 5 of the 25 freshman who applied. (20%); their average GPA was 3.6. If you apply as a freshman, but do not get in, please reapply as a sophomore.</p>
<p>… In 2012, we admitted 20 students of 45 sophomores and juniors who applied (44%). Their average GPA was 3… We will also admit juniors, provided they can fit the required courses into their schedule. In 2012 we admitted 3 of 14 juniors (21%)." (the sophomore/junior GPA is actually not written correctly but I believe it’s 3.4 or 3.5)</p>
<p>They take 6 people from each H&SS, CFA, and SCS, which leaves 7 slots open for people from other schools. </p>
<p>It doesn’t seem like it’s that hard to get in with stats like those, but that’s because it’s not an incredibly well-known program (at least not for undergrad, probably because it’s only available as a second major there) and also because the students that do apply have very good grades.</p>
<p>Do you have any more specific questions about HCI?</p>
<p>That was really helpful - thanks! </p>
<p>Would you consider it a less intensive program than a straight cs major, or is it about the same?</p>
<p>Hi, junior HCI student here. I’ve just completed my capstone course in the program.</p>
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<p>On the contrary, CMU’s HCI is arguably the most respected HCI undergrad degree in the world, and I’ve yet to meet a student who didn’t know what HCI was. The dlist is constantly getting spammed with requests to hire HCI students. Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Yahoo, Microsoft, and dozens of other design firms are competing for our grads pretty much daily. </p>
<p>It’s a fairly time intensive program, but in very different ways. CS encourages very difficult and time-consuming assignments where the professor or TA grades harshly. On the other hand, HCI is very competitive internally. We are all students who performed very well in our individual majors, and every HCI class is presentation based, so people are usually trying to out-do their peers in terms of who can give the nicest, glossiest presentations or do the best work. (This is a similar mentality to what’s seen in the School of Design, and many HCI students are also design students.) There’s a lot of pressure to set the bar high and do really quality stuff, so that’s probably the most difficult part. You’re not competing for grades but rather for respect amongst your peers, which is a little more intangible.</p>
<p>HCI also is the most group work-intensive major I can think of at CMU. I’m currently in my capstone (a semester-long group project) and Basic Interaction (which consists of 3 group projects with different teams) and both have been EXTREMELY rigorous in terms of learning to work with people and develop strong team skills. You are also constantly getting reviewed by your peers, and your performance on a team is factored into your assignment grades. </p>
<p>I love HCI and I’m so glad I did the program, so I highly recommend that you apply. Keep in mind you have a higher chance of being accepted if you take a lot of the prereqs freshman year – communication design fundamentals, cognitive psych, intro to statistics and an introductory CS course are the usual four requirements.</p>
<p>I told my S to check out HCI - this is all for him. I think it’s something he would be interested in.</p>
<p>My only issue with it (as well as just about everything else at CMU) is the lack of certainty. He MIGHT be able to transfer into SCS, and he MIGHT be able to get into the HCI program. I think it’s awful that there’s so much uncertainty about what you’ll be able to study and what path you can take after you spend so much time and money getting admitted there. It makes CMU much less desirable I think. You want to be able to go to a college that will allow you to explore as much as you want and major in what you choose. But all these variables may push S to choose another school entirely.</p>
<p>What are all your thoughts on this?</p>
<p>@megan12 - I just sent you a PM.</p>
<p>Hopefully that will tip the scale and hear you say - GO TARTAN :).</p>