Hello all,
I am currently a junior in high school. CMU is my dream school. I want to major in CS or CE, and I was wondering if you guys could tell me if I am on the right track for admission, early decision.
Academics: UW GPA 9-10: 3.51 (I know, really low, honestly causes me a great deal of stress). My UW this year will be a 4.0 or very, very close to it, but it doesn’t appear it will bring it up much :(.
Test scores: Took the ACT without studying, got a 30C. Confident I can get it up to 33 or higher by the time its time for me to apply. Also confident I can get a 800 on Math II SAT and 750+ on either physics/chem.
ECs (this is where I hope I can make up for my crappy GPA):
- Intern at very respected software company. I also attended a selective summer program hosted by said company
- Started business with app in the app store.
- Apple WWDC Scholar
- President of school physics club
- President of school robotics club
- IT certifications and other minor things.
I will probably also get into a selective program for this summer (I know this sounds cocky, but I truly think I can).
I also plan to have a interview when the time comes and attend the sleeping bag weekend (could anyone tell me when the registration for this usually opens?).
If you guys have any insight or advice, please say it.
Thanks!
CMU doesn’t really consider your freshmen year grades, so what’s your GPA without freshman year? Anyway, what’s done is done and the only thing you can do now is get stellar grades to try to raise it. Also, are you taking any AP or honors classes? I would say that you need to have AP Calculus AB and AP Computer Science A at the very minimum, and maybe some kind of advanced physics class.
A lot of what you have is preliminary because you haven’t completed your standardized testing. It’s a bit soon to tell without having your final scores. Your ECs look great though! CMU PreCollege seems to help a lot of applicants who are borderline (like weak in one area, e.g. high GPA and low test scores or vice versa) and is a great way to show interest (which they take pretty seriously), but it comes with a hefty price tag. It’s also a great way to get a taste of CMU and make sure it’s the one for you. Perhaps weigh the pros/cons of this program with whatever selective program you’re considering.
One thing that I wish I had done earlier is starting my college app essays. Since you already know you want to go to CMU, why not get started on the essays for it? I know it seems really early, but find a trusted teacher or hire a good college counselor to look over your essays now, and I think you’ll have a huge advantage when the time for college apps come around. An essay that you’ve been working on for a couple months will almost always come out better than an essay that you threw together in a few weeks. At least get started brainstorming topics for your common app essay and the CMU supplement.
As a disclaimer, I’m a senior who applied ED to CMU CIT, so I don’t know if I got in. Personally, CMU is a reach for me and I’m aware that I’m a below average applicant (my GPA sucks) so maybe take all I’m saying with a grain of salt. But this is all based on what I’ve learned from lurking on CC for the past three years and the CMU forum here for the past couple months. Good luck!
@jyinsanity Thanks for the reply! I really appreciate it. By the time I apply, without freshman year, my UW GPA will be around a 3.63. I have consistently taken the harder courses at my school. This year, I am taking AP English, Honors Chemistry, Robotics, Religion (required), AP Physics C, and Calc 1 at my local community college (will take Calc 2 next semester). My school doesn’t offer any computer science classes.
I am actually applying to CMU precollege, and will probably attend if I can get into any more desirable programs.
Do you know where I can find the essay prompts for CMU? Is it the same every year?
Again, thanks for the reply, I appreciate it!
Your course load sounds really good. As for the lack of computer science classes, have you considered self-studying for the AP Computer Science test? The language covered is Java, and if you already know a couple programming languages (and especially if you’ve already made an app) then you might already know it or it will be pretty easy to pick up. CMU accepts a 5 on the exam for course credit, so that could be really helpful for you if you do end up attending. I think it’s also helpful to have on your application (you can self-report scores on the Common App).
CMU only requires one supplement, and the prompt is the same every year. Selena731’s FAQ is really helpful, and s(he) even includes some tips on how to write this. Here’s the prompt:
Please submit a one page, single-spaced essay that explains why you have chosen Carnegie Mellon and your particular major(s), department(s) or program(s) relevant work plans and any other information you would you like us to know. This essay must be no longer than one page, single spaced (no word count limit).
As for the Common App, there are four different prompts you can choose from. I think a quick Google search should bring it up pretty easily because these are also the same every year.