Here is the reality, you will be blown away by some extremely smart kids who will be far more advanced in CS then you, but if CS is what you like to do, don’t worry about it. Yes you will take some lower grades, maybe even a D or two but you will learn CS and you may even catch up to some of those really smart coders (as unlikely as that may be). The single most important thing about writing code is actually how much you see/write code, and some kids will have written a LOT of code by the time they get to CMS. That is the reality of what you face, if you can ignore those who seemingly are way beyond your level, and do your best you’ll graduate from a very fine institution and no it won’t be with a 4.0.
The suggestion to contact the sororities is excellent. You can start now by contacting the adult chapters in your city and basically arranging a warm handoff. They will be proud to have an excellent student from their city heading to a fine college and you get to build a support systems.
Although this is the orthodox conventional wisdom in these forums, it is not optimal advice (although it may not be too relevant if you have 4 scores but CMU requires mostly 5 scores to skip the introductory course).
In cases where CMU allows your AP score to skip the introductory course, and you intend to take subsequent courses that depend on that course as a prerequisite, you can make a more informed decision about how well you know the material by trying the old final exam of the course that is allowed to be skipped. If it is difficult, you can repeat your AP credit, but if you know everything well, repeating would be a waste of time and tuition.
@deadgirl Read this recent thread, along the lines of yours:
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/duke-university/2140062-pre-med-gpa-at-duke.html
and then read her “chance me” post:
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/duke-university/2057610-chance-me-at-duke-rising-senior.html
There are a couple ways to interpret this. My way is that students who worry are the ones that will excel, because they don’t take anything for granted. Now you might think “OMG, this is my competition!”, which would also be reasonable. For self-preservation, you might want to avoid classes that pre-meds take, because they will be gunning for 'A’s. Having said that, I’m sure you will be fine.
Your peers (or “competition”) are unlikely pre-meds. First of all, you’re unlikely to run into them other than perhaps in intro CS and intro sciences classes. Secondly, pre-meds would themselves avoid classes that are primarily taken by SCS students. Lastly, if pre-meds are your competition, you’d be fine since you’re admitted into SCS which has tougher academic standards than for the pre-meds.
You should be cautiously confident. Use the summer months to brush up on subjects that you think you’re somewhat deficient. Math is the key to success at SCS. Don’t worry about coding yet, because that’s the easy part and also where the skill levels of freshmen are most disperse (some have years of programming experiences and others have none).
From what I’ve gathered so far from your threads, you have nothing to worry about. It’s not like you are some first generation poor black kid from inner city slum who is scared and feels like an imposter as he never had an advance class or opportunity in life. It doesn’t matter if you had AA advantage for admission, you have ability and resources to do well.
You have two Stanford educated parents, at least one of them has a PhD, rich grandparents, brother is an expensive prep school. You have more than $200K in your college account even though your mom spends lavishly. You have a full ride at UMD and some 20k/year FA at CMU. You took many AP courses, have a high SAT score, inflated but good GPA, participated and won in diversity science fairs. No need to feel insecure. You are over privileged not underprivileged.
If you want to be a big fish then just go to UMD, save money and live happily. As you mentioned having a therapist and getting blamed for aggressive behavior in past. It may better to go to a low stress environment. CMU is an intense place. Discuss it with your parents and therapist.
You’ll be fine. Perhaps your ego might take a hit from not being top dog but so isn’t everyone else except, well the top dog, at a school as good as cmu .
Enjoy the competition and the learning for learning’s sake.
Perhaps a bit of self reflection is needed. What is motivating you. Being held out as as special or being good at something in a practical sense. You may not receive the same adulation and satisfying sense of being lauded and praised as special as you have been to date. Who cares. Let that go and transform.
Become great as you can be and run with it.
You have gifts and if you are grateful for them you can find happiness outside of praise. You’re really bright. You have a great and supportive family. You’re going to the best school in the world for your major. You’ll have little financial worry. You can really write beautifully. However. Make peace with yourself and be honest with what’s driving your fear.
Is it really fear of failure or fear of being more ordinary than you’re used to feeling?
I don’t know.
On a side note.
But I think it’s too bad when people suggest their children has to give up all ecs and fun components of college to make it work. If makes me crazy actually. Life is short. College is not just about being a good coder. Yes it’s hard work first. There’s so much to learn and explore at a place like cmu. Don’t forget to smell the roses along the way. That’s what I would regret more at 50 than the b-
You’re worried that that you got in because of race. All that amounts to is speculation based entirely on fear. It’s not your job to speculate. That’s admissions job. They already did their job and made the decision to let you in. You have an opportunity to work hard and be successful right here and now. You’ll be surprised how much students don’t care. They’re going to be just like any other college student, worrying so much about their physics midterm, they won’t care about stuff like that.
I want to assure you that I’m not trying to be charitable or trying to placate you. Your academic record is well in line for admissions to CMU. There are many kids who are accepted to selective colleges with stats well below the averages because they have some special tag on their app whether it be Development, Athlete, Legacy, URM, Celebrity or anything that a college decided they want to have in their community. You are not in that number though your URM status would have made you possibly so eligible.
That is not to say, however, that you should not be concerned about the rigor of the program. IMO, in certain majors you find a larger number of kids who live and breathe the subject matter. Some of those kids may not even have the academic profile that you have in that they may be crazy genius in the field and lacking in other concerns. It’s tough when you are in a field that has a critical core of those types. CS in one of those fields that tends to get such students
I teared up reading your post and wish I could give you a big hug! You received wonderful advice from so many, so I will just reiterate that EVERYONE feels they are not good enough… everyone has these doubts. Some are just really good at concealing it. Do not be afraid of reaching out for help when you need it… ask questions, go to office hours. Don’t let your self doubt get in the way of your awesome potential and success. Best of luck to you!
I think, from reading your other threads, that a big issue with CMU CS is that you are wavering in the commitment it requires, not your ability to do the work.