<p>I have been accepted to the Math major in MCS and waitlisted for SCS. I plan to double major in Math and CS, essentially regardless of where I go (it's down to Vanderbilt, CMU, or Harvey Mudd), so I likely won't go to CMU unless I can get into the CS program. Given my high school record, which was really atrocious for the first two years, I doubt I'll get into SCS, although I have opted to stay on the waitlist.</p>
<p>However, the CMU alumna who interviewed me that she had a friend who was accepted only to the math major, but was able to double major in math and CS anyway, after going to CMU as a math major. My question are: A) supposing that I were to do very well (I'd bet I could be near or at the top of the class, to whatever extent that's possible as a freshman) starting in the math program at CMU, how reasonably can I expect to be able to enter the CS program and B), assuming I were able to do so, would not starting off in the program make it significantly more difficult to manage both majors (since I'm assuming that there are freshman CS courses I wouldn't be able to take as a math major)?</p>
<p>I've spoken with my math professor (I'm taking math and physics classes at Vanderbilt), who did his PhD at CMU a few years back, and he said that he didn't think very highly of CMU's math program, especially for undergrads. In fact, he said that Vanderbilt's was likely stronger, and Harvey Mudd's definitely stronger (and he didn't seem biased towards Vanderbilt as his current institution). On the other hand, he agreed that Vanderbilt's CS program didn't even compare with CMU's, so the latter would be better if I were to double major.</p>
<p>Thanks,
A very tired and stressed senior</p>
<p>There are no restrictions to what classes you take. If you are double majoring, the only advantage to actually being in the cs department is that you are 100% guarenteed to get into the intro classes. But really it isn’t that hard to get into whatever classes that you want, as long as your not to picky about teachers/times. I know of one cs teacher who guarentees that everyone who wants into his class can get in, going so far as to moving the class to a bigger room so people could get off the waitlist. </p>
<p>Also, funny thing, basically everyone who goes to cmu is required to take intro programming, and alot of math-related majors require some of the higher cs courses as well. </p>
<p>Also, about double majoring, no restrictions there either. You should look at one of my other posts about it.</p>
<p>Thanks for the response. So it doesn’t really make any difference which school you’re in for major purposes? That seems a bit strange, given the selectivity of the CS majors as compared to the MCS majors and the organization of the application, which seemed to suggest that you were applying to a specific major.</p>
<p>So suppose if I was in H&SS and I took all the required courses for a computer science degree. You’re saying I could graduate with a bachelors degree in computer science without being admitted to the School of Computer Science???</p>
<p>Er, ok, it does matter, but when you double major you effectively sidestep the entire application proccess. </p>
<p>Also, transfering between college is actually alot easier than the admission department makes it out to be (excluding special programs). For example, the hardest one to transfer into is, of course, the cs department. But I’ve been flatly told by teachers + and some of the cs advisors that as long as you get a B in 15-211 and do ok in everything else, your pretty much automatically in. </p>
<p>My guess is that the admissions department doesn’t tell people this stuff because they don’t want people applying for the easier schools and then just double majoring in cs. (since theres no restrictions on double majoring), or just transfering.</p>
<p>edit: to steelersngators: no, you would have to double major. But there are ways to double major with only taking a few additional classes. One thing that people commonly do is double major in IS and CS. Because IS is alot easier to get into, but there is still alot of overlap.</p>