<p>Did anyone else get this email?</p>
<p>Dear ___________,
Congratulations on your admission to Carnegie Mellon.</p>
<p>As the Director of the Science and Humanities Scholars Program,
I will be your primary academic advisor should you elect to enroll
in the SHS Program. The university provides a strong network of
additional advisors in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences,
the Mellon College of Science, and other academic units; advisors in
every department where you will study; and advisors dedicated to the
specialized needs of students preparing for careers in professions
such as law and health. In addition, there are offices dedicated
to assist you with fellowships, study abroad, residential life, and
academic development. Naturally you will also come to know faculty
and fellow students while you are here.</p>
<p>Because Carnegie Mellon is a small university, it holds the intimacy
of a liberal arts college combined with the scholarly active drive
of a research institution.</p>
<p>You have been invited to join the SHS Program because the university's
Office of Admission believes that you are quite likely to succeed
wherever you focus your studies from among the physical, biological,
and social sciences, and the humanities. However, having the aptitude
in these fields is different from having the interest. SHS students
are not required to major in interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary
fields, but they should be open to exploring both the sciences and
humanities, particularly at the onset of their education.</p>
<p>For someone who does have that capability and desire, SHS provides
the option for a shared residential-college living experience during
the first year, classes in which SHS students receive preference,
priority in choosing courses from both MCS and H&SS, flexibility
in choosing a major in either (or both) of those colleges, and
symposiums, lectures, and other events, often from student initiative.</p>
<p>College is filled with decisions, and your first step as a college
student
is to decide where to go. You will want to find a place that fits you
well,
providing opportunities and support for you to succeed while
challenging you.
I urge you to make a thoughtful decision about where to attend college,
and also consider whether the academic, residential, and social aspects
of
the SHS Program will suit you.</p>
<p>If you have questions, please feel free to email or call.</p>
<p>Sincerely,</p>
<p>William Alba, Ph.D.
Director, Science and Humanities Scholars Program
Carnegie Mellon University</p>