<p>High school: 2 APs, 93/100 "GPA" (school didn't the grade point average system), some honors classes, a few extracurriculars.</p>
<p>College (I am a freshman at penn state in the Comp Sci. major):</p>
<p>GPA so far: 3.63
-participated in 2 clubs and am in a team.
-hope to be more active next semester ( I will still be a fresh because I started college in the spring of '07)</p>
<ul>
<li>volunteered during all summers since high school.</li>
</ul>
<p>SO, what are my chance? I know CM is a reach, but , in your opinion, what are my odds? Also, does CM require recommendations from college freshmen (I will have about 32 credits by the time I apply)?</p>
<p>i know their cmpsc program is extremely selective. you have a good chance of getting in..URM status should work in your favor and give you a 'slight' edge. Just get that G.P.A as high up as you can. A 3.63 is really good but as long as you can raise it, do so... and take the most challenging courses possible- try and take honors courses, do research, get to know professors so that they write you amazing recommendations,blah blah,etc.... I'm at PSU and i'm applying as a junior transfer to CMU...majoring in chem Engr. i'm also applying to Upenn and columbia. what other schools are you applying to?</p>
<p>I am taking one honors course next semester, and it is very demanding. I will also be talking calc II, so I don't want overload with more than 17 credits. My goal is to raise my gpa to a 3.8 by next semester, we will see...</p>
<p>So, have you taken any honors courses? from experience, it is very difficult to take them if you are not in schreyer as the honors coordinators will try very hard to persuade you to drop the course before the semester even starts.</p>
<p>Also, racnna, what is your GPA, and what have you been doing at psu?</p>
<p>My G.P.A is currently a 3.61. I really hope i can get it over a 3.7 by the time i apply. I havn't done much besides math and chem tutoring and i did an NSF REU research chem E internship after freshman year. I play musical instruments too and just started composing musicl but that's more like a hobby.</p>
<p>I am taking one honors course next semester, and it is very demanding. I will also be talking calc II, so I don't want overload with more than 17 credits. My goal is to raise my gpa to a 3.8 by next semester, we will see...</p>
<p>Yeah you can definitely get it over a 3.75 without overloading. And if you want to overload pick some easy gen ed honors course so that they wont think you were just looking for an easy A. Although IMO it's just as easy to get an A in a gen ed honors course as it is to get an A in a regular course</p>
<p>So, have you taken any honors courses? from experience, it is very difficult to take them if you are not in schreyer as the honors coordinators will try very hard to persuade you to drop the course before the semester even starts.</p>
<p>It's so funny you brought that up coz that happened to me this past semester. I was going to take chem 39H(honors orgo chem) and this teacher goes "If you didn't take chem 38H it's a pretty bold move enrolling in 39H'- so i drpped the class immediately- turns out the class was NOT HARD AT ALL!! in fact, it was much easier than the regular section. And only ONE person got below a 'B.' So don't let the coordinators dissuade you from taking honors courses. Seriously, they shouldn't even be telling you what to do.</p>
<p>Contrary to what many think, the honors courses are really not 'harder' than the regular sections at all- it's just a different kind of work. I've taken English 30H, Chem 13H, Theatre 105H and Chem 36H so far.</p>
<p>i have the same reasons as frasifrasi for wanting leave. And then some major-specific stuff like</p>
<p>large class sizes that don't even get small during senior year. It's been so hard for me to even concentrate/ stay motivated. We're given 'open book, open notes, open HW' chem E tests and it really demotivates me coz i dont feel like studying at all. I want to be challeneged.</p>
<p>Unflexible curriculum. Is highly structured and all chem E courses are offered once a year- so if you dont stick with the semester by semester curriculum for whatever reason, you automatically delay graduation by a year. Also there's too many restrictions as far as gen eds are concerned- have to take one course with the "IL'(international cultures) designation and one with the 'U.S' designation. I want more freedom and free electives. </p>
<p>And i gotta reiterate what frasifrasi said about the hardcore partying and the student body. Seriously, these kids party from wednesday night to sunday night. Seems like a 'fun' school but just not for me.</p>
<p>Common Application
Carnegie Mellon Common Application Supplement
Carnegie Mellon Supplement Essay
Personal Statement Essay
Applicant Personal Evaluation Form or School Report (from Common Application)
An official high school transcript
*Teacher Recommendation *
Official SAT Reasoning Test or ACT with Writing results and SAT Subject Test score reports (if applicable, see Test Requirements and official TOEFL or IELTS score report (see International Applicants). </p>
<p>SO you need just one teacher recommendation. Which is why it would really help to take a small honors course where the professor can really get to know you. You ace all his tests and participate and he'll definitely give you a amazing rec. Plus honors teachers tend to have really good reputations(that its went to really good schools...have done some really substantive research projects,etc.</p>
<p>Racnna, thank you very much for that information. So, what happened, you reregistered for the class(chem honors) after dropping it? Yeah, I realized that honors courses actually tend to be a lot more laid back and interactive, so I registered for phys 211h. As soon as I did that, someone from schreyer sent me a long email saying that this was an unwise move on my part as I "probably wasn't ready for it." I sent him a fairly extensive reply, but I just couldn't convince the guy. What can I say--I will be taking the class anyhow and try to get an A at all costs. It is much smaller and hopefully I will get to know the professor well and be motivated by equally diligent peers.</p>
<p>It is great thing to find you here, I am always looking for people here on cc who go to PSU and have the same ambitions as I. How long have you been at PSU for? Do you think you will get some good recommendations for those Ivys?</p>
<p>Best of luck and keep me updated. I think you have a fair chance at those schools, just make sure you have a few safeties. What is your major--have you thought of NYU?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Racnna, thank you very much for that information. So, what happened, you reregistered for the class(chem honors) after dropping it?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>No i took chem 3*6H(orgo lab). I dropped chem 39*H(orgo lecture)</p>
<p>
[quote]
Yeah, I realized that honors courses actually tend to be a lot more laid back and interactive, so I registered for phys 211h. As soon as I did that, someone from schreyer sent me a long email saying that this was an unwise move on my part as I "probably wasn't ready for it." I sent him a fairly extensive reply, but I just couldn't convince the guy. What can I say--I will be taking the class anyhow and try to get an A at all costs. It is much smaller and hopefully I will get to know the professor well and be motivated by equally diligent peers.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>yeah take it</p>
<p>
[quote]
It is great thing to find you here, I am always looking for people here on cc who go to PSU and have the same ambitions as I. How long have you been at PSU for? Do you think you will get some good recommendations for those Ivys?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I actually started out at a branch campus. I've been at UP for one semester. As for recs, i'll get one of my math professors to write me one, and one chem E professor.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Best of luck and keep me updated. I think you have a fair chance at those schools, just make sure you have a few safeties. What is your major--have you thought of NYU?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I don't think they offer chem E but yeah i have to find some safeties. WHat are your safeties?</p>
<p>I only have one--SUNY at Sb(Ny state school). I am very satisfied with my classes for next semester at PSU but the school isn't for me. I don't know where I will end up, but I must move on and get a fresh start. Next semester I follow the breeze to where it untimatelly leads. If i get more than one school, I will go to the most prestigious and closest to home.</p>
<p>Frasi, I remember from past posts you also were concerned about the cost of PSU. Keep in mind that financial aid is not available to international students at CMU, and the estimated cost of attendance is now over $45,000 per year.</p>
<p>You may find that at any school your in-major classes aren't very flexible if you're an engineer. In particular, I have a friend who is a mech e and has mentioned that his courses are very sequential and that messing up any one would delay his graduation by a year. Look at the course catalog to see if this is true of CMU: <a href="http://www.cmu.edu/esg-cat/%5B/url%5D">http://www.cmu.edu/esg-cat/</a></p>