<p>So we're nearing the college application process and I'm reading a number of threads asking questions about CMU social life, workload, etc. So I decided to clear up any questions that anyone has. As a new member of the Carnegie Class of 2013, I came into orientation having no idea what to expect of CMU. But I'm going to do my best to try to detail my time here so far.</p>
<p>In high school I was the social type-- I went to parties, had girlfriends, and overall I had a great time. When I was accepted at CMU I decided to enroll immediately because of the school's outstanding reputation in nearly every field. But as orientation approached, I began reading threads on CC and other sites talking about how terrible CMU's atmosphere is, how antisocial everyone is, etc. </p>
<p>Everything you've read is most likely the work of an overworked, introverted loner who wants to make himself feel better by venting on the internet. Let me tell you the truth about Carnegie.</p>
<p>Let's start with social life. I came in expecting to have a very difficult time finding parties. But so far, my only issue has been deciding which parties to go to-- it's pretty difficult trying to decide between 4 different parties on a Tuesday night. You can find pretty much whatever you're looking for here at Carnegie. If you're looking to drink, you can definitely find that. If you're looking to just hang out with friends, you can do that. There are plenty of parties to be had, and they're not too difficult to hear about by word of mouth. This year during orientation week, the administration banned freshman from stepping foot inside the frats. And yet, there were still parties every single night at houses all around Pittsburgh. </p>
<p>This brings me to my next topic-- campus life and the surrounding city. There is so much to do in Pittsburgh it's a little bit overwhelming. Just a short walk down Forbes will take you to Oakland where you'll find a huge collegetown, as would be expected with UPitt right next door. There are places to eat after 11 that give students half off food, and it's great to be walking around at 3 am and seeing students everywhere. </p>
<p>So with all this stuff to do on campus, it leaves just one issue- the workload. Obviously, this is a top tier university so the workload will definitely be high. But if you were a good student in high school, you can definitely handle it. It's nothing impossible and a lot of students do very well. I know a lot of kids in difficult majors such as CS, MechE, etc. who maintain consistent 4.0s. </p>
<p>This is all I can think of right now; if anyone has any other questions, feel free to ask.</p>