| Elvis, with CMU, 90% of admissions is the audition. However, since there are many many very qualified applicants with the artistic talent, it very well could come down to that other 10% of the admissions decision of the application and academic record. If it didn't matter AT ALL, they would not ask for SATs, GPA, rank, transcripts, etc. It does matter. An academic record stands for a level of academics and a level of work ethic. It may just be 10% of the admissions decision at CMU but that 10% can set one candidate apart from the next when both have the artistic talent to get admitted and they take so very very few at CMU. CMU will also want to know that a student could at last handle the few liberal arts courses they'd have to take at CMU. A certain level of academics would be needed.
On another thread you said that NYU Steinhardt did not let you audition. I am not entirely sure how Steinhardt works, but does it work like UMich where you must be invited to audition AFTER academic review? If so, as you can see, academics counted. Even if academics is not as big a factor at CMU, most applicants apply to several schools and so it will matter at some schools on their list so it is ALWAYS better to do as well as one can in school. It pays off in the long run. It certainly does not hurt. |