Any undergrad or grad currently studying in cmu?

anirudhreddy · 12-26-2007, 05:59 AM

Could you possibly give us, prospective undergrads, a taste of cmu?wat to expect?how ur first few days went on? and stuff like dat.

Theotherguy · 12-26-2007, 08:27 PM

I am currentley corresponding in detail to an undergrad student, and I could possibly post everything she's told me here, but I will have to ask her permission.

RacinReaver · 01-23-2008, 09:12 PM

Just finished at CMU in their Materials Science program last year, and I've got to say, don't take your first year lightly. I took a really heavy course load in high school, and found CMU's classes to actually be on the easy side compared to what I was used to. Since I didn't put the time in that I should have, I wound up getting a 3.0 my first semester and only slightly above that my second. Those two crappy years dogged me all the way through my graduate school applications (difference between a 3.65 and 3.75 feels pretty significant now), though in the end I guess it didn't matter since I wound up where I wanted to go for grad school.

But for quick tips.
1) Bring shower sandals. Those showers get gross, quick.
2) Pray you don't get Scobel or Hammerschlag. The rooms are small, have tiny windows, and are at the top of a hill. And all guys.
3) Leave your door open at all times (other than when you're sleeping) to meet everyone you can on your hall. They'll be your best friends, homework buddies, and people you'll probably still hang out with through the rest of your college career.
4) Go to all your classes. Sure, you can get by without ever showing up, but CMU is freaking expensive and you're paying that money so you can attend lectures (and I guess get the piece of paper that says you went through it).
5) Get shower sandals, everyone wonders what's wrong with the guy that doesn't wear them.

stormgren · 01-24-2008, 08:54 PM

So, as an ED freshman, I get first choice for freshman dorms.

What should I put down?

RacinReaver · 01-29-2008, 08:15 PM

Donner's got the biggest rooms, New House has air conditioning, Mudge has decent sized rooms, and Morewood is where most freshmen end up living. Just don't take one of the dorms on the hill.

I wouldn't even bother wasting a space on West Wing or Resnik, you probably won't get in there.

mcp · 02-23-2008, 11:04 AM

For freshman: New House should be preferred choice.
Student body and faculty are very supportive, Pittsburgh is a good friendly city; good relations between town and gown. Academically very challenging but overall good university experience. It is worth every effort: Microsoft this year made 57 job offers; some undergraduate students have job offers of over $ 100,000.
.

chicagoboy12 · 02-23-2008, 02:01 PM

those microsoft jobs were for computer science students, right? how about for the engineering and mellon science schools?

RacinReaver · 02-25-2008, 05:18 PM

I imagine a few ECE students were also offered jobs at Microsoft.

My old roommate in ECE final choices for where to take a job was with Suckerpunch (the guys that made Sly Cooper for the PS2) as a programmer or at Raytheon doing work as a computer engineer.

DAVIDGR · 02-27-2008, 12:58 PM

New House has some good points - air conditioning and nice lounges, which facilitates meeting people. But the rooms are tiny. Not small... tiny. That's why there are so many lounges, cause you can't hang out in your room. I'd recommend Mudge (good size rooms, but may not be available for Frosh next year), Morewood or Donner.

Just my 2 cents!

Marilyn · 03-08-2008, 03:50 PM

Just as a note some of the dorms are transferring over to freshman only, including Mudge. Only current residents in Mudge can pick it for next year; the following year it will be all freshmen. CMU is trying to avoid previous problems of placing freshment in temporary housing.

Also, freshmen get the campus to themselves for a week-long orientation Office of Orientation & First-Year Programs - Orientation which gives you a good transition into the school with lots of social opportunities. You'll spend time with your floor, your dorm, and your school, get to know the campus, and learn about off-campus locations.

This link Post-Graduation Survey Results - Information for Students and Alumni - Career Center - Student Affairs gives you information on where the graduates go. Last year ECE sent at least 6 students to Microsoft, SCS sent at least 9, and Mellon sent at least 3 (only some of the students self-report for this study so actual figures are higher) .

thisoldman · 03-24-2008, 01:51 AM

transportation issues in 02, prevented S from getting to Orientation until Wednesday morning. Still had plenty of time to get acquainted. He's an adventurerer and fairly independent and by the fifth week was the Guy to ask to get around Pittsburgh. However, if you are not accustomed to new places, try to be there on Sunday or Monday, but not critical. Join and actively participate in 1 or 2 clubs.

As for microsoft jobs; S is on an internship with them, but he doesn't have a "real" CS degree, although he just finished his MS in CS at Toronto. He has research interests in computer interfacing. Also he was offered an Apple special projects team membership, but he had other plans for '06 summer. There other opportunities with computers other than traditional computer science. He was CMU'06, BS's in ME and HCI. So #8, there are positions at ms or aapl for non cs people.