Chance Me for Science and Math at CMU

Chance Me / Match Me
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Hi, I’m in 11th grade and hoping to get into Carnegie Mellon

  • I’m a US citizen

  • I live in Pennsylvania

  • I go to a large public high school

  • I am still undecided about an intended major, definitely something in science or math but there’s just so many interesting fields (chemistry, biology, astronomy/astrophysics, neuroscience/computational neuroscience)

As of the end of last school year, my unweighted gpa would be 94.2105 and my weighted GPA is 102.5131 or 4.1341 (on a Wt 4 pt scale). My class rank is 25/545

I got 5s on both the AP Chem and Calc AB exams
My PSAT score was 1360 (740 reading and writing 620 math), taken in fall 2023
Here are my PreACT scores were 33 composiite, 33 math, 32 science, 33 STEM, 32 English, and 35 reading

Courses:
*=currently taking

  • English: Honors English 9, Honors English 10, Honors English 11*
  • Math: Algebra 1, Geometry, Honors Algebra 2, Honors Pre-Calculus, AP Calc AB, AP Calc BC*, AP Statistics*
  • Science: Honors Physics, Honors Biology, Honors Chemistry, AP Chemistry, Honors Organic Chemistry (half a year long), AP Physics C: Mechanics*, Anatomy and Physiology*
  • History and social studies: Honors US History, Honors World History, AP US Gov*
  • Languages: Spanish 1 and 2
  • Visual or performing arts: I’ve played the cello since 3rd grade, in the second semester last year I was not in the class due to it conflicting w org chem but I’m happy to say I’m back this year
  • Other academic courses: In 8th grade I took a 3-course like bundle called ISTEM that was engineering, physics, and algebra 2; it’s intended for people in 9th grade or above and I was one of the first two 8th graders to ever take it due to previously being accelerated in math and testing out of a grade in science specifically so I could take this course

Awards
Last year I won a grade-level award in science for being invested in chemistry. The awards are like one per subject (science, math, history, art, music, I’m definitely forgetting some) per grades 9 through 11

Extracurriculars
I’ve taken tap and jazz dance lessons since early elementary (I’ve also taken ballet, lyrical, pointe, and musical theater but I’d hesitant to include them since I’m not currently taking them and don’t plan to again so close to graduation)

I’ve frequently participated in math competitions (MathCounts, AMC 10, there was a comp at Millersville University that idk the exact name of) since 8th grade, but I haven’t scored anything impressive

Summer between 9th and 10th grade I did a 5 day long program at Rochester University in Biomedical Technology and Ethical Dilemmas in Healthcare; I was a commuter student for this

This past summer I went to a 3-week long residential program for Special Relativity at Johns Hopkins University through their CTY program. I also went to a week-long space camp at the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville Alabama (I was in the Advanced Space Academy specifically, it just means you’re 15-18 years old)

In 9th and 10th grade I was on my school’s bowling team, however I’m a bit undecided whether I’ll compete this year and it’s not like I’m even close to good enough for a sports scholarship lol

The clubs that matter the most to me/I plan on participating more in includes MLOT (Medical Leaders of Tomorrow), Astronomy Club, STAR Club (Stand Together Against Racism), Peer Tutoring Club, HOSA (health occupations competition)

  • I joined MLOT in 10th grade, they had intermittent activities that I consistently/nearly always participated in. This year in addition to that it looks like they’ll also be holding weekly meetings. MLOT is like the sister club of HOSA
  • I’m new to HOSA this year, it seems like an interesting/fun learning opportunity
  • While I was technically in the Astronomy Club Google Classroom last year, the club had exactly zero meetings or events. This year a senior is trying to reanimate it, in the past month there have been two meetings but I think the aim is weekly
  • I’m also entirely new to STAR Club, weekly meetings, and it has opportunities for volunteering with/through the Youth Volunteer Corp
  • For the Peer Tutoring Club I signed up to be a tutor last year but did not receive a single tutoring session. I went to the yearly intro meeting this year and re-enrolled. The club presidents also mentioned they were considering/trying to work out a system where there’s a specific tutor for a specific class who can give more dependable and personalized help, especially near test dates, and I specifically let them know I was interested in doing this.

Outside of this club I’ve also frequently offered my academic help to my classmates and friends when needed

Also there’s this, but I’m seriously considering stepping down this year or next year, I’m not entirely sure why I’m an officer of this club at this point

  • I’m the treasurer of the Art Club, however I have no talent or career interest in art. They were starting the club and needed officers to gain school funding and I decided to throw my name out there because several other people had vocalized being off put by the math aspect and I love math (unfortunately, there is almost no math)

I’ve also done some volunteering, at a local food pantry mostly
(Technically this is done through my school’s Hope For Humanity Club, but I’ve never showed up to a single one of their meetings I just go to the volunteering opportunities)

Essays/LORs/Other
I don’t have any essays currently written and I haven’t really looked at/don’t understand that part of the process yet, advice is definitely welcome though

Schools
I’ll almost definitely be applying to all my schools regular decision (or early action if offered)

  • Carnegie Mellon is definitely my top choice, but the affordability is a concern.
  • Schools besides Carnegie Mellon that I’m also interested in include: University at Buffalo, Cornell University, Colgate University, Binghamton University
  • Schools that I’ve toured but feel iffy about attending: Johns Hopkins, Millersville University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
  • Have not toured, but am interested in learning more/like the idea of them: MIT, Princeton, Northeastern University

I kinda doubt anybody actually read all this (I know I couldn’t) but thanks for making it this far lol

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Any school that’s not affordable is a nightmare, not a dream.

Why do you love CMU? Have you been ?

Have your parents fill out the net price calculator. It’ll be near $400k.

Many families don’t have need and aren’t willing to spend that much when you can go for as low as $20k a year.

Good to have that discussion before you start selecting schools to apply.

Have your folks fill this out. As for can you get in, unlikely but I know this - if you don’t apply you can’t get in.

Good luck. Enjoy jr year and don’t over stress yourself.

Figure out the money situation b4 you start picking a school list. It may be different than you think after getting a budget. Good luck

Ps - do something EC wise like a club in addition but especially during summer. Get a job. Walk dogs at the shelter. Pay to play programs are good for you to find interests but they don’t show skills like a job, sports team, band do etc.

https://npc.collegeboard.org/app/cmu

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My first reaction is that you are doing very well.

My second reaction is based on this comment:

Do you know what your budget is for university? Do you know what your budget is without taking on debt? Do you have siblings who are also likely to be attending university?

Have you or your parents run the NPC for CMU? To run the NPC, you will need enough information about your parent’s finances that they will probably be better off just doing it themselves. If your parents are divorced or separated or own a small business or rental property then the NPC is likely to be inaccurate and too optimistic. Otherwise it is likely to be relatively accurate.

There are a lot of universities that are very good for various sciences and for math. Graduates from top schools (such as CMU or MIT) will regularly and entirely normally find themselves working alongside graduates from a long list of other universities and no one cares where anyone got their degree (okay, I once vaguely knew one person who cared, but he was annoying). Top graduate programs in various sub-fields of science or math will typically have students who came from a very, very wide range of undergraduate schools. Thus you really should be able to find a university that is very good and that is affordable. Whether it will be called CMU or MIT is harder to say, but really doesn’t matter.

I think that you are competitive for CMU, but it is a reach and I would be surprised if your chances are any better than the overall acceptance rate, and your chances might be slightly lower than the overall acceptance rate. Since you also mention MIT in your post I will guess that with a ranking in your high school class of 25th out of 545 students, your chances at MIT would be lower than the overall acceptance rate.

We will be in better position to guess at your chances a year from now and after you have actual SAT results and another year of grades.

In terms of recommendations regarding ECs, my suggestion is that you do what is right for you, and do it well. This is also my interpretation of the advice given on the “applying sideways” blog on the MIT admissions web site which is worth reading (a quick Google search should find it). This notion of “do what is right for you and do it well” is what my immediate family had done and it has worked out for us. However it has led us to 8 different universities (one each for a bachelor’s degree, and a different one each for graduate programs).

And I will leave with one other recommendation: Think about what you want in a university, and look for a school that is affordable and that is a good fit for you. Ranking mostly does not matter. A good fit does matter. As one example MIT is likely to be a LOT of work. The desire to work that hard should come from inside yourself if you are going to go there. As another example, think about whether you want to be in a big city or a small town, and how large a school you would like to attend. Visiting a few schools can help you get a sense of where you might be more comfortable. It is worth the time and effort to think about what a good fit for you is likely to be.

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That would be if they were full pay. We don’t know that. They need to do the CMU net price calculator and see.

@distracted_platypus keep up the good work. You are most definitely headed in the right direction…and when the time comes, there will be plenty of colleges that will be both affordable, and you like…where you will be accepted.

At this point…make your 11th grade year the best it can be.

I was surprised that Pitt wasn’t on your list.

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Yes. This is obviously why I provided it.

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Kudos for garnering such a strong academic record.

Some thoughts…

Are you a female? If so, that may work in your favor since CMU has a gender parity policy for STEM majors.

CMU does not grant merit aid, and is stingy with need based financial aid.

I recommend paring back ECs where you are only marginally involved. Schools want to see students who were involved in sports or activities for an extended period, where they demonstrated achievement, leadership and improvement. AOs are not impressed by students who belong to multiple clubs that don’t really do much.

You may want to consider Case Western as a safety. While not as highly ranked as CMU, it is very similar to it; the schools are about the same size, both are located in nice neighborhoods within recovering rust belt cities, both are strong in multiple fields, but especially STEM majors, and both have great outcomes. Unlike CMU, Case is very generous with merit aid.

You should apply EA at every school where it is an option. Generally, admission rates for EA are higher than those for regular admission, and you get the added bonus of putting the college admission grind behind you.

Good luck to you.

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This is not sound advice. An ED application is only advisable if a school is your absolute number one choice and is also affordable. You also making it sound like it’s possible to ED at more than one school, which is not the case.

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I’m guessing @JackH2021 meant apply EA everywhere where it’s an option.

You can only apply to ONE college ED…if you do that.

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I think you mean EA? My understanding is that you can only apply ED to one school and it’s a commitment on your part that if you are accepted, you will attend. If you are accepted ED, you are also expected to withdraw any applications you submitted to any other school.

ED is a binding contract where only inadequate financial aid would be reason for a student to not fulfill their side of the contract.

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Let’s clarify… it is my understandinding that Early Decision means a school accepts the student early, but the student has no obligation to attend. A student can apply to multiple schools ED. Early Action means the school accepts the student early, and the student is obligated to attend. I have also seen schools that offer Early Admission, which is just another name for Early Decision.

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You have ED and EA reversed. EA is non-binding with no obligation to attend.

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NO…early decision is a binding acceptance…and only one ED application is allowed.

EA, early action, is the one where you can apply to as many EA schools as possible, and the acceptances are NOT binding.

But one needs to check because if the EA schools are SCEA or REA (single choice or restricted) then different rules apply.

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I stand corrected.

OP, apply EA whenever possible.

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OP first needs to get the budget situated with the family before choosing any schools at which to apply.

OP needs to see if they qualify for need and if not, what the parents are willing to spend per year.

That’s step one before any other discussions take place.

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