<p>I have a huge desire to be accepted to Carnegie Mellon University. I’m a junior in a school that’s ranked within the top 3-5 high schools in my state and I didn’t realize how important it was to try your best in academics till the beginning of junior year. I have had an over 4.1 gpa with rigorous science and math courses so far in junior year and 3.9 junior year gpa overall, but that’s because I did horrible freshmen year and Carnegie is known for not paying any attention to your freshmen transcript. SAT scores are pretty good.But the problem is I haven’t been doing too much extracurriculars for the past few years because I didn’t really focus on that. I’m in some clubs that I may get a position in and I do marching band since beginning of junior year (when I entered honors band). I also did jv track but not consistently for the past 3 years (like I did only spring for freshmen year, winter and spring for sophomore year, and only winter junior year because I had other things to do) <em>which btw does it make difference if you mention that you did 3 years of jv track or if you participated in both seasons? I’m not sure how the application process works.</em> I’ve also done some volunteering, but only for 2 years and am not doing any of it at the moment. I started worrying about extracurriculars after I got rejected from a summer program I wanted to after the interview and senior peer leaders. Basically I have not much to write about for extracurricular. I have a passion for philosophy and the sciences for the past 6 years and I have good recommendation letters. I just want colleges to know I’m not just some bum who just stays home and does nothing with no interests. I really want to show Carnegie that I want to be part of their programs and that I’m interested in going. Any advice? I’m applying for early decision and am planning to write a good essay. But there’s not much else I know except vague things like going on their college tour and talking with some people and how you’re interested. I’m not sure how that all works or why it does.</p>
<p>First, visiting the school is sufficient enough to display interest. I visited the school once and I was accepted. As long as you display the interest in the school by taking the time to visit, the interest is noticed.</p>
<p>Second, try to participate in extra-curriculars that display that you are passionate about a particular subject. For example, I’m a Chemistry major and participated in the Chemistry Olympics and was the Vice-President of the Chemistry Lab Assistants at my school. Showcasing my interest in Chemistry, I believe, showed the Admissions Committee that I was passionate in the particular department in which I was applying.</p>
<p>As long as you show passion and interest I feel you will be successful in CMU college admissions.</p>
<p>^ Harvard521 is right. Couldn’t say it any better myself. =)</p>
<p>ok that’s really helpful thank you (: just some questions, I hope I don’t sound too worried or anything
how do they actually remember during the admissions office if you visited or not? do they take your name or do you just mention it in your application…
I’m planning to major in cognitive and neuroscience… so I’m trying to get an internship at a laboratory or ibm company somewhere. Does that sound somewhere along those lines?
Do you think it’s too late to start certain extracurriculars by the end of junior year? I’ve heard colleges like to see you do something your passionate about for 3-4 years instead of doing random things but I’m clearly a late bloomer in my high school transcript so I’m not sure…</p>
<p>and I haven’t gotten too much volunteering done… other than the two years of Korean school volunteering that I mentioned before, which I had to quit because of track, I did church missions at New Orleans to help with the aftermath of Katrina and with natives in Canada. Will they think that’s insufficient since I didn’t do it for 4 years?</p>
<p>…You do sound too worried. :P</p>
<p>I was in a few clubs (most for only one or two years, a few throughout) in HS, and did a little volunteering (but not all that much). My GPA was decent (3.5ish, IIRC). I got in (to H&SS, to be fair). I have a feeling you’ll get in.</p>
<p>I think there’s an essay somewhere in the application that asks why you want to go to CMU; what you’d bring to CMU, and what you’d get out of going here. Clearly you really want to go here; it’ll be evident in your essays. Don’t worry quite so much. :)</p>