Should I apply early to CM?

Colleges & Universities Carnegie Mellon University
1

<p>Hi,
You can find my background below, should I apply early to Carnegie Mellon? As I’ve heard, they follow a wholistic aproach to the applications, they care all the virtues of the applicant and not just the GPA. Do I have a chance or is it just a waste of money?</p>

<p>I am going to take SAT reasoning on May and June, TOEFL on May and SAT Subject tests MAT1 MAT2 Physics on October.</p>

<p>EDUCATION
One of the best schools in my country and I am in IB Science-Math specialization
GPA = 70/100</p>

<p>LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE
I am the co-founder of Turkey’s one of the best known and prestigious gaming providers, which is involved in setting up and selling servers, organizing online and offline events, and developing gaming solutions such as anti-cheating software and unsupervised gaming systems.</p>

<p>I was also the co-founder of two other organizations which used to be the best in their field (online and offline gaming).</p>

<p>INVENTIVE PROJECT COMPETITION
An International Design Olympiad, Finalist 2010<br>
A prestigious national competition, Regional finalist 2010<br>
Another prestigious national competition, Winner (Gold Metal) 2009<br>
Another prestigious national competition, Finalist 2010 </p>

<p>I had over 15 awards before starting to high school</p>

<p>ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
Armarium Infragilis, Head Developer 2009-present
Advanced encryption software which is hiding any specified data into any file while keeping the carrier file functioning correctly as though has been changed on it</p>

<pre><code>GameSec, Head Developer 2009-present
</code></pre>

<p>The only online anti-cheating solution/software which is actively being used by Turkish gamers during online tournaments. GameSec’s two-sided reporting system prevents gamers from cheating or bypassing the application while still playing.</p>

<pre><code>OMYS, Developer 2009-present
</code></pre>

<p>An unsupervised gaming solution, enabling gamers to organize matches without having to need a referee. OMYS has the ability to work integrated with GameSec and Interactive Gaming Solution. As soon as the match ends; scores, statistics, demos and screenshots are automatically published on web panel.</p>

<pre><code>Interactive Online Gaming Solution, Developer 2009-present
</code></pre>

<p>A system which is enabling its users; to access all the history, statistics, screenshots of other gamers, to communicate with each other and if the user is a server administrative, to control his/her server completely.</p>

<p>COMPUTER SKILLS
Proficiently coding in C#, Java, Delphi and C/C++
Reverse engineering experience and therefore Win32Asm programming knowledge
Web programming experience with PHP
Database administration knowledge with MySQL and MSSQL
Experienced in Windows and unix-based operating systems, while having extensive knowledge on the inner workings
Broad knowledge and experience on computer hardware</p>

2

<p>Great ECs
But we really need to know your SATs before advising you because if they are great enough, you can try MIT or Stanford instead of CMU.</p>

<p>A 70/100 GPA? colleges would not like that</p>

3

<p>I don’t know how well you’d fare in CMU’s admissions process. Although your ECs are stellar, your GPA’s only a 70, which basically puts you in the “techie slacker” stereotype - IE the kid who plays COD4 and does scripting work in his spare time, but whose technically-inclined habits may cause them to have trouble holding down a steady grade in a class. I don’t know anyone with a 70 GPA (2.8 on a 4.0 scale) currently attending the school, and if you were admitted to SCS you’d be in like the bottom 1% tier of applicants with that GPA since their mean is somewhere in the 3.8 range.</p>

<p>You also lack diversity in your application. Everything’s math-science, CS or software eng/des.</p>

4

<p>I am aware that my GPA is a big drawback for me but it is caused my unawareness. I didn’t want to study abroad until this year and therefore I didn’t care much about my grades. Now I care about them but it is too late to make drastic improvements.</p>

<p>I used to be a slacker at my lessons but that was basically caused by a lack of interest towards boring topics. I will study computer science and it is obvious that I won’t have a lack of interest towards CS. :)</p>

<p>BTW, thank you for your replies, I hope to hear more from you if you have anything else to say.</p>

5

<p>You’d actually be more likely to be accepted to Caltech or MIT than CMU-- IF your IB, SATII and SAT scores are VERY high.</p>

<p>CMU – IMHO as others have said-- not a chance. You lack the diversity of academic interests essential to the holistic approach to admissions - you’re just another bright techie and one having awful grades.<br>
Sorry…</p>

<p>I think you would fare well at Caltech!</p>

6

<p>So, you think that I have a chance to get accepted to Caltech if I apply early?</p>

7

<p>…I’m pretty sure Caltech and MIT are a lot more selective than CMU.</p>

8

<p>I don’t understand your focus on “early”…and I said IF…IF your standardized test scores come in at top percentiles-- that will slightly mitigate your absolutely awful grades. The magnitude of awards is something Caltech considers very strongly-- see their application. </p>

<p>Good luck-- don’t waste $70 on CMU- you’re have 0% chance-- and I never respond to a chance =me thread.</p>

<p>Wondering now if you’re ■■■■■■■■ us…</p>

9

<p>I don’t have any idea why you think that I am ■■■■■■■■. I am just asking for things that I am not sure about.</p>

<p>Your reply was interesting and it made me think of Caltech and actually I refered to “early admission” to Caltech at my post. I focus on “early” because as far as I know, early admissions have greater chance of acceptance. Right?</p>

10

<p>

</p>

<p>How would you say this compares relative to other people in your class? Is it common for people to be getting > 95/100 there?</p>

11

<p>MIT, Caltech and CMU will all look at the overall package and your well-roundedness. You are entirely tech slanted, as I’ve said, and although you demonstrate lots of interest in those areas, you seem to be entirely lacking when it comes to anything creative, athletic, or demonstrative of other talents beyond computer engineering and mathematics. Your application is two dimensional.</p>

<p>You’ll find that many kids applying for the same class slots as you are not only have an incredible “interest in CS,” as you do, but can also excel in other areas, even if they have a “lack of interest towards boring topics.” Since you’re unable to do this, this is a big red mark against you, and I wager you’ll have trouble meeting the cut at any of those top three schools. I would look more into Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, RPI, or Rochester.</p>

<p>Early admissions offer a higher chance of admission, but not very much at CMU/Caltech/MIT. Many techie applicants are sure they want to go to these top three schools, so you’d actually be fighting against people who are exactly like you, only stronger in other areas. I’d actually stick to regular decision if I were you.</p>

12

<p>@RacinReaver
It is harder to get higher grades at my country’s education system. In my class, only one or two people have a GPA of 90/100 and approximately ten over 80/100. So my GPA is not actually that low. It is not right to compare with yours.</p>

<p>@completelykate
I am also skydiving but I think it is not enough to make me well-rounded. I know that my grades will probably be the biggest obstacle in front of me but I think I can “sell” myself at my essay.</p>

<p>I know that MIT, Caltech, CMU, Stanford and Ivy League schools are far reaches for me and I am willing to take a look into schools like WPI, RIP, RIT, Virginia Tech. I am asking this, because I see knowledgeable people here; which schools do you recommend me? Which one should I apply at early admission? I feel WPI is the right choice for me, what do you think?</p>

13

<p>I think you have a decent shot of getting in. I just noticed that your post said that you were from Turkey and that actaully changes things. I know of schools in India where kids just don’t get above 80 because that’s how the grading system works in foreign countries. I think you have a shot if your school is really ranked as one of the best in the world. A 70 is decent and you could always use the “I commit all my time to my company” excuse. If you do good on your SAT’s I’m sure you have a good shot. Don’t bother applying early to a college just because someone tells you to. At least visit the schools (You probably have mad gwap from your company :D) and see which campus you like the best.</p>

14

<p>It is good to hear that. :)</p>

<p>I can get a decent score from SAT. I think I will be able to get something like 1900 or 2000 from May 1st SAT.</p>

<p>As you’ve said, Caltech seems like a suitable choice because it is project oriented and I have lots of project experience.</p>

<p>Again, as you’ve said, I will take a look into schools and try to choose the best one for me. Maybe I can open a thread like this to the Caltech section. :)</p>

15

<p>Caltech is the most -academically- selective school in America. You’ll need more like a 2200-2300 to get in.</p>

<p>25%-75% range on the SAT math: 770-800.
SAT Writing: 690/770.
Crit. Reading: 700/760.</p>

<p>So the 25% score is 2160, which means you’d be worse of a scorer than 75% of admitted students.</p>

16

<p>“MIT, Caltech and CMU will all look at the overall package and your well-roundedness.”</p>

<p>Some schools (I don’t know about these three) place little value on well-roundedness; they want bright, motivated, talented students who, collectively, bring diverse backgrounds and interests.</p>

17

<p>You can be diverse and also well rounded - IE a Native American pianist who also swims and is a club president. Both are important, but not necessarily mutually exclusive :D</p>

18

<p>Every reply conclude to something else, I don’t know which one to accept as the correct one. Most of them contradict with each other.</p>

19

<p>You have a shot at CMU but not Caltech and MIT.</p>

<p>Points in your favor

  1. CMU accepts the most international students in the country
  2. Amazing EC’s
  3. Good SAT and SATII score (By good I mean above the 2000 you’re projecting. If you can’t get into the 2100s try the ACT.)</p>

<p>Points against you

  1. GPA</p>

<p>Everyone has a different opinion because we don’t know the GPA standard for Turkey. I recommend you visit CMU and schedule an interview. IN the interview explain your GPA to the admissions consular.If you enjoy your time at CMU apply ED and hope for the best. ED only increases your chances by so much but in your case it might be the deal breaker.</p>

20

<p>Don’t take Math I. An admissions consular at CMU told me that a Math I score is not as impressive as a Math II score. If you take both they only really consider Math II.</p>