<p>What are the students like at CMU? I’ve visited, but it’s hard to get a candid view of the student body. Do the students compete against each other, work collaboratively, or both? I’ve noticed that a lot of people apply to both cmu and jhu. Are the students and the feeling similar?</p>
<p>I’d be going to either College of Humanities and Social Sciences or Mellon College of Science. I want to complete my premed requirements.</p>
<p>I loved CMU when I visited, but never really got an inside opinion.</p>
<p>I don’t know about JHU (except that they compete in our athletic league), but I can answer some of your questions about CMU. I would say there is very little competition, and in fact, I’ve seen none so far in my freshman classes, though it could get more competitive in upper-level courses. We are encouraged to work together, so much so that some professors allow multiple names on homework, so those that collaborate don’t have to re-write everything. Study groups are really common, as are review sessions led by the professors themselves that are sometimes organized by students</p>
<p>allow me to chime in here as the parent of a recent CMU grad.</p>
<p>Interestingly son’s final choice came down to CMU and JHU. He spent an overnight at each in April of senior year and picked CMU hands down (for him). I think the type of student at each school is similar.</p>
<p>Also wanted to reinforce what CMUgal said. S graduated with a double major, plus a masters in a five year span. Most of his courses, at least after the first couple years, were team courses where you work collaboratively on a project. There’s no need for competition rather exactly the opposite, where it behooves all to work together. I think when they say a school like CMU is competitive they don’t mean between kids, rather the competion comes from within to do well. And since CMU isn’t a big pre-med school (unlike JHU) there isn’t the “need” to compete against your fellow classmates to affect a class’s grading curve if that indeed is the case at JHU (I don’t know).</p>
<p>There was a thread maybe a few months ago from a student praising premed at CMU, maybe you can find it in archives. I seem to recall he liked the fact that the school wasn’t overrun by premeds and the faculty was supportive and helpful rather than steering you away because of your gpa. His wasn’t high (I think it was even below 3.0) but he still got in to med school. </p>
<p>I think you’ll find all kinds at CMU. Son loved the school.</p>
<p>I really don’t see or feel a competitive (in a malicious sort of way) atmosphere between students. I do feel some competitive spirit in myself in that I get disappointed when I don’t do as well on something as I think I could have, but I think that comes mostly from me.</p>
<p>That being said, in a speech at our orientation, the freshman advisor warned us that something like 60% (ballpark figure) of the SCS freshman class was in the top 10% of their high school class. That amounts to a lot of people who were on top in high school, but at CMU they can’t be anymore. That situation will probably be a strong motivator for some students to push themselves pretty hard. If they still don’t make it into the top 10% when that was their goal, that’s when things get difficult and stressful. If you can just let go of that goal, however, you’ll have a much easier time with it.</p>
<p>For what it’s worth, I’m having the time of my life at CMU. I’m a freshman CS major.</p>