"THE" CMU 2015 CHANCE Thread-- Please STOP creating New chance Threads

Colleges & Universities Carnegie Mellon University
161

<p>IB student, Swiss citizen, permanent U.S. resident…Low income (~35K), first generation.
Can get good recommendations, should have a good essay.</p>

<p>Academics

  • [<em>]IB Student (Most rigorous course load all four years of HS)
    [</em>]4.8 W GPA (3.7 UW) (92/100)
    [<em>]2140 SAT (680 CR, 700 M, 760 W)
    [</em>]Taking SAT IIs in November (Math II + Bio/Chem/Physics)
    [<em>]IBs - Math Studies 6, Environment 5 (4 more this year)
    [</em>]APs - US History 4, English Lang 4
    [<em>]98th Percentile (School does not do class ranks)

ECs

  • [li]12 yrs Travel/competitive soccer (Captain)[/li][</em>]3 yrs School soccer (1 yr JV Captain)
    [<em>]2 yrs NHS
    [</em>]2 yrs Political Science Club
    [<em>]2 yrs Recycling Club
    [</em>]2 yrs Chess Club
    [<em>]175 hrs IB CAS hours community service hours
    [</em>]30 NHS community service hours
    [<em>]Cashier/Busboy at gourmet food store (9, 10, 11) - About 8 hours a week, sporadic days/hours.
    [</em>]Babysitting (9, 10) - Usually once a month.

Honors

[ul]
[<em>]4.0+ GPA Honor Roll (9, 10, 11, 12)
[</em>]Young Playwrights Festival Recognition (9)
[<em>]Florida Studio Playwrighting Award Honorable Mention (9)
[</em>]Artwork displayed in local gallery’s “Art in our Schools” show (10)
[<em>]Magna Cum Laude
[</em>]NHS Induction
[li]Various sporting awards/trophies for soccer and golf (9, 10, 11)[/li][/ul]</p>

162

<p>Applying to SCS and CIT</p>

<p>White, middle class male
Very competitive high school in TN
Regular decision</p>

<p>GPA: 3.97 UW, ~5.2 (standard classes are 4, honors 5, APs 6)
Ranked 16 in a class of 500
SAT: 1600/2390
ACT: 36 (36,35,35,36)
SAT IIs: [Math II - 800] [Literature - 800] [Physics 780]</p>

<p>AP:
-taken-
English Lang and Comp:
Physics B:
US History:
-taking now-
German
Chemistry
Calculus BC
English Lit and Comp
also taking a compsci class that counts as AP since it is a dual-enrollment course taught at our school</p>

<h2>Main extracurriculars:</h2>

<p>Cross Country / track</p>

<h2>10th-12th grade, varsity 11th and 12th grade</h2>

<p>Science Olympiad</p>

<h2>since 7th grade - won 1st place prizes at state etc. etc.</h2>

<p>Model UN
since 10th grade</p>

<h2>Vanderbilt, Yale, Rhodes, WashU conferences, won best delegate at Yale and others</h2>

<h2>All-West honors choir since 7th grade (1st chair this year), paid singer in church choir for year, school acappella group member</h2>

<h2>State governor’s school for sciences this past summer</h2>

<h2>Founded robotics club in 9th-10th grade, had to drop because it conflicted too much with other stuff</h2>

<p>lots of personal electronics projects, probably won’t fit on the application anywhere</p>

<p>NHS, Mu Alpha Theta, a lot of small math competitions, National Merit (should be finalist), community diversity program since 10th grade, and a few other things that I don’t plan on putting on the application</p>

<p>Not really anything significant in the way of community service except a few miscellaneous ones (not more than ~50-60 hours)</p>

163

<p>@Harq: Great chances. SCS is never in the bag though, but you’ve for sure locked up CIT as long as you don’t screw up on essays.</p>

164

<p>Howdy everyone:</p>

<p>Academics:
4.0 Unweighted GPA; (Our school’s weighted system is weird so I’ll just post my Unweighted)
Math from Algebra I through Multivariable Calculus (a.k.a Calculus III which I’m taking at the local university)
AP Physics
AP Computer Science
AP Calculus BC - 5
AP US History - 5
SAT = 2170 ; CR: 740 ; M: 760; Writing: 670 <- taken only once
SAT II’s (projected from practice tests): Physics: 740; Math: 760-800
Valedictorian (1/136)
LeadAmerica Engineering and Robotics Conference (Our team’s robot set an all-time record for a challenge)</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
International : (Junior year and on) - Global Finalist in Destination Imagination and Odyssey of the Mind
Co-organizer of an Odyssey of the Mind Team.</p>

<p>Local :
09/10 – Present Dungeons & Dragons Group member
09/09 - Present Jaffrey-Rindge Magic the Gathering Group member
10/08 - Present Founder and Member of the Table Tennis Club
2009 – 2010 National Honor Society member
09/07 - Present Human Rights Club member</p>

<p>Community Service:
(Sophomore and on) -Created several charity video game tournaments (We run the same games as Major League Gaming and all of the entrance fees go to the charity of the champion’s choice, like celebrity jeopardy.) (The 5th tournament will be held next month)</p>

<p>(Sophomore summer and on) - At least 40 hours volunteering at my local library.</p>

<p>(Freshman year and on) - Participated in many community serving events as a member of the Human Rights Club. </p>

<p>(Sophomore year and on) - Tutored students in math and science upon request.</p>

<p>(Junior year and on) - Various Volunteering activities as a member of National Honor Society</p>

<p>Athletics</p>

<p>2009 - 2010 Varsity Golf
2009 - 2010 Varsity SwimmingNote: I learned to swim through varsity level training my first year
2008 , 2010 Track & Field
2008 Winter Track & Field
2007 Varsity Soccer </p>

<p>Awards: Aside from Destination Imagination and Odyssey of the Mind awards I have “Award of Excellence in (insert class here)” for many of my science and humanities courses (the math department doesn’t give those out)</p>

<p>Hobbies: (Some interviewers ask to find that “well-rounded” person)
Cycling
Snowboarding
Programming: Currently learning Java in AP Computer Science and learned some of the Python language for enjoyment.
Guitar Playing
Reading
Running</p>

<p>Hopefully my chances are good! Thank you to everyone that posts.</p>

165

<p>Hi guys,</p>

<p>I feel like I’m all over the place, help chance me for CIT, SCS, Tepper(ED I):
UWGPA - 3.5/4.0 (same every year, but WGPA is increasing every year)
ACT - 33
APs - 4, 3(took classes for these 2 APs in school) | 3, 1, 1(self studied these 3)
SAT II - Math II - 750, Physics - 550(i screwed up really bad), US History - 650</p>

<p>Academic Awards: 7th FBLA Nationals, 1st FBLA State, 1st FBLA Regionals
Other Awards: (A bunch of 2nd and 3rd place regionals Kung Fu trophies)</p>

<p>Work Experience: Made my own (unofficial) business where I make websites for people and get a small portion of their ad revenue(I make a respectable 3 figure monthly salary). I also make iPhone apps.</p>

<p>Common App Essays - Talked about a life changing moment(how I failed because I was being a lazy idiot, and how that completely changed my life. I work hard at everything now, and I give good proof to show that)</p>

<p>Why CMU Essays - Talked about my childhood interests/my tour of cmu</p>

<p>Interview - Did not take(was not available when I visited cmu)</p>

<p>Volunteer: 20 hours in a library, helped build a shelter in Europe, volunteered for 3 hours at a preserve. </p>

<p>Hours of Paid Work - 25 hours per week in the summer, 7 hours per week during school year.</p>

<p>My Info - Indian | US Citizen through Naturalization | From a top New Jersey public HS</p>

<p>ECs: FBLA Club, Chess Club, Golf Lessons, Kung Fu, Tennis Lessons(just for fun, im not good enough for the school team)</p>

<p>MY QUESTIONS:

  1. What are my chances?
  2. Can I put travel to Peru during my Freshman Summer, and Travel to India during my Sophmore Summer in my EC’s?
  3. Should I withhold the two AP’s I self studied and got 1’s on?
  4. Can I retake the Physics SAT II in November and get it to them(even though its after the deadline, I expect low 700’s this time) </p>

<p>I cant ED II because I’ve already sent in my ED II app for a different college.</p>

166

<p>Freshman year:
GPA: 3.6 (unweighted)
EC’s: Joy club (community service)</p>

<p>Sophomore year: i moved to France and am attending an American School there
GPA: 3.6 (weighted). new school doesn’t do unweighted.
EC’s: Model United Nations (attended 1 conference in Italy), Green Team, Kenya Club</p>

<p>Junior year: first semester: (I’m doing the IB diploma)
GPA: 3.3 (unweighted), 3.7(weighted)
Second semester: 3.7 weighted.
Predicted IB score: around 35
EC’s: Treasurer of HCMC Kids (a community service club), Founder of the Badminton Club, Green Team, Model united nations (attended a conference in December in Paris)</p>

<p>Senior year: well first quarter just ended, and if i keep up the grades i’ve achieved, it will be a 4.3-4.5 (weighted) gpa… yea i know. huge increase… i’m working my ass off.</p>

<p>EC’s: I’m learning a Turkish instrument (baglama saz) for fun, MUN (going to PAMUN and THIMUN in the coming year), Green Team, Founder of Invisible Children</p>

<p>ACT’s: 30 composite (36 on english section!), retaking in december</p>

<p>Work experience: for 2 summers, i worked in Syria for the American Embassy. (paid job)
Volunteering: Mother Teresa home in Syria for a summer.</p>

<p>I got letter of recs from work and the Mother Teresa home.</p>

<p>Please chance me?
For those of you who don’t know what the IB diploma is, it’s basically a rigorous program that is equivalent to… a lot of AP’s.</p>

<p>Rank: top 30% of my class</p>

<p>Awards: Leadership award from my summer job at the Embassy.</p>

<p>I travel a lot. I’ve lived in 3 different countries…</p>

<p>I know my grades are low. but will my EC’s make up for it?</p>

167

<p>Chance you for which colleges? You apply to each one within CMU individually.</p>

168

<p>I’m applying to MCS</p>

169

<p>Er, it’s iffy. If you had said Econ or International Relations or Tepper or something, that would seem like a shoe-in based on your ECs. You have no technical electives or ECs, though, so there’s very little demonstrated interest here. </p>

<p>If you could really work your essay to pinpoint why you want to suddenly be a biologist or astrophysicist after doing all of this social work and MUN stuff, then I’d predict good chances for you. But it seems like you have a straight humanities resume here. Why MCS?</p>

170

<p>I love bio and chem… I’m a huge environmentalist. In the future, I hope to be able to do something to make the planet more “green”. I’m a really dedicated Green Team member (no leadership because the clubs supervisor doesnt believe in officers)…and I wrote my IB extended essay on Environmental Science… If i stress these points, will i be okay?</p>

171

<p>Chances for CIT?</p>

<p>WGPA: 4.495 (no one usually gets above 5)
Rank: 10/400
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: White</p>

<p>SAT: 2180 (750 CR, 730 M, 700 W) (Retaking in September/October)
SAT II: 770 Chem, 760 Math II, 760 USH</p>

<p>AP’s: APUSH (5), AP Eng Lang (5), AP Chem (No junior in my school has ever taken it)(5), AP Comp Sci A (3)
AP Classes: AP Calc AB, AP Eng Lit, AP Bio, AP US Gov, AP Stats</p>

<p>EC’s:</p>

<p>FRC Team Robotics (9-12) - 400 hours in 3 years or so. Usually places in top 3 teams every year. Head programmer of the team for this year and next. This year, our team got the Coopertition Award, Honorable Mention for Safety, 1st seeded team, and top 4 teams overall in Boston Regional.</p>

<p>Science Olympiad (11,12) - Co-Founder/Captain. Got 21st/40 in state competition this year, highest rookie placement.</p>

<p>MOON (10-12) - Math team. President. Highest in division for GBML competition (Greater Boston area)</p>

<p>Academic Decathlon (10-12) - A starter, captain, placed 6th at regionals and 6th at states.</p>

<p>Varsity Swim Team (9-12) - MVP of the meet, Varsity Letter</p>

<p>Other smaller EC’s</p>

<p>Work Experience:</p>

<p>Self-made tutoring service (11-12) - Tutor students in various subjects and SAT’s/AP’s for $5/hour.</p>

<p>Potential Hook: First generation college student</p>

<p>Awards:</p>

<p>National Latin Exam: Gold and silver medals
National Spanish Exam: Bronze medal
AMC 10 School Winner
Honorable Mention School Science Fair/Regional Science Fair Qualifier (3 years)
City Wide Law Day Essay Contest Winner</p>

<p>Recs: Will have recs from my Latin teacher who has written excellent recs for past students, and will have had him for 4 years, my AP chem teacher who has helped with MOON as well, and my mentor from my robotics team who I have spent countless hours with.</p>

172

<p>tman, you’re in for sure (and a shoe in if you do early decision).</p>

173

<p>Magicman
No chance for SCS with your gpa.
Pick tepper or cit-- not both, unless your essay talks about an interest in some obvious overlap field. Otherwise, doesn’t make sense. </p>

<p>tmannopen</p>

<p>What’s the unweighted gpa b/c that is what they look at.
Typically 1 point down right, so is your gpa only 3.4?-- That could be a problem.</p>

<p>The 3 on the AP CS exam is inconsistent with being head programmer on Robotics…what happened there?</p>

<p>Your latin teacher isn’t exactly helpful for CIT rec; can you get a math teacher?</p>

<p>108etc
Don’t apply ED-- you would be on the fence and your senior grades are going to be looked at.
The 30 ACT is iffy.
What’s your SATIIs
Honestly-you’re on the fence. The intl stuff may be interestinga dn a bit help if you’re a full pay student and don’t apply for finaid.</p>

174

<p>I got in Tepper and CIT. As long as you express genuine interest in both (however incompatible they may seem) there isn’t a problem in writing about both.</p>

175

<p>My oldest got into SCS with a recommendation from a Latin teacher and a physics teacher. </p>

<p>GPA’s matter in context. At some schools a 3.4 might be the top 5% and would be good enough. An applicant who had a terrible freshman year, but then did well will probably get forgiven.</p>

176

<p>My (unofficial) unweighted GPA is a 3.7 or so. We don’t actually calculate the UW GPA. I’ve basically gotten only 6 B’s overall and that’s it.</p>

<p>I got a 3 because we didnt have the best preparation and I feel that the robotics programming just comes more naturally for some reason. Maybe because the AP Comp Sci was more theoretical?</p>

177

<p>Hey, I’ve been wanting to apply to Carnegie Mellon since I found out about it, and it would be much appreciated if you could lend me some insight on my chances, thanks, here are my stats (I was figuring first choice SCS, and MCS as a backup):</p>

<p>SATI 2310 800M 740CR 750W</p>

<p>SATII Physics 790, Math 2 800, Chem 750.</p>

<p>GPA 102.25%, Highest GPA in class is 103.14%, putting me in the top 3% out of 800 students.</p>

<p>Course Load:
Junior Year: AP Physics - 5
AP BC Calculus - 5
AP Statistics - 5
AP Psychology - 5
AP English Language - 5
AP US History - 3 (not good, but I figure I’m applying to a tech school anyways ;P)</p>

<p>Senior Year: Multivariable Calculus at Local University
Linear Algerbra at Local University
French at a Local University
AP Government and Politics
AP Environmental
AP Biology
AP English Literature</p>

<p>EC’s
Math Team
Varsity Academic Team
Science Olympiad Team A Captain (Went to Nationals 5 times, and won 3 national metals and 12 state medals)
Spending a Year doing Cancer Research at a local University
^ Im planning on submitting my research to Intel, and Siemens.
French Honors Society
Fluent in C++, won multimedia award and 1000 dollars with my project using my code (our school doesn’t have a CS course)
Karate since I was 6, I now teach at my dojo
Guitar since I was 5, I’m in a band with some friends, and we released an unsigned album at our school last spring</p>

<p>I know my EC’s lack focus, and I was unable to take French in my junior year because of Calculus, but if you guys could tell me what you think, it would be greatly appreciated!</p>

178

<p>@carmellon: Your SATI score sums up to 2290 =p</p>

<p>You’re really competitive for SCS and any other tech school at that. If you love CS and express it well in your essays, I see no outstanding cons for why admissions wouldn’t want you to be in SCS. MCS is almost a safety.</p>

179

<p>he is from Korea but has been in US 3 years.
GPA 3.44 weighted.</p>

<p>SAT- CR-510, M-730, W-600
ACT-23</p>

<p>Extra curr. 4H, Tennis, Robotics, vol. at local library, </p>

<p>wants to go into mechanical engineering</p>

180

<p>Some slight changes:
School: CIT ED II
SAT: 2150 (720M 700CR 730W)
ACT: 32
SATII: Less than amazing. 580 Physics 680 English 630 Math II
Rank: top 25% - 2.9 GPA(awful freshman grades with good reason)
AP: Calc AB(4), English Language(4), Environmental Science(3), APUSH(2), World(3) Taking: Calc BC, Physics C E&M and Mech, Statistics, English Literature, Computer Science
I’m definitely interviewing and will definitely ace it.
Extra Curriculars:
9 years flute/ 5 years violin/4 years trumpet, clarinet/3 years alto saxophone
Marching Band Drum Major
Tri M member
summer music camps
Future Business Leaders of America, various awards associated with it
DECA, various awards associated with it
Engineering Club Vice President
VEX Robotics Team, founding member, took to World Competition
Founding Member, school TSA chapter, president
Did a summer program at Johns Hopkins, earned college credit
100+ recorded hours community service
Student Council President
Environthon Club officer
Baby sitting job, 5 years
Volunteered with local middle school promoting STEM careers
Varsity letters: Tennis, Badminton</p>

<p>I transferred schools after a pretty bad freshman year and wrote a lengthy explanation of the situation where the Common App asks for it. I think I’ve made it pretty clear that I’ve grown quite a bit from my experience and am a very much different person today.</p>

<p>My SAT math’s still a little low compared to some, but my ACT Math was a 35 and I’m aiming for the SAT one last time next month. </p>

<p>Possible hooks: Double minority: Female and AA.</p>

<p>I dream about playing in the Kiltie band… Chance me?</p>