How Hard Is Cs At Cmu

Last Updated on December 28, 2022

I’ve been admitted to CMU for CS. Having one of the best CS programs in the world, it would seem obvious to attend, but I’m worried it’ll be too intense for me.

From what I’ve read online, it seems like everyone has to work all day every day. What has your experience been like so far at CMU? What kind of time would I have to participate in extracurricular activities or sports? What would a typical daily schedule look like? What’s the student culture like in SCS? I’m also really interested in basketball, so do you think I’d have time to play varsity along with a major in CS?6 CommentsShareSaveHideReport93% UpvotedLog in or sign up to leave a commentLog InSign UpSort By: Best

level 1AutoModeratorMOD·4y·Stickied comment

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The SCS curriculum is definitely challenging, but the nice thing about it is there actually aren’t that many classes you need to graduate (compared to other majors). This makes it easy to split up difficult classes across your semesters so you are only taking 1 or two core CS classes a semester.

It is definitely doable to get involved in extracurriculars as a CS major. I TA and hold leadership positions in two clubs in addition to my coursework, and find it is manageable. Participating in a varsity sport is a pretty big time commitment with practices and away games, but people make it work and you can too if you learn to manage your time.

One thing I love about SCS is how helpful and non competitive everyone is about classes. TAs hold regular office hours that are usually heavily attended, and I have found going to office hours is a great way to talk through concepts with other students and make friends. Everyone seems to have a “we’re all in this together” attitude when taking a hard class18ReplyShareReportSavelevel 1jekshmeck·4y

I don’t think you should be worried so much about difficulty as the other things you mentioned. Difficulty is subjective and I wouldn’t shy away from something because it’s known to be difficult. That being said, if you have the chance to visit and talk to current students and you really see yourself happier somewhere else, then by all means go that route. Good luck on your decision!7ReplyShareReportSavelevel 1[deleted]·4y

The CS students I know are very involved on campus. A lot of them are in Greek Life, participating in or being leaders in other campus organizations, TAing classes, etc. You can definitely be involved on campus as a CS major.

However, a more intensive major like CS with playing varsity basketball is a lot. I definitely think you could have time to do both and still maintain a social life, but I would guess that being really involved on campus along with both of those huge commitments is kind of difficult.4ReplyShareReportSavelevel 1[deleted]·4y

The other comments are pretty good so I’ll just add my bit. You definitely do not have to work “all day every day” if you manage your time well and balance your schedule. I have friends in CS who are able to TA &/or participate in clubs and sports and have enough time for their coursework too.2ReplyShareReportSavelevel 1dreadlockpirate·4yMS Student

Maybe this wouldn’t bother you, but the question I’d be asking myself is, “would I regret it if I don’t go”? Sure, you might enjoy yourself a bit more elsewhere, but you’ll never know what you missed. Getting a degree from (arguably) the best school in the world is a once in a life time opportunity*. Do you really want to give that up?

*okay, yes, you could come here for grad school later, as I’m doing right now, but you get what I mean.1ReplyShareReportSaveMore posts from the cmu community40Posted byu/throwaway5678901274 days ago

Silver

Crushed by midterms

Is anyone else depressed af

I’ve never done so badly on an exam before & I feel like absolute shit rn. Everyone in my class probably did better than me & it was in a subject I’m usually good at. I’m just shouting to the void but idk why honestly.

Cmu Cs Acceptance Rate 2020

Carnegie Mellon University is very selective in its admission process. There is no definite acceptance rate for the school as it differs each year. However, we can give a rate from the school’s previous enrollment.

From the 2019 application statistics, the school received 44,159 applications and only admitted 1,587 students. From this report, we can say that Carnegie Mellon University’s acceptance rate is 15%.

Here is a tabular representation of the school’s previous Student Enrolment (Fall 2019 application statistics):

College/SchoolsApplicationsAcceptance RateEnrolled
School of Architecture56630%69
School of Art77716%39
College of Design7417%34
School of Drama2,8333%64
School of Music81421%51
Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences5,91324%277
Engineering10,90517%407
Information Systems1,14926%51
Mellon College of Science7,19918%214
School of Computer Science9,2097%218
Tepper School of Business3,37919%144
Intercollege Degree Programs67411%19
Total44,15915%1,587

What Are Carnegie Mellon Admission Requirements?

At Carnegie Mellon, they select their freshman class from a large group of very qualified candidates. To do this, they make use of a variety of factors; these factors are the admission requirements.

Therefore, to get accepted at Carnegie Mellon University, you must adhere to the following admission requirements:

  • High School Performance
  • Standardized Tests
  • Teacher, and Counselor Recommendations
  • Non-academic Information

Non-academic information includes the following:

  • Extracurricular Contributions
  • Passion and Perseverance
  • Leadership and Community Engagement
  • The Common Application Essay
  • Carnegie Mellon Short Answer Questions

Carnegie Mellon Undergraduate Admission

To apply for an undergraduate program at Carnegie Mellon University, you must fulfill the following requirements:

  • Send in a common application
  • Pay a $75 application fee
  • Submit an official high school transcript
  • Submit all required standardized testing official score reports, which includes the TOEFL or IELTS if English is not your native language
  • Get teacher recommendation
  • Submit a secondary school counselor evaluation
  • Write a common application essay

Additional Requirements:

  • Carnegie Mellon Common Application Writing Supplement, which contains three short answer questions.
  • All fine arts applicants to the Schools of Drama and Music are to arrange required pre-screen, audition or portfolio review.
  • All fine art applications to the Schools of Architecture, Art, Design are required to submit the required portfolio and creative materials.
  • Homeschooled applicants should submit an academic portfolio/transcript consistent with their state guidelines and also, a list of all textbooks used.
  • Applicants must provide proof of meeting all requirements for an official high school diploma, by the end of May of the year of graduation. They must also submit an official final transcript, GED or certificate of completion from your local school district or state board of education by the end of July of the year of matriculation.

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