Carnegie Mellon University

Carnegie Mellon University Introduction

The atmosphere at Carnegie Mellon is one of the most eclectic of any school. The name “Carnegie Mellon” is often associated with computers and engineering; others think of it as a school that specializes in art and drama. All of these people are right. And when you add outstanding programs in the sciences, the humanities and business administration, you’ve got the basic academic view of Carnegie Mellon. The students here are as different from each other as you can get, yet everyone still finds ways to interact. There are students here from halfway around the world; there are students here from two miles away. There are students from all fifty states and over forty foreign countries. Some people are here building complex electronic devices, and some are making beautiful art. The one thing that everyone does have in common is that they’re committed to what they’re doing, and they work hard.

Carnegie Mellon, located about five miles from downtown Pittsburgh, is surrounded by three culturally active, residential neighborhoods. Pittsburgh has come a long way since its industrial past. Today, the city, a top twenty-five arts destination, has cultural activity and diversity, and there is no shortage of things to do and learn. This serves as the perfect setting for one of the fastest growing universities in the country.

In 1900 Andrew Carnegie, a Pittsburgh industrialist and philanthropist, founded Carnegie Institute of Technology and Margaret Morrison Women’s College to educate the sons and daughters of local working class families. In 1967 Carnegie’s institutions merged with Mellon Institute, founded by Andrew Mellon, and formed Carnegie Mellon University. In 1968 Margaret Morrison was closed and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences was founded, forming the basic model of Carnegie Mellon that is seen today. There are now six colleges within the university: Carnegie Institute of Technology (engineering) (CIT), Mellon College of Science (MCS), School of Computer Science (SCS), Tepper School of Business (Tepper), College of Humanities and Social Sciences (H&SS), and College of Fine Arts (CFA).

Carnegie Mellon has an incredibly distinctive history and, luckily, many of the traditions live on. Directly inside the doors of Baker Hall is a portrait of the profile of Arthur Hamerschlag, the first president of the university. Legend has it that it’s good luck to rub his nose. Although they wouldn’t admit it, many students have been caught rubbing the nose during exam time.

One of the rituals that students would not deny taking part in is the painting of the fence. When Carnegie Mellon was still divided between men and women, the two schools were literally separated by a ravine. The one footbridge that connected the two campuses was where all of the men and women met in their free time. Then, when the College of Fine Arts building was built, the builders leveled a hill and filled in the ravine. The students of both schools were so disappointed that the administration built a fence in the bridge’s place, but this was not a good idea because the fence really had no point. The night before it was to be torn down, a group of fraternity brothers painted the fence to advertise a party. The party was such a huge success that it became a tradition to paint the fence. Today, anyone can paint the fence. The only rules are that the fence must be painted, with a paintbrush, between 12:00 A.M. and 5:00 A.M., and whoever paints the fence must guard it for twenty-four hours or as long as they want their painting to stay. The fence paintings range from messages from fraternities advertising parties to happy birthday wishes to friends.

Carnegie Mellon is also one of the only universities that uses bagpipes to greet its fresh- men on the first day and say farewell to graduates at commencement. Carnegie’s Scottish heritage is celebrated even today. The name of our marching band, the Kiltie Band, says it all; every member of the band wears authentic Scottish garb (yes, including kilts). Carnegie Mellon is one of the few schools in the United States that offers a music degree in bagpiping. If you’re not interested in majoring in it, there’s also a bagpipe club (no kidding).

I never realized how different my college experience was from that of my friends. I never knew how many different people could live together on one campus. Like a lot of other people that have never really left home, I just figured everybody would be more or less like me. I was so wrong. But I’ve learned so much from just being here that I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Carnegie Mellon has, in a word, everything—there is nothing that you could not find at Carnegie Mellon. Walking across the Cut (the grassy area in the middle of campus), you can see people studying, playing Frisbee, reciting poetry, sleeping . . . the list could go on and on. The people who end up coming to Carnegie Mellon are from all over the world, with different cultures, different beliefs, and different interests. But they all exist together. People say that going away to college is as educational outside of the classroom as it is inside. This has never been more true than it is at Carnegie Mellon.

Being from Pittsburgh originally, I was worried when I came to Carnegie Mellon because I thought that I’d miss out on the experience of going to a college out of state, but I’ve met so many interesting people, not only from all over the country, but all over the world! Even though I didn’t leave Pittsburgh, I feel that I’ve learned more than I would have if I had gone away to another school.

There is so much here, it can be very intimidating at first. Where do I go? What do I do? How do I make friends? It’s impossible to know exactly how to approach it. Fortunately, somebody has already planned this. For the first week that freshmen are on campus they are involved in, as many students would tell you, the best orientation anywhere. Through the entire week, students take part in planned activities, learn how to deal with being away from home, and meet more people than they could ever remember. This orientation is just the beginning of the series of support systems that exist here. No matter what you’re doing, there will always be somebody there to help you. There are programs here ranging from peer tutoring to peer counseling. If you have a problem that you don’t think a peer can help you with, the professors and other staff are always willing to try to help you. Basically, no matter what’s going on, if you look for help, you’ll find it.

The students that attend Carnegie Mellon are motivated, driven, and goal-oriented. Everyone here knows that everyone else has worked hard to get here. They’re all in the same boat, and this brings everyone closer together. College is about the things you learn and the friends you make in the process. You’ll have both at Carnegie Mellon.

There isn’t anybody who goes here—or has ever gone here—who won’t tell you that everything about this place is intense. People work hard. They have goals and dreams. But they also have friends and fun. Don’t ever let anybody tell you that it’s too hard.

Carnegie Mellon University Academics

The students of Carnegie Mellon come from a number of different backgrounds. The one thing that everyone has in common is that they have worked hard to get here. Most of the students come from the top of their high school classes. At first, many of them are surprised that they are not necessarily in the same position here; however, they soon realize that they are gaining something even more valuable than a class rank. They are surrounded by people and situations that challenge them and inspire them to work harder.

Nobody ever said that being a student at Carnegie Mellon was easy, but it is certainly not impossible. You may be working hard and studying more than you’d expected, but so is everybody else. People understand what their colleagues are going through and they help each other.

When I was getting ready to come here, I was really worried because I thought I wouldn’t be able to handle the work load. All I had heard was how hard it was and how much everybody had to work. Now that I look back on it, I do have a lot of work to do, but it was as if I was eased into it. I’m used to it. Plus, all of my friends have the same amount of work to do, so I don’t feel that I’m the only one studying so much.

Although Carnegie Mellon is an extremely competitive school, students learn early that they need to help and support each other to succeed. People are willing to explain a difficult concept or give constructive criticism because they know that at some point they will probably need the same favor.

For every class, there is a study session offered before a test. In many cases, the professor or a teaching assistant will organize a review session to help members of the class. In addition to this, many students take it upon themselves to start their own study groups. In addition to helping and being helped by their peers, many students find this to be a good way to get to know people in their classes.

Classes and Faculty

The faculty/student ratio is ten to one; the average class size is between twenty-five and thirty-five students. This also takes into consideration the larger lectures. The largest lecture hall on campus seats 250, which is relatively small compared to other universities. Most of the classes that have lectures this size are introductory classes that many students are required to take. In classes with lectures this size, there is always a recitation offered with the lecture. The recitation is a smaller group (ten to twenty people) led by a teaching assistant (TA) or graduate student who discusses the concepts and subjects covered in the lecture. In all cases, the TA and professor will always have office hours for people who may need extra help, and, in most cases, they will also give the class members (no matter how many) their office (and sometimes home) telephone number and e-mail address. Some professors even host social gatherings to become better acquainted with their students.

When I was looking at schools, I was intimidated by Carnegie Mellon’s reputation. I came for a visit and was really surprised to find that the students were normal people—their rooms were messy and they procrastinated, just like me! Since I’ve been here, I’ve found teachers and classmates to be very supportive. It’s an intense environment, but I don’t feel I’m in it alone.

The course load and the kind of work you do depends on what college you’re in and what you’re majoring in. Computer science majors will obviously spend a lot of time at their computers, while architecture majors will spend a lot of time in their studios. While one person is working on problem sets every night, another will be writing a long paper. Everyone will say that his or her work is the hardest, but the truth is that everyone is doing the kind of work they enjoy (or they should be). It’s impossible to classify the class work here into one category. Every class has its own pattern.

No matter what a person’s major is, he or she will have a few classes in other areas. For example, computer science majors are required to take non-computer related electives (such as an English class), people in the humanities are required to take a math class and two science classes, and every freshman is required to take a Computer Skills Workshop course, Introduction to World History, and an introductory English class.

Computers

Any student at Carnegie Mellon would tell you that this is a very computer-oriented campus. Almost everything, from communicating with professors to signing up for classes is done over the Internet. One of the first things students are taught when they come here is how to use the campus network, Andrew. Every freshman is required to pass a class called Computer Skills Workshop (CSW), which covers everything from e-mail to ethics. Almost everything is announced over the Internet. Most classes and student organizations have their own electronic bulletin boards to make announcements and have discussions.

Students aren’t required to have their own computers, but many have them. There are computer clusters in many of the dorms and in every academic building. Every dorm room has ethernet hookups in case the students do have a computer of their own, so they have access to the Internet from their rooms. Carnegie Mellon was the first university campus to offer wireless networking in all administrative and academic buildings. Wireless Andrew, the largest installation of its type anywhere, connects over 5,000 students, faculty, and staff across campus—and that number is growing. The wireless network is now available in all administrative, academic, and residential buildings across campus. The network is also accessible from outdoor areas on campus due to wireless leakage around buildings and through access points mounted on the exterior of some buildings. Users are able to access Wireless Andrew by purchasing a WaveLan card from the campus computer store and inserting it into their laptop or portable computer. The need for a computer depends on the major. Some people, who have a lot of work to do on computers, find it convenient to not have to leave their room to get their work done. Others, who don’t do a lot of work with computers, don’t have any need for them. Your best bet is to wait until you get to school and figure it out then (if you don’t already have one).

Carnegie Mellon University Admissions

What does it take to get into Carnegie Mellon? The Office of Admission looks at a lot of different elements when choosing who gets in. Basically, the admissions counselors are trying to get a feel of who you are and what you’ve done. Unlike many people think, it isn’t only your transcript that admissions counselors look at. Of course, high school grades are important, but they are definitely not everything. The Office of Admission also looks at your standardized test scores (SATs or ACTs) and SAT Subject Tests, your essay, activities you’ve been involved in, personal recommendations, a portfolio or audition depending on your major interest and your interview (recommended not required).

There is no set formula for how people get accepted. In some cases, one element (like test scores) may not be as strong as you’d like, but something else (like extracurricular activities) will make up for it. What admissions counselors look at also depends heavily on what your intended major is. For example, if you are applying to be a math major, they will concentrate on your math grades and scores more than on other things.

However, what they are looking for is a well-rounded student who will take full advantage of the opportunity to come here. Your best bet is to do your best in everything and, above all, get involved! Most Carnegie Mellon students are involved in much more than just class work—the admissions counselors want to find people who will be willing to take part in other things. This doesn’t mean just sports or clubs. Your activities can be interests or hobbies.

There is no grade or score that will get you in or keep you out of Carnegie Mellon. The decision comes from a number of different considerations that the counselors use to decide whether Carnegie Mellon is right for you.

To apply to Carnegie Mellon, you can call or write and request an application for admission. You can also submit the Common Application online. Once you’re on the mailing list, the university will send you all the information you need. When you apply, you must indicate which college within the university you’d like to apply to. If you’re still not sure what you want to major in (which college), you can apply to more than one college for no additional charge. Keep in mind that it is possible to be admitted to one college and rejected from another.

Requirements for Majors

The classes that you need to have taken in high school depend on what you’re planning on majoring in. Each major has slightly different requirements, so be sure to check on that. Every major requires that you take four years of English; beyond that, it depends on the major. Of course, as long as you carry a normal high school course load, you should fulfill all of the requirements. You must submit scores from either the SAT or the ACT. In most cases, you also need to take two SAT (subject tests). Students applying to art, design, drama, or music are not required to take the SAT Subject Tests.

Interviews

Recommendations and interviews are two of the best ways to show the Office of Admission who you really are. Interviews are suggested, but not required. They not only give an admissions counselor an opportunity to learn more about you, but give you an opportunity to learn more about the school. For those students who are too far away to come to campus for an interview, the school also offers hometown interviews. These interviews serve the same purpose as campus interviews (although you won’t see the campus). Alumni interviews in your hometown are available as well.

Carnegie Mellon University Financial Aid

The total cost of a year at Carnegie Mellon, including tuition, room and board, books, etc., during a recent year was $46,308. With a price tag like this, it’s obvious that many students will need some kind of financial aid. Depending on your financial need, your financial aid package might include a combination of grants, loans, and work-study. About seventy percent of the freshmen who entered in a recent year received some sort of financial aid. The average need-based package was $23,597. Although you are not guaranteed financial assistance, most people who are eligible and in need receive it.

Work-study gives students the opportunity to have on-campus jobs in order to make money to pay some of their college expenses. These jobs include positions in offices, food service, the child-care facility, and the library, to name a few. These jobs usually don’t take up more than ten to fifteen hours a week and they allow the student to make extra money that they might need to buy books or for other necessities. Since there are so many jobs available, students may work on campus even if they don’t qualify for need-based work-study.

My parents own a small business and don’t have a lot of extra money. When I applied to Carnegie Mellon, I was worried that the cost would be too high for them to afford. If it wasn’t for the financial aid, there is no chance that I would be here. I’ve talked to several of my friends about this and many of them are in the same position.

Carnegie Mellon University Students

The Campus

Carnegie Mellon is technically in a city. The campus is self-contained and surprisingly open for a city campus. There’s grass and trees and (if you’re in the right dorm) you never have to cross the street. The campus is also fairly safe. Pittsburgh’s crime rate is relatively low compared to the national average. With relative security and other cultural benefits, Pittsburgh has continually been named one of the country’s most livable cities. Because the Carnegie Mellon campus is so self-contained, it’s even safer.

The university has about fifty security employees. About half are sworn police officers who have the power to make arrests; the other half are security guards. These guards and officers patrol the campus (on foot, bike, and in cars) twenty-four hours a day. If something does happen on campus, the campus police will hang up “crime reports” on all of the bulletin boards and in all of the dorms to keep everybody informed.

In addition to the campus police, there are many student-run safety organizations. There is an escort shuttle bus (driven by students) that runs within two miles of the campus and will bring you home if you don’t want to walk off campus alone. If you feel unsafe walk- ing across campus alone, you can call Safewalk and two students will come and walk you wherever you need to go.

Unwinding

Although the academic environment can get fairly intense, Carnegie Mellon students definitely know how to unwind. After a full week of classes and schoolwork, everybody’s ready to relax and have some fun. A common stereotype of Carnegie Mellon students is that they can never tear themselves away from their computers. While everybody here has probably had a few weekends when they spent much of it working, it is much more common for students to find other, non-work-related things to do.

When I got here, upperclassmen kept telling me about how they had pulled all-nighters and had gone days without sleep. I got a little scared, and then I got worried because I was sleeping (I thought maybe I was doing something wrong). Finally I realized that it was said to psyche each other out. I’ve noticed that people say they haven’t slept as a way to brag about how much time they’ve spent working. I’m a junior now, and I can honestly say that I’ve never pulled an all-nighter. I’ve had a few very late nights, but those are spent just as much talking with friends as they are working.

Organizations

Beyond sports, there are more than 130 student organizations on campus. The student body of Carnegie Mellon is incredibly diverse, so it is obvious that the list of clubs would be just as diverse. From organizations celebrating ethnic heritage to clubs based on political views to clubs made up of people who like to play chess, there is a club here for everyone. And even if there isn’t, all you have to do to start one is find a few people with your common interest and apply to the student senate to be recognized. Student organizations recognized by the senate are open to any student and vary in size from a few people (usually the newer clubs have fewer members) to a lot of people.

I had been involved in drama in high school, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to take part in the drama productions here because I wasn’t a drama major. I was so excited when I found out about Scotch and Soda, a group of nondrama majors who put on shows throughout the year. I’ve met some of my best friends through S&S.

Scotch and Soda, an amateur theater group, has a long tradition at Carnegie Mellon. Throughout the year the group produces two full-length shows and several one-act plays. The playwrights of both Godspell and Pippin were not only Carnegie Mellon alumni, but Scotch and Soda members.

Fraternities and Sororities

Throughout the year, the eleven fraternities and five sororities on campus plan various events open to the entire campus. These events have, in the past, included talent shows, dance marathons, and the annual Mr. Fraternity contest. The Greek system (fraternities and sororities) make up about fifteen percent of the campus. Many of those involved in the Greek system enjoy it because it gives members a chance to get to know other students and to take part in large social events (each fraternity and sorority also takes part in several charity events), but the number is low enough to not overwhelm the campus. If a student chooses not to join the Greek system, he or she will still have no problem having a social life. It is also very common for people to interact with many people in an organization without being a member.

Spring Carnival

Each spring, the campus comes together for Carnegie Mellon’s annual Spring Carnival. This three-day event includes shows, concerts, and contests. The two biggest elements of Spring Carnival are Booth and Buggy. Each organization has the opportunity to build a booth corresponding to the carnival’s theme, and each structure includes a game in which all of the money raised goes to charity. These booths are often quite large and quite elaborate.

These same organizations build buggies, high-tech soapbox derby cars, to race through Schenley Park. The buggies look like torpedoes on wheels and are driven by the smallest student (usually a female) that the organization can find. People push the buggies up the hill and then let them coast through the park (some get up to speeds of thirty-five to forty miles per hour).

Buggy has been one of the highlights of my life at Carnegie Mellon. At first, I wasn’t sure about it. Everyone seemed to know exactly what they were doing but I had no clue. However, the first time I pushed, the whole team ran along beside me cheering—after that first push, I felt like a pro. I’ve also made a lot of friends through Buggy. There’s a lot to be said about the friends you can make getting up at 5:00 A.M. on a weekend.

Carnegie Mellon University Athletics

Of course, you don’t need to leave campus to find something to do. Carnegie Mellon has seventeen varsity sports (nine men’s, eight women’s). There are also many more intramural and club sports (these range from very competitive to strictly for fun). Even if you’re not interested in participating in one of these sports, you’ll probably have at least one friend who does. Around eighty percent of the student body participates in an intramural or club sport at one point or another.

Carnegie Mellon University Local Community

A lot of students jump at the chance to get off campus on the weekends. The Carnegie Mellon campus is situated in the middle of three major shopping areas: Oakland, Shadyside, and Squirrel Hill. Between these three areas you can find shopping, restaurants, movie theaters, coffeehouses, museums, and nightlife (and this is all within walking distance). Beyond that, it is easy to catch a city bus going downtown or to a nearby shopping mall. Students have free access to public transportation with their ID card. Pittsburgh is full of things to do, from the cultural to the just plain fun. You can go to the symphony one night and then go to a Pittsburgh Penguins game the next. The possibilities are endless.

Carnegie Mellon University Alumni

There are almost 68,000 Carnegie Mellon alumni spread out all over the world. The goals achieved and backgrounds of these alumni are as diverse as when they began their careers at Carnegie Mellon. There is no one category that all graduates fit into. There are Carnegie Mellon alumni who have become great actors, writers, artists, and scientists, over 2,000 alumni are presidents or vice-presidents of corporations, more than 1,400 teach as professors at universities, and thirty are deans.

Very few of these people graduate and go immediately to the top; however, many of these graduates are used to working hard to achieve their goals. After four years at Carnegie Mellon, these people know how to get the job done. Because of Carnegie Mellon’s reputation for preparing students with real-world and practical experience, employers are eager to hire recent Carnegie Mellon graduates. About seventy-five percent of graduates get job offers within six months of graduation, while another twenty-two percent go on to graduate school immediately after commencement.

There is a large network of Carnegie Mellon graduates organized all over the world. This network helps fellow alumni who decide to relocate or need advice concerning a job. It is also an invaluable resource for meeting people in your field. The one thing that all Carnegie Mellon alumni do have in common is the pride and tradition of being part of this network. You could go anywhere in the world and be able to chat with alumni about Spring Carnival or Schenley Park. Although alumni may have complained about their classes or other things while they were here, very few can admit that being a student at Carnegie Mellon did not help them in the long run.

Prominent Grads

• Jack Klugman, ’48, Actor
• Andy Warhol, ’49, Artist
• Raymond Smith, ’59, Bell Atlantic Chairman and CEO
• Erroll Davis, Jr., ’65, Chairman, President and CEO of Alliant Energy; Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Carnegie Mellon University
• Iris Ranier Dart, ’66, Novelist
• Stephen Bochco, ’69, Producer, Writer
• Ted Danson, ’72, Actor
• John Wells ’79, Executive Producer, Writer
• Holly Hunter, ’80, Actress
• Rob Marshall, ’82, Choreographer
• Keith Lockhart, ’83, Music Conductor

Carnegie Foundation Classification

Research Universities (very high research activity)

General Characteristics

Highest offering	Doctoral degree
Calendar System	Semester
Years of college work required	N/A
Variable Tuition

Special Learning Opportunities

Distance Learning
ROTC — Army / Navy / Air Force	— / /
Study Abroad
Weekend College
Teacher Certification