Carnegie Mellon University

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Students Say - Academics
CMU is an academic powerhouse that "pushes [students] to a much greater level of understanding." Undergrads are quick to reason that this is due to "out- standing faculty who are extremely passionate about their fields of study." Of course, this passion "transfers to rigorous and interesting courses." Indeed, "one definitely develops an excellent work ethic by attending this institution." A bio and psych double-major concurs stating, "Every student works hard: It is unavoidable." Fortunately, he goes on to say, "I have never had any trouble accessing any of my professors. They are quick to answer e-mails and are more than willing to meet with you outside of class and office hours." The university "offers a huge variety of top-ranked programs, such as the business school, the engineering school, the computer science school, and the music and drama departments." Naturally this "makes it easy to take a variety of classes but still get a quality education." And as one student puts it, "At the end of the day knowledge is oozing from my pores. I love it!" One senior did reveal that signing up for class can be a hassle because "the registration system is pretty much from the '80s." However, he did assure us that the administration is aware of the issues and "working on it." Overall, students are fairly happy with the "accessible" administration. One happy sophomore shares that those on the faculty "listen to students' requests and move to make changes on campus accordingly." And a computer science major sums up by stating, "The administration is helpful when you need it and never too intrusive."

Students Say - Campus Life
Though undergrads at Carnegie Mellon are "very focused on their education and their [future] careers" many students are still able to strike "a balance." Indeed, one senior assures us that he and his peers "know how to have fun too." Students in need of a study break can find distraction in a myriad of cam- pus events. The residential staff (residential assistants and faculty advisors) often host activities like "movie nights, stressball crafting, and snowball fights." Additionally, undergrads can participate in anything from "intramural sports teams, to building racing vehicles [and] designing computer games." Performances from the many "a capella and drama groups" are also well attended. Though one junior admits that "we're not big partiers comparatively," plenty of students "do go to frat parties on the weekend." And many undergrads revel in CMU traditions, such as carnival when "classes are cancelled for two days, and week-long parties occur." Impressively, "public transportation is free for Carnegie Mellon students" making Pittsburgh highly accessible. The city offers a number "of museums to visit," and "the Waterfront, where there's great shopping, a movie theater, and various restaurants are only a bus ride away." Finally, those who are 21 can take advantage of "the vast number of bars, lounges, and clubs in the area."

Students Say - Student Body
Carnegie Mellon seems to attract "focused, intelligent" students who are "ambitious, goal-oriented" and "maybe a little too smart for [their] own good." In short, the university is "a utopia for nerds." And while this might mean you'll encounter a few "socially awkward" peers, one sophomore assures us that it's "a very comfortable, friendly environment." Though a number of undergrads pro- claim that there's "no typical student," there are "two common types-the artsy student and the total computer geek." Don't be misled however, these kids can't easily be pigeon-holed. "Some are engineers, some are actors, some are scientists, and some are writers." "Everyone is unique and interesting." Indeed, quick to praise their "quirky" and "well-rounded" fellow students, many undergrads here greatly appreciate the fact that people "are passionate about a variety of subjects." Impressively, "Students are not only ethnically and religiously diverse, but every person here has some unique or interesting characteristic." Moreover, "everyone is really accepting of students that are different than them." And as a content chemical engineering major shares, "everyone finds their place."

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