Located in Pittsburgh, PA, Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a medium-sized private research university known for its top-notch STEM programs. It was founded in 1900 by thee Andrew Carnegie (the OG steel billionaire, for those not in the know) and is primarily known for engineering, computer science, and business. It’s also a highly competitive school, with the acceptance rate for 2023-2024 at 11.4%.
CMU has only gotten harder to get into over the years, and one of the best ways to set yourself apart from the crowd is by writing a killer Common App essay and outstanding supplemental essays. Even CMU themselves acknowledge this on their website: “While there's no such thing as the perfect essay, the best essay you can write helps us learn about you! We want to know more about your passions, goals, aspirations, and experiences to gain a deeper understanding of who you are beyond your transcript. While role models, mentors, and family members may have played a critical role in your life, don’t forget to write about you.“
CMU has three short answer questions, and we’re going to explore those today:
Question 1: Most students choose their intended major or area of study based on a passion or inspiration that’s developed over time — what passion or inspiration led you to choose this area of study? (300 words)
If you haven’t decided your major, you should do that. You cannot apply undecided to CMU, and their website backs this up: “Finally, it’s important to recognize that you apply directly to a college or school within Carnegie Mellon, so we encourage you to use part of your essays to describe your academic interests and goals.” So, if you don’t know what you want to do, figure it out ASAP. And if you do know what you want to do, great, it’s time to do some thinking and some looking up of things.
This question is asking for your origin story – why do you like the thing you like? You don’t want to wax poetic about your love of mechanical engineering to no end, you want to tell them a story. Maybe there was a specific bridge you marveled over, or you could tell them about how you and your dad would build complex Lego masterpieces. If it’s something like chemistry, maybe it’s the first time you did an unauthorized chemistry experiment in the backyard. You want to identify that “lightbulb moment” where you realized this was the thing for you.
Next, you want to show some progression and then tie it to CMU. You talked about the spark, so let’s now dive into the evidence. As you tell them about how you conducted research with a local professor or started a Women in Engineering club at school, connect that to academic opportunities you want to pursue at CMU. You want to draw a line from what you did in high school to what you want to do in college, and it needs to make sense. Pull in upper-level classes (typically in the 300s in a course catalog) and name-drop some specific professors!
Question 2: Many students pursue college for a specific degree, career opportunity or personal goal. Whichever it may be, learning will be critical to achieve your ultimate goal. As you think ahead to the process of learning during your college years, how will you define a successful college experience? (300 words)
This question will require even more research! While Q1 was about your specific major, this one needs to go a little deeper. If you’re majoring in Chemistry because you want to be a drug researcher, you need to pull in all the things outside the traditional classroom setting that allow you to pursue that goal. Think about research, clubs to join, their special residential programs, fellowships or grants, study abroad, or special labs. Don’t just list them to list them, make sure they really connect with your goals.
Basically, CMU wants to see how you engage with learning when not just forced to sit in class. Kids at CMU are curious-intellectual-types, and if the idea of doing school for fun after school isn’t getting you perked up, then it might not be the school for you. But, if coding a program to help you optimize your food prep for the week is your idea of a cool Saturday night, then you’ll fit right in. Use this question to show CMU you’re the right kind of student for their school.
Question 3: Consider your application as a whole. What do you personally want to emphasize about your application for the admission committee’s consideration? Highlight something that’s important to you or something you haven’t had a chance to share. Tell us, don’t show us (no websites please). (300 words)
This question is basically a second mini Common App essay, which we personally love but know some of y’all are already balking. This question is not a place for you to list out your resume or tell them something they already know about you, it’s a place to tell a story!
First, take stock of everything they know about you based on your application. They know your grades, your major, your activities, they’ll have rec letters and your Common App essay, so we don’t want to write anything captured in there. Instead, think about those quirks or hobbies or unique traditions or rituals you take part in. Maybe you taught yourself how to cook or crochet, or you really love collecting vintage glassware. Maybe you and your family have a really silly game night, or you garden, or you moonlight as a dog walker. Whatever the story is, it should capture those personality traits that they wouldn’t know about you otherwise!
We like CMU’s supplement, it gives you space to talk about academics and goals and even a place to talk more in-depth about yourself. Make sure to do a lot of research on CMU and the program you want to be in, otherwise, these essays will fall flat. Best of luck!
Need help with your CMU app? We got you, reach out today.