Are students unhappy at CMU?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD suffered through 4 years. She did not enjoy college and was happy to graduate. With that said, she got a job and is excelling. Most of her friends felt similarly. It’s just a really hard school and the location isn’t great. She will not make the same mistake for grad school.

Why do you say that about the location? My kid is considering Pitt, which is right next to CMU, and the location seems good to us - near several colleges, seems pretty vibrant. Thanks!

I have a freshman daughter at Pitt. She is happy. Having too much fun, if that’s possible (still keeping up with class work, though). LOVES Pitt.

Can’t relate to PP who says food is only ok in Pittsburgh. Dining halls suck, but check out Butterjoint for pierogies by campus, etc - I can’t actually list all the awesome restaurants here. But students won’t be dining out at that level anyway.

The Pitt side of Oakland is definitely vibrant and fun. DD says she has met a number of CMU students - all athletes. She says they all come to Pitt places, because there are no CMU places. The CMU athletes she has met only hang out with other athletes and Pitt students - they find their classmates to be really intense and/or socially weird. They (the CMU athletes) are not happy with the school.

In contrast, Pitt students are overall really happy. School spirit is high, social life is great. They find Pittsburgh to be really fun. Strong recommend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD suffered through 4 years. She did not enjoy college and was happy to graduate. With that said, she got a job and is excelling. Most of her friends felt similarly. It’s just a really hard school and the location isn’t great. She will not make the same mistake for grad school.

Why do you say that about the location? My kid is considering Pitt, which is right next to CMU, and the location seems good to us - near several colleges, seems pretty vibrant. Thanks!

I went to Pitt and I am from Pittsburgh. I love Pittsburgh. I will give you the most factual assessment I can. This is all about personal preference. My comments will focus on "location" (that term is not defined in the comment above).

First, CMU is 15 minutes walk up the street from Pitt. It's close but not the same exact neighborhood and campus experience. I liked the CMU area less.

I liked the central campus area at Pitt. I liked the "urban feel" in the sense that there were people of all ages in the area of campus. And that felt normal. It was not a sea of 20 year olds in school gear. There are a lot of cultural amenities right in Oakland and Pitt's fanciest buildings are right smack in the middle of things.

I found going to class and seminars in the Cathedral of Learning very inspiring. Architecture makes a statement and that statement of civic hope was always in the back of my mind. There are lots of campus buildings that feel like great places to be (Frick Fine Arts and the lounges at the William Pitt Union were some others). I also liked my dorm (large single room) and cafeteria setup. I think I would like the new Honors dorm and the exercise to walk to and from there would literally be good for you. (There is a bus.) The city of Pittsburgh also has a lot to offer.

Here is a short list of the cons, and I'm going to be harsh to save time:

-Pittsburgh has a small job market. That's how I ended up in DMV.

-The collegetown around Pitt has not improved sufficiently since I graduated. Many of the retail buildings are old and not renovated since I left. Which means they are creaky and grungy. The retail and restaurant mix has also not improved due to overall US economic trends. Lots of reasons for this. It's just not competitive with an Ann Arbor, a Cleveland Park, etc. And the ethnic restaurants are mediocre from a foodie POV. I've been back to sample.

-Similar to collegetown, Oakland housing (much of it in buildings dating from 1900-1960), has not been systematically renovated. I know what those buildings were like 30 years ago and I would have expected more total replacement by now. I lived in the dorms the entire time because the off-campus housing was not appealing.

-I am fine with Pittsburgh weather. I also have Cornellians in my family. We are all fine with Pittsburgh and Cornell weather. I didn't find MoCo weather different in a way that affected my mood, my life, etc. except DC has more humid summers and less snow. So I liked Pittsburgh weather better. A lot of people on here don't agree with me. I just don't relate to these complaints. I can enjoy a grey day or a rainy day just as well as a sunny day. This artwork series nailed it. These pictures make me reminisce fondly.

https://www.felixdelaconcha.com/en/portfolio_page/one-a-day-365/

-I have heard recent class size complaints on here. I had a mix of class sizes and was satisfied. Can't say how your DC would be impacted.

I would do Pitt again. I got the maximum stretch I could handle during my BA studies.

Just make sure the cons above don't bug you.

It is much better these days...ironically because of many CMU start-ups like Duolingo and AI/robotics companies.

Also, Pitt hospital system is massive these days, though admittedly not a big driver of jobs for undergrads (though it has also spawned some start-ups).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My niece is a junior at CMU in mechanical engineering - she has a lot of work and works very hard, but she says it is ok because all her friends are doing it with her. She did make a comment once that "monday through saturday is for working and sundays are for crying" - I think she was "half" joking.

wow, sounds miserable.

DC (very high stats from a magnet program) applied to CMU for CS, but was rejected. But, I think they know that they would not have been happy there. They have a decent social life, and visits their s/o at least once a month in a different state.

Academics is important to us, but so is mental health and having a social life. DC was a late bloomer and didn't have much of a social life until they hit junior/senior in HS. If they then went to a college and not have much of a social life, I think they would've been miserable, and DC knows that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I graduated from CMU with a degree in Computer Engineering in 2010 with so many regrets. I literally spent at least 75 hours a week on classes and assignments. I didn't have time to develop my social skills (e.g. EQ) and hobbies during my time there. There were many hobbies that I wanted to do in those four years, but I never had the time due to academic commitments. You could say that I can follow up on those hobbies after graduation, but they were never the same after that. IMHO, I could get the same job with the same pay had I gone to UVA, Virginia Tech, or GMU as I would at CMU, and had much more time to pursue my hobbies. Time is something that I will never get back at CMU. CMU is a great school for people who have passions for academics and very much nothing else, and it was definitely not for me. YMMV.

The average CS graduate from CMU makes much more than the average UVA, VT, or GMU CS graduate.

DP. I wrote about the 2010 CMU grad. Yes, I make 350K while my older brother who attended UVA makes 300K, but his life outside work is so much better and more interesting than mine. He had time at UVA to pursue many of his hobbies and improve his social skills while I did not. I would love to trade that 350K for the life that he has.

Another DP. I graduated from a no-name SLAC. I work with a lot of MIT and CMU grads.

Quite possible I make less than them, but that's because raises at my company are really strange.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I graduated from CMU with a degree in Computer Engineering in 2010 with so many regrets. I literally spent at least 75 hours a week on classes and assignments. I didn't have time to develop my social skills (e.g. EQ) and hobbies during my time there. There were many hobbies that I wanted to do in those four years, but I never had the time due to academic commitments. You could say that I can follow up on those hobbies after graduation, but they were never the same after that. IMHO, I could get the same job with the same pay had I gone to UVA, Virginia Tech, or GMU as I would at CMU, and had much more time to pursue my hobbies. Time is something that I will never get back at CMU. CMU is a great school for people who have passions for academics and very much nothing else, and it was definitely not for me. YMMV.

The average CS graduate from CMU makes much more than the average UVA, VT, or GMU CS graduate.

DP. I wrote about the 2010 CMU grad. Yes, I make 350K while my older brother who attended UVA makes 300K, but his life outside work is so much better and more interesting than mine. He had time at UVA to pursue many of his hobbies and improve his social skills while I did not. I would love to trade that 350K for the life that he has.

Maybe it's just you, not CMU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD suffered through 4 years. She did not enjoy college and was happy to graduate. With that said, she got a job and is excelling. Most of her friends felt similarly. It’s just a really hard school and the location isn’t great. She will not make the same mistake for grad school.

Why do you say that about the location? My kid is considering Pitt, which is right next to CMU, and the location seems good to us - near several colleges, seems pretty vibrant. Thanks!

I went to Pitt and I am from Pittsburgh. I love Pittsburgh. I will give you the most factual assessment I can. This is all about personal preference. My comments will focus on "location" (that term is not defined in the comment above).

First, CMU is 15 minutes walk up the street from Pitt. It's close but not the same exact neighborhood and campus experience. I liked the CMU area less.

I liked the central campus area at Pitt. I liked the "urban feel" in the sense that there were people of all ages in the area of campus. And that felt normal. It was not a sea of 20 year olds in school gear. There are a lot of cultural amenities right in Oakland and Pitt's fanciest buildings are right smack in the middle of things.

I found going to class and seminars in the Cathedral of Learning very inspiring. Architecture makes a statement and that statement of civic hope was always in the back of my mind. There are lots of campus buildings that feel like great places to be (Frick Fine Arts and the lounges at the William Pitt Union were some others). I also liked my dorm (large single room) and cafeteria setup. I think I would like the new Honors dorm and the exercise to walk to and from there would literally be good for you. (There is a bus.) The city of Pittsburgh also has a lot to offer.

Here is a short list of the cons, and I'm going to be harsh to save time:

-Pittsburgh has a small job market. That's how I ended up in DMV.

-The collegetown around Pitt has not improved sufficiently since I graduated. Many of the retail buildings are old and not renovated since I left. Which means they are creaky and grungy. The retail and restaurant mix has also not improved due to overall US economic trends. Lots of reasons for this. It's just not competitive with an Ann Arbor, a Cleveland Park, etc. And the ethnic restaurants are mediocre from a foodie POV. I've been back to sample.

-Similar to collegetown, Oakland housing (much of it in buildings dating from 1900-1960), has not been systematically renovated. I know what those buildings were like 30 years ago and I would have expected more total replacement by now. I lived in the dorms the entire time because the off-campus housing was not appealing.

-I am fine with Pittsburgh weather. I also have Cornellians in my family. We are all fine with Pittsburgh and Cornell weather. I didn't find MoCo weather different in a way that affected my mood, my life, etc. except DC has more humid summers and less snow. So I liked Pittsburgh weather better. A lot of people on here don't agree with me. I just don't relate to these complaints. I can enjoy a grey day or a rainy day just as well as a sunny day. This artwork series nailed it. These pictures make me reminisce fondly.

https://www.felixdelaconcha.com/en/portfolio_page/one-a-day-365/

-I have heard recent class size complaints on here. I had a mix of class sizes and was satisfied. Can't say how your DC would be impacted.

I would do Pitt again. I got the maximum stretch I could handle during my BA studies.

Just make sure the cons above don't bug you.

It is much better these days...ironically because of many CMU start-ups like Duolingo and AI/robotics companies.

Also, Pitt hospital system is massive these days, though admittedly not a big driver of jobs for undergrads (though it has also spawned some start-ups).

PP. I agree the job market has improved a lot since my day. Pitt, CMU, the startups that arise from the academic communities, and the health system are highlights. But Pittsburgh is not as large a job market as other engineering and STEM-heavy cities like Detroit and Chicago.

For those who are not in engineering, STEM, or health industry professions, I think there are fewer jobs that pay big money or are "top of the field". In fact, I think this is why Pitt and MoCo students have great synergies. Leave for college, get a great education, then "go home" and get a high-paying or prestigious starter job.

Pitt has a lot of liberal arts undergrad majors (including me). Pittsburgh is not the easiest place for us to make great careers, but a wonderful place to return to, if you can, once your resume can get you a great job. I also think it's difficult to be a highly-compensated lawyer there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD suffered through 4 years. She did not enjoy college and was happy to graduate. With that said, she got a job and is excelling. Most of her friends felt similarly. It’s just a really hard school and the location isn’t great. She will not make the same mistake for grad school.

Why do you say that about the location? My kid is considering Pitt, which is right next to CMU, and the location seems good to us - near several colleges, seems pretty vibrant. Thanks!

I went to Pitt and I am from Pittsburgh. I love Pittsburgh. I will give you the most factual assessment I can. This is all about personal preference. My comments will focus on "location" (that term is not defined in the comment above).

First, CMU is 15 minutes walk up the street from Pitt. It's close but not the same exact neighborhood and campus experience. I liked the CMU area less.

I liked the central campus area at Pitt. I liked the "urban feel" in the sense that there were people of all ages in the area of campus. And that felt normal. It was not a sea of 20 year olds in school gear. There are a lot of cultural amenities right in Oakland and Pitt's fanciest buildings are right smack in the middle of things.

I found going to class and seminars in the Cathedral of Learning very inspiring. Architecture makes a statement and that statement of civic hope was always in the back of my mind. There are lots of campus buildings that feel like great places to be (Frick Fine Arts and the lounges at the William Pitt Union were some others). I also liked my dorm (large single room) and cafeteria setup. I think I would like the new Honors dorm and the exercise to walk to and from there would literally be good for you. (There is a bus.) The city of Pittsburgh also has a lot to offer.

Here is a short list of the cons, and I'm going to be harsh to save time:

-Pittsburgh has a small job market. That's how I ended up in DMV.

-The collegetown around Pitt has not improved sufficiently since I graduated. Many of the retail buildings are old and not renovated since I left. Which means they are creaky and grungy. The retail and restaurant mix has also not improved due to overall US economic trends. Lots of reasons for this. It's just not competitive with an Ann Arbor, a Cleveland Park, etc. And the ethnic restaurants are mediocre from a foodie POV. I've been back to sample.

-Similar to collegetown, Oakland housing (much of it in buildings dating from 1900-1960), has not been systematically renovated. I know what those buildings were like 30 years ago and I would have expected more total replacement by now. I lived in the dorms the entire time because the off-campus housing was not appealing.

-I am fine with Pittsburgh weather. I also have Cornellians in my family. We are all fine with Pittsburgh and Cornell weather. I didn't find MoCo weather different in a way that affected my mood, my life, etc. except DC has more humid summers and less snow. So I liked Pittsburgh weather better. A lot of people on here don't agree with me. I just don't relate to these complaints. I can enjoy a grey day or a rainy day just as well as a sunny day. This artwork series nailed it. These pictures make me reminisce fondly.

https://www.felixdelaconcha.com/en/portfolio_page/one-a-day-365/

-I have heard recent class size complaints on here. I had a mix of class sizes and was satisfied. Can't say how your DC would be impacted.

I would do Pitt again. I got the maximum stretch I could handle during my BA studies.

Just make sure the cons above don't bug you.

It is much better these days...ironically because of many CMU start-ups like Duolingo and AI/robotics companies.

Also, Pitt hospital system is massive these days, though admittedly not a big driver of jobs for undergrads (though it has also spawned some start-ups).

PP. I agree the job market has improved a lot since my day. Pitt, CMU, the startups that arise from the academic communities, and the health system are highlights. But Pittsburgh is not as large a job market as other engineering and STEM-heavy cities like Detroit and Chicago.

For those who are not in engineering, STEM, or health industry professions, I think there are fewer jobs that pay big money or are "top of the field". In fact, I think this is why Pitt and MoCo students have great synergies. Leave for college, get a great education, then "go home" and get a high-paying or prestigious starter job.

Pitt has a lot of liberal arts undergrad majors (including me). Pittsburgh is not the easiest place for us to make great careers, but a wonderful place to return to, if you can, once your resume can get you a great job. I also think it's difficult to be a highly-compensated lawyer there.

I can't claim to know the Detroit job market, but I doubt it is more dynamic than Pittsburgh and has more STEM jobs.

I don't know how heavily companies like PNC, Federated, Kraft/Heinz, etc. recruit from Pittsburgh schools. Obviously, Alcoa, US Steel and those companies are a shell of what they used to be back in the day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I graduated from CMU with a degree in Computer Engineering in 2010 with so many regrets. I literally spent at least 75 hours a week on classes and assignments. I didn't have time to develop my social skills (e.g. EQ) and hobbies during my time there. There were many hobbies that I wanted to do in those four years, but I never had the time due to academic commitments. You could say that I can follow up on those hobbies after graduation, but they were never the same after that. IMHO, I could get the same job with the same pay had I gone to UVA, Virginia Tech, or GMU as I would at CMU, and had much more time to pursue my hobbies. Time is something that I will never get back at CMU. CMU is a great school for people who have passions for academics and very much nothing else, and it was definitely not for me. YMMV.

The average CS graduate from CMU makes much more than the average UVA, VT, or GMU CS graduate.

DP. I wrote about the 2010 CMU grad. Yes, I make 350K while my older brother who attended UVA makes 300K, but his life outside work is so much better and more interesting than mine. He had time at UVA to pursue many of his hobbies and improve his social skills while I did not. I would love to trade that 350K for the life that he has.

I try to never analyze off of a single data point as you did. (You can draw a line in any direction through a single point.) The College Scorecard shows CS graduates from Carnegie Mellon make 56% more than UVA CS graduates, which is substantial. WSJ data shows a significant gap as well. So there may be a significant career upside for Carnegie Mellon.

However, that said, only you can evaluate the tradeoffs you made.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious about this also. Why would CMU be more of a pressure cooker than any other selective college. Aren't all of the top schools hard, particularly for STEM majors?

its worse.

My kid (an athlete) is a senior at a different school in the same conference as CMU. This conference includes- NYU, Emory, Wash U, U Chicago, Case, Rochester- I have heard that CMU case work is more than these other schools. I always heard that UChicago was were fun goes to die, but maybe it is really CMU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD suffered through 4 years. She did not enjoy college and was happy to graduate. With that said, she got a job and is excelling. Most of her friends felt similarly. It’s just a really hard school and the location isn’t great. She will not make the same mistake for grad school.

Why do you say that about the location? My kid is considering Pitt, which is right next to CMU, and the location seems good to us - near several colleges, seems pretty vibrant. Thanks!

I went to Pitt and I am from Pittsburgh. I love Pittsburgh. I will give you the most factual assessment I can. This is all about personal preference. My comments will focus on "location" (that term is not defined in the comment above).

First, CMU is 15 minutes walk up the street from Pitt. It's close but not the same exact neighborhood and campus experience. I liked the CMU area less.

I liked the central campus area at Pitt. I liked the "urban feel" in the sense that there were people of all ages in the area of campus. And that felt normal. It was not a sea of 20 year olds in school gear. There are a lot of cultural amenities right in Oakland and Pitt's fanciest buildings are right smack in the middle of things.

I found going to class and seminars in the Cathedral of Learning very inspiring. Architecture makes a statement and that statement of civic hope was always in the back of my mind. There are lots of campus buildings that feel like great places to be (Frick Fine Arts and the lounges at the William Pitt Union were some others). I also liked my dorm (large single room) and cafeteria setup. I think I would like the new Honors dorm and the exercise to walk to and from there would literally be good for you. (There is a bus.) The city of Pittsburgh also has a lot to offer.

Here is a short list of the cons, and I'm going to be harsh to save time:

-Pittsburgh has a small job market. That's how I ended up in DMV.

-The collegetown around Pitt has not improved sufficiently since I graduated. Many of the retail buildings are old and not renovated since I left. Which means they are creaky and grungy. The retail and restaurant mix has also not improved due to overall US economic trends. Lots of reasons for this. It's just not competitive with an Ann Arbor, a Cleveland Park, etc. And the ethnic restaurants are mediocre from a foodie POV. I've been back to sample.

-Similar to collegetown, Oakland housing (much of it in buildings dating from 1900-1960), has not been systematically renovated. I know what those buildings were like 30 years ago and I would have expected more total replacement by now. I lived in the dorms the entire time because the off-campus housing was not appealing.

-I am fine with Pittsburgh weather. I also have Cornellians in my family. We are all fine with Pittsburgh and Cornell weather. I didn't find MoCo weather different in a way that affected my mood, my life, etc. except DC has more humid summers and less snow. So I liked Pittsburgh weather better. A lot of people on here don't agree with me. I just don't relate to these complaints. I can enjoy a grey day or a rainy day just as well as a sunny day. This artwork series nailed it. These pictures make me reminisce fondly.

https://www.felixdelaconcha.com/en/portfolio_page/one-a-day-365/

-I have heard recent class size complaints on here. I had a mix of class sizes and was satisfied. Can't say how your DC would be impacted.

I would do Pitt again. I got the maximum stretch I could handle during my BA studies.

Just make sure the cons above don't bug you.

It is much better these days...ironically because of many CMU start-ups like Duolingo and AI/robotics companies.

Also, Pitt hospital system is massive these days, though admittedly not a big driver of jobs for undergrads (though it has also spawned some start-ups).

PP. I agree the job market has improved a lot since my day. Pitt, CMU, the startups that arise from the academic communities, and the health system are highlights. But Pittsburgh is not as large a job market as other engineering and STEM-heavy cities like Detroit and Chicago.

For those who are not in engineering, STEM, or health industry professions, I think there are fewer jobs that pay big money or are "top of the field". In fact, I think this is why Pitt and MoCo students have great synergies. Leave for college, get a great education, then "go home" and get a high-paying or prestigious starter job.

Pitt has a lot of liberal arts undergrad majors (including me). Pittsburgh is not the easiest place for us to make great careers, but a wonderful place to return to, if you can, once your resume can get you a great job. I also think it's difficult to be a highly-compensated lawyer there.

I can't claim to know the Detroit job market, but I doubt it is more dynamic than Pittsburgh and has more STEM jobs.

I don't know how heavily companies like PNC, Federated, Kraft/Heinz, etc. recruit from Pittsburgh schools. Obviously, Alcoa, US Steel and those companies are a shell of what they used to be back in the day.

PP. I don't expect DMVers to know about the large size of the Detroit job market. There are a lot of stereoypes and associations with the name Detroit. So I'm putting links below. It's about 2 times as big as the Pittsburgh area and has the U of M, Wayne State, and other universities within the extended area to help the startup community.

The biggest Pittsburgh corporations were in vulnerable input industries like steel, aluminum as well as highly competitive sectors like banking (no special advantage for Pittsburgh to be a banking center anymore). Westinghouse (a conglomerate) got parted out long ago. A lot of the others have permanently lost local headquarters and employment momentum (Kraft Heinz and USX). Big corporations provide lots of stability and high-paying jobs in lots of fields. It takes a lot of startups to duplicate the employment and wealth effects of a corporate HQ. Especially since startups don't lead to riches for many due to high failure rates.

I have a side interest in the Pittsburgh job market. I still feel it is healthy but not large. And the best jobs seem highly concentrated in certain sectors. Maybe remote work helps - that I do not know about.

If you want to have a high paying career, without being an entrepreneur, you need to be able to switch jobs easily for salary bumps, in recessions, etc. Smaller job markets just have fewer options. It's not that it isn't great to work there, it's just harder to find and switch desirable jobs. That was my original point.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitan_statistical_area

https://www.detroitchamber.com/research/regional-overview/business/workforce-statistics/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious about this also. Why would CMU be more of a pressure cooker than any other selective college. Aren't all of the top schools hard, particularly for STEM majors?

its worse.

My kid (an athlete) is a senior at a different school in the same conference as CMU. This conference includes- NYU, Emory, Wash U, U Chicago, Case, Rochester- I have heard that CMU case work is more than these other schools. I always heard that UChicago was were fun goes to die, but maybe it is really CMU.

Chicago's slogan was always tongue-in-cheek to an extent. It's certainly no Florida State, but I get the sense things have improved.

CMU has just gotten worse and worse over the last few decades. Rochester is pretty abysmal too from what I hear.

[Anonymous]

Ok 7 pages later - as a long ago cmu stem grad I can see not much has changed. It was probably worse during my days of grade deflation but it was a real grind and really no good fun

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:just dont get why parents send their kids to places like Cornell, CMU.

all downside.. weather, hard academics, no life

We toured Cornell summer before senior year. My kid hated it. COuldn't arrange a tour (they don't give them). just had you a map at the admissions office and send you on your way. The town was okay, but not very exciting and the fact you are surrounded by nothing was depressing---it was only slightly better than RPI (and my kid took one look at that campus/area and said "really we can skip the tour no way in hell I'm spending a day on this campus, let alone 4 years" and I agreed.

The weather isn't the complete big issue---my kid is only a few hours away in an similar weather situation. But the kids at the school seemed much nicer, the campus is much nicer and it's a city of 200K+, so while it's not the "best city" it's a city. The airport is 5-10 mins from campus (and it's only 2 flights to get home), not a shuttle ride plus 2 flights or 3+ flights to get home. We just were not impressed with Cornell, and their lack of seeming to care about prospective students tells me that once you get in you might be treated the same.

I lived with an RPI grad student in Troy a couple of blocks from the school in the early 90s when Troy was scary. I made some great friends at RPI. Those were some great years! We had great parties too!

Glad you enjoyed it!

My kid is an engineering major, but not nerdy/geeky and a female. Never done robotics club and not interested. The town was depressing and still a bit scary. Might work for some people but not for our family.

Also, RPI has serious financial issues. Most buildings we saw were in desperate need of repairs, the newest building was a performance venue---great if you have a theater/drama/music majors as serious majors on your campus, but RPI does not. The next newest building opened about the same time my DD was born. There were so many things we did not like about the tour (yes, we stayed and went knowing full well she would not apply).

Also, on our tour, it was 2 females and 10 males. 2 of the males were actually students matriculating for the fall. They were the geekiest/nerdiest kids in our tour group. That was a warning for my kid.
Just not the right school for her. But also, the requirement to take summer classes after sophomore year and then take a semester for an internship is strange and not well thought out. I wouldn't want to take fall of junior year engineering classes in a condensed summer schedule. Engineering/STEM course are HARD and typically not the best Classes to take in 5-6 week format. My kid is currently taking Heat and Mass transfer and ThermoII as a junior---those are difficult courses and require time to learn the material---best not to rush it.
So put all of that together and nope, not a place we considered

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I graduated from CMU with a degree in Computer Engineering in 2010 with so many regrets. I literally spent at least 75 hours a week on classes and assignments. I didn't have time to develop my social skills (e.g. EQ) and hobbies during my time there. There were many hobbies that I wanted to do in those four years, but I never had the time due to academic commitments. You could say that I can follow up on those hobbies after graduation, but they were never the same after that. IMHO, I could get the same job with the same pay had I gone to UVA, Virginia Tech, or GMU as I would at CMU, and had much more time to pursue my hobbies. Time is something that I will never get back at CMU. CMU is a great school for people who have passions for academics and very much nothing else, and it was definitely not for me. YMMV.

The average CS graduate from CMU makes much more than the average UVA, VT, or GMU CS graduate.

The PP is literally telling you that wasn't the case for them. It might be for some, but in reality, it's not about where you go as much as the degree itself and a decent GPA. Fact is you don't get paid that much more (if any ) from a top school. It might be slightly easier to land a job with FAANG, but if you do, you will be working with kids from other less "hard core Schools" and making the same thing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Engineering schools are challenging for virtually all students. So maybe it should not be a complete surprise if CMU's engineering students are not having the best time of their life.

There's a difference between "challenging" and being the academic equivalent of a Soviet labor camp.

This 1000%

I attended a T10 for undergrad majored in CS. Went to CMU immediately for grad school.
I had taken Operating Systems 1& 2 in undergrad, got As (they were hard courses). Retook as part of grad school along with DS. OS at CMU was beyond ridiculously a grind and DS was even more so.

However, unless you plan to do that type of work in the real work (ie a JOB and hint most people do not) then it was a pointless course and didn't need to be that ridiculously difficult and such a grind.

CMU has always taken things to the next level. Many kids go onto PHD/academia, if that's your goal then it's great (but still a grind). If industry is your Goal, there are easier and much more pleasant and well balanced places to get your degree and live an enjoyable live. Hint: you will get paid the same---it's your choice how you spend 4 years