My DS, despite liking UVA more than CMU, chose to go to CMU for its amazing CS program. However, he was absolutely miserable. After 1 semester, he decided that he was going to transfer no matter what. In fact, he said that he would transfer to a lower ranked school. He applied to Penn State, Purdue, UVA, UNC, Northwestern, USC, and Brown and was accepted into all except Brown. He's currently a senior at Northwestern majoring in CS with a full time job next year at FAANG. Wanting to leave doesn't mean your kid is dumb. But listen to your kid. If he wants to leave, let him leave, it's probably for the better. DH and I were nervous when he left the #1 CS program, but now we're extremely thankful for what happened

Anonymous wrote:
Is your kid URM?

This is OP. I don't want to say too much to reveal myself. DS graduated from one of the top schools in the DMV, think of Langley or Churchill. He took 12 AP courses and scored five on all AP exams. He also scored 1580 on the SAT and 36 on the ACT. From what he told me and his brother, he doesn't have any studying issues at CMU, just the courses there are super hard. No, we're not URM.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone with a kid transferring out of CMU after one semester? DS is a freshman, CS major at CMU, and he just came home this past weekend. He is seriously considering not coming back for the spring semester. Classes at CMU are too hard for him and the competition is so fierce. He spent at least 80 hours a week just studying and tried to keep up with academics. His older brother graduated from CMU in 2019 and advised him to transfer out of CMU. Thoughts?

Your son can't be coddled all his life. He should man up and study harder.

What is wrong with you! The kid is putting in 80 hours already! OP, maybe try to get him some help in figuring out if he needs to change his approach to the work (change study technique etc.); if after this he still has the same results and still want to transfer out try to work with him.

this is great advice as it sounds like your kid feels a bit trapped and his approach isn’t working. Reach out (him or you) and see if tutoring help is available - would be better for him (as long as it’s not becoming a real mental health concern) if he could at least stick out spring semester and look at transferring options during this time.

wish you guys luck, feel for ur kid - not fun

I think a key sentence in your post is getting lost on PPs so far, OP. Your older son graduated from CMU and advises your younger son to leave it. That is crucial information, to me. If your older son has his head on straight and is objective and sensible, I would give his advice a great deal of weight here.

A degree from CMU, or anywhere, is not worth it if your younger son ends up so shattered with stress and lack of rest and recreation that he is burned out. If he's grinding this hard on freshman requirement courses, imagine the load when he's a junior and senior....It is fine for him to pursue CS elsewhere, or any other major. It is also important for him to consider whether the issue is CS itself (so he'd have issues at any school in any CS program); CS at CMU specifically (are the requirements especially difficult for him, but he'd be fine doing CS ina differently structured undergrad program?); or CMU in general, overall. It is known as a highly competitive school in many respects, not just the CS department, though CS is especially intense there. If there is a non-academic issue going on -- for instance, if he is studying so many hours a week excessively because he is distracted by other things (dating, sex, substances, lack of friends) OR because he's smart and not distracted, but lacks real study skills -- he needs to unpack those issues too. It may not be 100 percent about CS classes being tough. Can his brother help him, and you, assess all this? Has your younger son talked to an academic adviser at CMU or is he still lost among the freshmen and doesn't feel he knows any adviser or professor enough to say out loud, "I'm drowning, what can I do"?

It's Dec. 19. If he wants to drop out now and not return in January it's too late (probably?) to get admitted at another university undergrad unless possibly he has a specific place in mind already. I would entertain the idea of his dropping out, coming up with a specific plan for how he will spend Jan-June while at home, and apply to other colleges to start in the fall, transferring as many CMU credits as possible (not just CS credits, but any credits he can). Depending entirely on other colleges/programs he may be able to start in summer somewhere, or at least enroll for fall and get some summer courses at that college--?? I do not think a kid who got into CMU is going to be happy doing an associates' degree at community college as his full-on college degree, though.

I do note you say "transferring" but that implies (to me at least) he's got another place lined up or at least has done the research to transfer in January. I'm assuming that's not the case but maybe it is?

Anonymous wrote:As a point of curiosity, but also as guidance for our son, was your son admitted test optional or through a hook? What were his test scores? Did you think he was ready for CMU, especially since your older son had experience there?

test optional comment/question when family is experiencing a mini crisis - can’t make it up, but this is DCUM after all

Anonymous wrote:Plan to transfer, but stay for next semester & enroll for the minimum hours permitted in order to ease the workload.

This. And easier classes. I believe there are many more options to transfer after one year than one semester.

Anonymous wrote:Anyone with a kid transferring out of CMU after one semester? DS is a freshman, CS major at CMU, and he just came home this past weekend. He is seriously considering not coming back for the spring semester. Classes at CMU are too hard for him and the competition is so fierce. He spent at least 80 hours a week just studying and tried to keep up with academics. His older brother graduated from CMU in 2019 and advised him to transfer out of CMU. Thoughts?

Is your kid URM?

Anonymous wrote:There actually was a similar post last year, you could probably find it.

Dropping out at CMU.
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1081775.page

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CM is a great program however not every kid is smart enough/ fact.

OP no reason to struggle that hard. Have them come home go to community college then transfer. This way they have a better foundation.

Mine went to CM to this program I understand. Mine did not find it hard. I don't say that lightly. Mine had a great foundation from their local public school. Yes public can prepare you for this.

So CM or community college? This makes no sense!

PP clearly stated community college as the stop gap before transferring. How long does it take to complete a transfer application, be accepted, and be ready to move in?

Anonymous wrote:There actually was a similar post last year, you could probably find it.

How helpful is this response? OP is better off getting recent responses. Why do you come here if you have nothing to offer?

Plan to transfer, but stay for next semester & enroll for the minimum hours permitted in order to ease the workload.

Let him come home and regroup and figure out the right place for him. Maybe he takes a couple of gen eds at community college. Maybe he gets a part-time job to keep busy. 80 hours of homework is insane.

I don’t have personal experience with CMU but dd goes to Pitt and the Hillel is shared between the two schools. She has met a bunch of CMU students and says they have joked about stereotypes of the schools etc. Even if my dd could have gotten into CMU, she could not have handled the intensity and pressure.

Ignore the other CMU parents - your ds is still as smart. He just needs to find the right fit and he is smart enough to recognize it.

Anonymous wrote:Change majors. Maybe CS isn't for him.

CS is one of the only reasons to go there otherwise not worth the $$$

Anonymous wrote:CM is a great program however not every kid is smart enough/ fact.

OP no reason to struggle that hard. Have them come home go to community college then transfer. This way they have a better foundation.

Mine went to CM to this program I understand. Mine did not find it hard. I don't say that lightly. Mine had a great foundation from their local public school. Yes public can prepare you for this.

I do agree that high schools prepare kids differently but disagree that anyone at CMU needs to go to community college for a foundation.

If this kid got in, he's plenty smart.

Change majors. Maybe CS isn't for him.