Carnegie Mellon University, sometimes just called Carnegie Mellon or CMU, is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The school has many great programs, but it is mainly known for its STEM majors, including its engineering programs through its College of Engineering. CMU is competitive to get into. Last year, their acceptance rate was just around . However, if you are applying to popular programs like those offered by the engineering school, that number can be even smaller. If you are serious about CMU, you need to be an elite candidate, and there are a couple of steps you need to take to set yourself up for success.

One quick note about CMU: they have several smaller schools within the university. While most engineers will apply to the College of Engineering, some related majors are available through Heinz College’s Information Systems program and the School of Computer Science. However, applicants can only apply to one of these schools. Do a little research and make sure you know what you want to study (more on that later).).

Get the Grades

You need exceptional grades to get into CMU. Full stop. This means you might have to lock in and study up. Last year, 46.9% of incoming students had a 4.0 unweighted GPA in high school, and the average submitted GPA for applicants was 3.89 unweighted. The TLDR is you need perfect or near-perfect grades to be a good candidate for CMU. However, to be a great candidate, you will also need a transcript that shows that you push yourself academically. This means taking Honors, IB, AP, Accelerated, and/or Dual Enrollment courses. For hopeful engineers, you need to take the highest levels of math and science available, but generally, the more challenging courses you can take while still maintaining a high GPA will help your transcript stand out.

The College of Engineering is at least through 2026, but you should submit scores—and they should be impressive. Last year, even though the school was test-optional, 75% of applicants submitted scores. Especially when it comes to STEM fields, good test scores will help your total package. You should shoot for your scores to be around or ideally above the 50th percentile of CMU applicants. Last year, that was either a 1540 on the SAT or a 35 on the ACT.

Build a Niche

CMU has (they also have some other related majors in other schools, such as the Heinz College’s Information Systems program and the School of Computer Science). You need to know which major you are applying to. CMU is actually pretty strict about this. They say on their application:

Students applying to the College of Engineering apply to and are admitted directly to a department/major unless choosing undecided. Only students admitted as undecided within the College of Engineering are allowed to choose among the majors across departments during the spring semester of their first year. Requests to change majors will be considered after the first year, but are not guaranteed to be approved and will be evaluated on a case by case basis.

You might think after reading this, “No worries, I will apply as undecided.” That’s a bad idea. CMU is looking for applicants who not only know what they want to study but also have already started to explore their interests in engineering. Having a record of involvement in your intended field/academic interests is called an academic niche, and getting into CMU without one is kind of unheard of. Saying you are undecided wrecks your chances of getting into most elite schools. If you are serious about CMU, don’t be undecided and start building that niche.

Courses and Reading

To start building a great niche, you must learn as much as possible about your intended field of study. A great way to do this is simply by reading books. It sounds simple (and maybe it is), but many young people don’t read books. There are tons of books about engineering, and they're a great resource for building your knowledge base. Plus, reading books will make you better at talking and writing about your interests. You can supplement books with podcasts, scientific journals, etc., but make yourself a reading list first. Trust us, it really helps build a strong niche.

You should also check out some online classes. You can look for courses at local community colleges or university summer programs, but an excellent first step is taking pre-recorded online courses. Many colleges offer pre-tapped and often free courses through platforms like Coursera. Sign up for a course or two that connects to what you hope to study. It is a great way to start learning more about your intended major.

School Extracurriculars

You need to be involved in your school community. But more than that, you should get involved in strategic ways. Your extracurricular clubs should build on your academic niche. Popular clubs for future engineers include robotics teams, science Olympiads, mathletes, STEM tutoring clubs, solar car teams, computer science societies, etc. Find the clubs that best fit your interests and sign up. If your school doesn’t have STEM-based clubs, you can consider starting your own.

Once you have found a couple of related clubs and signed up for them, you must commit time and effort to them. CMU won’t be impressed with a one-hour-a-week commitment. Spend time, take on responsibilities and run for leadership roles in the activities that matter to you.

Out of School Extracurriculars

Great CMU candidates do out-of-school extracurriculars all year round; however, it is essential to strategically plan your summers. Summer should be your time to push yourself to explore your academic niche and take on impressive opportunities. Your summers should have a mix of research, internships, and academic programs. There are a lot of great opportunities out there, but most CMU-level applicants will have a mix of these three types of activities. It is never too early to start planning impactful summers, and we routinely work with even freshmen to ensure their summers are building the right kind of resume. Strategizing can be tricky. If you don't know where to start, we can help.

Build Something Cool

Engineers need hands-on skills. From fabrication to programming, you can show that you have impressive skills by building something that you would be proud to tell CMU about. In the past, we have worked with applicants who have built drones, apps, solar panels, computers, robots, and so much more. You can make really anything that excites you. See where your passions take you! If you need to learn some new skills to pull it off, even better. Challenge yourself to make something impressive.

Apply Early

Earlier, we said that CMU’s acceptance rate was 11%. That isn’t the whole picture. CMU offers an ED or early decision option to apply. During this round, their acceptance rate is 13.8%. It is not wildly higher than their RD or overall acceptance rate (which are both around 11%). However, with rates as low as this, you want to use any advantage you can. Make no mistake, if you are a qualified candidate, applying early is your best chance at getting in. Every strategic college application plan should have an ED option, and if CMU is your top school, you need to consider applying ED. We are looking at you, seniors, specifically. Dates will come up fast; you need a plan and to start applications like yesterday.

CMU is a hard school to get into, especially for popular STEM majors. Whether you are a rising freshman or a rising senior, if you dream of getting in but don’t know where to start, we can help!  Contact us today!