What Students Say
Likes
- The world-class environment and the ample amount of opportunities were my major factors to choose CMU, followed by the profiles of the professors and the talk with the current cohort.
- The holistic take on grooming the students, providing a realistic view and making them job market ready are some points I like about the university. The career development centre is a little helpful but the research is completely a responsibility of the student.
Dislikes
- As an international student you might end feeling lonely at some states, however one needs to trust the process. I personally prefer keeping away from departmental politics. Initially, it did distract me however, it's important to bear in mind that it's a common occurrence and you shouldn't take it personally.
Required Exams for Admission
I had a great experience at Carnegie Mellon University. It was a fun, engaging, and fruitful time. The environment at the university was pretty warm with some chills of winter in Pittsburgh. Learning about different cultures and meeting new people was cherry on top.
Course Curriculum
Research is key to CMU for which my department (English) is renowned as well. The courses are inter-disciplinary and creative providing a historical background and relating it to the contemporary and modern scenarios.
Faculty
The faculty is quite approachable and friendly. All the professors are interested in learning about the student's interests and forming a plan for further progress. There is one professor with every 12-15 students, a ratio I found to be a perfect blend of conversations flowing during discussions.
Campus Life
There is always something going on the campus. One could go to any building and see an event going on or some conference or a guest lecture, often time there are some fun activities going on too - the best part is there is no restriction on attending. It's an open campus so you can meet locals and get to know about the city as well. Hunt Library was one of my favourite spots. Their music collection is good too.
Placement
There is no campus placement which is something Indian students are usually exposed to. The student is solely responsible for research on the current market and the Career Development Centre is there for guidance only. The professors usually help with some of their connections to get them to know about how to apply and where they could find specific opportunities. The Tech department had some companies come in for conducting interviews which is something I cannot provide a detailed information about.
Accommodation
There is an option to live on campus however the off campus option for accommodation are more affordable. Studio and one bed apartments are a bit costly so the students usually prefer sharing apartments. Until last year, the average rent was $500-$600 which has hiked upto $700-$800 this year.
Exams
The requirement for my program was IELTS or TOEFL. The minimum requirement for IELTS was overall 6.5 and for TOEFL it was overall 90 or 100. Statement of Purpose, Letter of Recommendation (3), transcripts from my undergrad, 10th and 12th grade, research proposal along with some certificates of volunteering (if you have any) - these were the documents required during the application process. Seeking guidance from current students in the program helped me in structuring the SOP as well as the research proposal.
Fees
It was $78,000 at the time I enrolled. There is a plan going on to convert it into a two year program from one year, which would most likely increase the tuition fee as well.
Scholarship
I received the departmental scholarship worth $21,800. I did not submit any document to be considered for the scholarship. The candidates are chosen based on their application profile.
