🍦 Today's Scoops: All you need to know about action words (Oct 8)

Good morning folks! Here’s what we have today:

1. School of the Day: Carnegie Mellon University (CMU)

2. Info Zone: Upcoming visits/info sessions

3. Admissions Blueprint: All you need to know about action words

4. Essay of the Week: CMU’s college experience essay

SCHOOL OF THE DAY
Carnegie Mellon University

Every day, we cover a different school, helping you learn something new about your favorite schools or find a new school that could end up being your dream school.

📍 Location: Pittsburgh, PA
🎓 Undergraduates Enrolled: 7,707
📊 Acceptance Rate: 11.3%
📝 Average SAT/ACT: 1540/35
💸 Cost: $64,596
📅 Admission Options: Early Decision (Nov 1), Regular Decision (Jan 2)
🏆 Top Ranking Programs: Computer Science (#2), Business (#6), Undergraduate Engineering (#8) (US News)
📈 Most Popular Majors: Computer Science (15%), Business(11%), Electronics and Electrical Engineering (10%) (US News)

Some Positives

🎭 World-Class Drama and Arts Programs
CMU’s School of Drama is renowned, producing stars like Josh Gad and Ming-Na Wen. Their blend of technical expertise and creative flair is unmatched. More on the School of Drama

💻 Cutting-Edge Computer Science
CMU is consistently ranked as one of the top computer science schools in the world. With a focus on artificial intelligence, robotics, and cybersecurity, CMU is a trailblazer in tech innovation. Explore the School of Computer Science

🤖 Robotics Institute
CMU’s Robotics Institute is the largest in the world, pioneering advancements in autonomous vehicles, humanoid robots, and space exploration. It’s a leader in preparing students for the future of automation. Learn more about the Robotics Institute

🎶 BXA Program: Bridging the Arts and Sciences
CMU’s BXA Intercollege Degree Programs allow students to combine their love for arts with another discipline, like engineering or science. It’s perfect for those who refuse to be boxed into one field. Check out the BXA program

📚 Cross-Disciplinary Research Opportunities
The university excels in interdisciplinary research, with strong ties between departments. Fields like computational biology, machine learning, and public policy are integrated, offering students hands-on projects across various domains. Research at CMU

Some Negatives

💰 Costly Tuition
CMU’s tuition can be steep, especially when factoring in the costs of living in Pittsburgh. However, the return on investment through career opportunities and CMU’s prestige can often offset the financial burden. CMU’s financial aid resources

🌧️ Pittsburgh Weather
While Pittsburgh is a charming city, its weather can be unpredictable and gloomy, with cold winters and frequent rain. If you’re someone who prefers sunny skies year-round, this might be something to consider. A glimpse into Pittsburgh’s climate

🔧 Intense Workload
CMU is notorious for its rigorous workload, especially in STEM programs. While this helps cultivate strong problem-solving skills, it can be overwhelming if you’re not used to such a fast-paced academic environment. Read student experiences at CMU

🏙️ Limited Campus Size
CMU’s urban campus is relatively small compared to other schools, and some students find the limited green space less conducive to relaxation. It’s something to keep in mind if you’re seeking a larger, more traditional campus feel. Virtual campus tour

INFO ZONE
Upcoming visits/info sessions

Discover Stanford Information Session + Student Forum - Thursday, October 10, 2024 at 3:30 PM until 5:30 PM (Pacific)

(NEW) Yale Science & Engineering Info Session - Sunday, October 13, 2024 at 4 PM (Pacific)

UCSB College of Engineering Presentation on Admissions Process - Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at 5:00 PM until 5:45 PM (Pacific)

(NEW) Leadership at Cornell Engineering - Monday, October 21, 2024 at 5:00 PM until 6:00 PM (Pacific)

MIT Online Information Session - Wednesday, October 23, 2024 at 12:00 PM until 1:00 PM (Pacific)

ADMISSIONS BLUEPRINT
All you need to know about action words

📝 They Paint a Clearer Picture
Using action words like “organized,” “led,” or “designed” gives admissions officers a direct sense of what you’ve actually done. Instead of simply saying you were “involved” in a project, using action words shows your role in making things happen. For example, “developed a new app” sounds much more impressive and specific than just “worked on a project.”

💥 They Highlight Initiative
Action words help showcase how you took charge. In the competitive world of college admissions, it’s important to demonstrate leadership and initiative. Words like “spearheaded,” “implemented,” and “launched” immediately signal that you didn’t just participate—you made things happen. Colleges love to see students who take the lead, even in small ways.

🔍 They Add Power to Your Story
Your essays are meant to tell a story, and action words add a sense of momentum to the narrative. Instead of simply telling admissions officers what you did, action words give your story energy. Compare: “I was responsible for a club event” vs. “I coordinated a successful fundraising event.” The second example feels much more active and engaging, drawing readers into your achievements.

⚖️ They Strike a Balance
While action words are crucial, remember that balance is key. Overloading your essay or resume with too many action-packed verbs can feel forced. Mix in some reflection and context to show not just what you did, but also why it mattered. For example, after using action words to describe an achievement, follow up with the impact it had.

💡 Pro Tip: Be Specific
Using action words isn’t just about sprinkling in fancy verbs. It’s about choosing the right words that accurately describe your contribution. Words like “helped” or “worked” can be vague—did you lead, assist, or create? Always aim to be as specific as possible.

Action words are more than just a buzzword in college apps—they give life to your experiences, showcase your initiative, and help you stand out. So, next time you’re writing your essay or listing your activities, don’t just tell them what you did—show them with action!

ESSAY OF THE WEEK
CMU’s college experience essay

Many students pursue college for a specific degree, career opportunity, or personal goal. Whichever it may be, learning will be critical to achieving 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)

🔥 What Works Well:

Creative Structure: The “day in the life” format is a great way to avoid the typical essay structure and keep the reader hooked. By breaking the day into different time slots, the writer shows how they’d take full advantage of CMU’s offerings—from classes to labs to extracurriculars.

Strong Personal Goals: The essay opens with two bold goals written on a pinboard: making life better for the visually impaired and inspiring kids to pursue STEM. This immediately lets the reader know what drives the applicant and sets a strong tone for the rest of the piece. Connecting these goals to specific CMU opportunities makes the essay feel personalized.

Hands-on Problem Solving: The writer demonstrates how they don’t just passively learn—they actively apply classroom concepts to real-world problems, like modifying a head contraption for the visually impaired. This is a huge plus because it shows initiative and creativity.

💡 What Could Be Improved:

Smoother Transitions: While the time-based structure is interesting, the essay feels a bit choppy at times. For example, jumping from class to the lab brainstorming session could use a smoother transition to tie the activities together. A line like “Excited to immediately apply what I learned…” could help the flow.

More Depth on Why CMU: The essay mentions some great CMU resources (like the CI2CV Lab), but it doesn’t fully explain why these opportunities are unique to CMU. A few more details about why CMU is the perfect place to pursue these goals would make the connection stronger.

✨ Tips for Your Own Essays:

Get Creative with Structure: Just like this writer did with the “day in the life” approach, think outside the box when structuring your essay. Whether it’s a timeline, a conversation, or a metaphor, creative structures help your essay stand out.

Show, Don’t Tell: Rather than just saying you’re passionate about something, show it in action. This essay does a great job of showing the writer’s problem-solving skills by walking us through how they applied class concepts to a real project.

Connect Specifics to the School: When mentioning resources or opportunities at a college, go beyond just listing them. Explain why those resources are meaningful to you and how they fit into your personal or academic goals. It adds depth to your reasoning for choosing that school.

Balance Creativity with Clarity: While creative approaches are great, make sure your essay still flows naturally. Smooth transitions and logical connections between different parts will help your essay feel cohesive and polished.

LINK LOUNGE
Yesterday’s Resources & Scholarships

On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays we will be updating the Link Lounge section with links to great resources such as scholarships and tools during the college application process. You’ll find it at the top of your email on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and near the bottom during the rest of the week.

Congressional App Challenge - Competition run by congress to choose the best student-made app in each congressional district

Robertson Scholars Program - Full-ride scholarship to Duke or UNC, if you get into either school

Conrad Challenge - Innovation competition with thousands of dollars in scholarships

DAILY DEADLINE UPDATES
Important testing dates are coming up!

In the Daily Deadlines section, we will keep you updated on upcoming deadlines in the college admissions world. Remember to not procrastinate and stay ahead of these deadlines!

September ACT: Saturday, September 14
University of Texas/UNC Chapel Hill Early Action Deadline: October 15
Most ED, REA & EA Deadlines: November 1

THE ARCHIVE
Looking for past mailings?

You can view all our previous posts at our website at https://scholarscoops.beehiiv.com

IDEAS COME FROM EVERYWHERE
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