C A R N E G I E M E L L O N U N I V E R S I T Y I N Q ATA R
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ADMISSION GUIDE CONTENTS
GUIDELINES
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Admission Process
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Adademic Credit
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Important Dates
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Application Instructions
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General Admission
Personal Evaluation
Te a c h e r E v a l u a t i o n
To be a student at Carnegie Mellon in Qatar,
you must apply for admission by completing
the application and submitting a variety of
documents. Information about the admission
process and application instructions are here
and are available at the Carnegie Mellon in
Qatar Web site, www.cmu.edu/qatar.
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ADMISSION PROCESS
Academic potential
Standardized tests
Your high school and/or secondary school performance will be the
Standardized test scores (SAT I and SAT II or ACT) add to our knowledge
main factor in our admission decision because it’s the most meaningful
of your ability, but we don’t make decisions simply on the basis of test scores.
indication of your abilities. We pay close attention to your curriculum
Your high school and/or secondary school record and standardized test
rigor, the grades you have earned and the work you have accomplished.
scores work together to make up the academic portion of your evaluation.
We’re interested in seeing that you have challenged yourself within your
secondary school environment.
Activities, recognition, work experience and/or internships
Your non-academic activities, including extracurricular accomplishments,
Language skills
part-time jobs or hobbies and community service also play a very important
Since English is the medium of instruction at Carnegie Mellon in Qatar, to
part of the admission process. We also consider leadership, motivation,
be fully functional and successful in this academic environment, students
out-of-class recognition, community and volunteer service, and other experi-
who are non-native speakers of English need to have academic fluency
ences when making admission decisions. The positive qualities and diverse
that will enable them to:
experiences you bring will enrich our community. By looking at this nonacademic information, we develop a sense of your personality, motivation
• Put knowledge into words so that they can participate as equals in class
and sense of responsibility.
discussions or groups, talk to faculty members and advisors or interact
with students.
Personal statement
• Talk to a variety of audiences about their field.
Your personal statement will give us a sense of who you are as a person
• Use technical and non-technical language easily.
and helps us become acquainted with you in ways different from courses,
• Know the language of their field.
grades and other objective data. This statement will demonstrate your ability
• Give examples that illustrate technical and theoretical concepts.
to organize thoughts and express yourself.
• Define key terms clearly and simply.
• Reword terms and concepts.
Recommendations
• Coherently connect concepts and ideas through appropriate use of
We are looking for information that will help us know you better as a person
transitional language.
and as a student. School counselor, advisor or headmaster evaluations,
• Participate in small talk about their field and general academic topics.
teacher recommendations and letters of reference provide insight regarding
• Interact with administrators and staff and other students.
your academic potential and character.
• Understand English as it is spoken at Carnegie Mellon including the
underlying meanings and connotations.
• Respond to unexpected questions and comments.
Personal interviews
Some candidates may be invited to a personal interview with a member of
the admission staff. The admission staff will contact you to make interview
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English
Language Testing System (IELTS) is required if your native language is not
English and your SAT verbal score is less than 600.
arrangements.
C A R N E G I E M E L L O N U N I V E R S I T Y I N Q ATA R
ACADEMIC CREDIT
Advanced Placement (AP)
Carnegie Mellon may grant advanced placement and credit for scores of
four and five on exams taken in the CEEB Advanced Placement program.
When you take the tests, be sure you request that the results be sent to the
Carnegie Mellon in Qatar Admission Office. We’ll receive your scores in early
summer. Once you are admitted we will evaluate your scores and let you
know if AP credit has been awarded.
International Baccalaureate (IB)
Carnegie Mellon recognizes the International Baccalaureate examinations.
We may grant advanced standing and/or credit in various fields for scores
of six and seven on the higher-level examinations. Send the results of
the IB exams to the Carnegie Mellon in Qatar Admission Office, and
your college/school will evaluate your scores and notify you if credit has
been awarded.
Placement/credit for college-level work
Carnegie Mellon may grant placement or credit for college work you have
completed while in high school. Have your college transcript(s) sent to the
Carnegie Mellon in Qatar Admission Office for transfer credit evaluation.
Please send the descriptions of the college courses as well.
Cambridge General Certificate of Education
Carnegie Mellon recognizes the Cambridge GCE (advanced level) examinations in various higher-level subjects and may grant advanced placement
and/or credit for exemplary grades.
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IMPORTANT DATES
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
Application deadline — May 1, 2004
Several documents are needed to complete the
This fall only 25 students will be admitted to business and 25 students will
application process:
be admitted to computer science. The application, all supporting documents
and test scores should be submitted AS SOON AS POSSIBLE before
May 1, 2004. Applications received after May 1, 2004 will be considered
on a space-available basis.
Personal interviews — March, April, May, June
Some candidates may be invited to a personal interview with a member of
the admission staff. The admission staff will contact you to make interview
arrangements.
Admission notification — before August 1, 2004
Applicants offered admission to Carnegie Mellon in Qatar will be notified
by telephone, followed by a letter mailed to the student’s mailing address
(where you want all correspondence to be sent).
Applicants denied admission to Carnegie Mellon in Qatar will be notified
by a letter mailed to the student’s mailing address (where you want all
correspondence to be sent).
Reply date — before August 10, 2004
Applicants offered admission are expected to confirm intentions to enroll
at Carnegie Mellon in Qatar within 10 days of being offered admission
to the university.
Registration — early August
Freshman Orientation — late August ... the week before
the start of class
First day of classes — first week in September 2004.
o Application Form
o High School and/or Secondary School
Transcript or Mark Sheet
o Standardized Test Results
o Personal Evaluation Form
o Teacher Recommendations
o References
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Application forms
High school and/or secondary school transcript or mark sheet
The application forms can be found on the following pages of this brochure.
Applicants must have completed or obtained the following academic skills
The application forms are also available at the Carnegie Mellon in Qatar Web
• 4 years of mathematics
site, www.cmu.edu/qatar.
algebra, geometry, trigonometry, analytic geometry elementary functions
(pre-calculus)
Complete ALL parts of the application form
• Applying for Admission
• Personal Information
• 3 years of laboratory science
biology, chemistry, physics
• English language proficiency
• Educational Background
English language preparation courses confirming a high proficiency
• Language Background
of understanding of course content and concepts taught in the
• Test Scores
English language.
• Activities, Recognition, Work Experience, Internships
• Personal Statement
Applicants who are currently enrolled in secondary school must submit
• Financial Aid
an official transcript indicating course work, credits earned, grades or
• Required Signature
marks and class rank. To be considered official the transcript must bear
an original signature of a school official or an original school seal and sent
Send the completed application to:
directly to the Carnegie Mellon in Qatar Admission Office by the school issu-
Admission Office
ing the document. Faxed copies will not be considered official. Transcripts in
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
a language other than English must be accompanied by an official English
c/o Qatar Foundation for Education,
translation. Candidates who have attended high schools in more than one
Science and Community Development
country should submit official transcripts from each school attended.
Post Office Box 5825
Doha, Qatar
Applicants who have graduated from secondary school must submit an
official transcript indicating course work, credits earned, grades or marks,
class rank and date of graduation. To be considered official the transcript must
bear an original signature of a school official or an original school seal and sent
directly to the Carnegie Mellon in Qatar Admission Office by the school issuing
the document. Faxed copies will not be considered official. Transcripts in a
language other than English must be accompanied by an official English
translation. Candidates who have attended secondary schools in more than
one country should submit official transcripts from each school attended.
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APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS, continued
Standardized test results
Applicant Personal Evaluation Form
The SAT I and SAT II or the ACT examination is required. While we are
• Complete Section I on the Applicant Personal Evaluation Form.
interested in the general pattern of your scores, we give most weight to
• Complete and sign the “Confidentiality Statement.”
the highest score you have received on any of the exams. We feel that
• Give this form to your school counselor, advisor or headmaster
standardized test scores, when used in combination with other measures
of your performance, provide an accurate portrayal of your academic
abilities.
for completion of Section II.
• You should provide an addressed, stamped envelope so your counselor
can return this form, your transcript and school profile directly to the
Carnegie Mellon in Qatar Admission Office.
Test scores must be from a test date within five years of the planned date
of enrollment.
Teacher Recommendation Form
• Complete Section I on the TWO Teacher Recommendation Forms.
Test scores sent directly from the testing agency will require a campus code
• Complete and sign the “Confidentiality Statement.”
to which they will be directed.
• Select TWO teachers who have taught you an academic subject and
give each one a form for completion of Section II.
The SAT code is 2074, the ACT code is 3534.
• You should provide an addressed, stamped envelope so each
To register for the SAT I exam, please visit the HYPERLINK
teacher can return this form directly to the Carnegie Mellon in Qatar
“http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/calenfees.html”
Admission Office.
College Board SAT I Web site.
Reference letters (optional)
If taking the SAT I, then 3 SAT II examinations are required.
The most helpful letters come from those who know you best. The letters
• Writing
about your unique characteristics. Please request no more than two letters
• Math Level I or Math Level Ic or Math Level IIc
of recommendation.
• Physics or Chemistry or Biology
• You should provide an addressed, stamped envelope so your
should provide information that differentiates you from your peers and tells
• If your native language is not English and your SAT verbal score is less
than 600, you must submit the results of the Test of English as a Foreign
recommenders can send their letters directly to the Carnegie Mellon
in Qatar Admission Office.
Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System
(IELTS) in addition to the other required standardized tests.
• TOEFL score of 600 or higher or a computer-based score of 250 or
higher is expected.
• Test scores must be from a test date within five years of the planned date
Personal interviews
Some candidates may be invited to a personal interview with a member of
the admission staff. The admission staff will contact you to make interview
arrangements.
of enrollment.
• Test scores sent directly from the testing agency will require a campus
code to which they will be directed.
• To register for the TOEFL exam, please visit the HYPERLINK
“http://www.toefl.org/regcentr.html” TOEFL Web site.
Application fee
A non-refundable application fee of QR 220 or U.S. $ 60 is required. Attach a
check, draft or international money order to the last page of the application
form, or complete the requested credit card information on that page.