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Carnegie Mellon Essay Prompt 1 (2026-2027)
Carnegie Mellon University's supplemental essay 1 of 5 for the 2026-2027 application: the prompt, the limit, when it is due, and how to answer it. Verified on August 7, 2026.
“Have you taken or do you plan to take an American Mathematics Competition (AMC) test, American Invitational Mathematics Exam (AIME) or American Online Invitational Mathematics Exam (AOIME)? If so what did you score?”
Limit: 100 words. Deadlines: Early Decision: November 2, 2026. Regular Decision: January 4, 2027.
What Carnegie Mellon is really asking
Is this interest yours, and has it survived contact with actual work in the field?
The mistake most applicants make
Starting with 'ever since I was a child I loved computers.' CMU reads thousands of CS essays and that opening is the most common sentence in the pile.
Do this instead
Start at the moment it got hard, not the moment it got fun. A bug, a failed model, a problem you could not solve. What you did next is the passion. Name one specific CMU thing only if it fits naturally.
How to spend 100 words
100 words is one paragraph. One specific moment or detail, then what it shows about you, then the connection to this school or question. No introduction, no summary.
How to start
Jim starts by asking you: “What have you done in this field that was hard, and did you keep going?” Answer it with Jim, free →
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What is the Carnegie Mellon essay 1 prompt for 2026-2027?
"Have you taken or do you plan to take an American Mathematics Competition (AMC) test, American Invitational Mathematics Exam (AIME) or American Online Invitational Mathematics Exam (AOIME)? If so what did you score?" The limit is 100 words.
How long should the Carnegie Mellon essay 1 be?
100 words. 100 words is one paragraph. One specific moment or detail, then what it shows about you, then the connection to this school or question. No introduction, no summary.
When is the Carnegie Mellon essay due?
With the application: Early Decision: November 2, 2026. Regular Decision: January 4, 2027.
Can Jim help me write the Carnegie Mellon essay?
Yes. Jim, the AlphaApply.ai counselor, has every Carnegie Mellon prompt and deadline loaded. He asks the questions that surface your story and gives feedback on each draft. He never writes it for you. Free to start.
The other Carnegie Mellon prompts
Prompt and limit for 2026-2027, verified on August 7, 2026. Always confirm on Carnegie Mellon University's official admissions site before submitting.