Overview

The main purpose of the Advanced Placement Early Admission (AP/EA) Program is to provide the opportunity to take university courses at Carnegie Mellon for talented, motivated high school students. Students earn college credit while working in an academic environment mirroring that which the student would encounter during the first year of college.

Students who complete two courses in the AP/EA Program and who can graduate early from high school have the unique opportunity to apply Early Admission. By attending the AP/EA program during the summer of 2013, students who will be high school juniors in the fall of 2013 will have a strong understanding of college life and academics. These rising juniors are eligible to apply Early Admission by January 1, 2014, and if accepted can start as full-time degree students here in the fall of 2014. Students admitted under Early Admission are not obligated to accept the offer of admission until May 1.

All AP/EA students may also apply to Carnegie Mellon during their senior year, through Early Decision (various deadlines in November and December depending on the college) or Regular Decision (January 1 deadline, or December 1 for the College of Fine Arts).

Regardless of whether students choose to apply to Carnegie Mellon, successful AP/EA students can leverage their experiences here as demonstration of their ability to succeed in college. AP/EA courses are college courses, not AP classes, and as such they count toward graduation requirements here and are widely accepted elsewhere. Students applying to another college or university can request an official Carnegie Mellon transcript be sent to that institution. Any use of AP/EA courses to satisfy high school requirements should be approved ahead of time by an appropriate high school official.

While most of the participants in the program will have just completed their junior or senior year of high school, suitably qualified students at early grade levels can participate. However, in order to stay in university housing, students must be at least 16 years old. This does not apply to commuters.

Check out video from the APEA prorgam.