any chance at all?

Colleges and Universities A-Z California Institute of Technology
1

<p>Hello, as an incoming senior, I am considering this school to pursue in science. However, I would like to know if I even stand a chance at being accepted.</p>

<p>Stats:
Demographics:
*White Male
*Live about 30 mins away in fontana, attending Etiwanda High School</p>

<p>SAT'S:
Critical Reading 540 62%
Math 710 95%
Writing 630 87%
Multiple Choice 61 (score range: 20-80)
Essay 9 (score range: 2-12)</p>

<p>I am not very proud of these scores, but I did barely anything to prepare for this test in June (and am now angry at myself for doing so). However, after taking the test, I am going to retake it in fall - prepared (I have 8 practice tests and software and the official SAT book)</p>

<p>Weighted non-Weighted
Acad GPA (9-12) 4.1250 3.6000
Acad GPA (10-12) 4.2143 3.6429
Total GPA (9-12) 4.0227 3.5455</p>

<p>Class size: 775
Class rank: 27 10-12 rank: 22</p>

<p>*Freshman year
Honors English I: A-/A-
Spanish I: B+/B-
Honors Geometry: B+/B
Jazz IV: A/A
Marching Band/Symphonic Band: A/A
Physical ED: B/C (that C hurt, especially when you run a 7 minute mile everytime)
Natural Science II: B+/B+
Total GPA: 3.71 both semesters</p>

<p>*Sophomore Year
Honors English II: B+/B
Spanish II: B+/B-
Honors Algebra II: B+/A-
Jazz III/I: A/A
Marching Band/Wind Ensemble: A/A
Honors Chemistry: A-/A
Honors World History: B+/B+
Total GPA: 4.00/4.14</p>

<p>*Junior year
AP English Comp:B+/A
Spanish III: A/A
Honors Pre-Calc: A-/A
Marching band/Wind Ensemble: A/A
Jazz I: A/A
AP Physics: A/A+
AP U.S. History: B/B
Total GPA: 4.29/4.43</p>

<p>However, I also took my second year of PE in summer school and I received:
Physical ED: A/B-
Total GPA: 3.5</p>

<p><strong><em>However, they counted this ONE class as a semester of its own, averaging into my total GPA a 3.5.....which greatly reduced my overall GPA... anyway I can fix this?</em></strong></p>

<p>Other:
Only extra curricular I really have time for is band.
Play Lead Alto Sax in the top concert band
Play lead Alto Sax in the top Jazz Band
Section Leader of Alto Saxes in marching band</p>

<p>Also, a letter of recommendation will be coming from my AP Physics and AP Calculus teacher who graduated from HMC</p>

<p>Honestly, do I stand a chance?</p>

2

<p>Honestly, I would say no. My reason for saying so would be low gpa, low standardized test scores, and lack of science/math related ecs.</p>

3

<p>Have you done any extracurricular math/science activities? I didn't really do any either, but if you haven't yet, you may consider taking the AMC12 next year. The types of problems are pretty interesting, and with enough practice you could qualify for the AIME, which won't look bad at all. I say this because you only mentioned musical interests, not science ones. I liked band a lot too, but it will be really important to demonstrate interest outside of classes in science and math.</p>

<p>Then again, I'm really not sure what I did in that regard...</p>

<p>I think improving your SAT score is important, don't take it cold again :-P Esp. try to do better on the Math section. The first time I took it, I got a 700 on the math; overall I was fine with it but at Caltech and MIT, it's in a pretty low percentile. I don't usually like to think SAT scores are too important, but a low math score will put you in a bad position competitively.</p>

<p>As for whether you stand a chance, with everything you've listed so far, the odds would be stacked against you. That doesn't mean not to try, though. Don't attach an SAT score to your persona though; if you retake it and ace it, the rest of your application will be more or less the same. It's important, but there are other important areas to highlight to improve your shot of being accepted.</p>

4

<p>could you tell us why you want to go to Caltech? I think that would shed some light on the application and obviously is going to be a huge factor in whether you get in, much more crucial in the big picture than scores and grades.</p>

5

<p>Yes, I am definitely retaking the SAT with practice this time because i KNOW i can do better. As for my GPA, i admit i didnt do my best my freshman or sophmore year, but when I began AP's, I did really well in them. Would admissions take into consideration that my GPA improved steadily instead of dropping?</p>

<p>Science/Math EC's at my school: the only one we really have is a science olympiad. Would it help if I did it my senior year? or is it too late?</p>

<p>In response to zoogies:
Whats the AMC12? </p>

<p>And as for why I would like to go, I am really looking for a challenge and to study what I have come to love. I have always been interested in math and science, and now what I have taken Physics, my love for the sciences have increased greatly. I feel that Caltech could provide me with a challenging course from which i can learn from. If caltech really has great teachers, i would like to learn from the best, to be among the best. I would feel cheated if I went to a school who had only a basic understanding of what they are teaching. Since I would like to major in Physics or engineering, I would love nothing more than to learn from some of the best teachers around</p>

<p>Also, I like that the campus is relatively small. Although I havent visited it (yet), a 3:1 teacher-student ratio seems amazing - to be able to actually develop some relationship with your my teachers and fellow students, rather than just be another face among 33,000</p>

6

<p>Would you want to do the science olympiad if it wouldn't help?</p>

7

<p>AMC is the american mathematics contest (link</a>). It leads to the AIME, which leads to the US math olympiads...few qualify, but it's definitely worth a shot since the kind of math there is probably unlike your curriculum.</p>

<p>
[quote]

I would feel cheated if I went to a school who had only a basic understanding of what they are teaching.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Although I doubt this will be the case, pretty much wherever you go...</p>

<p>
[quote]

Also, I like that the campus is relatively small. Although I havent visited it (yet), a 3:1 teacher-student ratio seems amazing - to be able to actually develop some relationship with your my teachers and fellow students, rather than just be another face among 33,000

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Yes, the faculty interaction is really amazing :)</p>

8

<p>Yeah, AMCs + AIME are fun in a math geek sort of way (I wouldn't know about USAMO)</p>

9

<p>If SO wouldnt help me, would I join? Yes.</p>

10

<p>csnsc -- I would suggest you take a close look at liberal arts colleges with a math/science focus. Harvey Mudd right here in sunny SoCal, Rose-Hulman, Cooper Union, Reed College, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (though perhaps that's not a classic liberal arts college) are all good examples. </p>

<p>The people who teach at these places typically got Ph.D.'s from the best programs in the country, but just weren't interested in the rat race of top level research. So they can run circles around your high school teachers, and they really care about teaching. At Caltech, professors actually care most about their next Nature paper, and while that's great in the sense that you can work hard and be a coauthor on that paper, it doesn't really sound like scientific research is what you're passionate about. What you're looking for -- great teaching and personal interaction -- are very likely to be found at those superb schools I listed. </p>

<p>Caltech I think would actually cause whiplash. The professors don't simply understand the material. They understand it so well that they sometimes can't understand how someone might not understand it. That's not to deny that many Caltech profs are superb teachers. But what they're best at is taking very self-motivated students who are nuts about research to the frontiers of knowledge and mentoring them in research. If you want that, it's worth it to do a little more self-teaching and to give up a little on some other things... I think that's not primarily what you're looking for. </p>

<p>If you got your scores up a little, I think you'd have a very solid chance at some of those schools I listed.</p>