Caltech admissions advice?

Colleges and Universities A-Z California Institute of Technology
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<p>Hi, I'm a rising high school senior, and Caltech is my dream school. I've heard some conflicting information on the admissions process, though, so I thought it might be helpful to seek advice on some of my questions here. Sorry if this ends up being a long post, you can skip to the bottom for a tl;dr version.</p>

<p>Is it advantageous to apply to Caltech EA? When I visited the school, they stated no advantage was given to EA applicants. Nevertheless, it's true that the acceptance rate is higher for those who apply EA. The justification for this was that EA applicants are typically more qualified, but I've seen many other people saying applying EA does indeed give some advantage, so I'm a bit confused here. If I got into Caltech, I would almost certainly choose it over any other school, so if I can gain an advantage by applying EA I might be inclined to do so.</p>

<p>One of the big reasons I'm debating this the SAT II subject tests requirement, particularly the science one. I'm in a bit of a predicament, because the science path I've taken is Honors Biology (freshman) -> Physics (sophomore - the only physics class offered at my school!) -> IB Chemistry (junior+senior year, as it's a two-year class). The problem, then, is that I haven't had Biology since freshman year, my Physics knowledge is pretty basic, and my Chemistry class is in-depth but only half complete! I think I like Physics better than Chemistry, and I have a bit broader knowledge base probably, but I'm not sure how well I'd do on either exam, which could hurt my Caltech chances.</p>

<p>The next question I have is what to do with my summer. I'll definitely continue working on a bass guitar I'm building, and work on starting up a FIRST Robotics team in my area with a friend. I also applied to a few summer programs, and was rejected to RSI/SUMaC and accepted as an alternate to HSHSP (which I'll definitely go to if I get in). If I don't get in though, I'm not sure whether I should try to pursue other research opportunities (possibly an assistant position of some sort at a local college?) or try to take some classes. I wanted to self-study AP Physics to learn more physics (because physics is awesome) and to help with the SAT II, and maybe try some MIT OCW classes like Multivariable Calculus or Intro to Computer Science. I'm not sure whether the research side or academic side is a more worthwhile pursuit, though.</p>

<p>So, in essence, I'm unsure about applying EA because I'd probably be taking my SAT II in October then sending the scores blind, and I'm not currently confident enough about any of tests to be comfortable doing that. Studying over the summer would help a lot, but I don't know if it would be better than doing some research with a professor at the local school.</p>

<p>For a tl;dr version, here's the three questions I'm really trying to ask.
-Does applying EA provide any advantage in admissions chances?
-Would you direct me to take the Chemistry (depth of knowledge, limited breadth) SAT II or the Physics (breadth of knowledge, limited depth) SAT II Subject Test?
-What are some summer activities that would bring good personal enrichment and be beneficial in Caltech admissions?</p>

<p>Again, sorry for such a long post - I've been doing a lot of research on this lately and really wanted some advice. Caltech's my dream school, and I'm really looking to maximize my chances of getting in without overstressing it too much. Thank you very much to anyone who might take the time to read this and offer advice - I really appreciate it!</p>

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<ol>
<li>Statistically, you have a better chance applying EA. However, this is assuming all people who apply have an equal probability of getting in.</li>
<li>No clue, ask your guidance couselor or teachers, they know your abilities best</li>
<li>Pursue whatever you’re passionate about and would enjoy doing. There are a wide variety of summer activites represented within the people that I talked to during PFW.</li>
</ol>

<p>-Someone comparing apples to oranges</p>

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<p>If you are not sure, do not apply EA. You will be hurting your chances for admission. Better to apply RA.</p>

<p>In the summer, you may want to demonstrate that you can pick up new topics and excel in them (participate in cybersecurity competitions etc.) and/or show continued participation in subjects to demonstrate depth in one or two areas.</p>

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<p>Do NOT apply EA. The reason there seems to be a better chance for people who apply early to get in is because those are the ones who are more sure of their application earlier on, which means they already have all their test scores where they want them to be and know that Caltech is definitely where they want to go. If you still have anything you need to work on in the application, anything you think could improve your chances, apply ED.</p>

<p>SAT II truly does not require that much depth of knowledge. I took physics SAT II in 11th grade, literally memorized an equation sheet the night before, and went in the next morning and got a 780. I felt like I had failed, but the nice thing is, physics has something around a 16 question curve. I was completely unprepared for any sort of physics examination and still did pretty decently because honestly SAT is pretty stupid.</p>

<p>And summer activities - I agree with ApplesToOranges. Pursue whatever you’re passionate about. One of the many things I love about Caltech is that their admissions is not a crapshoot - you DO know what they look for. And what they want is that you have a genuine burning passion for the sciences (DEMONSTRATE THIS THROUGH ESSAYS). I know someone who won a bronze medal in the International Physics Olympiad and got rejected, and I have friends who won no science awards and got accepted. The difference is how they portrayed their interest in science - skill does not necessarily mean passion, and that passion is what Caltech truly looks for. Convey that clearly, and it is better than any single activity could ever do for you.</p>

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<p>Thank you for the excellent advice! I’m honestly a bit relieved to know I wouldn’t get an advantage by applying EA, that’ll give me more time to put together the best application I can.</p>

<p>I was rejected from both HSHSP and RSI, so I’m spending my summer learning, rather than doing research. I’m taking a Mechanics course through MITx (which I’m loving at the moment) and I’ll also be studying for the Physics SAT Subject Test, as well as studying to bring my Calculus skills to a BC level (my school only offered AB Calc). I’ll also be learning to use AutoCAD Software for my robotics team. I’m also working with some friends to start a FIRST robotics team in my area, and some FLL teams. Overall I think I’ve constructed a reasonably balanced schedule and am enjoying it and learning a lot. Hopefully a lack of research experience won’t be too big of a deal.</p>

<p>As for a passion about science, I assume engineering and mathematics would fall in this category, correct? I do love the pure sciences as well but my extracurriculars are definitely more engineering-oriented (FIRST robotics, building guitars), and I feel like I could speak to that better in my essays.</p>

<p>Thank you to everyone that’s replied, I really appreciate your help!</p>